Good teaching leads to maturity and unity (Ephesians 4:1-16)

There is a terrible story told of a church split that happened many years ago in America.  This split divided the church in two.  The grievances were so deep that that the two sides went to court.  The court threw the case out, so they went to a church arbitration committee.  That committee awarded one side the building and the other side went and formed their own new church.  However, one of the things that the church arbitration committee found out was that the conflict began at a church dinner when one elder received a smaller slice of ham than a child sitting next to him.

Maybe you friends look at how easily evangelical churches fall out with each other as evidence that our gospel doesn’t really change lives.  Our witness depends on our ability to bear with each other.  It matters to Jesus, who prayed that we would be one so that the world would believe that the Father had sent the Son (John 17:21). 

This morning I want us to see how good teaching leads to maturity and unity.

Unity is seen when we bear each other in love (1-3)

In the first three chapters the apostle Paul has told us something of all the spiritual blessings God has given us in Christ.  He chose us before the foundation of the world, because He loves us.  He has revealed His glory through showing us kindness.  This adoption in God is the result of His grace not our merit.  This salvation is received through faith as opposed to personal effort.  It makes people from diverse background one new person in Jesus.  It produces a world-wide church that reflects God’s goodness.

Now, at the beginning of chapter four, we have a ‘therefore’.  Given all that God has done for us in Christ, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (1).  God’s kindness prompts a response.  Love shown to us produces love shown from us.

We are called to walk with humility not pride, gentleness not harshness, patience not impatience.  We are to bear one another in love, being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (3).  When we are arrogance, harsh and impatient we alienate people from us.  When we are humble, gentle and patient we contribute to a loving community.

Bearing with one another is an interesting idea.  It suggests that we wouldn’t always find people easy.  Some people will be a burden to us.  They might have needs that demand our time.  They may have personalities that test our endurance.  They may see things differently than we do.

Sadly, we have all heard of churches that have split because people couldn’t bear each other.  Maybe the young people wanted livelier music and the older wanted a more reverent words to the songs.  The young ones may have had a point when they claimed the older ones lacked enthusiasm.  The older ones may have had a point when they say that some of the new songs are shallow.  But we shouldn’t always demand we get our way, even when we know we are right.  Not everything we believe in is worth fighting for. 

In church growth circles they used to talk about the bus.  The bus was the leaders’ dreams and ambitions for the church.  You were told that you were to get on the bus or you would be left behind.  One leader went so far as to boast that many people would get run over by the bus.  I don’t think the bus picture is one of bearing one another in love.  I am not saying that you do nothing in case you offend those who are overly cautious.  I am saying that there are times that leaders have to feel frustrated when they can’t convince the congregation towards a course of action.

Unity exists whether it is evident or not (4-6)

The unity of God’s people is a fact.  Local churches are a part of the universal body of Christ, even when they don’t like the church down the road.  You are a brother or sister with every other follower of Jesus, even if you don’t like them.  There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (4-6).  You might distance yourself from other Christians you find difficult, but you can’t cut the ligaments that hold you together.

I have often told you that one of my mum’s stated desires is that her three children get on with each other.  If we didn’t like each other that wouldn’t stop us being brothers and sister.  But it would break my mum’s heart.  It pleases our heavenly Father when we bear one another in love.

What a privilege it is to have a Latvian and a Romanian church use this building.  We should be building good relationships with these people.  When our non-believing friends see us with Christians from other evangelical churches they should be able to see that we are spiritual brothers and sisters even though the meet with a different congregation.  It should be obvious that we have infinitely more in common than anything we disagree on.

Unity is a product of good teaching (7-16)

Paul says that we have been given grace as Christ apportioned it (7).  This is not a reference to the grace that saved us but rather the grace that transforms us.  We can’t bear one another in love in our own strength.  We need the enabling that comes through the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit prepares us to bear with one another in love as we are taught God’s Word.  That is why the risen and ascended Jesus gives the church apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers (probably one role not two).

Just in passing, I love the fact that the quote in verse eight, which is from Psalm 68, is applied to Jesus even though it is originally about Yahweh.  You see Paul quotes the Old Testament in a way that acknowledges that Jesus is God the Son.

There is some debate about the role of the apostle and the prophet.  Is this a reference to the founding apostles of the church who were uniquely commissioned by the risen Jesus and operated in the time of the New Testament, or are there modern apostles?  Are the prophets those group of people associated with those New Testament apostles?  I don’t know.  I do know that there are those who are gifted in establishing churches the way the apostles did, and that while all God’s people may prophecy at times there are those who have a settled gift of prophecy.  While there are people gifted as evangelists, we are all commissioned to share our faith.

There are many cultural add-ons to what is expected of pastor-teachers, but we can see that their primary role is that of teaching and prayer.  The result of this teaching is that all God’s people are prepared for works of ministry.  We shouldn’t think in terms of clergy and laity.  We shouldn’t have special people we call ‘minister’.  All God’s people are called to ministry.

The leaders of the church prepare God’s people for works of ministry primarily by teaching them.  Paul sums up his message by telling us that he preaches ‘Christ crucified’ (1 Cor. 1:23).  While the first half of this letter majored on what God has done for us in Jesus, the second half of this letter shows us how we walk in response to that gospel.  We will see that all this walking is shaped by the cross.  We will be called to walk in the light—and the apostle Paul explains that the way to walk in the light is to learn Christ (4:20).  That centres on the cross!  We are to forgive as we have been forgiven (4:32)—and we remember that our forgiveness was purchased on the cross!  Chapter five is all about submitting to one another in love—which involves following the example of Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us on the cross (5:2).  When we look at the last chapter of this letter, and its teaching on spiritual warfare, we will see that we stand firm as we apply the message of the cross to our hearts.

When the message of the cross is applied to our hearts we will grow in unity in the faith (13), increasing knowledge of the Son of God (13), maturity in Christ (13), and growth in character (14).  Indeed, the pastor-teacher is not only to feed the sheep, he is to protect them against false-teachers who will emphasise such odious things as we see in the prosperity-gospel and those unwise builders to would distract you with such things as speculations on end times.  

Conclusion 

In the first half of this letter there is only one command: remember (2:11-12).  Now we are called to walk a life worthy of the calling with which you have been called (4:1)—this verse is really a summary of the whole of the second half of the letter.  Now we are called to ‘make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (4:3).  Are we making that effort?  Do we ask God for the transforming grace that will help us love each other?  Are we seeking to bear one another in love?  Preach the message of the cross to yourself, and listen to the message of the cross, and God will strengthen you through the Holy Spirit so that you can live a life that pleases our loving Father.