Unity brings strength

Stronger Together: The Power of Unity in Christ

Bible Passage: Ephesians 4:1–16

Application: This passage encourages Christians to embrace their differences as strengths and to work together in love and service. It can help congregations address divisions, fostering reconciliation, and empowering members to serve according to their unique gifts, ultimately building up the church.

Teaching: The sermon teaches that unity is essential for the health and mission of the church. It illustrates how each member plays a vital role and that true growth and maturity in faith come from working together as one body, under Christ, who is the head.

How this passage could point to Christ: Ephesians 4 illustrates the corporate identity of believers as the body of Christ, showing that Christ draws diverse individuals together, and through His Spirit, unites them for a common mission and purpose, foreshadowing the ultimate unity of all believers in Him throughout eternity.

Big Idea: Unity in Christ equips the church to grow and thrive as one body, leveraging our diverse gifts to fulfill God’s mission on earth.

1. United In Calling

Ephesians 4:1-6

V1. “Prisoner for the Lord”

Like a kings crown shows his power and authority, Paul uses his chains and imprisonment as a badge of honor.

Acts 5:40–41 ESV

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

So often we think that our walks are all about what God is doing for us, and the “victories” we have in life. Those are great things but like other things when we only take a portion of scripture and not the entire thing we begin to worship an idol of our own creation, instead of the living and true God.

The Israelites had not abandoned worship of God for idols. They had combined the worship of God with idols.

Timothy Keller

The human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

proper understanding of God is the ground which our spiritual walk moves on. Moving away from that is like diving of a cliff spiritually

explore how these verses call believers to walk in humility, gentleness, and patience, fostering love as the core of unity.

The unity of the New Testament is a unity of faith.

R. C. Sproul

This unity reflects our call in Christ and springs from the shared identity in one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God, who binds us together. Highlight how these foundational truths can help us set aside personal differences and focus on what unites us. This provides both encouragement and challenge for the church to manifest God's love to the world through our unified witness.

2. Unified Through Diversity

Ephesians 4:7-16

Perhaps examine how this passage discusses the diversity of Christ's gifts to the church. Every member has a unique role, equipping the saints for ministry and building up the body of Christ.

Emphasize how maturity is reached when each part works together, under the headship of Christ. This portrays Christ as the source and sustainer who directs and empowers His body to grow in love and truth. Encouraging believers to embrace and use their gifts contributes to a harmonious and effective church that reflects Christ’s fullness.

 3   Unity and diversity must work together or one will destroy the other. Unity without diversity is uniformity, but diversity without unity is anarchy. Warren Wiersbe A Gallery of Grace (2002)

Warren W. Wiersbe

Grace was given. Gifts were given. Only Because God decided to give it to us.

Described in verses 7-10.