I Believe in the Universal Church

Ephesians 4:1-6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-17, John 17:20-23

Just before Jesus went to the cross—facing betrayal, injustice, and death—He prayed. And what He prayed for, more than anything else, was unity. Not political unity. Not denominational unity. Spiritual unity—the kind that reflects the very oneness of the Trinity.

He said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You…” (John 17:20–21).

This prayer stands as Christ’s final pastoral intercession before His passion. It frames the identity and vocation of the Church. Theologically speaking, it reveals the Trinitarian logic of ecclesial unity.

Unity within the Church should be viewed as an essential aspect of the church’s nature rather than a practical strategy. The pursuit of unity is often understood not simply for increased effectiveness, but as a reflection of the Church's core identity, that we are one in Christ.

The Church Jesus envisions in this prayer is not bound by time, geography, or tradition. It is catholic in the truest sense—whole, universal, Spirit-born. And it is that vision we turn to in Paul’s letters and in the early Christian witness.

I. ONE BODY, ONE SPIRIT, ONE HOPE (Ephesians 4:1–6)

Paul writes, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope…” (Ephesians 4:3–4).

Then he lists seven powerful “ones”: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. In Scripture, seven is the number of completion.

Paul isn’t merely offering a suggestion here; he’s describing what a complete Church looks like.

Unity is not something we create. It’s something we protect. It’s already given to us by the Spirit. Our task is not to invent unity, but to preserve it. To steward it. To embody it.

Because the Church isn’t made complete by our worship styles, political affiliations, or denominational distinctives, it is made whole by our oneness in Christ.

We are not loyal to labels; we are loyal to the Lamb.

We are not defined by denominational divisions; we are united by the blood of Jesus.

Unity is the gift of the Spirit. Division is the rebellion of the flesh. We don’t go to church to find people like us—we become the Church to love people not like us.

Let me make it plain: we are not Independent first. We are not Baptist first. We are not Methodist first. We are Kingdom first.

II. YOU ARE THE BODY (1 Corinthians 12:12–27)

In Corinth, Paul confronted a church that had all the spiritual gifts—but lacked spiritual unity. They were divided by class, social status, and a hierarchy of spiritual experiences. Some believed they mattered more because they spoke in tongues. Others felt insignificant because they didn’t have visible gifts.

And into that fractured community, Paul speaks a stunning truth: “You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Paul wasn’t offering a metaphor—he was giving them an identity. He didn’t say you’re like a body. He said, you are the Body.

Friends, Christ has no physical body on earth but us.

And in a body, every part matters. The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t dismiss the feet. Each part has a role, a gift, a purpose. And when one part suffers, the whole body suffers. When one part rejoices, all rejoice.

The Church is not a machine—it’s a living organism. Every saint is essential. Every member is indispensable. We are interconnected, interdependent, and Spirit-animated. The Church is not a stage for stars; it is a Body of servants. And if you can’t serve then you’re not ready for the stage.

But what did that body look like in real life? What did the ekklesia look like in the beginning?

Frank Viola, in The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, reminds us that the first Christians didn’t attend church—they were the Church. The word used in the New Testament is ekklesia—a Greek word meaning “the called-out assembly.”

It wasn’t a building or a weekly program. It was a people—gathered under the Headship of Christ, led by the Spirit, and living in deep, shared community. The early Church wasn’t centered on sermons and systems—it was centered on relationship and rhythm, Spirit and surrender.

And we see this clearly in Acts 2:42–47:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… All the believers were together and had everything in common… They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

That’s not just a service—it’s a shared life. That’s not an event you attend it’s a following of Jesus culture that you live. And that is where I am trying to lead us to become.

The ekklesia didn’t gather for performance—they gathered for presence. Jesus was the center. The Spirit was the leader. Every member was a minister.

The NT describes the early Church as a Christ-centered, Spirit-led, every-member-functioning community. They met in homes. They shared their resources. They prayed and worshiped together. They didn’t go to church, they lived as the Church. The result? A movement that turned the world upside down.

So when Paul says, “you are the Body,” he’s not just telling us we matter—he’s calling us to a way of life. A life of mutuality, love, worship, and Spirit-powered connection. The kind of life that makes Jesus visible to the world.

Picture a stained-glass window. Alone, each piece is jagged and broken. But when brought together—and lit by the light of Christ—they become a masterpiece. The early Church lived like that. Each member shining in their place. Each gift contributing to the whole. That’s the Body. That’s the ekklesia. That’s the Church Jesus prayed for.

III. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH (Apostles’ Creed)

And now we come to the Creed, to those ancient and sacred words: “I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.” For many, the word “catholic” is confusing—even uncomfortable.

It has been misunderstood, misquoted, and misapplied. But here’s the truth: “catholic” doesn’t mean Roman Catholic. The word comes from the Greek katholikos, which means “according to the whole” or simply, “universal.”

So when we say, “I believe in the holy catholic Church,” we are not pledging allegiance to a denomination—we are affirming our belief in the universal Body of Christ.

We are saying the Church is not limited to our corner of the world, our tradition, or our time in history. It includes every believer, everywhere, in every age. From the persecuted house churches of China, to the revival tents of Africa, to the liturgical cathedrals of Europe—we are one Church.

The Church is not a religion—it is a group of “called out saints of God” on earth. When we dismiss other believers because of denomination or doctrinal difference, we aren’t just being petty, we’re ripping apart the very Body Jesus gave His life to make one.

Denominations may serve a purpose, but they are not the endgame. They are scaffolding, not the structure. One day, the scaffolding will fall away, and only the Bride will remain.

This brings us to the end—not the end of the sermon, but the end of the story.

Paul says in Ephesians 5:25, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her… to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle.”

Jesus didn’t just pray for the Church. He didn’t just establish the Church. He diedfor the Church. And one day, He is coming back for the Church. But not a divided Church. Not a cynical Church. Not a compromising Church. He’s coming back for a radiant Bride.

He’s not coming back for a Baptist bride. He’s not coming back for a Pentecostal bride. He’s not coming back for a Methodist, Anglican, Lutheran, or non-denominational bride.

He’s coming back for His Bride—a blood-washed, Spirit-filled, praying, worshiping, serving, and unified Church.

That’s the holy catholic Church.

That’s the communion of saints.

That’s the Body of Christ.

That’s the Church Jesus prayed for. That’s the Church we are called to become.

Imagine a bride walking down the aisle. Her dress is stitched from generations of faithfulness. Her veil is woven with the prayers of the saints. She walks toward her Groom—not because she is flawless, but because she is loved. She is covered in righteousness, crowned with glory, and filled with the Spirit. That is the Church Jesus is returning for.

As a pastor if there’s one message I’d be honored to give my life to, it’s this: that the Church would become the answer to Jesus’ prayer. That we would not just attend services, but become a sign of His love. A living epistle. A radiant Bride.

Ask yourself today:

Am I living in unity with the Body of Christ?

Am I loving people who are not like me?

Am I building up the Bride—or tearing her down?

Because Jesus is not coming back for a building. He’s coming back for a Body. He’s coming back for a Bride. Let’s be the Church He prayed for. Let’s be the Church He died for. Let’s be the Church He’s coming back for.

Closing Prayer Lord Jesus, make us one. One Body. One Spirit. One Hope. Forgive us for our divisions. Heal our disunity. Restore our love for the whole Church—past, present, and future. Let the world see You in the way we love one another. Make us ready, holy, and radiant for Your return. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Benediction – Ephesians 3:20–21

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.