Ephesians 4:13-16

Introduction:

God’s desire for His people is not that we merely believe, but that we grow.

In Ephesians 4:13–16, Paul reminds us that spiritual maturity is the clear goal of the Christian life and the life of the church.

As each believer grows and does their part, the whole body is strengthened, unified, and built up in love under Christ, our Head.

This passage calls us to move beyond spiritual childhood and press toward Christlike maturity, where growth is evident, truth is spoken in love, and the church functions as God designed.

1. (V13) Until we all come to the unity of the faith

a) Unity of the faith

God has given gifts to the church to build a strong healthy church, one that walks in unity of the faith

When the gifted offices work right and the saints are properly equipped, Christian maturity increases and there is greater intimacy in the experience of God.

Its a calls for a spiritual unity—a unity produced by shared faith, shared truth, and a shared devotion to Christ.

One in body, spirit, hope, calling, baptism, and in One Father who is above all

1.1 Unity comes through knowledge of the Son of God to be a perfect man

a) Unity comes through the knowledge of Christ

The word knowledge speaks of precise and correct knowledge, according to the scriptures

Not popular opinion, spiritual unity takes place when we understand and believe in the knowledge the Bible teaches

Not everyone who uses the name of Christ listens to the Word of Christ.”

We must put the knowledge into action, which helps us grow in maturity becoming the perfect man, thus maintaining unity

G.I Joe

Growing up I used to watch a show called G.I Joe and the catchphrase was “Knowing is only half the battle”

You have to take the knowledge and apply to your life, You live out the knowledge

b) Perfect man

Perfect, mature, complete, and fullgrown

Paul has in mind the spiritual maturity of the saint

1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.”

Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

c) Biblical maturity

Submission to God’s Word

Growing in truth and love

Christ as the standard, not culture

1.2 To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

a) The fullness of Christ

To be complete and mature

Christian maturity refers to a deep and developed relationship with Jesus Christ

Our daily life reflects the character of Jesus Christ

It involves a transformed attitude and behavior

Someone who denies themselves and carries their cross daily

Living the abundant life we have been called to

2. (V14) That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine

a) We should no longer be children

Easily Deceived :Like children, spiritually immature individuals may accept any teaching without critical evaluation.

Influenced by Culture :They can be swayed by social trends rather than grounded in biblical truth.

Lack of Discernment: They struggle to discern between sound doctrine and misleading teachings.

Recognizing the dangers of spiritual immaturity naturally leads to the question: how do we grow? Scripture is clear—the only way to mature is through consistent time with Christ.”

Spending time in the word, growing in understanding and applying it to your life

The only way to mature is to spend consistent time with Christ

b) Tossed to and fro

In an age overflowing with voices, platforms, and online teachers, Paul’s warning is more relevant than ever: without biblical grounding, believers are carried away by every wind of doctrine.”

The ancient Greek word for tossed to and fro is from the same words used to describe the stormy Sea of Galilee in Luke 8:24 (raging of the water).

Have you ever been on a sail boat in the midst of a storm or a rough sea

Or tossed around by powerful waves, its hard to know which way is up and which way is down.

But if were not grounded in the faith in sound doctrine and living it out we are unstable in all our ways

“Spiritual immaturity leaves us unstable and easily moved, but maturity anchors us in Christ and enables us to grow together in truth and love.”

c) Carried away by every wind of doctrine

In an age of endless online voices and YouTube teachers, many follow unbiblical ideas without testing them against Scripture.

Though they claim Christianity, their beliefs no longer align with the true knowledge of Christ revealed in the Bible—they have been carried away by every wind of doctrine.

Examples of doctrinal drift:

1) Jehovah’s Witnesses – deny the deity of Christ

Mormonism (LDS) – add extra-biblical revelation, which they believe supersedes Scripture

Christian Science – denies the reality of sin and sickness as taught in Scripture

2) Progressive / Liberal Christianity

Claims Christianity while rejecting biblical inerrancy

Treats Scripture as: inspirational but flawed

Symbolic rather than authoritative

Often:

Reinterprets or dismisses clear biblical teaching on sin, judgment, salvation, and morality

Elevates modern culture over Scripture

⚠️ Authority shifts from “Thus says the Lord” to “Thus says the culture.”

Acts 20:29 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”

2.1 By the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting

a) By trickery of men

Deceitful plotting indicates deliberate schemes to cause confusion

“The words… refer to the arts used by gamesters, who employ false dice that will always throw up one kind of number

False teaching causes this type of confusion

b) Cunning craftiness

The word means to lie and weight to deceive

Deliberate planning

They stray away from the truth

3. (V15) But speaking truth in Love, may grow up in all things with Christ being the Head

a) Speak truth

Maturity calls for us to speak truth

We’re held accountable for the words we speak and how we speak them

Maturity is not speaking lies

We must be willing to speak truth, especially in times of conflict

The goal is reconciliation

b) In Love

You can have great biblical knowledge, you can be the most gifted person, but without love its just noise

In 1 Cor, Paul was addressing this very thing

How we handle conflict is a mark of our Christian maturity

This speaks to not only how we are to relate to one another in God’s family, but also to how leaders and saints are to deal with deceivers.

We should deal with them in love, but never budging from the truth.

c) Grow up in all things

 Another way maturity is described is as the growing up into Jesus, who is the head.

Again, this defines the direction of maturity. We never grow “independent” of Jesus, we grow up into Him.

Christ dependence is maturity

3.1 (V16) The whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies

a) Each saint being a member of His body growing together

A metaphor taken from the members of a human body receiving nourishment equally and growing up, each in its due proportion to other parts, and to the body in general.”

We are the body of Christ and were joined together

3.2 According to the effective working by which every part does its share, cause growth of the body for edifying of itself in love

a) Every part does their share

Cause growth

Builds up

In Conclusion:

Church, God is not calling us to perfection overnight, but to faithful growth.

Stay in the Word, walk closely with Christ, and do the part He has entrusted to you. As each of us grows, the whole body grows—and together we move steadily toward the fullness of Christ.

Why We Do Communion?

Because Jesus Commanded It: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Communion is an act of obedience to Christ.

To Remember the Gospel: The bread and cup remind us of Christ’s body and blood given for our salvation.

To Proclaim Christ’s Death: We publicly declare the cross and live in hope of His return (1 Corinthians 11:26).

To Examine Our Hearts: Communion invites repentance, faith, and gratitude before God.

To Express Our Unity: We share one table as one body, united in Christ.

Please get the elements and examine your hearts before the Lord

If there is any sin in your life confess it and move forward in forgiveness

Eating of the bread is acknowledging His sacrifice on the cross.

He was perfect in all His ways, yet He was mocked, beaten, and left to hang on the cross for our sin

Matthew 26:26 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.””

(The cup) In the same way he took the cup, it was the life that was poured out, he gave his life for you and me

It was an act of love, that He gave himself for the remission of sin, for you and me

Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Lets drink the cup