566 Walk in Unity

Introduction

One of my favorite movies of all time is Saving Private Ryan. It’s great but admittedly hard to watch. There is a scened near the end of the film, as Captain Miller lies dying after rescuing Private Ryan, he pulls Ryan close and says, "Earn this."

Of course, Ryan could never truly earn the sacrifice made for him. How could he ever repay such a sacrifice? Trying to earn something like that could be crushing. The best he could hope to do was live a life that honored it—to live a life worthy of such a sacrifice.

The gospel of Jesus is different at one crucial point: we can never earn what Christ has done for us. Salvation is entirely by grace. Yet having received such a gracious calling, we are now called to live in a manner worthy of it—not to earn God's favor, but because we have already received it.

And according to Paul, that worthy walk is not merely private and individual. It is demonstrated in how we live together as Christ's church.

Slide

Please open to Ephesians 4.

Paul now transitions from doctrine (chapters 1–3) to duty (chapters 4–6). The worthy walk Paul describes is impossible apart from the gospel realities of chapters 1–3.

The whole book hinges on v.1:

"Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received" (v. 1).

The question for us as a church is this: What does a worthy walk look like in Christ's church? Paul tells us that a worthy walk is seen when Christ's people preserve unity, use their gifts, and grow together toward maturity.

Paul Gives us Three Parts:

Part 1: We are United in Christ

Ephesians 4:1–6 CSB

1 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Slide 2

Words matter and I’ve been lingering on that phrase “worthy of the calling.” When we go on mission trips we often speak about making sure you represent America well. People are watching, and we want our conduct to advance rather than hinder the mission.

We have graciously been given a new identity and are part of a new people and we are called to represent the Kingdom with our lives. So, Paul moves from exposition to exhortation.

A worthy walk begins with the mindset of mature believers living among God's people.

Paul highlights five key qualities:

Humility

In the Greco-Roman world, humility wasn’t a popular trait. However, for Christians, it’s the cornerstone virtue because it mirrors Christ himself (Phil. 2:5-11).

Gentleness

Gentleness is often frowned upon these days. But how does Jesus describe himself? 'Gentle and lowly in heart' (Matt. 11:29).

Patience

Sometimes we just have to be honest: patience is crucial. The people God has brought us together with will challenge us.

Bearing with one another in love

Bearing with one another in love acknowledges that life together in the church can sometimes be tough. Paul assumes we’ll let each other down. Christian maturity isn’t about avoiding friction but persevering love through it.

Diligence to maintain unity

Some of us have been deeply hurt by Christians or even churches. Maintaining unity doesn’t mean ignoring past sins. It means striving for reconciliation whenever possible, because Christ reconciled us to God.

Some churches struggle with conflict. Some families carry old wounds. But Paul reminds us that Christian unity does not begin with us. Jesus has already created one new people through His cross. We aren't trying to manufacture unity from nothing—we are preserving a unity Christ has already secured.

My wife and I have been married for 34 years. We don’t need to recreate our relationship every day, but we do need to focus on keeping it strong. There’s a way to live that honors the promises we made. After 34 years, I still have to ask myself: am I promoting peace in this relationship or division?

Notice that Paul does not begin with programs, strategies, or structures. He begins with character because unity is ultimately a spiritual issue before it is an organizational issue.

Let’s make this personal. Consider your mindset:

Am I promoting peace or division? Am I bearing with others in love?

Notice what grounds these attitudes.

The attitudes Paul is asking for aren’t just personality traits—they come from something deeper, theological. Notice the theological realities that form the foundation of our unity.

One body

One Spirit

One hope

One Lord

One faith

One baptism

One God and Father of all

Paul doesn’t simply offer practical advice. We need to remember that church unity is about theology before it’s about everyday life. The unity we share is rooted in the very life of the Triune God.

As a church, we can handle differences in preferences, because we share ultimate realities. Unity does not mean uniformity. Christ created a church of diverse people with diverse gifts.

Because our unity is rooted in the Triune God, we can preserve unity even amid our differences.

Part 2: We are Gifted by Christ

Ephesians 4:7–10 CSB

7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says: When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people. 9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.

Point 2

Notice Paul's shift. After emphasizing our oneness seven times, Paul now reminds us that unity does not erase individuality. Christ creates one body composed of uniquely gifted members.

Christ gives each of His people unique gifts, all designed to strengthen His church and help Him fulfill His mission.

Before explaining the gifts, Paul reminds us where they come from—from the victorious reign of Christ.

There is remarkable irony here. Paul writes these words while under house arrest, yet he portrays Jesus as the victorious King who has conquered every enemy and now distributes gifts to His people

In the ancient world, victorious kings would distribute their spoils to their subjects. Paul explains that Jesus didn’t conquer earthly foes but rather sin, death, Satan, and the grave. He quotes Psalm 68 here.

Christ descended in humility and ascended in triumph. Whatever precise interpretation we adopt, Paul's emphasis is clear: the crucified Christ is now the victorious King. Having triumphed through the cross and resurrection, He now shares the rewards of victory with His church through spiritual gifts.

People often make spiritual gifts seem more complicated than they are. Paul’s message is straightforward: these gifts are not primarily for personal fulfillment but for the strengthening of Christ's body. Paul's emphasis throughout the passage is corporate rather than individual

There are no Christians who aren’t gifted in some way. No Christian is spiritually unemployed. One of the Enemy’s favorite tactics is to convince gifted Christians that they have nothing to offer.

Important question: How do I know how Christ has gifted me?

Identifying a spiritual gift often begins by asking, 'What needs to be done right now? Serve, try new things, and be open to honest feedback from mature Christians.

I know people who discovered their gifts simply by stacking chairs, leading a small group, or visiting someone in the hospital. They served first, took feedback, and then realized they had gifts along the way. I think of one woman in our church who would have told you she had nothing to offer. She wasn't a teacher, wasn't a leader — she just started showing up to help with setup. She is an organizer. So she started organizing the setup of the chairs. She knows where every single chair is to be placed. 7:00 AM Sunday morning she makes sure you have a well placed chair for worship. She didn't find that gift in a spiritual gifts inventory. She found it by showing up.

Every Christian is given spiritual gifts that exist to help the entire church grow into maturity.

The good news is that Christ has not left His church under-equipped. Every gift needed for the church's health has been supplied by the risen King. Churches can sometimes look fragile. We see our weaknesses. We know our limitations. But Paul reminds us that Christ delights in using ordinary people filled with His Spirit. The future of Thrive does not rest on one pastor, one program, or one building. It rests on the risen Christ who loves His church.

Part 3: We are Growing Towards Christ

Ephesians 4:11–16 CSB

11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. 16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

Point 3

Christ gives leaders to equip the saints (vv. 11–12)

Christ provides the church with:

Apostles

Prophets

Evangelists

Pastors and teachers

Here’s why: “To equip the saints for the work of ministry."

We often think ministry belongs primarily to pastors. Paul says otherwise. Pastors equip; saints minister.

The church thrives when everyone contributes to ministry.

The goal of pastoral ministry (vv. 13–14)

Paul identifies three goals:

1) Unity in the faith. Paul envisions a church increasingly united around the apostolic gospel and the truth about Jesus Christ.

2) Paul wants us to grow in knowledge of the Son of God

Paul isn’t just talking about gathering facts about Jesus. He’s talking about developing a deep, personal, and real understanding of Christ that changes us into His image.

We’re not just trying to learn about Jesus; we’re aiming to build a relationship with Him that gets stronger and deeper over time.

3) Full maturity—growing into the likeness of Jesus.

The reality is, immature believers are vulnerable: "tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching."

This is particularly true given the rise of social media. The algorithms figure out what we're interested in and load our feed with snippets of theology that may or may not be helpful. We end up 'tossed by the waves and blown around' because we are disproportionately fed one thing and we never mature. An algorithm will never push back on you. It will never ask you a hard question or sit with you when you're struggling. That's exactly why Christ didn't give us a feed — he gave us a body. Rooted Groups and D Groups exist precisely for this: to give you people who know you well enough to speak truth into your life over time, not just content that confirms what you already believe.

Make it personal:

Paul measures how we grow spiritually, not by how long we’ve gone to church, but by how much we’re like Christ.

Maybe you feel spiritually stagnant. Maybe you've fought the same sin for years. Maybe you wonder whether you'll ever change. Paul reminds us that Christ has not abandoned His people. The same Christ who saved you is committed to maturing you. He is patient, and He finishes what He starts. Paul reminds us that Christ hasn’t left us to figure things out on our own. He’s given us a church family to help us grow. That’s why we have Rooted Groups, Small Groups, and D Groups.

How does this maturity express itself? Paul says, “speaking the truth in love.” Paul is describing more than merely truthful speech. The church is to embody, speak, and live out gospel truth in loving ways.

I’ve noticed that some churches emphasize truth but sometimes overlook love, while others prioritize love but sometimes forget about truth.

Truth without love can feel cold and unkind.

Love without truth can become overly sentimental.

Healthy churches do both—truth and love.

Here’s how that might look:

Encouraging each other with Scripture.

Gently correcting a brother or sister.

Reminding a suffering friend of God’s promises.

Calling one another away from sin.

Sharing the gospel with one another.

When everyone contributes, the whole church grows stronger.

Did you notice how Paul used a helpful picture of a ligament? Ligaments don’t do the obvious work of muscles, but without them, the whole body can’t function properly and eventually falls down. The same is true for the church.

Or, let me give you another way to think about this. I can talk about the deep things of Christ from the stage, but if moms and dads or grandparents don’t live this out in a noticeable way for their children, the church can’t work well. We all have a vital role to play.

Biblically speaking, church growth is not merely numerical growth; it is the entire body becoming more like Jesus.

Every member matters. Every gift matters. Every act of ministry matters.

Our hope as a church is not that we have enough talent or resources. Our hope is that the ascended Christ is committed to building His people into maturity.

Conclusion

As we started the sermon, we thought about Captain Miller’s last words to Private Ryan: “Earn this.” That was both powerful and crushing.

The gospel is wonderfully different! Jesus doesn’t look at us from the cross and say, “Earn this.” Instead, He says, “It is finished.”

The work of salvation is all done. Christ has already done what we could never do.

Even though we’ve received such grace, Paul says, “walk worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1, CSB).

So, the real question isn’t, “Have I earned God’s favor?”

It’s, “Does my life show the grace I’ve already received?”

Am I helping to keep the unity Christ bought?

Am I helping others grow in Christ?

Am I using the gifts Christ has given me?

Church, we are not yet all Christ intends us to be. We still struggle, we still stumble, and sometimes we still wound one another. But take heart: Christ is not finished with us. One day Christ will present His bride to Himself in splendor. Until then, we walk worthy together — trusting that the One who called us is faithful.