The Expression of Our Unity | Ephesians 4:7-16

Scripture

• Ephesians 4:7–16

About this sermon

Introduction: We have considered what is necessary for a local church to enjoy and live out the unity that we have been given in Jesus Christ. We have seen: The ambition necessary for local church unity — a worthy walk. The attitudes necessary for local church unity — humility, gentleness, and patience. The actions necessary for local church unity — forbearance and holy zeal for its preservation (we treasure it and put effort into the maintenance of it). The awareness necessary for local church unity — all the things we have in common in our fellowship with the Spirit, with the Son, and with the Father (what we live out is based on knowledge, doctrine, theology). So, having considered the need for unity, and the elements of it, HOW IS IT LIVED OUT? How has God designed for a UNIFIED CHURCH TO FUNCTION? Which brings us to verses 7-16, and an explanation regarding the operation of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts DISPLAY our unity, but they also CONTRIBUTE to the maintaining of the unity we have in Christ. We live out unity not just in personal relationships but in the work of ministry. MUTUAL MINISTRY IS A MEANS OF GOD FOR THE UNITY OF HIS CHURCH. Tonight, we begin examining the ASSETS for local church unity. We consider the spiritual gifts that God has given to His church, by His Son, through the working of His Spirit, so that we FUNCTION IN UNITY. I. THE DISTRIBUTION OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS TO EACH BELIEVER (vs.7) Now, we might wonder why the apostle uses a disjunctive conjunction to begin the 7th verse. Clearly, he is still carrying on with the theme of unity. So why the implication of some sort of contrast? The answer is that there IS a sort of contrast. We are still thinking about unity, but now he introduces something a bit different. Now as we think about FUNCTIONAL unity, he is making clear that we must not think of unity in terms of uniformity. HE HAS JUST TALKED ABOUT ALL THESE GLORIOUS THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON — IN THE SAME WAY. We are called to the same ambition. We are called to the same attitudes. We must all take the same actions. We all must live with the same doctrinal awareness. We are all equally members of Christ’s body. We all received the Holy Spirit in the same way. We all share the same hope. We all have the same Lord. We have all exercised saving faith. We have all submitted to believer’s baptism. We all have the same Father. THERE IS NO DISTINCTION OR DIVERSITY IN ANY OF THESE MATTERS. BUT … EACH OF US HAS RECEIVED A UNIQUE SPIRITUAL GIFT, WE ARE GOING TO LEARN THAT WE ARE NOT ALL GIFTED IN THE SAME WAY. True unity, in its function, is not cookie cutter. True unity, in its function, is not uniformity. Martin Lloyd-Jones — “There is always the danger of our conceiving of unity in terms of uniformity. Our tendency is to think of unity as consisting of a number of things which are absolutely identical in every single respect, with no difference at all, such as a sheet of postage stamps. But the Apostle is at pains to show us that that is not true unity, but a dull, drab uniformity. Unity, he shows, is much bigger than that, a much grander thing. Any conception of unity which equates it with uniformity detracts from the essential greatness and glory of unity. In other words unity is not something mechanical; it does not mean sameness” And you see this in the very next statement. “Grace was given TO EACH ONE OF US.” THERE is the individual. In the body of Christ, we have come to belong to this one new man, yet we have not lost our individual identity.

Topics

• Church & Fellowship