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Together Sermon Series
Together We Find Peace (9/22)
Together We Experience Love (9/29)
Together We Grow Stronger (10/6)
Together We Can Change the World (10/13)
Question? What’s the largest living organism in the world?
Answer: Pando, a massive system of
• 100 + Acres
• 6,600 Tons
“16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…” (NIV) —Ephesians 3:16-18
Today’s Message: Together We Grow
1. The Importance of Unity (Ephesians 4:1-6)
“1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make 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 when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:1-6
Make Every Effort (v. 3)— From the Greek spoudazo word meaning
“39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried (spoudazo) to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (NIV) —Luke 1:39-41
Unity (v. 3)—From the Greek Word henotes, meaning one-ness (as in the number 1) or
Bond Of Peace (v. 3)—The Greek word sundesmos means bound or tied
“1 As a prisoner for the Lord… Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” —Ephesians 4:1, 3
2. One Body, Many Gifts (Ephesians 4:7-8)
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:7-8
3. The Purpose of the Gifts (Ephesians 4:11-13)
“11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:11-13
The Logical Flow of Paul’s Argument
The church is a
Within one body, there are many diverse
The gifts enable us to accomplish works of
As a result of good works, the body is **
This leads to a deeper
The result is a spiritual
4. The Benefits of Unity (Ephesians 4:14-16)
“14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:14-16
Firm in Our Faith—No Longer Infants / Tossed Back & Forth / Blown here and there
Growing Into the Body of Christ—Literally “Grow up into Him”
Growing, Building, Working—Verse 16 describes the ongoing continuation of this cycle.
Life Groups—One of the best ways to connect with a community, build unity, discover gifts, and disciple each other in a more personalized way.
What’s in a Name?
• Small Groups, Care Groups, Life Groups, Community Groups, Cell Groups, Growth Groups, Discipleship Groups, Fellowship Groups, etc.
“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” (NIV) —1 Thessalonians 2:8
The three foundations of a successful Life Group:
1. Love—“Because we loved you…”
2. The Gospel—“Share with you not only the gospel…”
3. Community—“…But our lives as well.”
Life Groups as a Crucial Piece to the
“Church members who became involved in some type of group in the churches were five times more likely to be active in the church five years later compared to the worship-only attenders.” —Thom Rainer, I Will: 9 Traits of Outwardly Focused Christians
5. Unity Killers (Ephesians 4:17-32)
Paul warns the Ephesian church against all kinds of attitudes & actions that will destroy the unity of the church.
- Hard Hearts v. 18
- Sensuality v. 19
- Greed v. 19
- Falsehood v. 25
- Anger v. 26, 31
- Stealing v. 28
- Unwholesome Talk v. 29
- Bitterness v. 31
- Rage v. 31
- Brawling v. 31
- Slander v. 31
- Malice v. 31
Faith Challenges
1–Connect: Commit to making
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:3
2–Grow: Pray for God to show you the actions, attitudes, priorities or beliefs that he wants you to work on. Take
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:15
3–Serve:
Commit to finding a way to share your
“…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” (NIV) —Ephesians 4:12
Next Steps
1–Guests: Stop by Guest Central for more information about our church and to pick ups your free welcome gift.
2–Download the app, view our upcoming events and learn more about our Life Groups (See the new button on the home screen).
Invitation
We know that God speaks to each of us individually in unique ways. If God has put it on your heart to make a decision, ask for prayers, or share your story, we invite you to contact us in person by walking to the front to meet with our shepherds, calling our church office, or reaching out to one of our shepherds or ministers. We’d love to walk alongside you and support you however we are able.
Life Group Discussion Questions
- Opener (Optional): Have everyone share their name and one of their favorite family traditions (from the past or present).
- Read Ephesians 4:1-3. How do the attributes listed in verse 2 help us achieve the goal (command) in verse 3?
- What was the connection between Mary learning of her miraculous pregnancy in Luke 1:39-41 and Paul’s command regarding unity in the church in Ephesians 4:3? Hint: Mary shows us the type of urgency that Paul is talking about. Do you think many Christians view the pursuit of unity within the church with that same urgency? Why or why not?
- Ephesians 4:14-16 talks extensively about the benefits of a united church. Ask a volunteer to read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Between those two passages, what do you see as the top benefits from living in close community with other disciples of Jesus?
- The theme passage for our renewed emphasis on Life Groups is 1 Thessalonians 2:8. Read the larger context of that passage—1 Thessalonians 2:7-12—and work together as a
- Using this 1 Thessalonians 2 passage as a guide, spend some time discussing God’s plan for Christian community. How can we help make this a reality?
- How does this quote relate to the sermon and Bible passages we’ve read so far? “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.” —Jonathan Edwards
- The second half of Ephesians 4 talks about unity killers. Which of these actions, attitudes or behaviors are the biggest temptations for you personally?
- After listening to the message this morning and/or reading through the passages from this Life Group, what is one thing that you feel God calling you to do, think, or believe differently after hearing his Word?