Unity in Service September 1st, 2024
God of Word and Wisdom, send your Spirit upon us today as we hear the Scriptures read and interpreted. Help us be doers of your Word, not mere listeners, so that our lives reflect the truth we meet in Jesus Christ, your living Word. Amen.
In a society that is becoming increasingly fragmented, in which people seem more and more separated from one another even with the digital revolution, research shows that loneliness is growing for the young and the elderly. Today we’re going to focus on how the church can be an important place of unity and mutual care for all. More than just a building, more than a just a Sunday morning service, more than an organization, it’s a community of fellow believers. A place where people come together to give glory to God and work together in Christ. A place where people care about, and take care of, one another. A place where every person matters.
And this morning, in the Bible reading from Ephesians, we’ll see just what it means to be united in Christ, as the Apostle Paul talks about unity, and not only that, but also how we’re to use that unity in service to our Lord and Master.
Paul opens the fourth chapter of the Book of Ephesus with these words, “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
In these opening lines, Paul uses the word “one” seven times to highlight our essential unity as believers in Christ. He stresses the fact that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father over us all. He does this to emphasize the lasting truth that Christ is building one church. And that the “one church” which Christ is building consists of all true believers who have been born again through faith in Christ. We are “the church” regardless of which denomination we belong to. Paul’s principle for unity is, “that we should see ourselves as members of the Church and see the Church as a reflection on earth of the oneness of the Triune God—Three in One, One in Three.”
Unity is so important to our faith that just prior to his being arrested and sent to the cross Jesus prayed for unity amongst his followers for the time when he’d be no longer be with them, he said, “‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.’” (John 17:20-23)
And when Paul says “one body” he is speaking of the church which centres around the three persons of the Trinity. There’s one body because there is only one Spirit who brings the Church about, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us as believers. Only one Lord Jesus who is the head of the church where there is one hope, one faith, one baptism, because there’s only one Lord Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. Finally, there’s only one family of God because there’s only one Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
When we finally stand before the Lord, he’s not going to ask us about our church affiliation. On that day God will ask one and only one question: “What did you do with my Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?” Each person will render an account regarding how he or she responded to Jesus. Did you trust him? Did you believe in him? Did you receive him as Lord and Saviour? The only thing that will matter on that day is whether or not you trusted Christ as Saviour and worshipped God, our Father through him.
And while Paul stresses the importance of unity it’s important to note that he’s not talking about uniformity. He tells us, “But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift…. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” And what Paul is saying is that all of us, as members of the body, have different gifts. As we exercise these gifts under the headship of Jesus Christ, the one body grows in maturity and strength.
And what we need to understand is that these are gifts which have been given to us, not duties. As Paul wrote earlier in Ephesians, “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Ephesians 2:10) They are the good works which God’s grace and power has enabled us to perform, and which we gladly do, out of gratitude, and we do them to his glory. If you have received his grace and have come to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then he has given you at least one gift to use in serving him.
And there are three things we need to understand about these gifts. First of all, every believer has been given at least one. In his letter to the Romans Paul speaks about some of these gifts, he writes, “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:4-8)
The disciple Peter also spoke about the gifts which have been given to all believers, this is what he wrote to the members of the church in Asia, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:7-11) So if you have received God’s gracious gift of salvation, you have also received at least one spiritual gift to use for his glory.
Secondly, Christ grants these gifts according to his sovereign purpose. Each gift is given intentionally and thoughtfully, reflecting his divine wisdom and plan. I’m always envious of those who can sing and those who can play musical instruments, as their talents seem to bring so much joy and inspiration to others. However, God didn’t give me those gifts but there are many ways we can serve Him.
We must remember that the distribution of these gifts is not random but purposeful. Sometimes it takes time to recognize your gift but by uniting together in worship and prayer, it will come to you. Christ, in his sovereignty, knows exactly what each of us needs and how we can best serve his kingdom. It is essential for us to accept how he has gifted us. This acceptance is about recognizing and valuing the unique role we each play in the body of Christ.
The Apostle Paul explains this beautifully in his first letter to the church in Corinth where he describes the church as a body with many parts, each with its own function. He says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Every gift, whether it seems great or small, is vital for the health and growth of the church.
Moreover, embracing our gifts means trusting that God’s plan is perfect. He equips us with everything we need to fulfill our calling. As Peter wrote, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (1 Peter 1:3) And this “everything we need” includes the spiritual gifts he bestows upon us.
So, instead of focusing on what we lack, we should celebrate the gifts which we have been given. Each gift complements the others, working together to achieve God’s purposes. By accepting and using our gifts, we contribute to the unity and success of the church, serving in our own unique way bringing glory to God.
And, finally, since it was Jesus who gave us these gifts we must use them for his purposes. Thus, we are accountable to him to use the gifts that he has given as he directs. All of us, as followers of Jesus, are “in the ministry” in the sense that every Christian has a spiritual gift and will give an account to God for how he or she used it.
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a story known as the Parable of the Talents. He speaks of an important man about to go on a journey who entrusted five talents to one slave, two to another, and one to yet another. A talent was a measure of money, not an ability to do something special. It was equal to about 30 pounds of gold. The man with the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. The man with the two talents did the same and gained two more. But the man with only one talent hid the money until the master returned and gave him back his one talent. The master accused that servant of being a bad, lazy slave and ordered that he be thrown into outer darkness.
What we can learn from this parable is that we are called on to use the gifts God has given us, even if we feel we don’t have any special gifts. We must never think, “I can’t do much for the Lord, so I won’t do anything.” If the servant given the one talent had used the talent to gain another one, he would have shown that he was a true servant of his master. He would have faithfully used what the master gave him. So, each of us needs carefully to consider, what gifts has the Lord entrusted to me and how does he want me to use them for his kingdom purposes?
It is easy to see in today’s world, our unity and gifts are needed more than ever. And when Paul says, “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,” what he is telling us is that ministry is the job of each and every one of us. Each of us has been given a gift, and we are meant to use that gift to build up the body of Christ. This is what is meant by the ministry of the saints. In Paul’s day the name “saints” referred to everyone in the church community, not just a certain special few. All of us are valued and have a special role to play. We help the body flourish by using our gifts to serve the church—to contribute to the ministry. Each of us have been given unique and specific gifts so that we might use those gifts to serve the body.
Although it can be very difficult at times, God didn’t promise us it would be easy. We’re called to be an active and vital part of a local church. The Bible never regards anyone coming to faith in Christ apart from becoming associated with a local church and then finding your place of service to the body of Christ. Every follower of Jesus should be associated and involved in a local church. Every saint should seek to find his or her place of service. Every saint should seek not only their own growth and maturity, but that of the church as well so as to support their fellow believers and to bring lost souls to a place where they can learn about and find their place in God’s eternal kingdom. In that way, the church will grow to maturity in Christ. His kingdom rule will be extended through us. And, the world will get that amazing glimpse of God, through the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
Let us Pray:
Heavenly Father, in the spirit of harmony, may we join our hearts and hands in a prayer for unity and service. Let us seek the strength to bridge divides and the wisdom to listen with open hearts. May we find the courage to act selflessly, serving others with compassion and grace. Together, may we strive to create a world where every voice is heard, every life is valued, and every action is taken in the name of unity and love. Amen.