Sermon Devotional: Connected in Jesus

Scripture:  Ephesians 4:1-16 (ESV)


When Jesus calls us to himself and when we answer “Yes, Lord!”, when he “rescues us from the dominion of darkness” (Col 1:13), we are received into his life of righteousness. It is true and it is sure! But at that moment we are not yet fully who Jesus created us to be. Maturity in faith and in life comes as we walk with Jesus, learn his ways, and receive his mercy and grace. With time and experience, with lessons learned through success and failure, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus will grow to maturity in Christ (4:13). The apostle James writes, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4).

This maturation takes time. In fellowship with Christ by the Spirit, and fellowship in the church, we are daily invited to surrender old ways of relating to others and to ourselves. Habits and propensities of manipulation, desires to control others, the need to be right and in charge, defenses against perceived threats, and so much more continue to have a say in how we live our lives. Sadly, we in the church sometimes bring into the church the world’s ways of relating that are so familiar, including the “cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (4:14).

In Ephesians 4, Paul urges believers to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (4:1). Yet, if we are not yet who Christ created us to be—if manipulation, controlling behaviors, domineering and defensive postures—still have sway within us then it will be impossible to follow Paul’s imperative. Paul tells us that the life we are to live that is worthy of Christ Jesus, develops in those who are “completely humble and gentle,” those who are “patient” and those who “bear with one another in love” (4:2). Jesus himself is the only one who is completely humble, completely gentle, completely patient. He is the one who truly understands and models what it means to do life “in love.”

The phrase “in love” occurs six times in Ephesians and three times in these sixteen verses in chapter 4. According to one commentator, “In love describes the sphere of the Christian life and spells out the manner in which the ministry of all is to occur.” “Bearing with one another in love” (4:2), he observes, “moves beyond mere patience to the gracious choice to stay present with weakness, opposition, or immaturity—whether in others or in circumstances—without surrendering truth or love.” Paul tells the Ephesians that cunning, craftiness, scheming, and deceit, are divisive and these selfish, childish behaviors (4:14) are in opposition to the maturing process of God’s people in the church. “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” (4:15). Love must never be disconnected from truth, and truth is never to be disconnected from love.

Sadly, “speaking the truth in love” has been sometimes misused in the church by those with an agenda or who disagree with a brother or sister in Christ. Truth has been disconnected from love and the resulting pain has brought division and even departure from church fellowship. This takes us back to the first verses of Paul’s instructions on unity in the church: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (4:1-3). We must take care to keep truth and love in tandem. We can learn from Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).

Consider –
╬   Do you know someone who has been hurt in the church? Are you one who suffers that wound? Do you know someone who has trusted another to “speak the truth in love” (4:15) only to feel arrows of judgment and hear the message that “you don’t belong”? Who do you know who is safe to be honest about that wound? Ask the Lord to lead you there. What sort of reparation might be made? Ask the Father of Compassion to lead you as you seek to be Christ to those in your fellowship.

╬   This side of heaven it is impossible to be “completely humble, gentle and patient.” However, God the Spirit wants to lead each of us and all of us to greater maturity in Christ Jesus. Ask Him to help you to grow in Jesus.

╬    Lord God, through Jesus the whole body, the church, is joined and held together by every supporting ligament. We confess that we are sometimes still children tossed about by half-truths and personal gains. By your Spirit enable us to grow and to build the church up in love as each of us seeks to do our part. In Jesus’ name. Amen.