Ephesians 4.11-16 (5)
Pray Psalm 110.1, 2.
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Sing Psalm 110.1, 2.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the LORD says to my Lord,
“until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
The LORD sends strength from Zion: “Rule all Your enemies.”
While those who Him rely on go forth their LORD to please.
Read Ephesians 4.11-16; meditate on verse 13.
Think about your church in the light of the phrase, “until we all”.
Preparation
1. What two kinds of unity does Paul mention?
2. What is the object of each of these?
Meditation
Unity again. Churches are being built-up for unity, unity which is expressed as and consummates in the Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul says that “we all” must seek this unity, contribute to it and work for it in all the works of ministry to which the Lord sends us day by day.
He mentions two kinds of unity: unity of the faith, and unity of the knowledge of the Son of God. The first is a unity of belief, such as we express using the Apostles’ Creed, or in our worship and singing. The second is a unity of life that reflects a growing and deepening relationship with Jesus. These are two sides of the same coin, and we must work at both of them, to secure them in our own lives and to help others in making their contribution to the church’s unity.
These are not stages or plateaus of Christian life or church life. They are ongoing labors. We may expect to make progress in each to the extent that we nurture our faith—what we profess and believe—and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord—our walk with and work for Him. All church members are expected to contribute to this unity. Only when this unity is being achieved can we begin to realize the various attributes of maturity Paul mentions in verses 14 and 15.
Paul expected all church members and each church as a body to press on toward the likeness of Jesus Christ. The “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” is that which we seek, and we can only get there through a continuous striving for unity.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
If we, as the body of Christ, could only wrap our minds around God’s goal for His Church, it would be easy to set aside all bickering, self-serving, turf-protecting, and anything else that separates and does not unify.
We are to grow into the likeness of Christ for the sole purpose of coming to “unity of faith” and “unity of the knowledge of the Son of God” to become a “perfect man” to “the measure of the stature” to the “fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4.13).
When fighting against Goliath and the army of the Philistines, Saul thought it a good idea to put his armor on the youth David. Mind now, this was a lad who had already held a bear by his beard, struck it, and killed it with his own hands. And a lion. And now he was greatly exercised that Goliath was defying “the armies of the living God.”
But even considering these feats, Saul still sought to maintain control—for his own sake.
David didn’t need or want the trappings of the world to fight this godly battle. But “Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; and he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.’ So David took them off” (see 1 Sam. 17.26-54).
God expects each of us to grow into Him. To have unity with the brethren regarding faith and knowledge.
This does not entail a one size fits all mentality, or that our growth looks like our neighbors’.
Just look at the diversity with which God created His wonderful world. No fingerprints or snowflakes ever the same. All the colorful birds and plants and trees and oceans and seas, lakes and rivers, animals—the strength of a horse and the softness of a puppy. The humongous whale and the dear little ladybug.
We must never feel as if we should don “Saul’s ill-fitting armor” to accomplish the unity that God demands from His people. We all have the same Law to follow; the same Scriptures to read, learn, meditate, and pray through. We all have the same indwelling Holy Spirit. We all have the same goal—unity. Yet we are all unique in God’s eyes and have been given our own particular Personal Mission Field to seed, water, and tend to.
But unity, until we all get there, is what we strive for; each upholding and encouraging the other to achieve it.
“And Paul says that we all must seek this unity, contribute to it and work for it in all the works of ministry to which the Lord sends us day by day…and we can only get there through a continuous striving for it.”
Reflection
1. What are some things at your church that help it grow in unity?
2. Describe in your own words the two kinds of unity we should be seeking.
3. Why is each of these forms of unity so important?
Paul maintains that we must persevere in this course till all our deficiencies are supplied; that we must make progress till death, under the teaching of Christ alone; and that we must not be ashamed to be the scholars of the church, to which Christ has committed our education. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Ephesians 4.13
Pray Psalm 110.3-7.
Focus on Jesus, ascended in glory and leading you out to seek His Kingdom today. Call on Him for grace to refresh others and wisdom to make sound judgments.
Sing Psalm 110.3-7.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Your people in Your power, arrayed in holiness,
like dew of morning’s hour shall serve like youth refreshed.
The LORD has sworn and never will He His promise check:
“You are a priest forever after Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at Your right hand to execute His wrath,
and judge all kings and all lands—doomed sinners in His path.
Then, all His foes defeated, He takes His hard-won rest,
in glorious triumph seated with us, redeemed and blessed.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we continue looking at what the Scriptures say about justice. Our Read Moore podcast considers three brief books that could change your life, beginning with The Gospel of the Kingdom. Our Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click hereto see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
