Cultivated and Called: Living United, Equipped, and Mature

This morning, we gathered in the presence of the everlasting God—the One who never grows tired, whose wisdom never runs out, and who gives strength to the weary. We are reminded that God not only redeems us and calls us by name, but also gives us purpose and meaning. As we stand in awe of His presence, we are invited to experience His grace and to be transformed by His kingdom.

The central question before us is: What kind of person are you becoming? Our journey through Galatians 5 and Ephesians 4 has shown that the goal of faith is not to collect spiritual merit badges or maintain a streak of religious activity. Instead, the aim is for our whole selves—our minds, hearts, and hands—to be transformed by the love and power of Jesus. This transformation is not about looking the part or blending in with church culture, but about being conformed to the image of Christ in every aspect of life.

We are not called to a shelf-stable faith that sits idle, collecting dust. Rather, we are invited into an active, growing, and moving faith—a life that is sent to share and show Jesus to the world. Our mission is to rescue the perishing, care for the spiritually dying, and participate in God’s ongoing work of salvation and restoration.

Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 call us to unity, to be bound together in love and purpose, much like ligaments hold the body together. Unity is not uniformity; it is a shared commitment to follow Jesus and build disciples, not just a great church. Each of us is uniquely gifted for kingdom partnership—apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers—so that together we can build up the body of Christ and move from being consumers to active participants in God’s mission.

Finally, we are invited to mature faith. Paul urges us to grow into the fullness of Christ, to be deeply rooted and grounded in His words and ways. Using the imagery from Ezekiel 47, we are challenged to move beyond ankle-deep faith and wade into the deep waters of trust and surrender, where life flourishes and we are fully dependent on God. The invitation is to dive all in, to let go of control, and to allow Christ to stretch our faith, refine our character, and form us into His image.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Unity is a living bond, not mere agreement True unity in the body of Christ is not about everyone thinking or acting the same, but about being bound together in love and purpose. Like ligaments in a body, our unity provides strength, stability, and direction as we follow Christ together. When unity is strong, the church moves freely and powerfully; when it is weak, the whole body suffers. [39:11]
• 2. Every believer is equipped for kingdom partnership God has given each of us unique gifts—not just for our own benefit, but to build up the church and participate in His mission. We are not spectators or consumers, but partners entrusted with holy responsibility. Our gifts—whether apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, shepherding, or teaching—are essential for the health and maturity of the body. [46:52]
• 3. Maturity means moving beyond shallow faith Spiritual maturity is not measured by activity or knowledge alone, but by depth of trust and surrender to Christ. Like the river in Ezekiel’s vision, we are called to move from ankle-deep to waters over our heads, where we are fully dependent on God. True maturity is found in letting go of control, allowing Christ to shape us, and living a life that brings flourishing to others. [61:59]
• 4. Missional living flows from deep formation As we are formed in Christ, our lives become an outpost of heaven—bearing light, doing God’s work, and living with a missional mindset. This is not a passive calling, but an active participation in God’s rescue mission, bringing hope and life to our community and beyond. [63:52]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [15:33] - Opening Prayer and Awe of God
• [16:38] - Blessing Over the Children
• [18:14] - Reflections on Church Community
• [19:49] - What Kind of Person Are You Becoming?
• [21:08] - The Goal: Transformation, Not Badges
• [23:57] - Head, Heart, and Hands Under Christ
• [26:00] - Cultivated and Called: Our Holy Responsibility
• [28:44] - Joining God’s Rescue Mission
• [30:38] - Reading Ephesians 4: Called to Unity
• [33:22] - Unity, Kingdom Partnership, and Maturity
• [35:31] - Bound Together: The Human Swing Story
• [39:11] - Unity as the Ligament of the Church
• [41:08] - Unity Is Not Uniformity
• [43:14] - Building Disciples, Not Just a Church
• [44:42] - Equipped for Kingdom Partnership
• [46:52] - Delegated Authority and Kingdom Roles
• [50:17] - The Fivefold Gifts in the Church
• [54:25] - From Consumers to Kingdom Partners
• [57:00] - Invited to Mature Faith
• [59:45] - Ezekiel’s Vision: Deeper Waters
• [61:59] - Moving Beyond Ankle-Deep Faith
• [63:52] - Living as an Outpost of Heaven
• [66:58] - Reflection and Response
• [68:49] - Closing Prayer and Song

Bible Reading

Ephesians 4:1-16 (ESV) —
> I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager 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 that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
> But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
> And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
> Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ezekiel 47:1-12 (ESV) [selected verses] —
> Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east... Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen.
> ...And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 4, what are some of the specific attitudes and actions Paul says are necessary to maintain unity in the church? (see vv. 2-3)
2. What are the different roles or gifts that Christ gives to the church, and what is their purpose? (Ephesians 4:11-12)
3. In the vision from Ezekiel 47, how does the depth of the water change as the river flows, and what happens to the land and life around it as the water gets deeper? [59:45]
4. In the sermon, what imagery did the pastor use to describe unity in the church, and what does it teach us about how the church should function? [39:11]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul compare unity in the church to ligaments in a body? What does this suggest about the importance of each person’s role and connection? [39:11]
2. The sermon says, “Unity is not uniformity.” What does this mean for how we handle differences in the church? [41:08]
3. According to the sermon, what is the difference between “shelf-stable faith” and the kind of faith God calls us to? [27:04]
4. In Ezekiel’s vision, what might the progression from ankle-deep to over-the-head water represent in our spiritual lives? [59:45]

Application Questions

1. The sermon asked, “What kind of person are you becoming?” If you’re honest, are you more focused on looking the part or on being transformed by Jesus in your mind, heart, and actions? What’s one area where you want to see real change? [21:08]
2. Is there someone in our church family you need to forgive, bless, or pursue peace with? What’s one step you could take this week to move toward unity? [01:06:58]
3. The pastor described unity as being “bound together” like ligaments or like people strapped into a swing. Are there ways you’ve been holding back from being truly connected to others in the church? What would it look like to take a risk and link arms with others? [39:11]
4. The sermon said every believer is equipped for kingdom partnership, not just pastors or leaders. What is one gift or ability you have that you could use to build up the church or serve in God’s mission? [46:52]
5. Think about the fivefold gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher). Which one do you most relate to, and how could you use it more intentionally in our church or community? [50:17]
6. Are you living in “ankle-deep” faith, or have you waded deeper into trust and surrender? What is one area where God might be inviting you to let go of control and trust Him more? [01:01:59]
7. The sermon challenged us to move from being consumers to active participants in God’s mission. What is one practical way you can shift from “watching” to “partnering” in the life of faith this month? [54:25]