Unity in Christ: Embracing Our Gifts Together

Grace is the foundation of our identity as God’s children. Jesus came, lived, suffered, died, and rose again to proclaim victory over our sin, and now, through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live out this new life. Ephesians 4 calls us to unity in the body of Christ, reminding us that grace is not just a personal gift but a calling to work together. Just as a physical body suffers when one part is injured, so too does the church when we are not unified or when we neglect the gifts God has given each of us.

Every believer has received gifts from Christ, distributed according to His wisdom and purpose. These gifts—apostleship, prophecy, evangelism, shepherding, and teaching—are not reserved for a select few but are given to all for the building up of the church. Some are pioneers, breaking new ground and extending the kingdom, while others are developers, nurturing and strengthening what has been established. Both are essential; imbalance leads to dysfunction, as seen in the story of a church plant that flourished in pioneering but faltered without enough developers to sustain the work.

Understanding and embracing our unique giftings is crucial. It’s not enough to simply know our strengths; we are called to grow in all areas, reflecting the fullness of Christ, who is the perfect apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher. No one is exempt from the call to share the gospel, care for others, or teach the truth. When we work together, honoring each other’s gifts and learning from one another, the church becomes a powerful force for good, able to impact the world and respond to the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, we must also confess where we have fallen short—where we have sown division, neglected our gifts, or tried to go it alone. God’s grace meets us in our weakness, forgives our failures, and calls us back into unity and purpose. As we receive His forgiveness, we are sent out together to live and share the good news, trusting that God will use our combined gifts to bring awakening and transformation to our community and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Unity in the body of Christ is not optional; it is essential for the church’s health and mission. Just as a physical injury affects the whole body, disunity or neglect of our spiritual gifts weakens the church’s witness and effectiveness. We are called to care for one another and work together, each part contributing to the whole. [34:28]
• 2. Every believer is gifted by Christ, not just for personal fulfillment but for the building up of the church. These gifts are diverse—apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, shepherding, and teaching—and are distributed according to Christ’s wisdom. Recognizing and valuing each gift prevents imbalance and ensures the church can both pioneer new ground and nurture what has been established. [41:24]
• 3. Spiritual gifts are not static labels but areas for growth. While we may be naturally stronger in one area, we are called to mature in all, reflecting the fullness of Christ. This means stepping out of our comfort zones, learning from others, and allowing God to stretch us so that we become more like Jesus in every aspect of ministry. [54:04]
• 4. Discernment is vital in the exercise of spiritual gifts, especially those that involve speaking God’s word to others. Any message or prompting must be tested against Scripture, as God’s voice will never contradict His written Word. This protects the church from division and ensures that our unity is grounded in truth and grace. [47:24]
• 5. Confession and forgiveness are central to our life together. We all fall short—sometimes sowing division, neglecting our gifts, or failing to encourage one another. Yet God’s grace is sufficient; as we confess and receive forgiveness, we are restored and empowered to go forward together, sharing the good news and living out our calling as one body. [57:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [26:26] - Opening Prayer and Setting the Stage
• [29:44] - The “Therefore” of Ephesians 4
• [32:27] - A Life-Changing Accident and Its Lessons
• [34:28] - The Body’s Pain and the Church’s Unity
• [36:01] - Grace and Gifts for Each Believer
• [37:34] - Jesus, the Great Physician and the Call to Unity
• [41:24] - The Fivefold Gifts: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers
• [44:14] - The Dangers of Imbalance in the Church
• [47:24] - Prophetic Gifting and the Need for Discernment
• [49:35] - Real-Life Stories of God’s Leading
• [51:47] - Discovering and Growing in Your Gifts
• [54:04] - Maturing in All Areas of Ministry
• [56:22] - Responding to God’s Awakening
• [57:30] - Confession, Forgiveness, and Moving Forward Together
• [61:06] - Closing Assurance and Benediction

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._

Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 4, what is the purpose of the different gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers) given to believers?
2. In the sermon, what analogy does the pastor use to describe how disunity or neglect in the church affects the whole body? [[34:28]]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between “pioneers” and “developers” in the church? [[41:24]]
4. What does the pastor say is the first thing we should do when someone claims to have a word from God for us? [[47:24]]

Interpretation Questions

1. The passage says that grace and gifts are given “to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” What does this suggest about how God views each believer’s role in the church?
2. The pastor shares a story about a church plant that had too many pioneers and not enough developers. What does this story reveal about the importance of balance and teamwork in the church? [[44:14]]
3. The sermon emphasizes that spiritual gifts are not just static labels but areas for growth. What does it mean for a believer to “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ”? [[54:04]]
4. Why is discernment especially important when exercising gifts that involve speaking God’s word to others? [[47:24]]

Application Questions

1. The pastor confesses that sometimes he has neglected his gifts or tried to “go it alone.” Have you ever found yourself neglecting your gifts or trying to serve without the help of others? What was the result? [[57:30]]
2. Think about your own spiritual gifts. Do you see yourself more as a pioneer (someone who starts new things) or a developer (someone who nurtures and strengthens what’s already there)? How could you use your gifting to serve the church more intentionally? [[41:24]]
3. The sermon says that every believer is called to grow in all areas, not just their strongest gift. What is one area (apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, shepherding, teaching) where you feel weakest? What is one step you could take this month to grow in that area? [[54:04]]
4. The pastor encourages the church to confess where they have sown division or failed to encourage one another. Is there someone in the church you need to encourage or reconcile with? What would it look like to take a step toward unity this week? [[57:30]]
5. When was the last time you tested a message or prompting against Scripture before acting on it? How can you make this a regular habit in your spiritual life? [[47:24]]
6. The sermon says that God’s grace meets us in our weakness and sends us out together. How does knowing you are forgiven and empowered by grace change the way you approach serving in the church? [[01:01:06]]
7. The pastor mentions that there is an “awakening” happening and that the church is called to respond together. What is one practical way you can join with others in the church to impact your community this month? [[56:22]]