Unity in the Family of God - May 2, 2021

by Pastor Chuck Ryan

Unity in The Family of God

Text: Ephesians 1: 15-16; 1 Peter 4:7-11

Thesis: As Christians we are called to “Put our faith in the Lord Jesus and to love the saints.”

1. The Apostle Paul loves the family of God.
2. There is an excitement in his writings about this Church!

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith…Your love…I have not stopped giving thanks for you…”

1. There are reasons to get excited about. Hopefully, they are seeing spiritual progress in our church family.
2. In the Church we will find Christian’s with a variety of spiritual maturity levels.
3. There will be those seeking to know Christ, babes in Christ, spiritual toddlers in Christ, spiritual teenagers in Christ, and spiritually mature Christians.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

2. Christians must extend grace to others based on their spiritual maturity level.
3. Granted, some should be more mature than they are. Paul acknowledges this problem in the Corinthian Church.

“I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” (1Corintians 3:2)

1. Paul’s excitement stemmed from their evidence of maturity.

“…I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for the saint (born-again believers).”

1. The Ephesian Christians had matured to the degree that they were able to put “their faith in the Lord Jesus and to love all of the saints.”
2. We can put our faith in all sorts of things (money, intellect, government, other people, health, etc.) but real maturity is when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus.
3. We must learn to make Jesus our Lord and Savior.

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mathew 6:32-33)

1. The maturity level of the Ephesians was also recognized in “their love for the saints.”
2. Jesus gave this new command to His disciples, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:12-14)
3. Jesus was speaking to His disciples. (His mobile Church family)
4. God calls us to be “our brother and sisters’ keeper.”
5. There are some people that will require you to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to love, but still, you must love them!
6. Love makes it possible to forgive!!!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1Peter 4:8)