1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through
all and in all.
7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8 Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

13 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 fulness of Christ;

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.

15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

Ephesians 4:1–16 (RSV)

The Church Must Be:

I. Worthy of His Call

1. What is Our Call?

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things;

10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

Ephesians 3:8–10 (RSV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Matthew 28:19–20 (RSV)

2. How are we worthy?

II. Unified

1. Outward Focus

2. Inward Focus

III. Making Disciples

1. The Mission

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

13 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 fulness of Christ;

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.

Ephesians 4:12–14 (RSV)

2. How is it achieved?

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Hebrews 12:12–13 (RSV)

IV. Multi-Faceted

1. Unique, but Unified

from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

Ephesians 4:16 (RSV)

This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

Ephesians 3:10 (CSB)

2. There’s no “I” in Team