There were 3,000 people killed at 9/11. The church may wonder where God was in all this. The church is alive among the death and destruction. There is need for faith and hope among the despair. We are not to lose our identity. We are to make a difference.

We are to live our life worthy of our calling to follow Jesus. We are to have unity and purity. There are five things we need to learn to belong to the body of Christ.

1 – Belonging depends on the quality of our relationships (vs. 2-3)

We are to be humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another and love. It is not in what you do. It is about who you are. It is about our character. We are to demonstrate these things in our lives. Quality and character is more important than numbers. The church can be damaged without it.

2 – Belonging is based upon the unity of our God (vs. 4-6)

There are seven things mentioned in this unity. This one God has one body. We are called to unity. We are to be relationship with God and growing in character. There is only one true Church.

3 – Belonging is enriched by the diversity of our gifts (vs. 7-12)

Everyone has received a gift from God. We have been blessed. The gifts are varied. There are many mentioned in the Bible and these may not be a complete list! These gifts are to be used in the body. They are all equally important.

4 – Belonging is enhanced by the integrity of our leaders (vs. 11)

There are five leadership roles mentioned here. The leaders in the body are very important. The elders and deacons need to have good character before they can lead and continue to lead. God sets them a higher standard. People in the body can be damaged by poor leadership. Pray for your leaders.

5 -Belonging requires the maturity of our growth (vs. 13-16)

The quality of church life depends on the maturity of individuals within the body. We all must be maturing. We have to grow up. How are we to be the body? The church is not just an organisation but an organism. We have a commitment to grow together and serve. We will be a church that makes a difference in this world.

Categories: Ephesians