Ephesians 4:1-16 (NRSV)
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Chapter 4I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, Verse 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, Verse 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Verse 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, Verse 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, Verse 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Verse 7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Verse 8Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people." Verse 9(When it says, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? Verse 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) Verse 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, Verse 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, Verse 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. Verse 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. Verse 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, Verse 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.
Devotion
Growing up in a small, rural, Midwestern town, I had a limited concept of what the church really was. I knew how it looked in the framework of my little two-point parish, but I just did not have a lot of reference for the true diversity of the body of Christ. Then, as a high school junior, I attended the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. (Some of you might have just returned from this year’s Gathering in the Big Easy – welcome home!) For the first time, I sat in a crowded arena and saw the vastness of my church. And this was only the young people! All different colors, shapes, styles, backgrounds, abilities, and interests were there in that room. All we shared was our faith.
Paul emphasizes the oneness of the body of Christ, in spite of our great diversity and gifts. In fact, he effectively claims that it is because of our diversity that we are the church, that through our rich and varied histories, we can truly serve God. And that, brothers and sisters, is good news.
Prayer
Through Christ our one Lord, unite us in our diversity. Bind us together as we serve you and each other. Make our variety our strength. Amen.