Pastor Jimmy Steele, teaches out of Eph. 4:1-17 as he continues the series about biblical community at The Hill Church.

1. The unity of the gospel expressed in the
diversity of the body is meant to lead us to
corporate maturity in Christlikeness.

2. I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you
to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, 2 with
all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in
love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace.

3. 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 all, who is
over all and through all and in all.7 But grace
was given to each one of us according to the
measure of Christ's gift.

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

5. 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it
mean but that he had also descended
into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who
descended is the one who also ascended far
above all the heavens, that he might fill all
things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the Pastors and
teachers,

6. 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 fullness of Christ, 14 so
that we may no longer be children, tossed to
and fro by the waves and carried about by

7. every wind of doctrine, by human cunning,
by craftiness in deceitful
schemes. 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 held
together by every joint with which it is
equipped, when each part is working

8. properly, makes the body grow so that it
builds itself up in love (Eph. 4:1-16).

9. The Source of our Together is our Spiritual
Unity (vv. 1-6)

10. “Do nothing from rivalry and conceit, but in
humility count others more significant than
yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).

11. The Strength of our Togetherness is our
Spiritual Diversity (vv. 7-12).

12. The Goal of our Togetherness is Spiritual
Maturity (vv. 13-16).

13. - Doctrinal Stability
- Growing Collectively in Christlikeness
- A robust one another ministry

14. What we see is that God transforms
people’s lives as people bring His Word to
one another. This picture of biblical
personal ministry is very simplistic. It is
basically a call to biblical friendship. Love
people. Know them. Speak truth in their
lives. Help them do what God has called
them to do—Paul Tripp.

15. Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of
you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you
to fall away from the living God. But
exhort one another every day, as long as it
is called “today,” that none of you may be
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb.
3:12-14).

16. Your life is much bigger than a good job, an
understanding spouse, and non-delinquent
kids. It is bigger than beautiful gardens,
nice vacations, and fashionable clothes. In
reality, you are part of something
immense, something that began before you
were born and will continue after you die.

17. God is rescuing fallen humanity,
transporting them into his kingdom, and
progressively changing them into his
likeness – and he wants you to be part of it.
---Paul Tripp

18. The unity of the gospel expressed in the
diversity of the body is meant to lead us to
corporate maturity in Christlikeness.