AVBC - July 4th Sunday - 06/28/26 - Sermon Title: “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience)” – “The Better Together: Building the Body” - Sermon Series – (Part 1 of 4) - Ephesians 4:1-16, Romans 12:3-8, Colossians 1:18

 Sunday 06/28/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church

Sermon Title: “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience)” – “The Better Together: Building the Body” - Sermon Series – (Part 1 of 4) - Ephesians 4:1-16, Romans 12:3-8, Colossians 1:18                               

(Cover Picture – Semi-Quincentennial)  

          This morning, as we said at the beginning of the service and throughout the service, we are, in part, celebrating and honoring this morning, this coming Saturday, July 4^th. This July 4th though, will be 250 years since the signing of Declaration of Independence, by what many people call our “Founding Fathers.” This document declared that the Thirteenth British Colonies at the time were now free and independent from British rule, including of course, New York.  The British Empire, the largest empire in the world at the time, was not going to let the Thirteen Colonies of what would become the beginning of the United States go without a fight though.

          As result, the American Colonists fought for five years, until we gained our freedom in 1781. Our first government was called “The Articles of Confederation,” which was decentralized and did not have the power and authority of the United States Government that we have today. Then in 1789, our first President General George Washington was elected. In 1789, we had our constitution, our three branches of government, and this is when our Republic formally started.

          This Saturday, July 4^th, we will celebrate the 250^th anniversary of when our Founding Fathers declared that our Thirteen Colonies were free, but it took another thirteen years until we formally became the United States of America, as we are today. What a journey the last two hundred and fifty years has been! We have had multiple wars, the railroads, the interstate highway system, the end of slavery, women getting the right to the vote, civil rights, 9/11 and countless other things. Despite a Civil War, two World Wars, and multiple social changes and movements, the United States of American has endured.

          In a similar way, as followers of Christ, we are called to grow, to change, and to draw closer to Christ, as our church is in it’s 180^th year of ministry as a congregation. Yet through all the ups and downs that our country and world have gone through this church has endured, and we are as strong and as united as ever. Amen! We still love Jesus, still the love the Bible, and still love and serve each other, and the world. Or to say it another way, we are “Better Together.” When I chose this sermon series weeks ago, I did not think about the fact that this Saturday July 4^th is the two-hundred and fiftieth year of the signing of Declaration of Independence.

In God’s great providence and wisdom, we are starting our new four-week sermon series called “The Better Together: Building the Body”. This morning in our first installment of this, this message is called “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience)”. As we will celebrate our 250^th anniversary of the declaration of independence and the vast history of our country, what a timely message we have this morning, of being “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience).” It is amazing that throughout the history of our country and the world that we still believe when the scriptures instruct us to be united, to come together as the body of Christ. The unifying force of the Christian Church has always been the same. This unifying force is Jesus Christ, and His body, which is us.

In looking at our reading from Ephesians 4:1-16, we hear once again this morning:

(Ephesians 4:2 - Beach Picture)

Unity in the Body of Christ

 

4 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 (Eph. 4:1-3, RSV). 

Being united in Christ, means that we are called to love and to care for each other. As I said, our church congregation has existed for one-hundred and eighty years, and generationally, we have been united through the love of Jesus Christ. I might like Diet Pepsi, and you might like Diet Coke, but we are all united in Christ. I might like my sports team, and you might like yours, but we share our unity in Jesus Christ.

(Ephesians 4:1-6- Pillars Picture)

          In fact, the Apostle Paul reminds the church in Ephesus or the Ephesians, in 4:4-6 that:

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 (Eph. 4:4-6, RSV).

          As the body Christ, we are called to be united, through the Holy Spirit. We are also all called by one Lord or Jesus Christ, one common faith, and one God and Father of us all. This God is above all and through all, and in all. We are all also called to one baptism, while some churches baptize infants, and some churches believe the person should be of age to decide for themselves to be baptized. We are called to love each other, even though we are not all the same. We are not all the same age, and our lives can be all different from each other. Further, we do not all have the same gifts and graces as each other. Some people are Ford people. Some people are Chevy people. Look around, you know who you are! Some people like Dockers pants, some people don’t. Some people love spicy and sour food, and some people do not. You see, we are all called, gifted, and equipped differently. For as we are reminded in Ephesians 4:7

 ⁷ But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift      (Eph. 4:7, NRSV).

 

Therefore, we are all gifted through Christ differently.

 

          Picking up in Ephesians 4:8, we hear, once again: 

 

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             (Eph. 4:8-10, NRSV).

In referencing Psalm 68:18, regarding a victorious king climbing a mountain and sharing its plunder and spoils with his people. In a similar way, Jesus is victorious over death, ascends to heaven like a mountain, and he shares His grace, His love, and His various gifts are with us. While the scriptures list various spiritual gifts, what we hear in Ephesians 4:11 are these specific gifts:

¹¹ And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, (Eph. 4:11, RSV).

 

Some of us are called to be Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and some teachers. These gifts exist:

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 (Eph. 4:1-16, RSV).

This “The Better Together: Building the Body” sermon series, emphasizes various spiritual and other gifts that we have, and the need to be “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience),” growing to spiritual maturity, and building up the church have an even bigger missional of kingdom impact.

          This morning then, I am going to focus more on the being “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience),” and next Sunday I will unpack some of these spiritual gifts more specifically. Then Pastor Bud is preaching on Sunday July 12^th, and our New York State Region of the American Baptist Church Executive Minister, Rev. Jerrod Hugenot will be preaching here on Sunday July 19^th. I will tie this whole sermon series together on Sunday July 26^th.

This morning though, this is more an overview of how Christ has called us all to live, to love, and to be a Christians, as people, and as the church. As a church, we are all important to the function and success of the body of Christ, of this Church. Each person here, absent, or watching online, is part of the body of Christ. In a matter of speaking then, we are all like puzzle pieces and the body of Christ is the complete puzzle, with Christ as the head.

(Romans 12:3-8- Puzzle Pieces Picture)

          As we hear in our reading from Romans 12:3-8, once again, it says,

³ For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. ⁴ For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness           (Rom. 12:3-8, RSV).

 

          That we should not think of ourselves more highly than we need to. We should not be too proud, too self-righteous, or too superior. We are called to think with sober judgement, according to the measure of faith that God has given us. For we as Christians, and a church are one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. We have different gifts and graces from God. Some have the gift of prophecy, of service, of teaching, exhortation or encouragement, giving or contributing generously, giving aid, leading, acts of mercy, and doing this cheerfully. Again, I will unpack some of these spiritual gifts more next Sunday.       

(Romans 12:3-8– Cross Picture)

The body of Christ though is “Better Together,” as we are “Building the Body” together. We are therefore, once again, are “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience),” and together we make up the church. Together we are united like the cross of Christ. In fact, in the Apostle Paul’s letter or epistle to the church in Colossae or the Colossians, we hear this of Jesus in 1:18:

(Colossians 1:18 – Green Picture)    

¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent (Col. 1:18, RSV).

 

          For Jesus Christ is the head of the church, not Pastor Paul, or anyone.

(Jesus Is the Head of the Church – Picture)

          To take this sermon with you out into Adams and world, let us look at some application points for this morning:

Ephesians 4:2 commands believers to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling" by embodying specific relational virtues: complete humility, gentleness, and patience, while "bearing with one another in love." These qualities are foundational for protecting the "unity of the Spirit" within the church.

 

Core Virtues of Unity:

The Apostle Paul outlines four essential attitudes required to actively maintain unity and peace within the body of believers:

 

·         Humility (Lowliness): Recognizing and valuing others above yourself. It involves letting go of pride and the need to always be right.

 

·         Gentleness (Meekness): Not weakness, but power under control. It means responding to others with care, avoiding harshness and aggression.

 

·         Patience (Longsuffering): Enduring difficulties and offenses without immediately retaliating or seeking revenge.

 

·         Bearing With in Love (Forbearance): Actively tolerating the differences, weaknesses, and quirks of others. Love keeps these virtues active rather than passive.

 

The Context of "Calling"

Ephesians 4:1-3 marks a transition in the letter. The first three chapters explain what God has done to unite humanity through Jesus Christ (breaking down the walls between Jews and Gentiles). Chapter 4 shifts to practical application, urging Christians to live out this spiritual reality in their daily relationships.

Maintaining vs. Creating Unity

A key distinction in this verse is that believers are not told to create unity; rather, they are exhorted to maintain or preserve the unity that the Holy Spirit has already established. It requires diligent, intentional effort to keep the "bond of peace" intact.

How to Apply It Today

To practice this calling in a modern church or community setting, the text suggests:

 

·         Prioritizing community and church fellowship over individual preferences.

 

·         Communicating with grace instead of reacting with anger.

 

·         Allowing grace for human imperfection by forgiving others as Christ has forgiven you (https://www.google.com/search?q=Ephesians+4%3A2+Called+to+Unity).

 

Brothers and sisters, we are “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness, patience).” For we are “Better Together,” as we are “Building the Body” of Christ together. Amen.