One Body, One Vision Pt. 3 - Maturing

Jamaal Williams

11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

–Ephesians 4:11-16

Big Idea: Maturity in Christ is never solo.

1. Why Must We Grow? (vv. 13-14)

• "…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness."
• Unity in the faith
• Knowledge of God’s Son
• Maturity
• "So that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine…"
• Dangers of Immaturity
  • Tossed by waves
  • Driven by winds
  • Deceived by cunning
  • Caught in schemes

2. How Do We Grow? (v. 15)

• "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head — into Christ."
• Truth without Love → Harsh
• Love without Truth → Hollow
• Truth with Love → Growth

3. Who Makes Us Grow (v. 16)

• "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
• From Him - Growth starts with Christ.
• The Whole Body - That means no one is unnecessary, no one is expendable, no one is left out.
• Every Ligament - every hidden part matters. Every unseen act of faithfulness holds the body together.
• In Love - Growth is from Him… Christ is the source. And yet Paul says the body builds itself up. Which is it? It’s both.
• Each Part Does Its Work - The church matures when each part supplies. When one part refuses, the body limps. But when every member does their work, the whole body grows.

4. Conclusion/Application

• Christ is the Head, and we are His body. Which means maturity isn’t optional — it’s what we were made for.
• Christ doesn’t just call us to grow… He makes us grow. He supplies the life. He binds us together. He builds us up in love. All we do is stay connected to Him and do our part.
• Every ligament matters.
• Every disciple contributes.
• Every part builds the body in love.
• 3,500 by 2035 — Dream Disciples growing into Christ together