Sabbath – Introduction

Read for This Week's Study

Ephesians 4:1-16

KJV ¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. CEV ¹ As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. ² Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. ³ Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. ⁴ All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. ⁵ We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. ⁶ There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. ⁷ Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. ⁸ As the Scriptures say, “When he went up to the highest place, he led away many prisoners and gave gifts to people.” ⁹ When it says, “he went up,” it means that Christ had been deep in the earth. ¹⁰ This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so he would fill the whole universe. ¹¹ Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, ¹² so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. ¹³ This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. ¹⁴ We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. ¹⁵ Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head ¹⁶ of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.

Philippians 2:3

KJV ³ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. CEV ³ Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.

Psalm 68:18

KJV ¹⁸ Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. CEV ¹⁸ When you climbed the high mountain, you took prisoners with you and were given gifts. Your enemies didn't want you to live there, but they gave you gifts.

Acts 2

KJV ¹ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. ⁶ Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? ⁸ And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ⁹ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. ¹² And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? ¹³ Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. ¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: ¹⁵ For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ¹⁷ And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸ And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: ¹⁹ And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: ²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: ²¹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: ²³ Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: ²⁴ Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. ²⁵ For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: ²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷ Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. ²⁹ Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. ³⁰ Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; ³¹ He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. ³² This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. ³³ Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. ³⁴ For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, ³⁵ Until I make thy foes thy footstool. ³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. ³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ³⁹ For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. ⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. ⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ⁴⁶ And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, ⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. CEV ¹ On the day of Pentecost all the Lord's followers were together in one place. ² Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. ³ Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. ⁴ The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak. ⁵ Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. ⁷ They were excited and amazed, and said: Don't all these who are speaking come from Galilee? ⁸ Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? ⁹ Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, ¹¹ Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done. ¹² Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?” ¹³ Others made fun of the Lord's followers and said, “They are drunk.” ¹⁴ Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to the crowd: Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I have to say! ¹⁵ You are wrong to think that these people are drunk. After all, it is only nine o'clock in the morning. ¹⁶ But this is what God told the prophet Joel to say, ¹⁷ “When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. ¹⁸ In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy. ¹⁹ “I will work miracles in the sky above and wonders on the earth below. There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will turn dark, and the moon will be as red as blood before the great and wonderful day of the Lord appears. ²¹ Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help.” ²² Now, listen to what I have to say about Jesus from Nazareth. God proved he sent Jesus to you by having him work miracles, wonders, and signs. All of you know this. ²³ God had already planned and decided that Jesus would be handed over to you. So you took him and had evil men put him to death on a cross. ²⁴ But God set him free from death and raised him to life. Death could not hold him in its power. ²⁵ What David said are really the words of Jesus, “I always see the Lord near me, and I will not be afraid with him at my right side. ²⁶ Because of this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope. ²⁷ The Lord won't leave me in the grave. I am his holy one, and he won't let my body decay. ²⁸ He has shown me the path to life, and he makes me glad by being near me.” ²⁹ My friends, it is right for me to speak to you about our ancestor David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is still here. ³⁰ But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had made a promise he would not break. He had told David someone from his own family would someday be king. ³¹ David knew this would happen, and so he told us Christ would be raised to life. He said God would not leave him in the grave or let his body decay. ³² All of us can tell you that God has raised Jesus to life! ³³ Jesus was taken up to sit at the right side of God, and he was given the Holy Spirit, just as the Father had promised. Jesus is also the one who has given the Spirit to us, and this is what you are now seeing and hearing. ³⁴ David didn't go up to heaven. So he wasn't talking about himself when he said, “The Lord told my Lord to sit at his right side, ³⁵ until he made my Lord's enemies into a footstool for him.” ³⁶ Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross. ³⁷ When the people heard this, they were very upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Friends, what should we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them, “Turn to God and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live.” ⁴⁰ Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, “I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people.” ⁴¹ On that day about 3,000 believed his message and were baptized. ⁴² They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together. ⁴³ Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. ⁴⁴ All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. ⁴⁶ Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, ⁴⁷ while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

KJV ⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. ⁷ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ⁸ For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; ⁹ To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; ¹⁰ To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: ¹¹ But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. CEV ⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ways to serve the same Lord, ⁶ and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. ⁷ The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. ⁸ Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. ⁹ To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick ¹⁰ or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God's Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. ¹¹ But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us.

1 Corinthians 12:27-30

KJV ²⁷ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. ²⁸ And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? CEV ²⁷ Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body. ²⁸ First, God chose some people to be apostles and prophets and teachers for the church. But he also chose some to work miracles or heal the sick or help others or be leaders or speak different kinds of languages. ²⁹ Not everyone is an apostle. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can work miracles. ³⁰ Not everyone can heal the sick. Not everyone can speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone can tell what these languages mean.

Isaiah 5:4

KJV ⁴ What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? CEV ⁴ What more could I have done for my vineyard? I hoped for sweet grapes, but bitter grapes were all that grew.

Memory Text:

Ephesians 4:11-12

KJV ¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: CEV ¹¹ Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, ¹² so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong.

In this lesson, we will explore the idea of the church as the unified body of Christ. Like a human body has different parts working together, each member of the church has unique gifts to contribute to its well-being and growth. Let's see how we can be a part of a fruitful and united church.

Sunday – The Unity of the Spirit

Read Ephesians 4:1-16

KJV ¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. CEV ¹ As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. ² Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. ³ Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. ⁴ All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. ⁵ We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. ⁶ There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. ⁷ Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. ⁸ As the Scriptures say, “When he went up to the highest place, he led away many prisoners and gave gifts to people.” ⁹ When it says, “he went up,” it means that Christ had been deep in the earth. ¹⁰ This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so he would fill the whole universe. ¹¹ Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, ¹² so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. ¹³ This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. ¹⁴ We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. ¹⁵ Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head ¹⁶ of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.

How does Paul encourage believers to nurture the unity of the church?

Paul urges believers to work together to maintain the unity of the Spirit. He asks them to show humility, gentleness, and patience, which will help create a harmonious environment within the church. Just like different body parts contribute to the overall health of a body, each church member should contribute their unique abilities for the well-being of the church.

Monday – Together as One in the One

Read Ephesians 4:4-6

KJV ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. CEV ⁴ All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. ⁵ We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. ⁶ There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.

What seven "ones" does Paul cite in support of his theme of the unity of the church? What point is he seeking to make with this list?

Paul mentions seven important aspects that unify the church: one body (the church), one Spirit (the Holy Spirit guiding believers), one hope (our shared hope in Christ), one Lord (Jesus as the head of the church), one faith (shared beliefs), one baptism (symbolizing our commitment to Christ), and one God and Father (our common Creator). Paul emphasizes the theological reality of unity in Christ and calls for believers to actively nurture and grow it.

Tuesday – The Exalted Christ, Giver of Gifts

Read Ephesians 4:11-13

KJV ¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: CEV ¹¹ Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, ¹² so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. ¹³ This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.

What "gifts" does the exalted Jesus give, and for what purpose?

The exalted Jesus provides gifts to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds/teachers. These gifted individuals are meant to equip the saints for ministry and to build up the body of Christ. The goal is to achieve unity in faith, knowledge of God, and maturity in Christ.

Wednesday – Gifts of the Exalted Jesus

Read Ephesians 4:14

KJV ¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; CEV ¹⁴ We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.

What danger threatens the Christlike maturity of the church?

The church faces the danger of being influenced by false teachings and deceitful schemes. Paul likens it to immature children easily swayed by every passing idea. To overcome this danger, believers should seek sound teaching from trusted leaders and work together to grow in Christlike maturity.

Thursday – Growing Up Into Christ

Read Ephesians 4:15-16

KJV ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. CEV ¹⁵ Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head ¹⁶ of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.

In what ways does a healthy church function like a healthy body?

A healthy church functions like a healthy body, with Christ as the head and each member playing a vital role. The gifts provided by Christ help the church grow and stay united. Just as the various parts of the body work together for its well-being, the church members should cooperate and support each other to attain maturity in Christ.

Friday – Further Thought

In this section, we consider additional aspects of Ephesians 4:7

KJV ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. CEV ⁷ Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.
--10 and discuss the importance of staying rooted in biblical truths while avoiding divisive teachings.

Discussion Questions

Compare the lists of spiritual gifts in different Bible passages. What do you notice about the diversity of gifts and their purposes?
Discuss the impact of false teachings and divisive ideas within the church. How can we safeguard ourselves and our community against these influences?
Can unity be achieved at any cost? When should we stand firm in our beliefs, even if it creates some disunity? How can we balance unity and truth in the church?

Conclusion

Remember, as members of the body of Christ, we all play a valuable role in building up a united and healthy church. Let's work together, appreciating and serving one another with humility, gentleness, and patience, and relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit for unity and growth.