I’m not much of a “car guy.” I don’t know a lot about cars, not that interested in cars. So, I was a bit surprised with myself the other day when I saw a car and thought, “Hey, that’s a nice car.” Then, I looked again, and… it was my car! same color, make and model. I drove up next to it, waved at the driver, gave a thumbs up, smiled. He thought I was a weirdo.
I often wear a Pittsburgh Pirates hat. Around here, that doesn’t spark much interest; but when I’m out of the state, I frequently get into discussions about the Pirates, and a natural affinity forms. When I was last at a Penguins game and our team scored in overtime to win at the last minute, I found myself eagerly hugging the man next to me, high-fiving the guys in the row behind who had earlier spilt beer down my back, smiling and cheering all the while. On a long drive across country, when I see a PA license plate, there’s an immediate sense of comradery.
I suspect you too have experienced those fleeting moments of connection. We quickly sense a common affinity, and that evokes a sense of linkage, a familiarity on a very brief, surface level. Of course, what stands out about these moments is how very ephemeral and inconsequential they are—let’s face it, rooting for the same sports team does not make an intimate relationship! The “fun” of these kinds of connections, in part, is that they tap into a deeper awareness of what could be, what should be; a unity that transcends our individual uniqueness.
This transcendental unity is central to the Apostle Paul, not because he is some mystic humanist yearning for the oneness of mankind. But, because what bonds Christians together is a true, real linkage that actually does mean something in the long run. Paul views the individual Christian as part of a larger whole, the Church. Yes, of course, the individual is essential—we individually and singularly relate with our Lord and Savior. But, having done so, we become part of a larger entity. Indeed, Paul’s primary image of the Church is not a collection of individuals, like a herd or school of fish, but as a unified existence, the Body. The Christian Church is metaphorically described in the Scripture as a human body: not a collection of bodies but as a single body. Individuals are “members” or parts of the body, but those whose existence is imagined as intimately linked to the whole. The idea of a stand-alone Christian makes as much sense as a self-existent finger or appendix.
What is it, then, that evokes such a connection? Living in the same geographical location prompts a simplistic and momentary association. What brings about the kind of intimate, existential connection that lies behind the body-imagery? The Apostle does a fabulous job of describing it in Ephesians 4: “One Spirit, one calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God!” What joins us together is not what we do, not how we feel, not what we believe. What joins us together is not “us” at all—it is Him. Our “oneness” is a product of our connection with the “oneness” of our Lord and His salvation.
This week in worship, we will be exploring that oneness and our connection to one another through Christ. Join us!
1. Read Ephesians 4:1-6. How does this section connect to the verses that precede it (note the “therefore” in verse 1)?
2. What is “a manner worthy of the calling to which you have
been called”?
3. How does each description in verses 2 and 3 describe the
walk of a Christian?
4. What do you think prompted Paul to move from verse 3 to
verse 4? What is the link that ties them together?
5. List out all the “ones” here in verse 4-6. Why is “unity”
such an important concept in Paul’s thinking?
6. There are many different ways in which baptism is
practiced in the Church. What does it mean that there is “one baptism” (vs. 5)?
7. God is described in verse 6 as “who is over all and
through all and in all.” Why would this be a good description of God following
all the “one-ness” mentioned above?
