As the children leave for their Sunday school, let us turn back to Ephesians chapter 4 and to verses 1 to 3. Many of us may well be familiar with these words stated by William Carey in 1792. Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. John Palmer, when he was with us on Wednesday, speaking of church history and the development of the modern mystery movement, as he considered the light of the gospel being spread through him and others to various parts of the world, he mentioned this great quote of Carey. Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. It is clear that William Carey trusted in God's sovereign power, and in the light of that, he expected great things from God. He looked to God to work in terms of saving sinners and building churches. But he didn't just stop there. He also gave himself tirelessly to such a work, attempting great things for God. seeking to witness, as he could in that area, to bring the gospel to bear on people's hearts and lives. Now as we make the transition from Ephesians chapter 3 to chapter 4, although of course it's a very different context, we still have this quote in our minds. At the end of chapter 3, we were called to pray, expecting great things from God. We were called to pray that God would fill the church with his fullness, that he would do this in a manner that is beyond our ability to even ask or dream of. Expect great things of God. Pray to God that in his sovereign grace and mercy he might come and fill us as a church. But as we enter into chapter four, We are now called to attempt great things for God. We are urged to build a biblical church that He would fill for His glory. And that is seen from those 16 verses that we read together earlier. And as we enter this particular section, and indeed the second half of the letter to the church at Ephesus, We have this impassioned call from Paul to the church. He says in verse 1, He is pleading with them. that they might have a walk that is worthy of the calling that God has given them, that they might fulfil the purpose for which God has brought them together as a church. We see from the Bible that God has called his people to salvation by his grace. We see this in the prayer of Paul in verse 18 of chapter 1. He prays that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. This calling to salvation is made more clear in 2 Timothy chapter 1. and verses eight to nine. We read there, therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. And as those who are called of God by an effective call to salvation, we are saved to be part of the Church of Jesus Christ. And as a church, we have a high calling to fulfill, a tremendous responsibility to bring glory to God. That's what we found at the end of that doxology in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 21, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations. That's our purpose as a church, to bring glory to God. and it's the most incredible purpose. How wonderfully it was expressed in chapter 3, verses 10 and 11. to the intent, to the purpose that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus. How astonishing that is. That as a church, the purpose, the eternal purpose of God is that we should display, declare the manifold wisdom of God to the angels. And that is just part of what it means to glorify God, to honor God as a church. And we need to fulfill that as a church. We need to bring glory to God as the church is built in God's way for God's highest honor. So the big question is, how can we build a biblical church for God's glory as we pray for God to fill the church as we expect from him great things. How do we attempt these great things for him to build a temple fit for him to dwell in? Will these first 16 verses give us some firm principles that churches up and down our land need to listen to? No, indeed we need to listen to. here in Trinity Grace Church if we are to see reformation for God's glory. So where do we start in terms of this passage as we seek to attempt great things for God in building a biblical church? Well, the starting point is the firm foundation of unity. For a biblical church to grow and develop, it must be rooted in unity. Without unity, a church will falter and fail. And we don't have to name churches, do we? We all know churches that have faltered and failed because there's been division and disunity and a splitting apart. That is a sad environment we live in. We've all seen it happen around us, maybe in your midst. A church will not grow, a church will not develop, a church will not glorify God if there is disunity in its midst. So we need to start there, to build a church on the firm foundation of unity. Now as we consider this, as we look at verse 3, the emphasis here is on keeping and preserving unity. That's very important. Verse 3, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And before we see what it means to keep and preserve this unity, we must recognise that we can only keep and preserve that which we already have, that which we already possess. I can't be urged to preserve and keep safe the Wimbledon Men's Singles Trophy because I don't have it. I don't even have it in my dreams. I can't do it, can I? Only whoever wins the final today can keep and preserve it. I can preserve a medal for finishing a half marathon 30 odd years ago. but I can't keep the Wimbledon trophy. And so what we must see and delight in is the fact that there is a unity as a church, that we do possess a unity that is given to us by Almighty God. Keep, endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. It's this unity that has been expressed time and time again through this letter. It is a consistent theme that is running through this letter, unity. If you are to read Agatha Christie and her Poirot books, what is the consistent theme? What is in every book? or someone dies. It's murder, isn't it? That is a theme that goes all the way through. But here in Ephesians, the theme that comes through it is unity. I just want to bring to you a couple of examples to describe what is going on here. So verse 10 of chapter 1, we read that, in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. Speaking about believers who are in heaven and on earth, they are brought together in one in Christ. There is a unity in Jesus Christ. It comes out more forcefully in verses 14 to 18 of chapter 2. Here we read, for he, that is Christ, himself, is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. It's unity! people being brought together in Christ, in the gospel of Christ, together sharing this oneness. They have this, what as Paul describes, the bond of peace. Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. What is this bond of peace? well, those verses we've just read, describe it to us. We have this bond of peace, we have this unity with one another and with God, though we are of such diverse backgrounds as even Jew and Gentile, because of Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ is that bond of peace. He, as we see in these verses, has fulfilled the law of God perfectly. And as that perfect, spotless Son of God, He gives His life as a sacrifice upon the cross. He pays the price for sin. He delivers us from God's wrath. He reconciles us to God so that together we have this unity as we together come before God and approach Him in the finished work of Jesus Christ. This peace is described in Romans chapter 5 and verse 1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace. with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what we possess as a church. As believers brought together out of a diverse variety of backgrounds, we come together in the person and work of our Savior. This is the unity that we have, and we must recognize it. We must praise God for it. We must delight in these things. We are one in Jesus Christ, the bond of peace, in the unity of the Spirit. But as we possess it, we've got to keep it. But we need to say at this stage that the sadness is that there are many who haven't got the biblical Christ. And many are thus deluded about what true unity is. And so there are many who would seek to engineer a unity that isn't there, even a unity with other faiths. And so some sort of basis, some sort of common goal is emphasised, some sort of umbrella of love is put up and it is declared that we have achieved unity by our own, what are often feeble and false endeavours. But that is not the unity that we see here. Paul expressing the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We have a unity that doesn't come from our own endeavours. It comes from the powerful working of the Holy Spirit. We have a bond of peace which is strong because it's found in the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work upon the cross. And it is this unity that we must preserve. And that's the important thing, we need to preserve what we have been given. Now you might think, well, it doesn't matter, especially as we see the effort later on that needs to be put in. Is it really a problem if we don't keep this unity? I mean, since we have a unity from God, does it matter how we behave? Does it matter how it's worked out in our church? If that's the way you're thinking, then think again. Because isn't that unity something precious? It's a gift from God. That's got to be precious at the start. And it's a gift that has cost our God in Christ so much. It's cost the body and blood of our Lord. That's why it's so necessary as we gather together around the Lord's table to recognise our oneness, our fellowship as believers around the communion table. This is a unity that comes from above and we need to preserve it. It is so important that we endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So that's a unity possessed but unity must be preserved. As we consider this matter, let us note at the outset, it takes hard work. Do you like hard work? Perhaps many of us don't, but this takes hard work. The word here in verse three is endeavouring. to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is to be zeal, there is to be diligence, there is to be determination, there is to be blood, sweat, and tears. If you're to get to the top of your game in any sport, you need to put in the time and effort. If you don't, you'll fail. It was probably last week at Wimbledon, there was a bit of a needle match between Rafa Nadal and Nick Kyrgios. Partly because of some comments that Nadal had made concerning Kyrios. He said he was a good player, but he just didn't put in the time and effort. If he did that, he'd be a great player. And of course, he was offended. But here is the point, isn't it? If we are to preserve this unity in the spirit, in the bond of peace, we need to put in a lot of effort to maintain it. Yes, it's been given by God, but unity is not automatically experienced. Why is that the case? We're all sinners saved by grace, aren't we? But we're all sinners. I'm looking out on a load of imperfect, fickle, and self-centered beings. And you're all looking at one fickle, self-centered, imperfect being. That's what we are. That's our lives, sadly. And because of that, it can often cause problems. It can hinder, disturb, and even destroy the unity of the church. Our attitudes and our behavior Kamar, what God has given us to possess. So before we proceed, I've got a few questions for you, and I've got a few questions for me. They demand a radical self-examination. Let me ask you, do you want the unity of Trinity Grace Church to be kept? Is that what you want? If that is what you want, are you prepared to work at the unity of Trinity Grace Church being kept? Are you prepared to put in the effort? If so, then, are you prepared to change where necessary that the unity of Trinity Grace Church be maintained? They demand radical self-examination, particularly as we think in more detail about what that will mean for us. We need to consider the attitudes of our hearts and how that is worked out practically in our lives. And we're going to do this in the light of God's word in verse two. Here we see two couplets that we need to consider. We are worthy of the calling which we were called with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love. which contains loneliness and gentleness. I've put it in these terms. We are not to allow our own attitudes to mar unity. That's the sort of umbrella I put it under. We're not to allow our own attitudes to mar unity. What attitudes in us could quickly mar unity? Well, pride, of course. We're better than others. Selfishness can easily mar our unity. Being pushy and unkind and harsh with our lives and with our tongues can cause disunity. But what Paul brings to us are attitudes that we need to exhibit which are opposite to that. Lowliness and gentleness, which will keep the unity that we have. Let's think about the word lowliness. Literally it means ignoble, slavish. Really it's a word that self-respecting Greeks would not use of themselves. And I guess no self-respecting Brit would use it of themselves or any other people might not use it of themselves. Loneliness is having an attitude of being a slave to others. It's being willing to go unnoticed and unpraised. In short, we could use the word humble of heart to describe lowliness. It is the total opposite of being self-conceited, the total opposite of exalting oneself. And we are called to all lowliness, just a bit of lowliness. but total or complete lowliness of heart, to being slave-like in our attitudes towards others. The second word is gentleness, or it could be more aptly termed meekness. Again, this really has a natural connection with lowliness. We've studied it recently in a Bible study. We've seen how it accepts God's will and purpose. It is submissive to God. It is uncomplaining. It is slow to insist on rights. It is gentle. And as we see this in reference to others, really gentleness, meekness doesn't assert self above others. It puts ourselves under others, under God. Now, to understand more of these beautiful characteristics, we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus. Hasn't he said of himself in Matthew chapter 11 and verse 29? He has said, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart. I am gentle and lowly in heart, Jesus says. Where do we see this in our Lord Jesus? Well, you just have to open the Gospels, you just have to open the letters and you will see Jesus displayed in this manner time and time again. But let us for a few moments reflect upon verses 5 to 8 of Philippians chapter 2. where we are called, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even a death of the cross. In his lowly and gentle heart, He relinquished his reputation. Are you still trying to hold on to your reputation? He relinquished it. And he became a slave as he took on flesh, becoming a man. And as that man, he served others. Will you serve others with such a heart? Or do you want to lord it over others in the church? Do you want to have the most noticed job, the highest acclaim in the church? Are you willing to be a servant of all? But furthermore, Jesus humbled himself even to die upon the cross. He suffered an accursed death for us according to his father's will. He gave himself to it willingly, voluntarily. My friends, what lengths are you prepared to go to in your service of others? How far? Just a little bit? Maybe some, it might be a bit more. Are you prepared to go all the way for the sake of others? It is that that we are called to as a church in order that the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace might be kept, might be maintained. We are to have the mind, the attitude of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you seek that by the power of the Spirit, that our unity might be kept? So we're not to allow our own attitudes to mar unity, but we're to have lowliness and meekness. But secondly, we're not to allow others' attitudes to mar unity. Of course, we all need to express all lowliness and meekness. And if we did so, we can see that unity would be wonderfully preserved. And what a blessing that would be if we were all like that. But of course, we live in the real world, even if And it's a big if, I've got capital letters in my notes, it's a big if. But even if we were meek and lowly ourselves, if we were like Jesus ourselves, it is more than likely that others wouldn't be. And our real experience tells us that other church members will, quite frankly, annoy us. They will be unkind, unthinking, and hurtful at times. They will, won't they? Because we will do the same. And we are to be careful not to allow others' attitudes to undermine unity. For as others might be unkind, might annoy us, might be unthinking or hurtful, our reaction to their behavior can often add fuel to the fire. And do you know what happens when you add fuel to a fire? You get an explosion. You chuck a can of petrol, don't do it at home or anywhere else, you throw it on a bonfire, bang, it goes. Now instead, we are to starve the wrong attitude of others by our response. Perhaps you can remember the school days, just about remember, and you have a candle and there it's burning nicely, it's taking in the oxygen from the air around, but then you put an airtight thing over the top. and soon it gets snuffed out. There's no oxygen to feed the flame. And what we're called here, the next two attitudes, is to starve the wrong attitude of others from the oxygen so that the flame is snuffed out so that it doesn't mar the unity of the church. And these two attitudes are long-suffering and bearing with one another in love. The first is long-suffering. It is a beautifully descriptive word, isn't it? Long-suffering. And it is what it says on the tin, to suffer long. It is being patient. It is being willing to be hurt again and again and again and again and again. It is being willing to defer anger, indeed defer anger to God, to leave it all to God so people may prod and they may provoke us time and time again. But we are to suffer. And you can see how that will snuff out the oxygen of the wrong attitude of others. But we're also to be those who forebear in love, bearing with one another in love. Really, it's a practical outworking of long suffering. It is a restraining of yourself. It's paying no attention to injury. It is a refusal to strike back or to be bitter. and notice it's to be done in love. Love is to be shown in response to hurt. Love is to be shown in response to unkindness. Love is to be shown in the light of provocation or thoughtlessness. Love and forbearing love will smother the flames of disharmony. And we've read what love is like, haven't we? It is this sort of love, it is this sort of forbearing love which will quench the flames of disunity. For love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil. does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never fails. What love that is. And we're to forbear in that love. But again, we can only understand what that looks like as we look to Jesus. And where do we see this attitude most powerfully expressed? Well, of course, it must be the cross. Jesus' forbearing love, his long-suffering love, is found there upon the cross. Let me read to you from Luke chapter 23 and verses 32 onwards. There were also two other criminals, led with him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And they divided his garments and cast lots, and the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, he saved others, let him save himself, if he is the Christ, the chosen of God. The soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him sour wine and saying, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. And an inscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed him, saying, if you are the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Now it was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, he said, Father, in your hands, I commit my spirit. Having said this, he breathed his last. What long suffering he showed towards those who crucified him, who mocked him, who rebelled against him. What love is seen in the forgiveness of those who were before him. What love, what forbearance was shown, what longsuffering was shown to that repentant terrorist upon that cross as he accepted him and welcomed him into his kingdom. But of course this forbearing love and longsuffering of Jesus didn't stop at the cross. He has demonstrated it through the ages to sinners like you and like me. He continues in that long-suffering love towards us, and we only look to our own hearts, and we see how patient He has been with us, how He forbears with us, day in, day out, as continually we fail Him, continually we offend Him. How loving, how long-suffering He is towards us. My friends, let us see that. Let us see that love that we have received from our beautiful saviour, the head of the church. Let us see that love of the one who has given us unity through the peace that is purchased by his own precious blood. And then consider, my friends, can you withhold that longsuffering, that forbearing love from another believer in the church? Can you do that? We can't do it, can we? We mustn't do it. We must work hard by the Spirit's help to develop such attitudes that will not allow others' attitudes to mar the unity of the Church. So as we conclude, we are called to glorify God as a church, as it is built biblically. Let us see the importance of the unity that we possess in Christ for this. Let us make every effort to maintain this unity, realizing it's not a unity at all costs. We'll see that a bit more next time. It is not a unity at all costs, but with all effort. So we need to give ourselves to all lowliness and meekness, to long suffering and loving forbearance. And may, by God's grace in this manner, our unity be preserved. Amen. Our concluding hymn is Founding Christian Hymns. It's number 383. Jesus, Lord, we look to thee. Let us in thy name agree. Show thyself the prince of peace. Bid all strife forever cease. Number 383.