#1442. One God and Father (30/1/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

From Ephesians 4:6, we see that our loving unity flourishes when we truly understand our adoption by grace.

To watch this devotional, please select the link below: 

We are focussing on verse 6:

This is the seventh and final aspect of Paul’s confession in this section. We are called to confess:

And now, finally: 

These are not abstract ideas. Paul reminds us that we are to believe and confess these truths in order to ‘keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ Peaceful, harmonious relationships are both created and protected as we hold firmly to these foundational realities.

Today we see that believing we share the same God and Father in Christ is vital for spiritual health and church unity. This confession reminds us that every believer shares the same Father and the same gracious adoption into His household.

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul has already highlighted this shared adoption and the unity it brings:

If we carry the pride of the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son—a pride that refuses to welcome the lost brother home—we will inevitably create distance, resentment, and tension within the church.

But if we remember that, alongside every other Christian, we too were prodigals, and that God has chosen and adopted us purely by grace as His beloved children, then we will grow in patience, humility, and a commitment to loving relationships.

Response

Our loving unity flourishes when we understand our adoption by grace.

• Is God your Father? If so, do you truly know that you have been welcomed home by sheer grace?

• Do we remember that all Christians belong to the same family, sharing the same status as God’s children?

• In light of this, are we devoted to being with one another and building the church as a family marked by grace and love?

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our new series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. The title of Sunday’s message was: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. 

Please read Ephesians 4:1-6 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• Live worthy of our calling (v.1) -  Paul, from prison, urges them to ‘live a life worthy of the calling you have received.’ What does this mean, and what does this text teach about the kind of ‘worthy’ lifestyle that we are called to? 

• Keep the unity of the Spirit (v.3) -   What is meant by the ‘unity of the Spirit’?

• One Body, one Spirit, one Hope… (v.4–6) - How are we to understand each of these ‘one…’ statements, and how do they lead to loving unity? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• How might today’s text encourage us or direct us in our desire to bring our community to Jesus? 

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• Ask God to work through us by His power, so that others may come to know Christ.