Read: Ephesians 4:1-6 (audio for the sermon on this text is here)
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
As we’ve been studying the book of Ephesians, Paul has stated the creation of the Church was the revelation of a mystery God had kept hidden: All believers (both Jews and Gentiles) are united together in Christ as one new humanity. We are now one family, one kingdom, one holy temple being built by the Lord.
There is an inter-dependence as the body of Christ. We cannot be isolated Christians, but we need other believers to grow into maturity. As a result, Paul suggests we need to live with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.
If you’ve ever seen sequoia trees in California, you know they can tower as 
high as 300 feet above the ground. Surprisingly, they have shallow root systems. The roots rather than going deep, shoot out in all directions to try to get as much moisture as they can. They also intertwine with other sequoia trees so when there are storms and heavy winds, they can support one another. That’s why you rarely see a sequoia tree by itself. They grow in clusters.
The inter-dependence we need as Christians requires that we approach our differences and conflicts differently than most of the world around us. It means we don’t walk away when offended or when relationships are difficult, but we learn to bear with one another and give grace to one another. It calls us to seek to love despite the challenges that come up between us and other people. It means we need to be quick to forgive and to seek to keep short accounts with others so resentment and bitterness will not take root.
Take a moment to be quiet before God. Ask him to show you any relationships that are not at peace. It could be relationships in your family, your neighborhood, your work, or your church. Perhaps it would be helpful to make a list of those God brings to mind.
Pray for each of those relationships. Ask God to give you wisdom into how you might pursue peace. Is there a need to humbly ask forgiveness? Is there a need to gently love that person in their weakness? Do you need to be patient with a person who isn’t where you wish they were or who isn’t moving as fast as you’d like?
What would it look like to bear with that person in love? Bearing with another has the idea of tolerating or making allowances. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. Some of us struggle with illness – physical, emotional, or mental – the commitments we make require us to help others carry their burdens and love them where they are. How can you do that, if it’s what is called for?
Take a moment to thank God for the example of the Trinity. Ask God to help you to follow him as you seek to live out the power of one in your relationships this week and beyond.