You’re Called: Ephesians 4:1-16 and the Coffee Cart

This week Dave shares a hilariously chaotic playgroup coffee-cart story that turns into something deeper: calling, unity, and grace from Ephesians 4:1–16. Why every person’s contribution matters, how to guard unity, and what the fivefold gifts are for. Communion, community, and a practical invitation to “just do your part.”

Themed Sections

1) Calling Is For Everyone (Not Just “Ministry People”)

• Universal call to Christ and a specific call for each person.
• Your vocation can be holy: builders, receptionists, doctors, business owners.
• Live worthy of the call you’ve received.

2) Humble, Gentle, Patient: The Way We Walk

• Passion creates friction; love bears with difference.
• Practical unity habits: pause, pray, slow down before reacting.

3) One Body, One Spirit: Fight for Unity

• Unity requires effort; rows can feel like “spectator church” but we’re a circle in Christ.
• Communion reminds us we share one cup and one loaf.

4) Grace Gifts, Not Merit Badges

• Gifts are grace, not wages.
• Psalm 68 → Exodus → Christ’s ascension: the presence once in the tabernacle now fills His people.

5) The Fivefold (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers)

• These are people given to equip the church for works of service.
• Maturity goal: unity, knowledge of the Son, discernment against hype and half-truths.

6) Just Do Your Part

• Every part matters; without you, something’s missing.
• Don’t copy someone else’s gift; bring your own.

Discussion Points (bullet list for listeners/groups)

• What signs of “calling” have you noticed in your current season?
• Where do you feel friction with others’ passions? How can you “bear with” in love?
• Which unity habit (humility, gentleness, patience) is hardest right now?
• Do you know your primary way of building up the body? What’s one next step?
• Where are you vulnerable to online spiritual “noise”? How can community help you discern?

Reflection

Calling isn’t a platform; it’s a posture. The cup you hand a tired parent, the quiet prayer you pray, the conversation you risk—these are holy when done in love. Unity isn’t automatic; we fight for it by walking slowly with one another under the headship of Christ.

Key Scriptures

• Ephesians 4:1–16
• Psalm 68:18 (background to Paul’s quote)
• Exodus 33–40 (tabernacle presence as foreshadow)

Timestamped Outline / Chapters

• 00:00 – Cold open: coffee, chaos, and remembering names
• 03:16 – Why keep doing it? Calling vs preference
• 04:10 – Ephesians shifts: from grace received to grace lived (4–6)
• 05:37 – “Live worthy of the calling” (calling is for everyone)
• 06:46 – Humble, gentle, patient: practical unity habits
• 09:23 – Faithfulness over time: the hidden power of showing up
• 10:46 – Make every effort: fighting for unity
• 12:57 – Communion: one cup, one loaf, one body
• 15:04 – Grace gifts: given, not earned
• 16:16 – Psalm 68 → Exodus → Christ’s ascension (why gifts flow)
• 18:46 – The fivefold: equipping, not elevating
• 20:31 – Example: evangelism gift at work
• 22:06 – Every part matters: stop spectating
• 23:15 – Maturity and discernment in a noisy age
• 24:31 – Christ is the head; follow Him first
• 26:15 – “As each part does its work”: what’s your next step?

Notable Quotes (pull-quotes for socials)

• “Calling isn’t a platform; it’s a posture.”
• “Unity is not automatic; it’s fought for.”
• “Gifts are grace, not wages.”
• “When you do your part, the whole church grows.”
• “Christ is the head—we’re the body. Act like it.”

Transcript

00:00:00:00 – 00:00:16:11
It’s good to see you all. If you don’t know me, my name’s Dave. The computer’s playing up a little bit today, so we’ll be looking at this message a bit later. You should have your Bibles, or at least access to one on your phone. And if not, just listen in closely.

00:00:16:11 – 00:00:46:01
I’ve had a pretty random week. I’ve mentioned this before, but I volunteer in our playgroup ministry as a barista with Shirley. We are the dream team—Shirley’s the best. But something random happens every single time. Sometimes it’s hilarious, sometimes infuriating, and sometimes just plain weird.

00:00:46:06 – 00:01:09:14
I’ve reached that age where I can remember everyone I already know—but there’s no room left for new people. I try really hard to remember people’s stories. For example, when Alex Jolly comes along, I know she has an almond cappuccino in winter and an almond iced latte in summer. I see her coming up the driveway and make it before she even orders—because I’ve known Alex since she was 12, when I was at Hillcrest.

00:01:09:14 – 00:01:32:01
But the other day, this new lady came up and ordered an iced chai with honey. Specific order. I thought, “I’ll remember her.” So the next week, I see someone coming up the driveway and make the drink—iced chai with honey. I walk up proudly to give it to her, and she says, “That’s not my drink.”

00:01:32:03 – 00:02:08:23
I look at her face and think, “You look like the iced chai type!” But apparently not. I didn’t want to waste it, so I just drank it myself. So now there’s this mystery woman somewhere out there whose drink I hijacked. There are so many people—like 28 women last week alone. Any guy in the room might think that sounds great, but trust me—it’s chaos.

A new lady came and ordered something, and I thought, “She’s the Latina one.” I made the coffee, looked for her, and instead, a Scandinavian woman came up and took it! I was totally lost.

00:02:51:08 – 00:03:16:07
So there we are, spilling coffee, laughing, losing track of who’s who. It’s messy and funny and frustrating all at once—but I keep doing it because I feel called to it.

00:03:16:07 – 00:03:41:14
The Bible talks a lot about calling—that we’re made for a purpose. And somehow, in this season of my life, part of that purpose is blessing these women (and the one slightly suspicious guy with no child there). But even that’s a way of serving people who might have had a rough week, who just need kindness and caffeine.

00:03:41:16 – 00:04:10:16
It’s not about wanting recognition; it’s about being called to something. That’s why today we’re looking at Ephesians 4:1–16. Chapters 1–3 focus on our relationship with God, while chapters 4–6 show how that relationship overflows into our relationships with others.

00:04:10:18 – 00:04:54:13
So grab your Bible and open to Ephesians 4. Our relationship with God isn’t earned by works—it’s from grace. But that grace produces something—it flows out in how we live, how we love, and how we serve.

00:05:12:09 – 00:05:37:00
Paul writes, “As a prisoner for the Lord, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Every single person here has a calling on their life. There’s the universal call—God calling all people to Himself—and then there’s the specific call, unique to you.

00:05:37:02 – 00:06:46:00
Don’t think that being “called” only applies to pastors or chaplains. Yes, they’re called—but no more than the builder who constructs homes that honour God, or the receptionist who makes people feel welcome, or the doctor who brings healing, or the businessperson who leads ethically.

Turn to the person next to you and say, “You’re called.” Every single one of you is called by God for a purpose.

00:06:46:02 – 00:07:45:02
Paul goes on: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Why does he say that? Because living out your calling will test you. You’ll get passionate about your ministry, and so will others. Sometimes that creates friction. But we bear with one another because we’re on the same team.

00:08:42:07 – 00:09:23:02
Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. When someone frustrates you, go for a walk. Pray. Don’t lash out. Remember: we’re all part of the same body, serving the same God in different ways.

00:09:23:04 – 00:09:58:17
Live as if your life has purpose. Live as if what you do matters—because it does. Gail, for instance, has been serving in playgroup for 18 years. That’s hundreds of mornings of faithfulness, love, and service. That’s living out a calling.

00:10:46:11 – 00:11:36:24
Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit.” Unity takes effort. It’s not automatic. We need to fight for unity, fight for camaraderie, guard against division.

00:11:55:08 – 00:12:57:03
We are one body. Not denominations fighting, not hierarchies of “leaders” and “followers.” If anything, church should look more like a circle than rows of seats—equal, relational, united in Christ.

00:12:57:05 – 00:13:50:11
When we take communion, that’s what we remember. In Jesus’ time, they literally shared one cup and one loaf. We won’t do that for hygiene reasons—but symbolically, it’s the same. We’re drinking from one cup that Christ poured out for us, eating from one loaf that represents His body broken for our freedom.

Let’s take five minutes to share communion, remembering that we are one in Him.

00:15:04:05 – 00:15:32:08
I’m so thankful for our worship team who lead us week after week—it’s such a gift. Speaking of gifts, verse 7 says, “To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

00:15:54:02 – 00:17:19:11
The gifts you have aren’t because you earned them—they’re given by grace. Paul quotes Psalm 68, referencing God’s victory in the Exodus—how He freed His people and filled the tabernacle with His presence. Now, through Jesus, that presence fills us.

00:17:44:13 – 00:19:13:12
Jesus has given spiritual gifts to His people for the building up of the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These aren’t titles; they’re functions. Their purpose is to equip God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up in love and maturity.

00:20:04:07 – 00:21:23:22
For example, Tony has the gift of evangelism. Years ago, he led a team to Thailand and saw 17,000 people come to Christ. That’s grace in action. Today, Tony continues to use that gift here—often talking to people after church and helping them make faith decisions. That’s what it looks like to walk in your calling.

00:21:44:22 – 00:22:03:12
Not everyone has that same gift—and that’s okay. I’m terrible at evangelism. I once tried to witness to a hairdresser and ended up agreeing about chakras! But that’s why we need each other.

00:22:06:23 – 00:23:15:22
When we each do our part, the church grows strong and unified. When we don’t, something’s missing—like stubbing your toe and suddenly realising how important it is. Every part matters.

00:23:15:24 – 00:24:31:17
When we grow together, we become mature, discerning, no longer tossed around by false teaching or online noise. There’s a lot of nonsense out there—people with half-truths and spiritual clickbait. But when we’re rooted in Christ and community, we can discern truth from lies.

00:24:31:19 – 00:25:36:01
Christ is the head of the church—not me, not any pastor, not any denomination. We follow Jesus. We can learn from teachers and leaders, but our ultimate allegiance is to Him.

00:26:15:12 – 00:27:31:12
Paul finishes: “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

That’s the key—each part doing its work. You don’t have to do everything. Just do your part. Maybe that’s praying, serving coffee, greeting people, running a small group, or helping at playgroup. If you don’t know what your part is yet, come and chat—I’d love to help you discover it.

00:27:52:12 – 00:28:27:00
Find where God has placed you. Sometimes that’s here, sometimes that’s out in another ministry. Either way, serve wholeheartedly. Be where God wants you, when He wants you there. That’s calling.

Would you like me to create a version ready for blog or sermon publication next (with headings, paragraph flow, and no timecodes)? That version would read like a full written message rather than a transcript.