Ephesians 4.7-16
Introduction: Pg. ____
One of the things I love about Boston is our skyline. There is something powerful about coming into a city and seeing the skyscrapers towering high above the life happening below it. We have the Hancock Tower and the Pru, not to mention all of the ones scattered throughout the financial district. Did you know that have been several new ones proposed, that are in the works.
Pic 1 – TD Garden Towers – Two buildings up to 600 ft. towering above the C’s, B’s and Zakim Bridge
Pic 2 – Buildings Three & Four – Harbor Square on the Waterfront; 2 600 ft, plus towers
Pic 3 – Millenium Tower – Going up on Washington Street near Downtown Crossing (625 ft)
Pic 4 –Four Seasons at the Christian Science Plaza (700ft)
Pic 5 – Trans National Place– 740ft. Tower on Federal St. in the Financial District. This is the redesign of the 1,000 ft tower that got shot down because of the FAA.
Now, I think it would be really cool to be able to help build one of these skyscrapers. Forget about the fact that I’m semi-scared of heights . . . I would love to have my fingerprints on such a massive effort!
BUT for those of you that know me, I could never get a job with the local 40 or any handyman in the city for that matter. My skill set has recently expanded from hanging pictures on the wall, which is not always a walk in the park, to hanging curtains above the window frames, also sometimes laborious. Needless to say, I could never contribute to the unbelievable engineering and construction work that goes into piecing together these massive buildings across our city.
Some of you can identify with me. You walk around Home Depot just to feel good, even though you only know what 5% the items are through the store.
BUT here’s the good news: Jesus is building a city. He is the master architect and master building, and surprisingly, he uses us as his workers to accomplish his building project. He allows us to get our fingerprints in on this mission.. All of us… He puts a hammer into everyone’s hands and says get to work.
Here’s The Vision: Every one building for the good of everyone.
We could simplify it and say . . .
“Every One for Everyone”
Ephesians 4:7-16
Paul continues his thoughts on unity, but he says that unity is actually displayed through the diversity of gifted people working together for the good of everyone in the church, so we can see him move from unity (in vv. 1-6) to diversity (in 7-11) and then back to unity (in 12-16)…
#1. Let’s be a church where . . .
I. Every one uses their God-given gifts to serve everyone (4:7-11).
Read 7-11
•Verse 7 informs us that everyone, in Christ, receives gifts to serve God’s purposes, to enable us to “walk worthy.”
•There is beauty in unity, and there is beauty in diversity. What makes the church so beautiful(wc) is that you find unity in diversity.
•Wouldn’t Redemption Hill be a boring place if everyone was like me? You’re thinking: “We like you but we’d all go crazy if everyone we’re like you!” BUT can I flip that? Wouldn’t RHC be a boring place if everyone were just like you? That’s right…
•God has made us all different. There’s no monotony here. We all have a unique SHAPE. (Ex. Some are very merciful and compassionate. Some are ultra-organized; others, not organzied at all. We have people who LOVE people, to be around people energizes you, and we have others would feel drained by being in crowds.
•Everyone has a SHAPE. What’s Your Shape?
- S – Spiritual Gifts - What has God supernaturally gifted me to do?
- H – Heart - What do I have passion for and love to do?
- A – Abilities - What natural talents and skills do I have?
- P – Personality - Where does my personality best suit me to serve?
- E – Experiences - How do my experiences shape who I can best serve? [spiritual experiences have I had? What painful experiences have I had? What educational experiences have I had? What ministry experiences have I had?]
•Everyone has a SHAPE. What’s Your Shape?
- God gifts people in different ways according to his design . .
- Some a gifted to a greater degree than others, but it’s all his design…. Gifts don’t make us less responsible but they do make us more responsible. UNPACK
•And make no mistake: God gives the gifts. We are saved by grace (2:1-10) and we serve by grace (4:7)! And he empowers us to serve in his triumphant kingdom. Look back at verse 8
•Here we have a quotation of Psalm 68:18: This is a picture of victory and ascendancy. The host of captives refers to the rulers, authorities that he disarmed and defeated as it says in Colossians 2 and put them “to open shame.” He has taken them prisoner; they no longer have power.
•Let me explain: because Christ defeated sin, death, and all demonic forces, and he has risen in triumph and has the right to distribute his power and gifts to his victorious people, so that we might continue his will and work until he returns. And you thought Easter Sunday was next Sunday.
•Now because of the victory of Christ, we don’t serve with cowardice but courage. The victory is ours because we are in him. His victory is imputed, transferred to us!
Explain these gifts . . . In verse 11: Apostles = “of Christ, eyewitnesses of his resurrection;” & prophets – seem to refer to those who pointed to Christ and were eyewitnesses of his resurrection.
The last three: evangelists, pastor-teachers are also those who bring God’s truth to people. Evangelists focus their efforts on proclaimation to those who have yet to believe. Pastors-Teachers focus their efforts inside the church.
T: Why has he gifted every one in the church? So that every one can build toward a common goal. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7) This is the second part of the vision.
#2. Let’s be a church where . . .
II. Every one builds until everyone reaches maturity in Christ (4:12-13).
Look at verse 12: 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
•Why does God gift the church with leaders? “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the people of God.“
- To equip means to “supply what is lacking” We equip by teaching and training and modeling.
- To equip “who?” the saints. Who is a saint? Anyone who follows Jesus and has been saved by his grace. So who does the work of ministry? Every one! Who builds up “the body of Christ” the church? Every one! That’s our job description. We want to work and serve in such a way that everyone around us is being built up, strengthened, fortified, made more complete and beautiful and godly.
•You say, that’s your job. You’re a pastor. You’re a pro. Nope! God said, it’s our job. We all work for the good of all.
•This verse sets forth an absolute call for God’s work to belong in the hands of EVERY ONE, not the elite. Not the pros. Evvv errrr reeeee 1!!! Say: “that’s me.” You didn’t say it.. Say: “that’s me!” alright, some of you don’t want to have fun. Too bad… :)
•Every one gets in on this! Amazing!!
•How many times have you heard us say: “If RHC is going to be a great church, as God calculates greatness, it will not be because our leadership is decent. It will be because everyone is IN the work of the ministry.”?
•What if we put this on our new website? Volunteer Staff: EVERYONEPIC of Website
•Every one owns the mission!!
Participants!
•Someone has once said, “As a church grows, so does the number of its passengers.”
•Listen, there is no category for being along for the ride as a follower of Jesus.
- Invited a Muslim guy I know. “Can I come as an observer?” Oh, yeah, sure, sure! He understands. There are observers and participants. Let us not be deceived into thinking we are participating when we are doing little more than observing.
- And here’s the prayer: “Come as an observer. Leave as a participant!”
•If you have come as an observer, Jesus invites you into the game! He invites everyone into the life of God!
T: How are you using your shape to accomplish God’s purposes through you? (Reword)
•Bring A HAMMER?? Brick by Brick. Pick up your hammer….
•Look back at Ephesians 2:10. “For we are his workmanship . . .” God has prepared good works for you… Get involved…
•The work of ministry is service. It is walking worthy of Christ in community and allowing the love of God to so fill your life that you influence those around you to Christlikeness.
•The work of ministry is living out the values and implications of Gospel, Community, Mission. Read our church covenant. It’s not complicated.
- Praying for your friend. Getting on our knees and praying desperate prayers - is the work of ministry
- Calling to check on someone who is going through a difficult time - is the work of ministry
- Sharing an encouraging portion of Scripture or sitting down and walking someone through the Bible - is the work of ministry.
- Getting here to serve on a Sunday. Volunteering for our EEH - is the work of ministry.
- Plugging into Community Group, not only for what you can receive, but more for what you can give to others in the group - is the work of ministry.
- Teaching our kids in Transformation Station - is the work of ministry.
- Displaying the gospel by _____ - is the work of ministry.
- Confessing your wrongs, extending forgiveness when wronged, begin patient with a coworker - is the work of ministry.
- Falling more in love with Christ during this Easter season by forsaking some of our usual comforts and habits and focusing more on his life, death and resurrection –prepares us the work of ministry. Intimacy before Ministry – Christ in us becoming Christ through us. His light on display for others to be pointed to the Greater Light!
•Wherever we are, whatever God sets before us to do, he is giving us an opportunity to display the beauty of the gospel through our good works. That is the work of ministry.
•**What happens, when not 10 or 20 or 30 people get this, but 100, 200, or 300 people get this? The light shines brighter. The glory of God is on fuller display!
T: What are we building for? Look at verse 13
- Here’s the goal: Paul says the church should be equipped to work and build one another up. . .
- “Until weall attain” – we are aiming at, striving to reach. He provides three phrases that point not to three separate goals, but three aspects of the one goal of attaining maturity of Christlikeness:
- The UNITY of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
- We have one mind and heart because of our shared trust in Jesus, acknowledging him as the Savior and Lord of our lives.
- TO MATURE MANHOOD
- The Greek says, “to a full-grown man” in contrast to a little child. We are to be spiritually mature, increasingly progressing as we “walk” with Christ day by day.
- TO the MEASUE of the STATURE of the FULLNESS of CHRIST
- We are to be like him! Jesus is our standard. We want to take on his heart and possess his strength and his love, and his patience and forgiveness.
- We want to see 3:19: “the fullness of God.” And this is impossible apart from grace. That is why we must pray for us and put our lives in God’s hands and say, “you do only what you can do.” AND there is nothing better
Now, let’s remember those first three words of v. 13: “until we attain.” This is a community thing, not just individual. In fact, clearly Paul is talking about the church as a whole. That is his focus. Though individuals are part of the whole, Paul’s greatest concern is that the entire church is being built into maturity together.
- If you are growing, but your brother or sister is not growing, are you satisfied? How can we be satisfied?
- We should not be content unless everyone is moving toward maturity. That’s God’s heart. If this is God’s vision, how can ours be any less? “the measure of the stature of the FULLNESS of CHRIST!”
T: That’s why we build… #3. Let’s be a church where . . .
III. Every one speaks truth and stays connected so that everyone grows (4:14-16).
Read 14-16: The goal is growth in Jesus. How do we get there? How do we build and work in such a way that we experience growth? I see at least two distinct themes in these vv.
#1) Speak the Truth in Love (14-15).
•Not all teaching is true. False teachers. . . . Jesus is here to make you rich. If God loves you, you’ll never get sick or suffer.Jesus is not really the only way to God. He’s not really sufficient. His sacrifice on the cross provided a mere option to God. = Materialism & Pluralism
•In contrast to being tossed around by faulty and deceitful teaching, we must continually practice verse 15. Memorize this:
15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
•This is how we Build: with Truth delivered in love (v 13-15)
•To speak the truth in love we have to know the truth, daily soaking it up.
•We need to know doctrine. We want to be Bible-saturated people. That’s why we preach longer than 20 minute sermons. Sermonettes make Christianettes. Baby food is for babies. The truth grounds us, guides us and transforms us! God’s truth is sufficient for everything we need in life. It is God’s divinely appointed mechanism to build us up.
•2015 Vision: Every person Bible-Saturated. BUILD
•Share the truth as frequently as possible, but make sure it’s always the “truth in love.” Gospel truth can never be separated from love. Love must motivate our speaking truth and love must characterize how we speak the truth. Love takes the plank out of our eye. Love wants what is truly best for the other person. Love wants to see the fullness of God built in others.
2) Stay Connected to One Another(15-16).
•(Grow Together) Verse 15-16
•“Growth happens through points of contact. Corporate building happens through connectedness.”
•Get ready for this highly intellectual argument! If a building is not held together, it cannot grow. What is more: if a building is not held together, not is it hindered from growing, it is in danger of falling apart.
⁃Not simply connecting for connecting’s sake.
⁃Partnership is not partnership if the gospel is not in it!
▪This is what makes a strong church: “Each part must be working properly.”
Conclusion:
Look at that last phrase in verse 16. . . . “So that it builds itself up in love.”
Love is the foundation of it all… This is why Paul prayed what he prayed in Ephesians 3:14-21… If you want to be engaged in God’s kingdom work, if you want the life of Christ to grow in you and cause you to be more and more mature… You have to be deeply acquainted with his love! And what better week to consider the love of God in Christ.
He voluntarily gave his life for us.
He bled for us.
He absorbed the wrath of God for us.
He was condemned and judged in our place.
He extends forgiveness for all of our sin before God, past, present future.
He offers us deeply satisfying life and eternal life with God forever!
Every text must drive us to the cross and resurrection of Christ.
He’s alive. He has ascended in triumph. He has gifted us that we might join in his victory march by engaging in his work so that we might build one another up and shine his light to everyone who needs him.
“God, what would you have me do?”
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