Grace At Work 16 - Unmasked Series

Dakota Community Church

March 16, 2013

Grace at Work - 17

Unmasked

Ephesians 4:1-14

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Grace at Work Part 1: Unity - According to our passage unity depends upon four primary things:

1. How we treat one another

2. Understanding and respecting gifts and service

Distinguishing between true and false teaching/teachers - WE ARE HERE!

Growth and maturity

Distinguishing between true and false teaching/teachers

Is there too much being made of this issue in the church today?

Have discernment ministries and bloggers gone too far in naming names and posting sermons and book and sermon reviews?

A few familiar passages on the topic at hand:

From Paul to his beloved “son in the faith” Timothy - as he prepares to die!

2 Timothy 4:1-6

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

From Peter:

2 Peter 2:1-3

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words.

Exploiting others for the sake of greed with false words.

Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” and when the disciples asked Jesus what would be the signs of His return in Matthew 24:4-5, the first thing out of His mouth was a warning. “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray”.

We need to beware of false teaching and false teachers.

This will be worse as the return of Jesus draws near.

We must hold to sound doctrine - And be discerning of false gospels!

From our text today:

Ephesians 4:14

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Clearly Paul sees false teachings and teachers as a problem; all he has shared on the ministry gifts has the solution to this problem as its end - “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed...”