Measuring Up

Measuring Up

Sunday Morning, 01-15-12

Text Eph. 4:1-13

Scripture Focus Eph. 4:13

Intro:

If you recall last week I talked to you about believing in a “concrete” Jesus Christ, one on which you can build your whole life; both daily and spiritual. With that in mind this past week as I was seeking direction as to the sermon today, the Lord brought to me a passage of Scripture. That passage is found in Ephesians chapter four verse thirteen.

I want to focus on this thirteenth verse, but in order to do that we must read the preceding verses to get our context. Turn with me to Ephesians four, starting at verse one...

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

(1)

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: (KJV)

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:”

How do we get there? How do we measure up to the full stature of the Lord Jesus Christ? We see in the previous verses that Paul is telling the Ephesians as well as us to walk in lowliness and meekness, being longsuffering and forbearing with each other in love. As Christians being in unity, through the measure of grace given by Christ Jesus so we can be perfected to be the ministers He wants us to be. So how do we get to that point, to where we can be the kind of people Paul is talking about?

The only way we get there is by building, building on the foundation that Jesus has lain. Listen to what He said in...

Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?

Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ has started the foundation. He has laid the cornerstone on which everything else in His Church...His Body...You and I...must build. That is what Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Cor. Chapter three. Let me read it to you... (3:9-17)

1Co 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

(2)

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.