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;
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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.
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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.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
We work together with God! We are fellow laborers with Him! Paul compared himself to a “master builder” but he was careful to point out the ONLY foundation that was suitable to build upon was that which Jesus had lain. He goes on to talk of the “work” done. If it is good work done in the name of Jesus, it will last, if it were done any other way the work would burn but the individual would be saved.
So, what is he talking about work? It is the same as in our text this morning, in verses 11 and 12...
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Jesus gave some to be...
What is your ministry...
Where are you to be “working” to perfect the “saints” for the edifying of the body of Christ? Jesus did not save us, redeem us, and cleanse us just so we could go to Heaven. If that is the case He needs to just kill us and take us home as soon as we get saved!
In the same way Jesus did not go to the Cross so we could sit in our pew and get the warm “fuzzies” on Sunday morning and NEVER be an influence or make an impact in the world around us!
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We are to be doing Kingdom Building work for Jesus Christ!
“But Pastor” you say “I am not there, I’m just a new Christian or I’m just learning about this.”
Fair enough, maybe you fall in one of those categories; the whole point is to not stay there, but to grow, to build on what you know, what the Spirit has revealed to you. According to Peter even “Baby Christians” can’t stay “Baby Christians”. Listen to what he says in 1 Peter 2:1-10...
1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
So, you see just being “new” doesn’t get you a pass. We are all called, appointed, anointed, placed, picked, to be a chosen, precious, peculiar, priestly people. All for the purpose of building God’s Kingdom, to see souls saved by Jesus Christ!
Now for those of us who have been saved for some time, have been in “Church” maybe all of our lives, we don’t get a pass either.
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Jesus told a parable to those who knew better but did not do it. It is over in Luke 12:42-48, listen to what Jesus had to say...
Luk 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Luk 12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
Luk 12:45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
Luk 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:”
We now have no excuse, either as a “New Christian” or an “Old Christian” the Lord has given this knowledge that we should be building, growing in and through Jesus Christ to the edifying of the body. So that souls can be saved, disciples can be discipled, and we the “Temple” of Christ can walk worthy in the vocation we were called...
“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:”
Close as the Spirit leads...
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