Eph. 4:1-16
What Are You Doing--For Heaven’s Sake?
I. God’s Grace to the Church - v. 1-7
Notice Paul’s position - ’prisoner of the Lord’
We know that he was the prisoner of the Roman Emperor Nero; yet
Paul knew that God is sovereign over Nero, and that he had no power over Paul, except what God had given him. He was God’s prisoner!
• Fulfill your vocation - v. 1-3
Paul’s assumption - every believer has a calling and vocation!
We are to remember our mission -
“To bring people to Jesus Christ and membership in his church family, develop them to Christlike maturity,
equip them for their ministry in the church
and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name.”
In other words - discipleship, fellowship, worship, evangelism, ministry
We are to fulfill our mission -
• with humility - v. 2
we are to remember that we are what we are because of Christ!
• and patience - v. 2
"forbearing one another in love" means "putting up with each other" - all are different, yet we serve the same Lord
• and unity - v. 3
We all serve for the same purpose....we’re on the same team!
In the essentials - unity
In the non-essentials - liberty
In all other things - charity
Why is this important? Because there is one church - not many; just like there is ONE Lord, ONE faith, and ONE baptism!
Next --- let’s talk about the way God equips us to fulfill His purpose for us
II. God’s Gifts for the Church - v. 8-14
A. The positions - v. 8, 11 - apostles, etc.
V. 11 talks about the victory Christ won over the grave, by leading ’captivity captive’. This gave Him the spoils of victory.
The victor often distributed the spoils of victory to those in His forces.
Notice that the "gifts" in this passage are men - and they are given unto men (mankind) - specifically == the church of Jesus Christ.
The leaders are not to carry the full load of the ministry; their purpose is to help the body of Christ reach its full potential.
For example, a pastor is a coach - to teach and encourage the team!
Quote: "The job of a coach is to make people do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be." - Tom Landry
B. The purpose - v. 12 ... let’s pull over and camp here for awhile
1. The "perfecting" of the saints
Before salvation we are crippled and misshapen by sin; after salvation, as we grow spiritually, we are remolded and reshaped to be conformed to the image of Christ.
2. The work of the ministry
The work of ministry is for ALL believers; not just those who are supported financially by the church.
When the Lord left this earth, He left the work of ministry in the hands of amateurs - volunteers -
Every believer has a gift that is to be used in His ministry
Romans 12:1-8 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Have you ever served in a ministry and been frustrated because you were ineffective or felt that you couldn’t do the job well?
Perhaps you were serving in an area that didn’t fit your gift!
Illustration: "The Coach Knows What He’s Doing"
One of the winningest coaches in our area turned what was once a team known for losing into a team that was usually in the championship series. He was a genius at knowing what position each player would play best. Many times they disagreed with the coach, of course - they saw themselves as being a star at some position they really wanted. But he could size up their capabilities like no coach you had ever seen. And invariably, the guys who thought he was wrong about the position he gave them, well, they would end up being all-conference and all-county in that spot.
That’s what spiritual gifts are all about.
It’s an insult to your Lord to covet a position someone else has, or to compare yourself to another player on His team, or to denigrate your position as being less important than others, or to tell Him you can’t play that position, or to sit on the sidelines or even leave the game because you don’t like or refuse to play your position. You are depriving Team Jesus of a contribution that they need and a contribution that only you can make.
I know that, not because of who you are but because of who Jesus is. He produces spiritual champions because He knows where each player should play, including you. And remember - it’s not the crowd you’re playing for, or even for your other teammates - you’re playing for your Coach. So put on your gear, take your position on the field, and play your God-given position with all your heart! - Ron Hutchcraft
Every believer has a gift!
If you don’t know what your gift is, you can find out today!
3. The edifying of the body of Christ
"Edify" comes from the same word that give us "edifice"; to "build up" the body.
If we love Christ, we’ll love what He loves -- what is that?
Eph. 5:25 - Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
Christ died for the church - He asks us to live for it!
It’s our job to minister to each other!
I Cor. 12:12-25 - For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 1co 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
Illustration: "Help Others - Help Yourself"
During the bombing of London in WWII, it was found that people suffering from nervous disorders found unexpected health by forgetting their own troubles and ministering to the terrible needs of victims of the air raids.
The reason many of us have no energy, no vitality, no joy, is that we are living only for ourselves.
C. The "perfection" (completion or maturity) - v. 13-14
unity of the faith (v. 4-6) - There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
a ’perfect’ man (I Cor. 13:11-12) - When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ
Rom. 8:29 - For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
These are the goals - we each have a gift - YOU are the key!
III. Godly Growth of the Church - v. 15-16
Illustration: "Faithfulness Rewarded"
On Queen Elizabeth’s "official birthday" some years back, when she conferred honors on a number of her subjects, one was a 60-year-old postman in northern Wales, a fellow with the unroyal name of Jones. Because Jones, who came from a family delivering Welsh mail for 150 years, had "not missed a day’s service in 43 years and got the mail through despite snow, storms and floods," the Queen bestowed the British Empire Medal upon him, expressing the gratitude of the nation.
If an earthly majesty would bestow such a superlative honor on a man for faithfulness in so simple a task as delivering the mail, do you not think the Majesty of Heaven of Heaven will be even more diligent to make certain each of His subjects receives a proper and gracious award for faithful service? Of course He will! This review will be according to quality, not necessarily quantity; it will not be how much, but what kind.
We called to be fishers of men; not keepers of the aquarium. - C.W. Fisk
The message today is directed to believers. It is a call to action. Make yourself available! Get involved!No matter what your situation, there’s something you can do!
