Speaking The Truth

Speaking the Truth

Ephesians 4:11-16

By way of introduction, here are four scriptures that deal with the truth:

John 8:32 (The truth will set us free)

John 14:6 (Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life...")

John 17:17 (Jesus prayed in the garden, "Sanctify them with Your word. Your word is truth.")

John 18:38 (Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?")

I) We Speak the Truth by Using our gifts. (V.11-12)

A) What "some" of these gifts are: (v.11)

1) Gifts used in the first century church:

a) Apostles and prophets (The Book of Acts is

a turning point. Prophets were known

primarily in the Old Testament times and

the apostles were used to establish the

church. There are those who will say that

the apostolic age is over while others say

that the church is still in the apostolic

days. My convictions are that the

apostolic days are over because after the

church was established, the apostles

aren’t mentioned when it came to mission

work. Jesus said to go and make disciples,

not apostles. Matthew 28:19-20)

2) Gifts used in today’s church:

a) Evangelists and Pastor/Teacher (I believe

that my calling is not one of "preacher",

but pastor/teacher.)

B) What these gifts are for: (v.12)

1) Equipping the saints for the work of

ministry. (Every believer needs to

participate in some type of ongoing Bible

study and fellowship in order to be able to

handle what they encounter on a daily basis.)

2) Edifying of the body of Christ. (Adopt a

mindset of being an encourager.)

II) We Speak the Truth by coming to the Unity of the

Faith. (V.13-14)

A) Knowledge (v.13a) (II Timothy 3:7) (We have

technology at our fingertips, but what we

learning about humanity as it relates to

spirituality?)

B) Maturity. (v.13b-14) (Romans 8:29) (If you

have a problem with change, then you will have

a problem with God because God is in the

process of changing us into the image of His

Son.)

1) Fullness of Christ. (He wants us to be just

like Jesus.)

2) Stability. (We must grow up in the faith.)

III) We Speak the Truth by coming Under the Authority

of Christ. (V.15-16)

A) We speak in love. (v.15a)

B) We grow up in Him. (v.15b)

1) The whole body is joined together (v.16a)

2) The whole body works together (v.16b)

3) The whole body grows together (v.16c)

4) The whole body is edified together (v.16d)

* We must work together for the Gospel’s sake.