Consumed by the Vision

Consumed by the Vision

Ephesians 4:1-16          August 7, 2005

TRANSLINE

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called

          With all humblemindedness and gentleness

          With patience

          Bearing-with one another in love

          Being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace –

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling

                             One Lord, one faith, one baptism

                             One God and Father of all – the One over all and through all                                       and in all

And to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ

For this reason it says [in Psalm 68:18], “having ascended to on-high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts to people”

Now what does the “he ascended” mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

The One having descended is Himself also the One having ascended far above all the heavens, in order that He might fill all things

And He Himself gave some as apostles, and others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers

                                      For the equipping of the saints

                                                For the work of ministry

                                                For the building-up of the body of Christ

                                      Until we all attain

To the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God

                                                To a mature man

                                                To the measure of the stature of the fullness of                                                    Christ

So that we may no longer be children, being tossed-about and carried-around by every wind of teaching

                                                By the trickery of people

                                                By craftiness with-regard-to the scheme of error

But that while speaking-the-truth I love, we may grow as to all things into Him Who is the head – Christ

                                                From Whom the whole body

Being fitted-together and held-together by every joint of supply

According to the working in measure of each individual part

                                                Is producing the growth of the body

                                                For the building-up of itself in love

RECAP

          God’s vision for us

          How to keep it alive (prayer)

          How to live it (grace)

          United in it

          Committed to it

          *Consumed by it

          Changed by it

ILLUSRATION

“Why I Don’t Attend Church”, The Evansville Press, Rev. Stephen Schwambach

POSB

1.       The way to be consumed by the vision

          With lowliness

          With meekness

          With long-suffering

          With love

2.       The purpose for being consumed by the vision

          To keep the unity, the bond of peace

4-6.   The seven basic reasons for being consumed by the vision

          Only one body

          Only one Spirit

          Only one hope

          Only one Lord

          Only one baptism

          Only one God and Father of all

7.       Every believer is gifted to be part of the vision

8.                 The picture

9.                 The great cost: the death of Christ and his descending into the lower                            parts of the earth

10.               The great value: that Christ might fill all things – the whole universe                            with his presence

11.     Every believer’s gift is Christ-centered

Every believer’s gift has a threefold purpose

12.               An immediate purpose: to equip others

13.               An eternal purpose: to become perfect in Christ

14-16.         A personal purpose

                   To no longer be children – immature

                   To grow up in all things – mature

                   To do his part in building up the church

QUESTION

What would our church (or you yourself) be like if we were fully consumed by the vision?

CONCLUSION

Exodus 13:20-14:4, 14:13-16, 14:19-22

Be consumed by the “one thing” (the vision of God).