Remember, You're United By Christ!
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Pastoral Transition
Don’t lose focus!
13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder,
The Text:
The Text:
Ephesians 4:1–16 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Prayer:
Prayer:
Context:
Context:
In chapter 1:1-14 Paul talks about the believer’s blessings. Blessings to the faithful (faith-filled) in Christ Jesus.
The Father has...
Chosen
Adopted
Accepted
The Son has...
Redeemed
Forgiven
Enlightened
Endowed
The Spirit has...
Sealed
God to His people:
God to His people:
In the O.T.
“Do this and live, Obey and be blessed...”
Now, In the N.T.
“I’ve given you life, now do or bear fruit; I have blessed you in Christ, now obey...”
“Urging” to “Walk Worthy” (v. 1)
“Urging” to “Walk Worthy” (v. 1)
I. Unity (vv. 1-6)
I. Unity (vv. 1-6)
Our Manner
Our Manner
Humility
Ephesians - Philemon (Volume 11) ESV Commentary
In light of the emphasis on unity in this section, Paul stresses the need for humility, since pride is destructive of community life. Indeed, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5, citing Prov. 3:34).
Gentleness
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together)
In the Greek language, this word was used for a soothing medicine, a colt that had been broken, and a soft wind. In each case you have power, but that power is under control.
Patience
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Our Means
Our Means
Bearing in Love
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Eager to Maintain
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together)
The verb used here is a present participle, which means we must constantly be endeavoring to maintain this unity. In fact, when we think the situation is the best, Satan will move in to wreck it. The spiritual unity of a home, a Sunday School class, or a church is the responsibility of each person involved, and the job never ends.
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Our Motivation
Our Motivation
One Body
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
One Spirit
One Hope
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
One Lord
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together)
This is our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, lives for us, and one day will come for us. It is difficult to believe that two believers can claim to obey the same Lord, and yet not be able to walk together in unity.
One Faith
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
One Baptism
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
One God and Father
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together)
The marvelous oneness of believers in the family of God is evident here, for God is over all, and working through all, and in all. We are children in the same family, loving and serving the same Father, so we ought to be able to walk together in unity. Just as in an earthly family, the various members have to give and take in order to keep a loving unity in the home, so God’s heavenly family must do the same. The “Lord’s Prayer” opens with “Our Father”—not “My Father.”
II. Diversity (vv. 7-11)
II. Diversity (vv. 7-11)
Grace Gifts
Grace Gifts
5 Clusters: Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-11,28-30; Eph. 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11-12
In all, at least 20 gifts, though not limited to these.
From God
We have not earned ours...
We should not envy others’...
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
Christ has been raised and recieved that from the Father, which he now gifts to us, His church.
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together (Ephesians 4:1–16))
How does the believer discover and develop his gifts? By fellow-shipping with other Christians in the local assembly. Gifts are not toys to play with. They are tools to build with. And if they are not used in love, they become weapons to fight with, which is what happened in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 12–14). Christians are not to live in isolation, for after all, they are members of the same body.
For God
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Teaching Gifts
Teaching Gifts
Apostles
“one who is sent with a commission…as divinely appointed representative”
“A” - Paul and the 12 as authoritative eyewitnesses, the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20) now inscripturated (ceased)
“a” - All saints, sent to witness to Christ’s work (ongoing)
Prophets
“one who proclaims the Word of God”
Here - Not in the O.T. sense
We do the same job with the faithful Word we have in Scripture, not looking for a new one.
Evangelists
“one who bears the Good News”
Pastor-Teachers
“one who shepherds the flock”
Via the Word, they...
Feed
Feed
Lead
Lead
Protect
Protect
Christ exemplified in John 10, summarized as...
Knowing the Sheep, By Name
Richard Baxter
“I have found by experience, that some ignorant persons, who have been so long unprofitable hearers, have got more knowledge and remorse of concsience in half an hour’s close discourse, than they did from ten years’ public preaching.”
Selflessly and Sacrificially Loving the Sheep
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
III. Perfection (vv. 12-16)
III. Perfection (vv. 12-16)
Equipped
Equipped
For the work of ministry, to build up the body unto...
Unity of the Faith
Growth in Knowledge
Mature
Mature
Doctrinal Stability
Speaking the Truth, in Love
Love One-Another
Love the Lost
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: Let’s Walk Together)
It has well been said that...
truth without love is brutality, but
love without truth is hypocrisy.
Growing
Growing
Joined Together
We each have a responsibility.
No one is redundant.
Joined to Christ
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Are you unified in the faith and in the knowledge of Christ?
Are you unified in the faith and in the knowledge of Christ?
Are you making proper use of the body’s diverse gifting?
Are you making proper use of the body’s diverse gifting?
Are you speaking the truth in love?
Are you speaking the truth in love?
Are you growing into the fullness of Christ?
Are you growing into the fullness of Christ?
Lectio Continua Commentary—Ephesians (Chapter 16: Perfect Manhood)
“The church is one church; let us do all we can to manifest that. The church, Christ’s body, is made up of many memberes (1 Cor. 12:27); let us be the healthy members that enable the body to “grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (v. 15).”