Ephesians 4 (Part 5)

(Audio: English)

SUMMARY: In Ephesians 4:11-16, the Apostle Paul speaks about the different gifts of the church and how they exist to prepare God's people for works of service, bring them into the unity of faith, and guide them in the knowledge of the Son of God. Paul emphasizes the importance of doctrine while also balancing it with the spirit of Christ, which is compassionate, merciful, and loving. He calls for believers to become mature and complete through a process of growth and progression. Scripture also addresses immaturity and childishness, urging believers to put away childish ways and become mature in their faith.

The Christian walk is supposed to be a journey into maturity and perfection, and God expects us to bear fruit. The Holy Spirit is always preparing us to bear fruit, and everything that happens to us is designed to lead us into conformity with the image of Jesus Christ. We should cooperate with this process and ask God to reveal the lessons and meaning behind every event in our lives. The more we resist, rebel, or protest, the tighter the discipline grows in our lives. The Apostle Paul exemplified a person who was always growing, and he pressed on towards the calling that Jesus Christ had given him. As long as we hold on to the Lord, nothing can separate us from the love of God that is with Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of striving for spiritual maturity and excellence in the Christian walk. He references several passages in the Bible that emphasize the need for growth and development in character, and the accumulation of virtues such as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. The speaker encourages listeners to reject mediocrity and passivity, and to embrace a heroic, adventurous journey of self-discovery and striving in the Spirit. He concludes with a prayer for the church to always be a striving church, focused on glorifying Jesus Christ through the pursuit of spiritual greatness.

Let's go to the word of God in Ephesians, chapter 4 and I want to pick up where I left off last time, it’s verse 13 and we’re going to go on from there to verse 16. Actually I will begin at 11 so that you get a sense of the continuity of what we’re speaking about.

Verse 11 it says: “…it was he who gave some to be Apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then, we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is Christ. From him the whole body joined and held together by every supporting ligament rolls and builds itself up in love as each part does its work…”