Good morning everyone. We're going to read the Bible together now. Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 16.
So it's Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 16.
As a prisoner for the Lord then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
This is why it says,
When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.
What does he ascended mean, except that he also descended to the lower earthly regions?
He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip his 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 people in their deceitful scheming.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.
From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
So now I'll turn with you to the Word of God, which Martin has really well introduced for me this morning.
The idea that recognizing that something's true doesn't necessarily mean that we'll be motivated to change our behavior,
so that it aligns with the truth.
And this is particularly true, it's true of lots of areas, as Martin highlighted,
but it's particularly true of Christians and ministry, I think.
Last week, Dave began the series on every person ministry, focusing particularly on verses 7 and 11 and 12,
and just that confronting fact that every Christian is a minister in Christ's church, in this local church.
Put it in a very proactive way, if you're a Christian here this morning,
then you should be saying to yourself on a regular basis, as Martin did with the kids,
I am a minister of Christ in this local church family.
I am a minister of Christ in this church family.
Now, there's no opting out on the basis of inability,
because we're told also, verse 7, that Christ has actually called us into this ministry,
but actually equipped us for it.
He's gifted us specifically for the ministry he's called us to.
So there can be no opting out on the basis of inability.
He intends you to be a minister of his in this church family.
He's equipped you to be a minister of his in this church family.
He's gifted you and intends you to nurture and develop those gifts,
so that they might be nurtured and developed.
So the question then shifts.
Not is it a fact that you're a minister, but to the more practical question,
are you ministering?
Are you ministering or serving?
The two words can be used interchangeably.
Are you actually ministering or serving in this local church?
And what makes the difference?
What makes the difference in your mind between knowing something to be true,
and perhaps feeling guilty if you're not doing it,
and actually doing something because you're glad to do it?
Now, it's not rocket science to say that none of us find trouble.
None of us have trouble finding time or effort or money
to pursue the things that are important to us,
the things that we would say are valuable,
things that we would say desirable.
We do that without even blinking our eyes, don't we?
Whether it's work or a sport or doing renovations at home
or pursuing a particular hobby or leisure pursuit, holidays,
or perhaps it's time to chase a girlfriend or a boyfriend,
and the cost of that.
Perhaps there's activities with your spouse, your children,
catching up with friends, and so the list could go on and on and on.
All those things are sort of a regular part of our lives,
and we don't even think twice.
We just find time, we find money, we find energy to do them.
Why?
Because they're desirable.
They're valuable.
They're important to us.
So, what of helping one another to grow in Christ?
Is this something that you would put right up there
with things in your life that are really important,
something that's really valuable and desirable?
So, friends, the real issue is not one of knowledge,
but one of motivation, priority.
Motivation to minister or serve in our church family
will simply be the overflow of what you think should happen in church
or what you want to happen in church
or what you demand to happen in church.
Again, that which you believe to be important, valuable, and desirable
when you think about church and your involvement in it.
Now, at that point, you see, I think I have to say,
and I have to include myself here,
that the sad reality is that all too often
our thinking and desires for church is far too small.
Worse than that, sometimes our thinking and desires for church
are actually contrary to Christ's intentions
for his church and his say of people within the church.
So, it works a bit like this.
So, if you think of church just as a weekly box-taking activity,
something that you know in the back of your mind is required for Christians,
then you think, well, okay, I need to, as a Christian,
I need to meet with other Christians,
I need to read, I need to pray, I need to hear a sermon,
then you'll actually be motivated to turn up to church,
to take the boxes.
Well, mostly motivated to turn up to church,
because there might be some weeks you see
there'll be another box-taking opportunity
that's more appealing.
And so, you find yourself easily being distracted into that.
If you think of church,
if you think of church like a club,
where you hang out with people you like,
a place where you have fun,
it's meant to be a place of fun,
a place where your children have other nice children to play with,
a place where you can just relax,
chat about your week, debrief,
generally be happy and feel settled.
It's my port in a week of stormy weather.
A place where you can feel secure.
A place where you can be accepted without any questions asked.
No challenges.
Then, I suspect,
you'll be highly motivated
to get involved
in a church like ours,
a local church family like ours.
But I also suspect
that your involvement
will be very much as a selective consumer.
That is,
you'll almost,
without thinking,
invest in those people
and serving those people
and invest in those programs
that you've already worked out
will deliver the thing
that you think you should get
when you come to church.
So, you will orientate yourself
to those people
or those programs
on a very selective,
consumerist basis.
Friends,
as lovely as these things are,
and all the things I mentioned there
are terrific things
in relationship.
Of course they are.
As lovely as these things are,
here's the rub.
They can actually represent
a redefinition
of what serving ministry is.
a redefinition
from what Jesus defines us
to something
that you're comfortable with
or something
that you think it should be.
You'll know that I'm back from holidays.
Eeyore's back.
Let me say something
even more confronting.
These sorts of things
can even be the things
that keep us from being
what Christ wants us to be.
Imagine that.
the good things
that you look forward to
in our church family here
might be the things
that severely damage us
as a church family.
Now, that's almost
counterintuitive
to say that we could be damaged
by niceness
and happiness.
We could be kept
in a state
of continual dysfunction
by these sorts of things.
A state of ill health,
continuing ill health.
A continual state
of immaturity.
It's not beyond
the realms of possibility.
And all the while
thinking,
wow, this is a good church.
It's exactly what I want.
So,
the big question then is
what does Christ
expect to see
as a pattern
of your engagement
in this church?
Well, Dave opened
the verse up
with us last week.
Verse 12,
equipping the saints
for the work of ministry,
for building up
the body of Christ
until we all attend
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.
What's that saying
in summary terms?
Jesus expects you,
you individually,
to do everything
you can,
humanly speaking,
to make this church family
look and sound
and speak
and feel,
dare I say smell,
I'm going through
all the other senses,
and smell like Jesus.
Now, make no mistake,
and we'll cover this
in a couple of weeks' time,
make no mistake,
this sort of ministry
will always involve
huge cost.
It will draw on your time,
your money,
your energy,
your creative investment,
and it will always
have huge risks
attached to it,
being hurt,
being worn out,
being rejected,
but it is what
Christ himself
calls us to.
And should I also add,
he calls us to
has known
all of those things
in a way
that we'll never know them.
So this morning,
I want to suggest
that the best
motivation to ministry,
as Martin's already
opened up before us,
the best motivation
to ministry
is longing to see
the beauty of Christ
displayed and developed
in one another.
Longing to see
the beauty of Christ
displayed and developed
in one another.
I would suspect,
and venture to say
to you this morning,
anything less than that,
and we will find
ministry
just too hard.
to do consistently.
Anything less than that,
and we'll find ministry
too costly
to hang in with.
Anything less than that,
and the likelihood is
that we'll just
settle into the church
as a consumer.
Perhaps a really active
consumer,
but a selective consumer.
sporadic,
selective,
getting involved
in ways,
and perhaps only
in ways,
where we think
we will get
the personal returns
that we want
or demand
or need.
Now,
a couple of headings
and we'll move
through this.
And by the way,
the introduction
is going to be
the longest part today,
so don't despair.
First major heading
is ministry
is the primary
expression
of your identity
in Christ.
Dave helpfully
separated out
last week
identity and calling,
and that division
remains very clear.
But ministry
is a primary
expression
of identity
as well
by the same token.
And in this,
there's a great
motivation there
for it to ministry.
In other words,
the primary
expression
of ministry
for me
is a deep
desire
to show
everyone
who I now
am at heart
as one
renewed
by Christ.
I want
to be
like Christ
and I want
others to see
me being like
Christ
and I want
others to benefit
from me being
like Christ
that they might
also become
more like Christ.
Again,
look at verses
12 and 13,
those verses.
We all
attend 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
so that we
may no longer
be children
but mature.
put simply
again,
Jesus expects
us to grow
up.
We start
as children
but Jesus
expects us
to grow up
into mature
Christian
adults.
Becoming
ever more
like him
in the way
we speak,
in the way
we think,
in the way
we present
ourselves,
and the way
we behave.
When people
look into
our church
individually
and together,
when they look
at us
individually
and together,
when they look
into our church,
what should
they see?
They should
see you
individually
being focused
on being
like Jesus
in every way
possible.
and they
should see
you
totally
focused
on helping
every other
person in
this church
family
to do
the same.
Paul
himself,
Paul describes
himself
as a
prisoner
for the
Lord.
I do
apologize
for this
cough
which has
already
been outed.
I'm not
sure whether
that was a
good way
of doing
it or
not,
but I'm
just going
to return
evil.
No,
hang on
take,
I got
that
wrong.
Darn,
I've been
working on
that line
all through.
I was going
to return
evil for
good and
I got
it back
to
front.
No,
I still
got it
back to
front.
Oh,
shut up
and move
on.
Paul
describes
himself
as a
prisoner
or slave
of Christ.
He's
already
used this
picture of
a prisoner
in chapter
3,
verses 1
to 7.
So that
tells us
I think
it's a
really
important
picture
for
Paul.
Now,
when he
writes this
letter,
he actually
literally
is a
prisoner
of the
Roman
Empire
because of
his witness
to Christ.
But I
don't think
that's what
he's referring
to here.
He's referring
to a form
of being a
prisoner that's
much,
much more
significant to
him than
that.
That's just
a circumstance.
So when
he says
I'm a
prisoner of
Christ,
I've actually
got one,
thank you,
thank you very
much.
I just
tried to
avoid,
thanks Alex.
Sorry for
drawing attention
to myself
guys.
It's
working,
it's
working.
Paul's
speaking of
something far
more significant
for him.
He's speaking
of being
Christ's
prisoner by
right of
purchase.
He's
speaking of
a deep
sense of
indebtedness
for everything
that he
now is.
He's been
renewed.
He's been
forgiven.
He's been
freed from
his sin.
He's had
the spirit
put within
him.
He's been
rebuilt from
the inside
out.
And he
knows
therefore his
life, his
freedom, his
future are
all at
Christ's
disposal.
That's what
he has in
mind with
this sense of
being a
prisoner,
being a
captive,
being a
slave.
He knows,
go back to
chapter one,
he knows his
indebtedness to
Christ for
every spiritual
and physical
blessing.
Each one
an evidence
of God's
goodness to
him.
And so
Paul's
saying,
look, I
am now
happily,
completely
defined and
shaped by my
relationship to
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And that
is to be
the defining
shape of
my life
going forward,
says Paul.
Even more
than that,
he knows he
is a prisoner
or slave
given as a
gift by
Christ to
his church.
Paul
understands
the
outcomes of
Christ's
investment in
him.
That this
new self,
that his
new service
gifts,
that his
sense of
indebtedness to
God's grace,
all of that
was pushing
Paul to
the time
and the
place and
the context
in which he
would express
all of that
in the
community of
the church.
And knowing
all of that,
Paul threw
himself into
serving others.
And it
cost him
dearly.
The idea of
being God's
gift to the
church was
anything but a
burden to
Paul.
Indeed, it was a
delight.
because with
the sense of
indebtedness
came the
sense of
privilege.
That
me, the
worst of
sinners, says
Paul, should
be used in
such a
formative way
to build
the church.
Whoa, how
does that get
to be?
Well, my
friends, it's
exactly the
same for you
and me in
this church
family.
You have
been taken
captive by
Jesus.
You have
been given
every blessing
of salvation
and family
membership.
You have
been given
service gift
ministries,
service ministry
gifts.
And you've
been gifted
back into
this local
church family
where you
are now.
Why?
That you
might expend
your time,
your money,
your energy,
your creativity,
creativity,
expressing that
sense of
indebtedness
and that
sense of
privilege,
helping us
all become
more like
Jesus.
Now, by
definition, a
gift, once
it's given,
belongs to
the one it's
given to.
So, here's
perhaps a
challenge for
you in the
way you think
about yourself
in this
church family.
You are a
gift given
to this
local church
by the
Lord Jesus
Christ, which
means, in a
very real sense,
that you belong
to this church
family.
And that
should be
reflected in
the way you
serve.
Not concerned
for your own
identity,
not consumed
by building
your own
reputation,
not content
just to have
a nice,
comfortable
club people
want to
join that's
popular in
the community,
not engaging
only when you
see opportunity
for personal
reward or
return,
not just
serving when
there are no
other alternative
demands on your
time and energy.
ministry.
What a
wonderful
motivation to
ministry.
I don't know
about you, but
it's always nice
to receive a
gift.
It's even
nicer when
you get a
gift that's
useful.
Isn't that
right?
So here's a
question for
you.
Have a
think.
Do you
reckon
others in
this local
church family
would look at
you and think,
yeah, man,
they're a
useful gift.
I'm so glad
the Lord
Jesus has
given them
to us.
Now, let me
apply this in
one really
specific way.
And there's
the danger
now of
sort of
moving into
something you'll
take as
guilt.
I can't
stop you
doing that,
but it's
certainly not
intended.
Since
resuming
physical
churching,
just one
application,
but it
sort of
speaks across
everything we
do as a
church family.
Since
resuming
physical
churching,
we've had
real
difficulties
with the
serving
teams
rostered
for
cleaning.
On
quite a few
weeks,
out of
teams of
nine and
ten that
have been
rostered,
sometimes
only one
or two
turn up.
Now,
why is
that,
do you
think?
Why is
that,
do you
thinking?
What
thinking
allows us
to say
so easily?
Well,
yeah,
somebody else
can do
that,
that famous
person who's
overworked in
every congregation,
somebody else.
Because to
say that
assumes that
their time is
less important
than your
time,
time.
And that
somehow or
other,
others have
this quantity
of non-allocated
time that
they can
then take
for cleaning.
Or perhaps
it means that
you have a
sense of
yourself being
gifted in a
way that
your gifts
are far too
significant to
be involved in
cleaning toilets
or vacuuming
a floor.
or perhaps
you just don't
see cleaning
as part of
what's important
in making
this church
family a
good place,
a comfortable
place where
we can learn
together on a
Sunday morning
because we
come in here
and the
building's
nicely set out,
the toilets
don't stink,
and the
whole thing
combines to
the best
context for
us to hear
the word of
God and
fellowship
together.
See,
there's
something missing
in the way
we think
about our
opportunity
and privilege
and responsibility
in serving.
Now that one
illustration,
it's only one
of umpteen
ministries in
the congregation,
and I have to
qualify that by
saying we as
elders are so
thankful that
so many people
minister in so
many ways on
any given week.
We understand
that and we're
deeply appreciative
of that.
But here's an
issue, and
perhaps it
reflects something
of our
thinking generally
about how we
engage in
ministry in
the church.
Let me move
on.
So ministry
is a primary
expression of
our identity,
and it's
totally focused
on forming
the mind
of Christ
in his
people.
Last week
Dave Bott
took us
through the
early chapters
of Ephesians
which underpinned
Paul's argument
in this whole
regard.
Paul's,
sorry,
God's purpose
was never
simply to save
us in isolation
or as
individuals.
His intention
was always to
save us into
a community,
a serving,
other person
centered community.
Now here's where
we've got to
qualify that
and spell it
out.
Never happy
just to be in
a community
of nice
people,
but always
aiming to
be a community
of holy
people
in which
family likeness
is everywhere.
I had
Christian Dooley
and his
sister
hanging out
the other
morning at our
place and I
was just
looking for
them.
One's a boy,
one's a girl
obviously,
and I was
just looking
back and
forth and
thinking,
these are
two peas
in a pod.
Well,
mind you,
people say
that,
me and my
brother as
well.
But you
see,
there's
something
really nice
about that.
People should
look at our
church and
say,
whoa,
everywhere I
look,
I'm seeing
family likeness.
I'm seeing
the likeness
of Jesus.
I'm hearing
the likeness
of Jesus.
And it's
expressed in
two very
practical
characteristics,
unity
and maturity.
how will
we most
demonstrate
the changing
power of
the gospel?
How will
we most
demonstrate
the changing
power of
the gospel?
Answer,
very simple,
the first few
verses of
chapter four.
When our
practical unity
aligns with
the spiritual
unity we
already enjoy
in Christ.
When those
two overlay
are
the changing
power of
the gospel
in a big
way.
That can
only happen,
as we see in
those early
verses,
when we've
got Christ's
attitudes to
each other.
When we're as
generous and
excusing of
others as we
are of
ourselves.
When we're
determined to
expend all our
resources for
others in the
church family.
When we're
quick to
identify relational
difficulties and
equally quick to
move to mend
fences that are
broken relationally.
And proper
unity is
actually
inseparable from
maturity,
which is the
other practical
expression of the
changing power of
the gospel.
If you look at
verses 14 and
15,
so that we may
no longer be
children,
and goes on to
describe a few
more things.
things.
There's no room
in Christ's
church for
ongoing
childish
behavior,
childish
tantrums,
selfish
indulgence.
Yet, my
friends, it's so
common to see
just these
sorts of
childish
reactions in
relationships and
to the failures
of others.
it's common
to see what's
known as a
syndrome of
perpetual
adolescence.
Now, that's a
syndrome in
itself, but it
applies well in
the church.
A syndrome of
perpetual
adolescence among
Christians, and
especially young
Christians, not
exclusively young
Christians, but it's
especially true
among young
Christians.
What is
perpetual
adolescence?
Well, essentially,
it's a refusal to
grow up.
It's a refusal to
see church, as we're
applying it here
now, as something
that's more than
fun.
It's a refusal to
step up and take
responsibility and
say, look, I'm not
just here to have a
good old time and
cruise.
I need to work with
these people and for
these people to become
mature, to become more
like Christ.
Now, perpetual
adolescence is bad
enough when you see it
in young people.
When you see it in
people in their 40s and
50s and 60s, then
you think, man, this is a
chronic condition.
Refusing to nurture
gifts, refusing to
grow up, refusing to
step up into
serving roles.
Maturity will only
come when we dig into
God's word and have
it change us from the
inside out.
We know the truth of
God's word.
That's all in those
verses 13 and 14.
We know the truth of
God's word and are
prepared to speak the
truth in love into the
lives of those around
us.
I'll be saying more
about that in a couple
of weeks' time.
That's a big one, to
speak the truth in love.
To have the hard
conversations because we
want to grow up in
Christ and want that for
everyone around us.
friends, the point's very
obvious.
If we're not doing that,
if we're not
demonstrating the
changing power of the
gospel, then I would
suggest to you today that
we're actually making the
gospel a bit of a joke.
I mean, what is the
point of the gospel if
there's no changing power
attached to it?
So once again, let me
apply it in a very raw
way.
What difference do you
think being motivated to
form the mind of Christ in
yourself and the lives of
others in this church
family, what difference do
you think that might make
today?
If that was your primary
concern, if that was your
passionate concern, if that's
what you saw as valuable
above all else today, how
might that change who you
might seek out and speak
to today?
And why you might seek
them out and speak to
them?
And how you might seek
them out and speak to
them?
What might that say about
your commitment to small
groups or growth groups as
we call them, both
attending regularly so that
you're a support to the
rest of the crew rather than
send yourself, well, look,
there's a half a dozen
there.
They won't miss me.
Or engaging thoroughly.
You can be there and warm
a seat, but not much more.
Or praying for others in
the group when you're not
there.
Engaging with others at their
points of need and
difficulty.
How might that make a
difference when, to your
priority, when you know a
relationship with someone
else in the church is under
pressure or seriously
broken?
Is it a childish, well, it's
their fault.
They've hurt me.
And they'll have to come and
speak to me.
Or a mature adult Christian
response of, hey, we can't
allow this to happen.
We need to get this sorted.
We need to talk.
We need to get this fixed.
And that ultimately displays
God's manifold wisdom.
And brings him honor.
Chapter 3, verse 10.
So, today I'm offering you two
sort of major motivations.
One's more immediate.
The more immediate motivation
to selfless serving ministry is
to see the changing power of the
gospel.
as the mind and heart of Christ
is formed in each of us
individually and in us
collectively.
As that's the immediate
motivation.
So, the ultimate motivation
then is that God's wisdom in
salvation will be seen by all.
And God will be honored as he
should be.
Dave took us through chapter 3,
verse 10 last week.
You can refer back to it.
So, I want you to imagine this.
Remember back in Romans chapter 1
Paul launches into the argument
of how when we look at the
physical creation
we're overwhelmed.
Because we see in the physical
creation a display of the
character and power of God.
What Paul wants us to see here
is that the glory that ought to
come to the Lord
through this local church,
community of renewed
sinners
is something that ought to
dwarf anything
that we see in creation.
And it will show the wisdom of
God, chapter 3, verse 10,
the wisdom of God in salvation
and cause people to fall down in
amazement and wonder before.
There can be no better motivation
to throw yourself into ministry
than a desire for God's glory.
Again, make it just very simple
and practical.
If you want to see God's name
glorified in Newcastle and beyond,
it starts with selfless,
committed,
serving ministry
in this local church.
Nothing else will motivate you
to happily
and totally expend yourself
and your resources.
Nothing else will motivate you
to set good priorities
for you
and your family
in terms of engaging
in this local church family.
Nothing else will motivate you
to give the best of your time,
your money and your energy
to serving this church family
over sport or work
or a dozen other things
that claim your attention
and your time and your money.
Nothing else will motivate you
to steady, persevering ministry
when you hit the wall
of tiredness,
disappointment
or hurt
or injustice
or so many other challenges
that come with ministry.
Risks and costs,
all of them associated with ministry.
As I say,
we'll address those things
in two weeks' time.
ministry will always be costly.
There's no alternative.
Not ministering
to your brothers and sisters
will be far more costly
in terms of
leaving the gospel
without any claim
to changing power
and robbing God of his glory.
Pray with me, please.
Lord, we thank you
for your word.
We thank you for
the fact that your word
never just allows us
to slide over it easily.
Lord, it calls us out.
It exposes us.
It challenges us.
But Lord, it also renews us
and equips us
and gives us
great confidence
and comfort
to move forward
into new
displays
of your character
as we grow
and mature.
Help us, Lord,
to do that
individually and together.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
so