WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.480 Well, we've come now to what I think is the quintessential text on healthy, authentic, 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:14.019 and maybe even we would say organic church growth. 00:00:15.179 --> 00:00:19.620 It would be difficult to point to another passage in the Bible, actually, that more 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:24.640 helpfully summarizes God's plan for building up his people. 00:00:25.019 --> 00:00:29.719 In fact, Paul actually uses that type of terminology here in the verses that we just read. 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:35.479 That the things that he is teaching, the things that he is conveying from God's plan to the 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:43.439 people in Ephesus is actually God's plan for building his church, for building up his people. 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:53.560 And in a sense, these verses, especially verses 11 through 16, kind of serve as the heart of 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.340 this particular series of studies that we're going through. 00:00:56.340 --> 00:01:02.940 It's not the whole of it, certainly not the sum of it, but it is perhaps the heart of 00:01:02.940 --> 00:01:10.939 what I'm trying to get to in maybe we would say even casting a vision for what I believe 00:01:10.939 --> 00:01:13.040 the Lord would desire for our church to be. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:22.980 And I genuinely do believe that God will bless and will establish our church for the long term 00:01:22.980 --> 00:01:33.200 only as we grasp and endeavor to obey the truths that are represented here in this particular 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:33.700 text. 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:42.879 There are a plethora of church growth experts that have developed all kinds of strategies 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:47.120 to help pastors, quote, build churches. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:58.120 And most of them are rooted in business culture where an emphasis on hard work, cultural sensitivities, 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:05.460 and commitment to process is what produces profitable results. 00:02:06.219 --> 00:02:07.280 Now, those things aren't bad. 00:02:07.540 --> 00:02:13.379 Certainly hard work and being mindful of your cultural context and being committed to certain 00:02:13.379 --> 00:02:15.860 processes and administration, those things aren't bad things. 00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:22.820 But they've made that the whole of it, where if you'll just follow this strategy, it will surely 00:02:22.820 --> 00:02:25.420 produce success. 00:02:26.160 --> 00:02:35.500 And then ministry success and church health are measured by the same criteria as a secular business, 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:44.460 which would then be organizational growth, brand awareness, profitability. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:45.939 Do you see? 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:50.439 It's not difficult to see this in the Christian realm, is it? 00:02:50.500 --> 00:02:55.259 It's very easy to see that we would gauge by nature, maybe even most of the time, 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.879 but we would naturally gauge the success or the health of a ministry based on whether or not 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:08.180 it is growing in breadth, whether staff is being added, whether the income and the giving is 00:03:08.180 --> 00:03:10.960 actually going up rather than going down. 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:13.780 Are they developing more ministries? 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:15.799 Is there more happening? 00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:17.300 You know what I mean? 00:03:17.519 --> 00:03:19.379 And sometimes we can mistake that. 00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:25.919 And certainly when the Lord does a unique work in a church, things like that happen. 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:27.079 I understand that. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:28.519 I'm not saying that that's not true. 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:35.500 But when we gauge the success and the health of a church by those criterias, we actually 00:03:35.500 --> 00:03:36.520 go quite wrong. 00:03:37.980 --> 00:03:45.000 Pastors end up being lured into lectures that are geared toward topics titled something like 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:54.560 the next 100, how to get the next 100 people into your church, or ways to increase giving 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:56.400 by 60% in the new year. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:04.680 Those are real lectures, real titles that are often pushed in front of pastors, because that 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:07.460 ultimately would seem to be the goal for many of them. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:20.040 That the value of who I am and what my church is, is not really based on faithfulness, though 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:21.519 they would care about that. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:25.439 It's actually based on these tangible things that we can measure. 00:04:26.620 --> 00:04:30.539 I'm not saying it's bad to desire that type of growth in your church. 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:32.039 It certainly is good. 00:04:32.159 --> 00:04:35.439 If you didn't have a desire for your church to grow, it means that you probably don't have 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:40.740 much of a desire for people to come to Christ or for people to be faithful to the Lord or 00:04:40.740 --> 00:04:46.060 for the Lord to do unique works in and through the ministry to which you belong. 00:04:46.220 --> 00:04:48.340 Those things are not bad in and of themselves. 00:04:49.100 --> 00:04:56.300 But this is just a small sampling and example of what the mindset of the Christian culture 00:04:56.300 --> 00:05:03.240 has devolved into when it comes to ideas of church growth and church health. 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:08.980 They just define it in a way that's unhelpful, and I really actually think ungodly. 00:05:09.840 --> 00:05:15.000 Where pastors are measured by effectiveness rather than faithfulness. 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:22.100 Ministries are evaluated by creativity rather than fruitfulness. 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:29.360 Services are built on a consumer experience rather than genuine worship. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.120 But that's a problem. 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:37.180 That's not the definition I'm working with when I use the phrase church growth or church 00:05:37.180 --> 00:05:37.939 health this morning. 00:05:38.300 --> 00:05:42.860 I actually wanted to turn our eyes to actually what the scriptures have to say for us here 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:43.560 about this. 00:05:44.660 --> 00:05:51.920 Because when the New Testament speaks of church growth, it does so in terms of maturity, not 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:52.660 metrics. 00:05:52.660 --> 00:06:02.300 The apostles weren't concerned primarily with a congregation's size, but its faithfulness to 00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:05.860 the Bible and its fruitfulness in the Spirit. 00:06:07.260 --> 00:06:12.680 And rather than viewing the local church as an organization that needs to be built, they 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:22.640 saw it more like an organism, living, breathing, growing in the power of God and His Spirit. 00:06:22.660 --> 00:06:30.520 And the bottom line is that people, humans, can build successful organizations. 00:06:31.520 --> 00:06:32.780 We can do that. 00:06:34.200 --> 00:06:36.540 Only God can build healthy churches. 00:06:37.540 --> 00:06:39.280 You see, that's the difference. 00:06:40.820 --> 00:06:44.200 It's actually God's work to build this church. 00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:54.839 And He's actually given us a plan to follow, a plan that He uses, His design, to actually 00:06:54.839 --> 00:06:57.439 see this work move forward. 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:02.899 Like I said, verses 11 to 16 is where we're really going to find this process laid out. 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:06.620 But before we get there, let's just walk through verses 1 through 10 quickly. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:12.259 Let me just point out two kind of categorical things here that are worth noting. 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:16.459 The first thing is our calling, our calling. 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:26.019 Now remember in chapter 2 a few weeks ago, we saw that we are united together on account 00:07:26.019 --> 00:07:27.420 of our union with Christ. 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:33.959 That there is a supernatural unifying work that takes place when Christ through His blood 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:37.159 redeems us and reconciles us to God. 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:40.420 And in doing that, He actually reconciles us to one another. 00:07:40.780 --> 00:07:45.540 Not that He just brings people from different cultures together with this amalgamation and 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:46.760 mixed context. 00:07:46.939 --> 00:07:47.700 It's not that. 00:07:47.820 --> 00:07:49.520 He's creating a new people. 00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:51.640 His new kingdom people. 00:07:51.960 --> 00:07:55.220 It's something that we are called to be in the gospel. 00:07:55.700 --> 00:08:01.280 Something that we are called to reflect as we move forward in the gospel as well. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:07.279 And here, the theological truth of Ephesians 2 is actually coming through in Paul's words 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:09.439 as practical instruction. 00:08:09.919 --> 00:08:10.639 Look at verse 1. 00:08:11.099 --> 00:08:13.759 I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, listen to the verbs here. 00:08:14.459 --> 00:08:20.799 I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called. 00:08:21.419 --> 00:08:22.439 What's that calling? 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:22.519 That calling. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:30.600 Chapter 2 tells us that calling is the unity that the Holy Spirit has brought together in 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:33.340 the kingdom people of God, in the church. 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:37.480 We have been called as a people together. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.379 And Paul is saying there is practical instruction in this. 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:45.360 Yes, the Spirit is what brings us together through the gospel of Jesus. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:47.919 But I am urging you, Ephesians. 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:50.080 I'm urging you. 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:51.200 I'm challenging you. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:55.680 I'm instructing you to walk worthy of that call. 00:08:56.220 --> 00:09:02.980 That the way that you live and move and behave and work with the people of God in the local 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:11.040 church should reflect a life that is worthy meeting the standards of the call that God 00:09:11.040 --> 00:09:13.320 has actually put on your life as the church. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:14.900 And then he tells us how. 00:09:15.900 --> 00:09:20.200 With humility and gentleness. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:23.480 With patience. 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:27.300 Bearing with one another in love. 00:09:27.379 --> 00:09:29.560 Those are very difficult things. 00:09:31.160 --> 00:09:35.640 Because in the context of the Ephesian church, you actually have real enemies. 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:38.040 Cultural enemies. 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:40.220 And the Jews and the Gentiles coming together. 00:09:40.220 --> 00:09:45.980 And then there's all the subsets of problems relationally and socially and culturally that 00:09:45.980 --> 00:09:49.920 come from extensions of even that type of enemy. 00:09:50.460 --> 00:09:52.720 And we have that in our own churches, right? 00:09:52.800 --> 00:09:54.180 We're all very different people. 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:56.320 We come from very different places. 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:58.639 We have very different personalities. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:04.740 And it requires that if we're going to walk worthy of the call that God has put in our lives as a church, 00:10:04.819 --> 00:10:09.039 it's going to require that each of us do that with some humility. 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:12.279 That we develop in our lives. 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:15.779 Some gentleness with one another. 00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:18.839 Some patience. 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:22.480 Bearing with one another. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.919 Now, it's really interesting that this is what Paul goes to. 00:10:25.099 --> 00:10:29.980 He assumes that in the local church, you're going to have problems with people. 00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:37.420 He assumes here that there are going to be people in every church that get on everybody else's nerves. 00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:41.879 Otherwise, he wouldn't have to say, bearing with one another. 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:43.899 Right? 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:45.940 Do you see that here? 00:10:47.539 --> 00:10:52.259 And his answer is not, when this church really gets on your nerves, 00:10:52.460 --> 00:10:54.940 go to one that gets on your nerves a little less. 00:10:54.940 --> 00:11:04.700 No, his answer is actually, no, get over yourself and walk in a way that's worthy of the call that God has put on your life. 00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:08.940 Learn humility and patience and gentleness. 00:11:09.660 --> 00:11:12.200 Bearing with one another in love. 00:11:12.300 --> 00:11:20.640 And then he says, being eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 00:11:20.640 --> 00:11:24.160 In other words, it is the spirit that brings us together. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:30.079 But then God calls us to eagerly pursue this unity together. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.980 That we're not looking for ways to be a part. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:38.659 We're actually looking for ways to diminish our disagreements and our differences 00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:45.719 in order that we can pursue the unity that the Holy Spirit is actually establishing in the gospel. 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:49.860 This is what we're called to be. 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:52.079 It's what we're called to do. 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:54.879 And then he makes it even better. 00:11:55.020 --> 00:11:55.740 There's one body. 00:11:55.860 --> 00:11:56.560 There's one spirit. 00:11:56.680 --> 00:11:57.960 You're called to one hope. 00:11:58.040 --> 00:11:58.940 It belongs to your call. 00:11:59.040 --> 00:12:01.980 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all, 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:04.240 who is over all and through all and in all. 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.000 What a unity that is in the gospel. 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:07.900 And he says, pursue that. 00:12:09.379 --> 00:12:11.879 Live as a church in a way that is worthy of that. 00:12:12.900 --> 00:12:13.820 So we see our calling. 00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:16.540 But then we see our gifting is the next thing. 00:12:17.280 --> 00:12:17.760 Our gifting. 00:12:18.760 --> 00:12:23.420 So Christ, as Lord, aids us in this calling. 00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:24.620 Because let's be honest. 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:27.360 Let's be honest. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.700 If we were all just to sit down at the end of the service and say, all right. 00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:32.100 I know a lot of people aren't here today. 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:34.400 If we were to huddle up and say, all right, we're going to do this thing. 00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:38.580 We're going to be humble and gentle and patient. 00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:40.580 And we're going to bear with one another. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.840 It's not going to take very long for us to fail, right? 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:48.560 Because we can't actually do that. 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:52.879 It's not actually in our power in and of ourselves to live in a way that's like that. 00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:57.840 And so Christ, our Lord, who calls us to that in the gospel, 00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:04.640 actually begins to aid us in his power through the spirit to do it. 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:06.320 And that's what these verses tell us. 00:13:06.400 --> 00:13:06.960 Verse seven. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:15.680 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gifts. 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:20.100 In other words, Christ is gifting each one of us. 00:13:20.160 --> 00:13:24.160 Though we are all called into one body, each individual has a particular gift 00:13:24.160 --> 00:13:30.440 that Christ has enabled to help us pursue this calling that he's given. 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:33.180 Therefore, it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:34.620 and he gave men gifts. 00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:39.379 And then there's this parenthetical, Paul never wastes an opportunity to work in his Christology. 00:13:40.299 --> 00:13:43.279 And he says, by ascending, that means that he must have descended, 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:45.519 which goes back to Philippians chapter two. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:54.159 Jesus was in the form of God, and he thought equality with God a thing not to be grasped, 00:13:54.199 --> 00:13:57.179 but he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. 00:13:57.259 --> 00:13:58.819 He took on the form of a servant. 00:13:59.079 --> 00:14:01.120 He descended to the earth. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:06.960 And then after his resurrection, he ascended back to the exalted place where he reigns as Lord, 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:14.960 which means that this is his call, but it's also his gift to help us and aid us in pursuing this call. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:21.860 And it's only at that point that Paul then begins to describe this process, 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:29.560 that he begins to describe the truth about church growth and about church health. 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:34.919 You see, God's plan for church growth and health is very simple. 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:40.579 It's ordinary, intentional discipling. 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:51.079 Discipling being that process by which Christians help one another faithfully follow Jesus 00:14:51.079 --> 00:14:55.239 in the power of the Spirit through the teaching of the Bible. 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:58.139 And that's what Paul goes on to describe here. 00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.100 It's not flashy. 00:15:00.899 --> 00:15:02.960 It's certainly not fast. 00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:08.659 It's not typically easy, and it's almost never convenient. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:11.460 It requires commitment. 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:14.159 It requires labor. 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:17.320 It requires sacrifice. 00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:22.100 Most of all, it requires genuine love. 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:27.639 But according to the Bible, this is actually what God's plan is. 00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:29.220 So let's look at it together. 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:31.700 Number one, I want you to see God's program. 00:15:32.800 --> 00:15:33.680 God's program. 00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:39.420 Verse 11, and he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers 00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:45.820 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. 00:15:47.060 --> 00:15:49.100 Three phrases here that I want to work through. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:54.659 He gave to equip for the work. 00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:56.060 Do you see them there in the text? 00:15:56.700 --> 00:16:00.500 He gave to equip for the work. 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:01.899 Well, what did he give? 00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:10.360 He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, or shepherd teachers. 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:20.779 So God has gifted every believer uniquely to serve the church, but he has gifted the church with certain individuals to lead it in truth. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:35.259 Now, what's common about or among the categories that Paul mentions here is that they all possess the gift of helpfully and accurately teaching God's word, the Bible. 00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:48.360 They have word-based gifts, and Paul says that they are special gifts from Christ to the church, but they each have unique functions in the church. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:54.220 But Paul says, first off, Christ has given to the church these people. 00:16:54.220 --> 00:17:01.360 Well, I've been trying to tell Julie for years that I'm a gift from God, and here Paul gives me some support. 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:05.319 Well, let's work through these categories. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:10.240 The apostles were men who had witnessed the resurrected Christ. 00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:16.339 They were specially commissioned by Jesus to be a witness to the world. 00:17:16.339 --> 00:17:32.980 It was an unrepeatable group, endowed with the Spirit's power that on occasion revealed itself through signs and wonders, and God used them as instruments to give us the New Testament scriptures. 00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:35.599 So that's actually a category here, the apostles. 00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:36.679 That's who they were. 00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:40.039 They were a gift to the church, still are. 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:50.519 Not that they are still, it's an unrepeatable group, not that they are still apostles in that sense, but what Christ gifted to the church is still a benefit to us as we come to the scriptures. 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:51.460 That's the apostles. 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:52.839 Next was the prophets. 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:58.420 These men were close associates of the apostles within the churches. 00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:08.720 They were gifted by God to communicate and teach God's word prior to the final completion of the New Testament. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:13.860 So their prophecies didn't consist of fortune-telling. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:14.940 That's not what this was. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:22.279 This wasn't future predictions necessarily, except on very rare occasions we see that in the New Testament. 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:27.680 But for the most part, these prophets and their prophecies were not those things. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:35.960 It was just simply the ability to communicate God's new covenant truth during the apostolic age. 00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:41.759 So there's a significance to these first two categories, the apostles and the prophets. 00:18:42.420 --> 00:18:53.360 Kent Hughes tells us the apostles and the prophets were given to the church to get her established, but now their role is assumed by the canonical writings of the New Testament. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:58.319 So we don't look for the gifts of apostles and of prophets any longer. 00:18:58.679 --> 00:19:01.019 We simply go to the New Testament scriptures. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:06.159 That was their purpose in establishing the church and giving us the word of God. 00:19:06.199 --> 00:19:09.899 And let me just show you two places in Ephesians that helps us to understand that. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:13.779 Look back at chapter 2 and verse 20 with your Bibles open there, 00:19:14.199 --> 00:19:18.699 that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. 00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:28.220 The apostles and the prophets, not themselves being the foundation, but what they taught as it related to the gospel of Christ. 00:19:28.620 --> 00:19:32.340 That's the foundation of truth established for the church. 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:35.700 Chapter 3 and verse 5, 00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:48.720 So there's a unique function here for these two groups. 00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:53.220 And what ultimately we have is the fruit of the New Testament. 00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:55.019 Now that moves us on to the next three. 00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:57.200 Evangelist is the next one. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:06.000 The evangelists were and still are uniquely gifted to preach the gospel with great clarity and fruitfulness. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:12.960 Now every Christian is called to do the work of an evangelist, the work of evangelism. 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:19.460 But God does gift some people in the church to do so with tremendous impact. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:25.039 Kent Hughes refers to them as the obstetricians of the church. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:29.619 Those gifted at bringing in new births, so to speak. 00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:39.639 There are people that are just uniquely gifted by God to helpfully and clearly preach and share the gospel with other people, 00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:41.379 especially those who have not heard it. 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:45.139 We see this so often represented in missionary endeavors. 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.940 We're not so much thinking of itinerant missionaries. 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:53.659 We're not thinking so much of camp meeting style deals. 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:55.500 That's not really what we're thinking of here. 00:20:55.580 --> 00:21:02.340 We're thinking of in the terms of the local church, people uniquely gifted by God with a passion and a clarity to preach the gospel. 00:21:03.940 --> 00:21:08.440 And then he says shepherds and teachers or pastors and teachers. 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:16.840 And many believe that shepherds and teachers refer to a single gift and function in the church rather than two. 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:23.919 And the Greek construction here does actually allow for that to be true, but it doesn't demand it. 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:27.939 So I'm going to let you decide where you ultimately land on that. 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:37.399 It could be that Paul was distinguishing pastors who are gifted to teach. 00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:42.500 We know that in the pastoral epistles, you can't be a pastor if you can't teach, right? 00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:45.799 That's one of the things that are necessary qualifications for a pastor. 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:54.759 So he could be distinguishing that from teachers who are not necessarily called or gifted to be elders in the church. 00:21:55.160 --> 00:21:56.819 It could be that he's making that distinction. 00:21:57.200 --> 00:22:05.619 Most people look at this and actually see because of the Greek construction that this is actually referring to shepherd teachers or pastor teachers. 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:08.160 I'll leave it to you to study that further if you'd like. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:16.360 But the point here is that God has gifted the church with individuals specially gifted to teach and shepherd through the Bible. 00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:22.080 So from our perspective today, the apostles and prophets are represented by the scriptures. 00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:31.480 Why evangelists, pastors, and teachers are church leaders whose primary function is to teach the Bible. 00:22:32.620 --> 00:22:36.640 Paul wrote that these individuals are gifts from Jesus to his church. 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:42.400 Now, for what purpose then did Jesus give these gifts to the church? 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:47.020 He gave, here's the purpose, to equip. 00:22:47.800 --> 00:22:48.759 Equip what? 00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.259 Or equip who? 00:22:51.140 --> 00:22:54.600 To equip the saints, it says. 00:22:55.740 --> 00:23:00.800 The saints is not a special category of Christians, but to all believers. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:07.379 And equip here, in this sense, carries the idea of preparation or training. 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:13.940 The Greeks used it in a medical way, referring to setting a bone in place. 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:24.839 And Paul's point is that in God's program, he has given the church individuals to prepare and train all the believers 00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:29.440 to fulfill their own function in the church. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.980 Now, what is that function? 00:23:33.080 --> 00:23:34.100 That's the next part. 00:23:34.600 --> 00:23:38.740 He gave to equip for the work. 00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.320 What's the work? 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:41.580 He tells us. 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:48.160 For the work of ministry, which is building up the body of Christ. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:24:00.560 In other words, Paul says, building up the body, what we're calling discipling, is a work to which every single believer is called. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:09.019 And while the responsibility for church growth and church health, a prize in a unique sense to church leaders, 00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:14.960 the work that produces healthy churches, belongs to each one of us. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.700 You see, this is where so many Christians immediately go wrong. 00:24:21.539 --> 00:24:29.000 So many view their role in the church as merely providing compensation for the pastor and staff 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:31.799 so that they can carry out the work of the ministry. 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:39.039 They never really think about being responsible themselves for the church's spiritual health. 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:42.200 They have more of a consumer view. 00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:51.500 That they pay the guys to do the things so that they can sit back and reap the benefits of the things that they pay the guys to do. 00:24:51.500 --> 00:25:02.619 Now, we've all been in churches like this, where there is a disparity, where there's, on one hand, there is the professional ministers, 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:10.359 and on the other hand, there is the members of the church, and the professional ministers do the work of the ministry, 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:14.079 and the people of the church receive the work of the ministry. 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:18.420 But that's not actually the vision that Paul puts forth here. 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:21.539 That's not actually what God's program is like at all. 00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:32.920 God's design is such that he gifts men to train and prepare the people to carry out the work of building up the church. 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:38.320 So not only do we belong together, but we're in this thing together. 00:25:39.620 --> 00:25:40.640 Do you see that? 00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:47.160 And we talked about the belonging a couple weeks ago, and it's going to be a theme every single week as we come to these passages. 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:51.860 We belong together, and we belong together because God has put us together. 00:25:52.580 --> 00:25:54.740 It's not because we chose one another. 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:59.759 It's because he chose us, and in choosing us, he has united us together in his gospel. 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:03.880 So you're stuck whether you want to be or not. 00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:06.560 That's just how this works now, right? 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:13.360 And not only do we belong together, but this whole idea of Lakeside Bible Church, 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:18.059 and the work that's being accomplished here, and the growth and the health, 00:26:18.419 --> 00:26:20.179 that we're actually in this thing together. 00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:26.000 And it's not because I want us to be in it together. 00:26:26.399 --> 00:26:28.979 It's because it's actually what God has called us to do. 00:26:30.479 --> 00:26:37.240 He gifts his church with people who have the unique responsibility to train and prepare the people 00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:39.839 so that the people can do the work of the ministry. 00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:44.220 And I think this is something that we really need to begin to understand. 00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:49.099 John Stott said, 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:53.779 It effectively eliminates the traditional model of the local church as a pyramid, 00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:58.259 with the pastor perched precariously on its pinnacle, 00:26:58.700 --> 00:27:00.960 like a little pope in his own church, 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:06.380 while the laity are arrayed beneath and serried ranks of inferiority. 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:11.779 It also shoots down the model of a bus, he says, 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:13.880 in which the pastor does all the driving, 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:17.039 while the congregation are the passengers, 00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:20.620 slumbering in peaceful security behind. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:27.960 Notice the commitment here to the local church 00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:30.380 that's required in this call. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:35.779 You see, that's the implication of this text, I think, is often missing. 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:38.600 I don't mean to say that in an accusatory way. 00:27:38.660 --> 00:27:39.460 I mean, you're here today. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:41.720 All of you are involved in some way or another 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:43.539 in doing exactly this in our church. 00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:46.519 I hope you don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say, 00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:50.420 but in order for this to actually happen, 00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:55.460 this discipling culture that's represented in Ephesians 4, 00:27:55.460 --> 00:28:01.240 it requires a unique commitment that goes above and beyond, 00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:05.799 actually greatly above and beyond simply attending a service on a Sunday 00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:10.380 and signing up for the occasional event that comes our way. 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:13.340 This is actually much grander than that. 00:28:13.339 --> 00:28:16.199 It's actually much heavier than that. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:20.220 Much important or important than that. 00:28:21.959 --> 00:28:26.539 And I think probably the reason it has become the way that it has in so many churches 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:29.579 is because pastors that aren't willing to share their responsibility, 00:28:29.919 --> 00:28:30.939 that's part of it. 00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:35.400 I think part of it also could be that people just are content 00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:36.960 with not really being all that committed. 00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.960 Paul envisions a people 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:45.100 thoroughly developed in the Word 00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:47.220 by gifted teachers 00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:49.700 that then enables them 00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:51.480 to evangelize, 00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:52.680 teach, 00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:54.340 and encourage others 00:28:54.340 --> 00:28:55.519 through the Word. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:58.019 This is true discipling. 00:28:58.019 --> 00:29:01.279 It's God's program for the local church. 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:04.480 And if we're going to be a healthy church here, 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:09.079 it's got to be woven into the very DNA of who we are. 00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:12.200 That's God's program. 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:15.079 Secondly, and quickly, we see God's purpose. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:16.740 God's purpose. 00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:18.759 So if God's program for the church 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.639 is to develop a discipling culture, 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:25.379 what is His intended purpose or result for it? 00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:28.420 And the answer is that the church will grow 00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:31.180 in spiritual maturity. 00:29:32.340 --> 00:29:34.800 Now, a healthy church will inevitably, 00:29:35.020 --> 00:29:35.760 in most cases, 00:29:35.760 --> 00:29:36.900 grow in number. 00:29:37.760 --> 00:29:39.760 There will be seasons of harvest. 00:29:40.600 --> 00:29:42.840 When the wind of the Spirit will blow, 00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:45.360 people will be saved and added to the church. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:46.800 But notice, 00:29:47.280 --> 00:29:49.220 the measure of success in these verses 00:29:49.220 --> 00:29:51.340 is not the breadth of the church, 00:29:51.560 --> 00:29:52.620 but its depth. 00:29:52.619 --> 00:29:55.059 And Paul contrasts for us 00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:56.399 in verses 13 and 14. 00:29:56.739 --> 00:29:59.000 The spiritually mature church 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:02.759 and the spiritually immature church. 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:04.000 Look at verse 13. 00:30:04.479 --> 00:30:06.859 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith 00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:09.019 and of the knowledge of the Son of God 00:30:09.019 --> 00:30:11.159 to mature manhood, 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:12.899 to the measure, the stature, 00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:14.059 the fullness of Christ. 00:30:15.159 --> 00:30:16.179 So three things happen 00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:17.819 when a church follows God's program. 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:20.639 It reaches the unity of faith, 00:30:21.399 --> 00:30:23.000 the knowledge of Christ, 00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:25.059 and the fullness of Christ. 00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:28.460 The faith here doesn't refer to conversion, 00:30:28.879 --> 00:30:30.899 but to a united commitment 00:30:30.899 --> 00:30:34.839 to the body of Christian truth and doctrine. 00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:37.759 MacArthur describes this as 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.639 the content of the gospel 00:30:39.639 --> 00:30:42.200 in its most complete form. 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:44.039 So the faith then 00:30:44.039 --> 00:30:45.420 is when a church 00:30:45.420 --> 00:30:47.860 is not simply aware of Bible doctrine, 00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:50.720 but is steadfastly united 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.180 in its commitment to it. 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:54.940 That's an important distinction here. 00:30:55.080 --> 00:30:56.860 That as we follow God's program, 00:30:56.980 --> 00:30:58.200 what will inevitably happen 00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:59.180 is that our church 00:30:59.180 --> 00:31:00.940 will grow deeper in the word 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:04.420 to attain the unity of the faith, 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:07.319 the full body of Christian doctrine. 00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:09.220 It won't stay on the surface. 00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:11.600 It will actually begin to grow deep 00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:12.759 into the word, 00:31:12.839 --> 00:31:14.160 into our understanding of it. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:16.299 The knowledge of the Son of God 00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:17.120 is what moves us 00:31:17.120 --> 00:31:18.500 from the intellectual 00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.500 to the relational. 00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:24.200 It's that place of spiritual maturity 00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:25.200 where a believer 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.339 is wholeheartedly devoted 00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:29.220 to personally knowing Jesus 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:33.559 through worship, prayer, Bible study. 00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:36.559 Remember Paul reflected on this 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:38.420 in his own desire in Philippians 3. 00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:40.680 Whatever gain I had, 00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:42.120 I counted as loss 00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:43.240 for the sake of Christ. 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:46.860 Indeed, I count all things as loss 00:31:46.860 --> 00:31:49.460 because of the surpassing worth 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:52.100 of knowing Christ Jesus, 00:31:52.600 --> 00:31:54.279 my Lord, he says. 00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.779 He goes on to say later, 00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:57.299 my goal in this life 00:31:57.299 --> 00:31:58.360 is to know Christ, 00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.299 to know him, 00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:00.620 that I may know him, 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.220 the power of his resurrection 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:03.420 being made conformable 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:04.039 to his death. 00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:07.420 The fullness of Christ 00:32:07.420 --> 00:32:08.559 is when that knowledge 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:09.740 produces and transforms 00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:10.539 our behavior. 00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.539 It's when a church 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:14.200 is marked by its conformity 00:32:14.200 --> 00:32:14.879 to Christ, 00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:16.420 his ways, 00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:18.099 and his teaching. 00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:20.700 So the measure of a healthy church 00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.740 then is when it's marked 00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:22.440 by a commitment 00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:23.500 to Christian doctrine, 00:32:24.059 --> 00:32:25.180 intimate love for Jesus, 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:27.440 and a radical conformity 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:28.680 to the image of Christ. 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:31.340 So then Paul contrasts that, 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:32.980 this mature manhood, 00:32:33.060 --> 00:32:33.620 he says, 00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:35.620 with spiritual infancy 00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.580 in verse 14. 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:37.840 Read that with me. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:39.360 So that we may no longer 00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:40.279 be children 00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:42.480 tossed to and fro 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:43.340 by the waves 00:32:43.340 --> 00:32:44.620 and carried about 00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:46.019 by every wind of doctrine, 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:47.279 by human cunning 00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.220 and by craftiness 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:49.400 and deceitful schemes. 00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:52.840 The church is not faithful 00:32:52.840 --> 00:32:53.779 to God's program 00:32:53.779 --> 00:32:54.519 or marked then 00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:56.220 by this spiritual immaturity. 00:32:56.220 --> 00:32:58.900 Paul says they're like a boat 00:32:58.900 --> 00:32:59.960 caught in a storm, 00:33:01.100 --> 00:33:02.640 constantly shifting 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:04.680 one set of beliefs 00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:05.279 to another. 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:08.660 James described these people 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.620 as double-minded, 00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:13.339 unstable in all their ways. 00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:15.620 And according to Paul, 00:33:16.360 --> 00:33:17.539 these churches are then 00:33:17.539 --> 00:33:19.240 susceptible to false doctrine, 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:21.920 winsome personalities, 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:24.339 and deceptive methods. 00:33:24.339 --> 00:33:27.039 So then when a church 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:28.199 becomes less concerned 00:33:28.199 --> 00:33:29.679 about biblical fidelity 00:33:29.679 --> 00:33:32.199 than it is about 00:33:32.199 --> 00:33:34.179 tangible metrics of success, 00:33:34.579 --> 00:33:36.799 it will inevitably accumulate 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:38.439 cunning leaders 00:33:38.439 --> 00:33:41.799 who develop deceitful schemes 00:33:41.799 --> 00:33:45.119 and fall into false doctrines. 00:33:46.399 --> 00:33:48.220 So we've got two pictures here. 00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:49.439 We've got God's program 00:33:49.439 --> 00:33:50.019 and the church 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:51.259 that follows God's program 00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:53.480 represented in steadfastness 00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.299 and in faith 00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:54.980 and in unity. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:56.299 And then we've got those 00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:57.599 who abandon God's program 00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:58.779 to follow their own ways 00:33:58.779 --> 00:33:59.660 and they end up 00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:00.339 finding themselves 00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:00.779 with leaders 00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:01.539 that probably aren't 00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:02.299 actually Christian 00:34:02.299 --> 00:34:04.220 who have developed 00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:05.220 deceitful schemes 00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:05.220 00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.400 to help push them forward 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:07.200 as an organization 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:08.659 but not actually very deep 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:10.360 as a true church. 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:13.219 And notice how important 00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:14.679 doctrine is 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:15.840 in this entire passage. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:17.760 Everything about these gifts 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.400 to the church 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:19.320 involve teaching. 00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:22.440 Everything about the reflection 00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:23.580 of spiritual maturity 00:34:23.580 --> 00:34:24.840 is about knowledge 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:27.240 and what that knowledge 00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:27.920 then produces 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:29.180 in practical experience 00:34:29.180 --> 00:34:29.920 in our lives. 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:36.300 Knowledge of biblical truth 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.260 should be a passion 00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:38.120 for God's people 00:34:38.120 --> 00:34:39.940 not a drudgery. 00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:42.800 That doesn't mean 00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:43.680 that we all have to be 00:34:43.680 --> 00:34:44.559 Bible eggheads 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:46.759 or that we develop 00:34:46.759 --> 00:34:47.539 this persona 00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:48.519 or this air 00:34:48.519 --> 00:34:49.420 that just seems 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:50.139 to take ourselves 00:34:50.139 --> 00:34:50.840 too seriously. 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:52.820 But it does mean 00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.739 that we should take 00:34:53.739 --> 00:34:55.599 our calling seriously. 00:34:57.059 --> 00:34:57.900 We should take 00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:58.920 the Bible seriously. 00:35:00.059 --> 00:35:00.759 We should take 00:35:00.759 --> 00:35:01.380 our worship 00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.699 seriously. 00:35:04.380 --> 00:35:05.239 And then notice 00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:05.820 how long this 00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:06.860 God's program 00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.779 is to be in effect. 00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:08.320 He tells us 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:09.059 in verse 13 00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:11.039 until all attain. 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:12.739 In other words 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:14.199 it doesn't end 00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:15.679 until we're called 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:16.099 to heaven. 00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:19.460 Because if the church 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:20.480 is healthy and growing 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:21.199 that means it will 00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:22.699 inevitably be evangelizing 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:23.340 which means that 00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:24.159 once you disciple 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:24.880 one person 00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:26.380 to be united 00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:27.099 in the faith 00:35:27.099 --> 00:35:27.860 and in the knowledge 00:35:27.860 --> 00:35:28.259 of God 00:35:28.259 --> 00:35:28.779 and in the fullness 00:35:28.779 --> 00:35:29.300 of Christ 00:35:29.300 --> 00:35:29.960 there's inevitably 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:30.619 going to be another 00:35:30.619 --> 00:35:31.500 person over here 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.900 that's just a baby 00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:33.559 in Christ. 00:35:35.079 --> 00:35:35.860 And they need 00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:36.440 your time 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:38.119 and your affection 00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:40.059 and your patience 00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:41.679 and your gentleness. 00:35:42.679 --> 00:35:43.380 They're going to need 00:35:43.380 --> 00:35:44.199 you to bear with them. 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.340 And you may get 00:35:46.340 --> 00:35:46.799 to a point 00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:47.380 where you just think 00:35:47.380 --> 00:35:48.099 man I'm tired. 00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:50.699 Well the job isn't over 00:35:50.699 --> 00:35:51.559 until we get to heaven. 00:35:54.920 --> 00:35:55.619 Thirdly we see 00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:56.460 God's process. 00:35:58.019 --> 00:35:58.840 God's process 00:35:58.840 --> 00:35:59.539 verse 15 00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.860 rather 00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:03.159 speaking the truth 00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:03.739 in love 00:36:03.739 --> 00:36:05.679 we are to grow up 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:06.420 in every way 00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:07.159 into him 00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:08.619 who is the head 00:36:08.619 --> 00:36:10.119 into Christ. 00:36:11.319 --> 00:36:12.000 Let me 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:13.480 summarize it this way 00:36:13.480 --> 00:36:14.219 maybe condensing 00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:15.239 the verse down to this 00:36:15.239 --> 00:36:16.960 by speaking 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.000 the truth in love 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:20.500 will grow up 00:36:20.500 --> 00:36:22.119 into Christ. 00:36:22.960 --> 00:36:23.859 Speaking the truth 00:36:23.859 --> 00:36:24.299 in love 00:36:24.299 --> 00:36:25.619 will grow up 00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:26.880 into Christ. 00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:28.139 This is actually 00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:28.679 the process 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:29.759 of how all of this happens. 00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:30.719 Now let's break down 00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:31.239 this phrase 00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:32.440 speaking the truth 00:36:32.440 --> 00:36:32.859 in love. 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:34.019 First they're speaking 00:36:34.019 --> 00:36:35.980 which means that 00:36:35.980 --> 00:36:37.579 even before we get 00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:38.900 to the unique giftedness 00:36:38.900 --> 00:36:39.800 that Christ has given 00:36:39.800 --> 00:36:40.699 to each one of us 00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:42.519 we know that all of us 00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:43.900 have a word based 00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:45.019 ministry to one another. 00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:47.219 And this is going to 00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:47.699 show itself 00:36:47.699 --> 00:36:48.719 in many different ways 00:36:48.719 --> 00:36:49.760 based on how God 00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:50.360 has gifted you 00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:51.380 but at the foundation 00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:51.820 of it 00:36:51.820 --> 00:36:53.079 is we have a word 00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:54.119 based ministry. 00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:55.099 We are to know 00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:55.699 God's word 00:36:55.699 --> 00:36:56.980 and then communicate 00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:57.780 God's word 00:36:57.780 --> 00:36:58.860 to one another. 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:00.980 It's not all that we do 00:37:00.980 --> 00:37:01.579 for one another 00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:03.000 but it is the priority 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:04.240 of what we must do. 00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:05.979 And once again 00:37:05.979 --> 00:37:06.859 the intentional 00:37:06.859 --> 00:37:08.319 togetherness 00:37:08.319 --> 00:37:09.719 that characterizes 00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:10.399 God's people 00:37:10.399 --> 00:37:11.679 comes to the surface here. 00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:14.079 We are to prioritize 00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.919 our lives 00:37:14.919 --> 00:37:16.659 to regularly gather 00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:17.579 with other Christians 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:18.959 to grow together. 00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:19.679 We have to speak 00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:20.919 which means that 00:37:20.919 --> 00:37:21.299 some of us 00:37:21.299 --> 00:37:22.219 need to learn to speak. 00:37:24.479 --> 00:37:25.659 Some of us need to learn 00:37:25.659 --> 00:37:27.159 to let others speak. 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:28.819 I would put myself 00:37:28.819 --> 00:37:30.299 in that category probably. 00:37:30.819 --> 00:37:31.599 We gotta start 00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:32.319 talking to each other 00:37:32.319 --> 00:37:33.259 if we're ever gonna do this 00:37:33.259 --> 00:37:33.839 it starts with 00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.700 actually having 00:37:34.700 --> 00:37:35.240 a conversation 00:37:35.240 --> 00:37:36.019 with somebody 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.180 or prioritizing 00:37:37.180 --> 00:37:37.620 your time 00:37:37.620 --> 00:37:38.160 and your life 00:37:38.160 --> 00:37:38.940 in such a way 00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:40.600 that you can have 00:37:40.600 --> 00:37:41.240 a conversation 00:37:41.240 --> 00:37:41.920 with somebody 00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:43.460 which I know 00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:44.100 comes easier 00:37:44.100 --> 00:37:44.780 to some of us 00:37:44.780 --> 00:37:45.559 than it comes to other 00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.220 but it's actually 00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:46.800 a responsibility 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:48.000 that each of us have. 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:49.680 Speaking. 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:50.420 The next thing 00:37:50.420 --> 00:37:51.079 is the truth. 00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:52.260 So we talk 00:37:52.260 --> 00:37:52.740 to one another 00:37:52.740 --> 00:37:53.440 but then we talk 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:53.900 to one another 00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:54.539 about the truth 00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:55.000 of God. 00:37:55.960 --> 00:37:57.160 So then it's one thing 00:37:57.160 --> 00:37:58.579 for faith 00:37:58.579 --> 00:37:59.300 for Christians 00:37:59.300 --> 00:38:00.320 to faithfully gather 00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:00.800 together. 00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:01.720 It's another thing 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:03.219 when our conversations 00:38:03.219 --> 00:38:03.819 are filled 00:38:03.819 --> 00:38:04.419 with the things 00:38:04.419 --> 00:38:04.899 of God. 00:38:06.819 --> 00:38:07.279 I don't mean 00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:08.159 that every conversation 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:08.899 we have 00:38:08.899 --> 00:38:10.039 has to be a Bible study. 00:38:10.319 --> 00:38:11.239 Sometimes we can fall 00:38:11.239 --> 00:38:12.179 into a bit of a trap 00:38:12.179 --> 00:38:12.639 with that 00:38:12.639 --> 00:38:13.559 where we think 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.939 that if we get together 00:38:14.939 --> 00:38:15.759 and we don't actually 00:38:15.759 --> 00:38:16.739 all pull out our Bibles 00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:17.579 and read a text 00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:18.299 and actually begin 00:38:18.299 --> 00:38:19.179 to break apart 00:38:19.179 --> 00:38:20.480 that we haven't actually 00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:21.459 done what God 00:38:21.459 --> 00:38:22.079 has called us to do. 00:38:22.139 --> 00:38:22.759 That's not at all 00:38:22.759 --> 00:38:23.279 what I mean. 00:38:24.359 --> 00:38:25.699 It's not that every conversation 00:38:25.699 --> 00:38:26.579 is a Bible study 00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.599 but the Bible 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:28.480 should infuse 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.460 every conversation 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.219 that we have 00:38:30.219 --> 00:38:32.179 so that the scriptures 00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:33.299 then guide 00:38:33.299 --> 00:38:35.079 and confirm 00:38:35.079 --> 00:38:38.500 and move forward 00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:40.500 our counsel 00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:46.099 so that a man 00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:48.059 in a difficult place 00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:48.840 in his marriage 00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:50.840 unhappy with his wife 00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:52.259 may go to his unbelieving 00:38:52.259 --> 00:38:53.159 friend at work 00:38:53.159 --> 00:38:54.980 who might commiserate 00:38:54.980 --> 00:38:55.860 with his circumstance 00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:57.320 and his counsel 00:38:57.320 --> 00:38:57.820 would be 00:38:57.820 --> 00:38:59.400 well there's a lot 00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:00.320 of fish in the sea 00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:01.619 you know 00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:03.559 you're young enough 00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:05.139 just get out of it 00:39:05.139 --> 00:39:05.679 while you can 00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:06.900 you'll find somebody else. 00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:08.880 Oh but then 00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:09.619 but then there's 00:39:09.619 --> 00:39:10.179 when that man 00:39:10.179 --> 00:39:11.519 sits down over coffee 00:39:11.519 --> 00:39:12.500 with another believer 00:39:12.500 --> 00:39:13.579 who's really spent 00:39:13.579 --> 00:39:14.119 a lot of time 00:39:14.119 --> 00:39:14.539 in the word 00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:14.980 and he says 00:39:14.980 --> 00:39:16.000 no well how much time 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:16.880 have you actually spent 00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:17.960 loving your wife 00:39:17.960 --> 00:39:18.699 the way that Christ 00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:19.599 loves the church 00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:21.500 and even if she's 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:22.480 the worst woman 00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:23.039 you've ever known 00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:23.619 in your life 00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:24.420 your responsibility 00:39:24.420 --> 00:39:24.980 and covenant 00:39:24.980 --> 00:39:26.000 has been made to her 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:27.340 your responsibility 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:27.980 to God 00:39:27.980 --> 00:39:28.500 is actually 00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:29.559 to be faithful to her 00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.980 to love her 00:39:30.980 --> 00:39:32.820 to care for her 00:39:32.820 --> 00:39:34.400 you see 00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:35.320 you don't have to sit down 00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:36.180 and have a bible study 00:39:36.180 --> 00:39:36.760 to do that 00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:37.619 you just have to know 00:39:37.619 --> 00:39:38.440 your bible enough 00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:39.760 so that your conversations 00:39:39.760 --> 00:39:40.780 are then infused 00:39:40.780 --> 00:39:41.700 with the word of God 00:39:41.700 --> 00:39:45.980 the devotional life 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:46.500 that you have 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:47.700 in private worship 00:39:47.700 --> 00:39:48.760 should regularly 00:39:48.760 --> 00:39:49.639 spill over 00:39:49.639 --> 00:39:51.340 into conversations 00:39:51.340 --> 00:39:52.260 with other believers 00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:54.880 when you're together 00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:55.560 and you're talking 00:39:55.560 --> 00:39:56.720 about things of life 00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:58.360 you should routinely 00:39:58.360 --> 00:39:59.880 be making a statement 00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:00.660 similar to 00:40:00.660 --> 00:40:02.220 well let's think about 00:40:02.220 --> 00:40:03.020 what the bible says 00:40:03.020 --> 00:40:03.640 about this 00:40:03.640 --> 00:40:04.220 like does it 00:40:04.220 --> 00:40:05.240 does it tell us anything 00:40:05.240 --> 00:40:06.020 that might help us 00:40:06.020 --> 00:40:06.940 understand this better 00:40:06.940 --> 00:40:08.400 or guide our behavior 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:09.120 in this way 00:40:09.120 --> 00:40:11.360 that's what should 00:40:11.360 --> 00:40:12.420 characterize our speech 00:40:12.420 --> 00:40:14.040 so we're speaking 00:40:14.040 --> 00:40:15.300 we're speaking the truth 00:40:15.300 --> 00:40:16.280 and then there's this 00:40:16.280 --> 00:40:16.880 really hard thing 00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:17.720 at the very end of it 00:40:17.720 --> 00:40:19.120 that we're doing this 00:40:19.119 --> 00:40:19.980 actually in love 00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:22.759 you know it's amazing 00:40:22.759 --> 00:40:23.940 how often the new testament 00:40:23.940 --> 00:40:24.779 reminds us 00:40:24.779 --> 00:40:25.819 that love 00:40:25.819 --> 00:40:26.559 is to characterize 00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:27.420 our relationship 00:40:27.420 --> 00:40:27.920 with God 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:28.519 and with others 00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:30.159 because it's the hardest 00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:30.880 thing to do 00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:32.779 it's the hardest 00:40:32.779 --> 00:40:33.500 thing to do 00:40:33.500 --> 00:40:36.519 even when speaking 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:36.980 the truth 00:40:36.980 --> 00:40:37.739 about the bible 00:40:37.739 --> 00:40:39.059 it's possible 00:40:39.059 --> 00:40:39.739 for us 00:40:39.739 --> 00:40:40.679 to lack 00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:41.579 genuine love 00:40:41.579 --> 00:40:42.699 and compassion 00:40:42.699 --> 00:40:43.420 for others 00:40:43.420 --> 00:40:45.359 and by the way 00:40:45.359 --> 00:40:46.039 people are not 00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:46.799 blind to this 00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:49.000 people know 00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:49.740 if you care 00:40:49.740 --> 00:40:52.400 people typically 00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:53.120 can pick up 00:40:53.120 --> 00:40:53.700 on the fact 00:40:53.700 --> 00:40:54.240 of whether or not 00:40:54.240 --> 00:40:54.680 you're saying 00:40:54.680 --> 00:40:55.220 these things 00:40:55.220 --> 00:40:56.740 because you just 00:40:56.740 --> 00:40:57.360 want to tell them 00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:58.840 how to do things 00:40:58.840 --> 00:40:59.580 or because you're 00:40:59.580 --> 00:41:00.340 genuinely concerned 00:41:00.340 --> 00:41:01.039 for their spiritual 00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:01.480 health 00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:04.460 somebody the other 00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:05.000 day was 00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:06.240 made a joke 00:41:06.240 --> 00:41:07.940 about how 00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:08.340 it seems 00:41:08.340 --> 00:41:08.940 that so many 00:41:08.940 --> 00:41:10.220 people that have 00:41:10.220 --> 00:41:10.720 a familiarity 00:41:10.720 --> 00:41:11.300 with the bible 00:41:11.300 --> 00:41:12.120 their favorite verse 00:41:12.120 --> 00:41:12.760 is judge not 00:41:12.760 --> 00:41:13.640 lest you be judged 00:41:13.640 --> 00:41:15.680 and we laughed 00:41:15.680 --> 00:41:16.080 about it 00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:17.000 because well 00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:18.059 so many times 00:41:18.059 --> 00:41:18.739 that just means 00:41:18.739 --> 00:41:19.619 don't tell me 00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:20.380 what to do 00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:21.980 kind of attitude 00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:23.400 but let's be honest 00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:24.299 here for just a second 00:41:24.299 --> 00:41:25.699 I understand why 00:41:25.699 --> 00:41:26.279 a lot of baby 00:41:26.279 --> 00:41:26.819 christians 00:41:26.819 --> 00:41:28.000 love that verse 00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:29.480 because a lot 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.139 of other christians 00:41:30.139 --> 00:41:31.019 are just jerks 00:41:31.019 --> 00:41:34.239 we wield the sword 00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:34.819 of the spirit 00:41:34.819 --> 00:41:35.639 to harm 00:41:35.639 --> 00:41:36.860 rather than 00:41:36.860 --> 00:41:37.440 to heal 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:40.099 and we'll speak 00:41:40.099 --> 00:41:41.179 and we may even 00:41:41.179 --> 00:41:41.980 speak a lot 00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:43.719 and the things 00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:44.279 that we say 00:41:44.279 --> 00:41:45.139 are truthful things 00:41:45.139 --> 00:41:45.719 and maybe even 00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:46.440 biblical things 00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:47.159 but the way 00:41:47.159 --> 00:41:47.900 that we communicate 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:48.699 is not a way 00:41:48.699 --> 00:41:49.359 that is filled 00:41:49.359 --> 00:41:50.059 with the grace 00:41:50.059 --> 00:41:50.519 and the love 00:41:50.519 --> 00:41:51.239 of christ 00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:53.119 and there's a big 00:41:53.119 --> 00:41:53.759 difference in that 00:41:53.759 --> 00:41:54.319 that's why this 00:41:54.319 --> 00:41:55.179 is the hardest part 00:41:55.179 --> 00:41:56.480 because it gets 00:41:56.480 --> 00:41:57.139 from our heads 00:41:57.139 --> 00:41:57.799 to our heart 00:41:57.799 --> 00:41:59.539 to where we're 00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:00.480 not just spilling 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:01.159 out the things 00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:01.779 that we know 00:42:01.779 --> 00:42:02.339 about god 00:42:02.339 --> 00:42:02.960 but we're actually 00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:03.960 communicating them 00:42:03.960 --> 00:42:04.759 with what we know 00:42:04.759 --> 00:42:05.539 to be true 00:42:05.539 --> 00:42:06.099 of god's love 00:42:06.099 --> 00:42:06.639 for us 00:42:06.639 --> 00:42:08.920 and in conformity 00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:09.420 to christ 00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:10.259 we then respond 00:42:10.259 --> 00:42:10.559 to them 00:42:10.559 --> 00:42:10.859 in the way 00:42:10.859 --> 00:42:11.259 that christ 00:42:11.260 --> 00:42:11.800 would respond 00:42:11.800 --> 00:42:12.160 to them 00:42:12.160 --> 00:42:15.120 paul said 00:42:15.120 --> 00:42:15.560 that when we 00:42:15.560 --> 00:42:16.060 speak truth 00:42:16.060 --> 00:42:16.560 and love 00:42:16.560 --> 00:42:17.940 we grow up 00:42:17.940 --> 00:42:18.500 into christ 00:42:18.500 --> 00:42:21.500 we grow deep 00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:22.060 in the word 00:42:22.060 --> 00:42:24.080 colin marshall 00:42:24.080 --> 00:42:24.940 said this happens 00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:25.740 in our gatherings 00:42:25.740 --> 00:42:27.400 but it also happens 00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:28.120 day by day 00:42:28.120 --> 00:42:28.760 as christians 00:42:28.760 --> 00:42:29.480 speak the truth 00:42:29.480 --> 00:42:30.060 to each other 00:42:30.060 --> 00:42:31.380 and exhort one 00:42:31.380 --> 00:42:32.060 another to stay 00:42:32.060 --> 00:42:32.500 strong 00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:33.660 it happens 00:42:33.660 --> 00:42:34.340 in our homes 00:42:34.340 --> 00:42:35.640 as fathers 00:42:35.640 --> 00:42:36.240 bring up their 00:42:36.240 --> 00:42:36.660 children 00:42:36.660 --> 00:42:37.460 in the discipline 00:42:37.460 --> 00:42:38.100 and instruction 00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:38.659 of the lord 00:42:38.659 --> 00:42:39.679 it happens 00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:40.299 in the world 00:42:40.299 --> 00:42:41.279 as we proclaim 00:42:41.279 --> 00:42:42.059 the excellencies 00:42:42.059 --> 00:42:42.619 of christ 00:42:42.619 --> 00:42:43.579 before the nations 00:42:43.579 --> 00:42:44.960 and engage 00:42:44.960 --> 00:42:45.739 in gracious 00:42:45.739 --> 00:42:46.880 salty conversations 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:47.539 with others 00:42:47.539 --> 00:42:49.179 giving gentle 00:42:49.179 --> 00:42:50.679 respectful answers 00:42:50.679 --> 00:42:51.920 about the 00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:52.759 christian hope 00:42:52.759 --> 00:42:54.500 well let's finish 00:42:54.500 --> 00:42:55.299 with verse 16 00:42:55.299 --> 00:42:55.839 shall we 00:42:55.839 --> 00:42:58.539 speaking of christ 00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.039 from whom 00:42:59.039 --> 00:42:59.739 the whole body 00:42:59.739 --> 00:43:01.679 joined and held 00:43:01.679 --> 00:43:02.539 together by every 00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:03.759 joint with which 00:43:03.759 --> 00:43:04.480 it is equipped 00:43:04.480 --> 00:43:06.099 when each part 00:43:06.099 --> 00:43:07.159 is working properly 00:43:07.159 --> 00:43:08.920 makes the body 00:43:08.920 --> 00:43:09.359 grow 00:43:09.359 --> 00:43:10.579 so that it 00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:11.179 builds itself 00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:12.199 up in love 00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:14.199 so paul rounds 00:43:14.199 --> 00:43:14.940 out the instruction 00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:15.279 here 00:43:15.279 --> 00:43:17.619 the joints 00:43:17.619 --> 00:43:18.079 with which 00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:18.619 the body 00:43:18.619 --> 00:43:19.339 is equipped 00:43:19.339 --> 00:43:20.219 do you see 00:43:20.219 --> 00:43:21.039 that in verse 16 00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:21.920 the joints 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:22.299 with which 00:43:22.299 --> 00:43:22.679 the body 00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:23.299 is equipped 00:43:23.299 --> 00:43:25.039 refers to 00:43:25.039 --> 00:43:26.099 each believer 00:43:26.099 --> 00:43:26.799 in the church 00:43:26.799 --> 00:43:29.420 this is not 00:43:29.420 --> 00:43:29.859 the same 00:43:29.859 --> 00:43:30.639 as the training 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:31.500 and preparation 00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:32.179 that is mentioned 00:43:32.179 --> 00:43:33.079 earlier in the passage 00:43:33.079 --> 00:43:33.980 this is actually 00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:34.879 referring to people 00:43:34.879 --> 00:43:36.859 we are the 00:43:36.860 --> 00:43:37.579 things with which 00:43:37.579 --> 00:43:38.039 the church 00:43:38.039 --> 00:43:39.620 is equipped 00:43:39.620 --> 00:43:40.360 meaning that 00:43:40.360 --> 00:43:41.380 christ has gifted 00:43:41.380 --> 00:43:42.260 and called each 00:43:42.260 --> 00:43:42.940 one of us 00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:43.960 to build up 00:43:43.960 --> 00:43:44.500 the body 00:43:44.500 --> 00:43:45.820 and then there's 00:43:45.820 --> 00:43:46.519 this other phrase 00:43:46.519 --> 00:43:47.640 when each part 00:43:47.640 --> 00:43:48.800 is working properly 00:43:48.800 --> 00:43:50.019 the body 00:43:50.019 --> 00:43:51.019 builds itself 00:43:51.019 --> 00:43:51.380 up 00:43:51.380 --> 00:43:53.180 now how 00:43:53.180 --> 00:43:54.039 antithetical 00:43:54.039 --> 00:43:54.700 to the modern 00:43:54.700 --> 00:43:55.500 church is it 00:43:55.500 --> 00:43:56.559 when god's 00:43:56.559 --> 00:43:57.460 program doesn't 00:43:57.460 --> 00:43:58.599 ultimately depend 00:43:58.599 --> 00:43:59.680 on professional 00:43:59.680 --> 00:44:00.200 ministers 00:44:00.200 --> 00:44:01.079 who are paid 00:44:01.079 --> 00:44:01.900 to do the work 00:44:01.900 --> 00:44:04.320 the only way 00:44:04.320 --> 00:44:04.740 a church 00:44:04.740 --> 00:44:05.220 will grow 00:44:05.220 --> 00:44:05.840 in spiritual 00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:06.460 maturity 00:44:06.460 --> 00:44:07.539 is when the 00:44:07.539 --> 00:44:07.960 congregation 00:44:07.960 --> 00:44:09.340 takes responsibility 00:44:09.340 --> 00:44:11.019 for itself 00:44:11.019 --> 00:44:13.039 when believers 00:44:13.039 --> 00:44:13.940 are trained 00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:14.960 and prepared 00:44:14.960 --> 00:44:16.099 by gifted leaders 00:44:16.099 --> 00:44:17.059 to help one 00:44:17.059 --> 00:44:17.440 another 00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:18.320 faithfully 00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:18.820 follow 00:44:18.820 --> 00:44:19.720 Jesus 00:44:19.720 --> 00:44:21.500 and when 00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:22.500 each joint 00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:23.599 with which 00:44:23.599 --> 00:44:24.160 the body 00:44:24.160 --> 00:44:24.760 of the church 00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:26.380 is put together 00:44:26.380 --> 00:44:26.960 and equipped 00:44:26.960 --> 00:44:27.680 when it's all 00:44:27.680 --> 00:44:28.500 working properly 00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.619 the church 00:44:29.619 --> 00:44:30.059 grows 00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:32.679 not necessarily 00:44:32.679 --> 00:44:33.320 in breadth 00:44:33.320 --> 00:44:34.260 though that will 00:44:34.260 --> 00:44:35.000 probably be the 00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:35.860 case over time 00:44:35.860 --> 00:44:37.380 but in depth 00:44:37.380 --> 00:44:39.579 spiritual maturity 00:44:39.579 --> 00:44:40.940 and in likeness 00:44:40.940 --> 00:44:41.500 to christ 00:44:41.500 --> 00:44:44.739 so many christians 00:44:44.739 --> 00:44:45.440 seem content 00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:46.800 to live out 00:44:46.800 --> 00:44:47.760 their christian life 00:44:47.760 --> 00:44:48.340 and experience 00:44:48.340 --> 00:44:49.360 as consumers 00:44:49.360 --> 00:44:51.579 engaging with 00:44:51.579 --> 00:44:52.059 the church 00:44:52.059 --> 00:44:52.739 only to the 00:44:52.739 --> 00:44:53.559 extent that it's 00:44:53.559 --> 00:44:54.619 worthwhile to them 00:44:54.619 --> 00:44:56.900 but god actually 00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:57.719 calls us all 00:44:57.719 --> 00:44:58.639 to be consumers 00:44:58.639 --> 00:44:59.459 yes that's a part 00:44:59.459 --> 00:44:59.739 of it 00:44:59.739 --> 00:45:00.659 but to also 00:45:00.659 --> 00:45:01.500 be contributors 00:45:01.500 --> 00:45:03.799 it's a responsibility 00:45:03.799 --> 00:45:04.500 we have 00:45:04.500 --> 00:45:06.019 i think it's a 00:45:06.019 --> 00:45:06.539 responsibility 00:45:06.539 --> 00:45:08.019 for which 00:45:08.019 --> 00:45:08.819 each of us 00:45:08.819 --> 00:45:09.559 will be judged 00:45:09.559 --> 00:45:11.619 because remember 00:45:11.619 --> 00:45:12.399 what paul says 00:45:12.399 --> 00:45:12.939 before he gets 00:45:12.939 --> 00:45:13.679 to verse 11 00:45:13.679 --> 00:45:15.319 this calling 00:45:15.319 --> 00:45:16.039 and this gifting 00:45:16.039 --> 00:45:17.919 comes from a lord 00:45:17.919 --> 00:45:20.519 who has brought 00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:21.099 us together 00:45:21.099 --> 00:45:22.419 called us 00:45:22.419 --> 00:45:23.480 into this work 00:45:23.480 --> 00:45:24.379 and one day 00:45:24.379 --> 00:45:25.299 he will return 00:45:25.299 --> 00:45:26.239 to judge 00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:26.639 the work 00:45:26.639 --> 00:45:26.980 that we've 00:45:26.980 --> 00:45:27.639 actually done 00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:28.759 and accomplished 00:45:28.759 --> 00:45:29.799 you see 00:45:29.799 --> 00:45:30.279 that's where 00:45:30.279 --> 00:45:31.099 that's where 00:45:31.099 --> 00:45:32.699 the heaviness 00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:33.679 of this responsibility 00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:34.619 begins to fall 00:45:34.619 --> 00:45:35.099 on us 00:45:35.099 --> 00:45:36.319 when we see 00:45:36.319 --> 00:45:36.960 that this isn't 00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:37.359 just what 00:45:37.359 --> 00:45:38.039 jared is telling 00:45:38.039 --> 00:45:38.579 us to do 00:45:38.579 --> 00:45:38.980 this is 00:45:38.980 --> 00:45:39.839 this is actually 00:45:39.839 --> 00:45:40.440 something that 00:45:40.440 --> 00:45:40.960 christ has 00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:41.519 commanded us 00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:41.900 to do 00:45:41.900 --> 00:45:42.759 and it's not 00:45:42.759 --> 00:45:43.319 jared that 00:45:43.319 --> 00:45:43.759 will stand 00:45:43.759 --> 00:45:44.359 before one 00:45:44.359 --> 00:45:44.639 day 00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:46.199 it's christ 00:45:46.199 --> 00:45:48.519 and as paul 00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:49.019 said to the 00:45:49.019 --> 00:45:49.500 corinthians 00:45:49.500 --> 00:45:50.119 when we stand 00:45:50.119 --> 00:45:50.819 before christ 00:45:50.819 --> 00:45:51.440 we will be 00:45:51.440 --> 00:45:51.759 saved 00:45:51.759 --> 00:45:52.480 but there's 00:45:52.480 --> 00:45:52.960 a good chance 00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:53.339 that a lot 00:45:53.339 --> 00:45:53.839 of our works 00:45:53.839 --> 00:45:54.059 are going to 00:45:54.059 --> 00:45:54.480 be burnt 00:45:54.480 --> 00:45:54.920 up 00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:56.480 if there 00:45:56.480 --> 00:45:56.900 are any 00:45:56.900 --> 00:45:57.340 to even 00:45:57.340 --> 00:45:58.400 be judged 00:45:58.400 --> 00:46:00.199 and so paul 00:46:00.199 --> 00:46:00.980 says in verse 00:46:00.980 --> 00:46:01.340 one 00:46:01.340 --> 00:46:02.940 i urge you 00:46:02.940 --> 00:46:03.539 ephesians 00:46:03.539 --> 00:46:05.539 i urge you 00:46:05.539 --> 00:46:07.619 and if i can 00:46:07.619 --> 00:46:08.199 just echo 00:46:08.199 --> 00:46:08.699 that 00:46:08.699 --> 00:46:10.599 to say i 00:46:10.599 --> 00:46:11.599 urge you 00:46:11.599 --> 00:46:13.219 lakeside bible 00:46:13.219 --> 00:46:13.719 church 00:46:13.719 --> 00:46:15.300 i urge you 00:46:15.300 --> 00:46:16.500 to do 00:46:16.500 --> 00:46:17.160 these things