WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.919 Well, good morning. 00:00:06.860 --> 00:00:08.880 Once again, my name is Wes. 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:10.060 I was here last week. 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:12.099 If you were here with us, it was great being with you. 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.099 I'm excited to be back to bring God's word for us this morning. 00:00:15.339 --> 00:00:16.760 So if you want to open up in your Bibles 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:19.480 or look in your bulletin at Ephesians chapter 4, 00:00:20.240 --> 00:00:23.100 we're going to be looking at verses 7 through 16 this week. 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:24.839 And if you were here last week, 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:27.039 you heard me kind of give the caution 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:28.440 that as we come to this passage, 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:29.780 we need to be reminded that 00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:31.960 as in many of Paul's letters, 00:00:32.140 --> 00:00:34.800 he spent a lot of time building out for us 00:00:34.800 --> 00:00:36.439 the core truths of the gospel, 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.660 the grace of Jesus given to us 00:00:38.660 --> 00:00:41.900 before he gets to these gospel therefores. 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:43.960 And so we're looking at a passage 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:47.439 that has a lot of implications for how we should live, 00:00:47.540 --> 00:00:49.020 how we should interact with one another. 00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:51.900 But those how-tos are rooted 00:00:51.900 --> 00:00:56.060 in what Jesus alone has done for us in the gospel. 00:00:56.060 --> 00:01:01.260 What we are striving to do in our efforts to love one another, 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:04.540 in our efforts to paint a picture to the world of the unity 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:08.439 that Jesus has already created by his sacrifice, 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:11.280 is not efforts to save ourselves. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:14.599 It's not efforts to earn our salvation. 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:15.659 If you're here this morning, 00:01:15.659 --> 00:01:17.859 and you're not sure where you stand 00:01:17.859 --> 00:01:19.799 in relation to this Christianity idea, 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:22.359 you're here perhaps as a visitor, as a skeptic, 00:01:22.739 --> 00:01:24.219 we're so glad that you're here with us. 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:24.620 We're honored. 00:01:24.679 --> 00:01:27.379 I'm honored that you would even listen to what I have to say. 00:01:28.899 --> 00:01:33.280 This is not a how-to-earn-God's-love message for us this morning. 00:01:33.939 --> 00:01:38.120 This is a how-do-we-respond-to-God's-love-for-us-in-Christ. 00:01:39.100 --> 00:01:40.620 And so I hope you're encouraged by that, 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:42.880 and you're reminded of that as we go to this passage. 00:01:43.579 --> 00:01:46.800 I'm gonna read this for us as we begin Ephesians chapter 4, 00:01:46.900 --> 00:01:47.840 starting in verse 7. 00:01:48.500 --> 00:01:50.980 And then I would invite you to go to the throne of grace with me, 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.680 that we would go together in prayer 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:55.540 to ask God's blessing on our time together in his word. 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.200 And so let me read this for us as we begin our time together 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:00.659 in God's word this morning, starting in verse 7. 00:02:00.659 --> 00:02:04.700 But grace was given to each one of us 00:02:04.700 --> 00:02:07.219 according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:09.919 Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.199 he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. 00:02:14.519 --> 00:02:16.979 In saying he ascended, what does it mean 00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:20.120 but that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:25.539 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, 00:02:25.620 --> 00:02:27.900 that he might fill all things. 00:02:27.900 --> 00:02:31.920 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.319 the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints 00:02:35.319 --> 00:02:38.719 for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:41.819 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:43.620 and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 00:02:43.980 --> 00:02:47.340 to mature manhood to the measure of the stature 00:02:47.340 --> 00:02:49.599 of the fullness of Christ. 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:53.980 So that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves 00:02:53.980 --> 00:02:56.480 and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.899 by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes. 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:03.739 Rather, speaking the truth in love, 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:07.099 we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.620 into Christ, from whom the whole body, 00:03:09.780 --> 00:03:12.639 joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, 00:03:13.339 --> 00:03:15.319 when each part is working properly, 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:20.339 makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 00:03:20.340 --> 00:03:22.120 Let's pray together. 00:03:23.460 --> 00:03:25.219 Gracious Father, once again, 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:29.140 we thank you for the chance to gather together in your name this morning, 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:30.980 that you are a God who speaks, 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:34.360 and in your speech and in your action, 00:03:34.920 --> 00:03:36.900 you have called a people to yourself, 00:03:37.020 --> 00:03:38.180 a people that was not a people, 00:03:38.180 --> 00:03:40.900 but by the blood of Jesus, 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.000 you have claimed us as your own. 00:03:44.460 --> 00:03:45.420 You have cleansed us. 00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:46.180 You have redeemed us. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:47.540 You have given us a new name. 00:03:48.980 --> 00:03:50.700 You call us your children. 00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:55.180 And so as we gather together as your family this morning, 00:03:55.460 --> 00:03:57.260 Father, you know where each of us is coming from. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:03:58.520 You know the burdens we carry. 00:03:58.980 --> 00:04:02.760 You know the particular ways that we come to this passage this morning, 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:05.479 wondering about the grace of Jesus, 00:04:05.979 --> 00:04:06.959 reaching for that grace, 00:04:07.019 --> 00:04:09.319 or perhaps afraid of what that grace might mean 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:13.459 in terms of the change that it can bring into our lives. 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:16.939 Father, would you draw us near to you by your spirit? 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:19.699 Would you give us eyes to see and ears to hear? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:26.199 Would you help us see the sweet gifts of the risen and ascended Jesus 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:28.019 given to your church this morning 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:31.659 that we might pursue that unity that we saw last week, 00:04:31.660 --> 00:04:34.840 that we might pursue that love and service of one another 00:04:34.840 --> 00:04:37.480 because of your love and service to us? 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.460 Father, we ask these things in Jesus' name. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:41.060 Amen. 00:04:43.940 --> 00:04:45.900 When I was in seminary, 00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:49.320 Kelly and I had a very unique housing situation. 00:04:50.640 --> 00:04:54.400 We had a parent of a teacher in high school 00:04:54.400 --> 00:04:57.800 that had a country house on the state line. 00:04:57.960 --> 00:05:00.879 I was going to seminary in Charlotte in North Carolina. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:04.219 My wife kind of got her dream job as an oncology nurse. 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:06.379 Back in the town, we were from Spartanburg, South Carolina. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:07.959 So we were living in between these two cities 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:12.300 and we were on this old farmhouse 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:15.540 that was being rented to us at a very affordable rate. 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:17.300 It was very kind of a Lord to provide that. 00:05:17.659 --> 00:05:19.159 And one of the things that came with this house was like, 00:05:19.219 --> 00:05:20.120 all right, we have all this land. 00:05:20.180 --> 00:05:20.740 What are we going to do? 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:24.459 Well, there was this plot of land that was perfect for a garden. 00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:26.040 And so we had a garden 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:27.920 and not only did we have this garden, 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:29.120 but I had my Meemaw. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:30.980 And if you can't tell by that name, 00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:35.260 Meemaw was just like a walking farmer's atlas. 00:05:35.580 --> 00:05:38.760 She knew how to plant everything and when to plant it. 00:05:40.400 --> 00:05:42.320 And so my Uncle Greg and my Meemaw 00:05:42.320 --> 00:05:44.280 helped me actually have a successful garden, 00:05:44.379 --> 00:05:45.520 which was a sweet thing to have. 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:47.759 And I kind of enjoyed that. 00:05:47.840 --> 00:05:48.680 It was a fun thing to have. 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:50.580 It was fun to bring people tomatoes and things like that. 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:52.240 But when we moved to Georgia, 00:05:52.479 --> 00:05:54.919 I was like, oh, so like I'm a gardener now. 00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:56.579 You know, like I can do this. 00:05:56.939 --> 00:05:58.159 So we get to our house 00:05:58.159 --> 00:06:00.099 and it's a pretty similar place 00:06:00.099 --> 00:06:04.419 in terms of like, you know, the weather and the soil. 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:06.300 There's not that much different from where we lived. 00:06:07.219 --> 00:06:08.379 But it is a neighborhood. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:09.560 So I'm going to do the cool thing 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:10.599 and do a raised bed garden. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:13.199 So I do everything kind of the same 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:14.139 as I had done it before. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.719 Everything started to grow and it looked nice. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:18.820 But one thing was different 00:06:18.820 --> 00:06:20.640 about our first house in Georgia. 00:06:20.880 --> 00:06:23.460 And that was it had a lot of trees. 00:06:24.260 --> 00:06:25.740 It had a ton of trees. 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:26.900 So many trees. 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:28.520 Like when I think back on how many trees we had 00:06:28.520 --> 00:06:29.360 and now that we live in Colorado, 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:31.940 I'm like, man, can a place have that many trees? 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:32.800 And it did. 00:06:32.880 --> 00:06:34.040 It had that many trees. 00:06:34.220 --> 00:06:36.320 And so one thing our garden lacked 00:06:36.320 --> 00:06:38.300 was the one thing it had to have. 00:06:38.460 --> 00:06:41.240 It just did not have much sunlight, right? 00:06:41.320 --> 00:06:43.860 And in my wisdom, my expertise as a gardener, 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:46.240 I failed to see that until after I had built 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.420 the raised bed garden and put in the time and effort. 00:06:48.860 --> 00:06:50.720 And so even as things grew some, 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.660 there was very little fruit that was yielded. 00:06:53.400 --> 00:06:55.240 And I just mentioned that story just to say, 00:06:55.379 --> 00:06:58.540 once again, it is essential that we have 00:06:58.540 --> 00:07:00.960 the light of Jesus shining on us. 00:07:01.819 --> 00:07:04.139 That without that light shining on us, 00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:05.939 there is no hope for fruitfulness. 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:09.139 And yet part of what Paul is doing 00:07:09.139 --> 00:07:10.199 in the passage we're looking at 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:12.900 is he's saying that the light of Jesus is shining on you. 00:07:12.899 --> 00:07:15.159 If you are in Christ and you have his spirit, 00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:16.939 that light is shining on you. 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:19.039 And now we can begin to talk about 00:07:19.039 --> 00:07:21.159 some of the other things that go into growing 00:07:21.159 --> 00:07:23.439 and producing fruit in Christ. 00:07:24.459 --> 00:07:26.719 We can start to talk about some of the other gifts 00:07:26.719 --> 00:07:28.519 that King Jesus has given us 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:31.479 in order to pursue each other and care for one another. 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:35.279 And as we begin to move towards each other in Christ 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:36.179 and serve each other, 00:07:36.359 --> 00:07:37.739 one of the things we have to recognize 00:07:37.739 --> 00:07:40.919 is that because Jesus is a generous king, 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:45.860 a king who delights in giving his people good gifts 00:07:45.860 --> 00:07:48.180 because our father in heaven is a good father 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:50.199 who delights in giving his people good gifts 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:53.160 because he hasn't withheld the most precious gift from us. 00:07:53.840 --> 00:07:56.340 He's already laid down his son's life for us. 00:07:56.520 --> 00:07:59.360 How can he withhold any gift for us now in Christ? 00:08:01.139 --> 00:08:02.920 That this community is a gifted community. 00:08:03.620 --> 00:08:05.860 It's a community that Jesus longs to see 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:09.480 pursue each other by the gifts that he's given, 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:12.480 that a community seeking unity in Christ 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:15.960 actually has a diversity of gifts from King Jesus 00:08:15.960 --> 00:08:17.480 to pursue that unity. 00:08:18.280 --> 00:08:19.840 And that's what we're gonna look at this morning. 00:08:20.040 --> 00:08:21.660 It's what I want us to be challenged by, 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:23.340 but I want us to never lose sight 00:08:23.340 --> 00:08:24.700 of the light of Jesus that we need, 00:08:25.280 --> 00:08:27.500 that this is an overflow of the abundance 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:29.580 of the grace of Jesus given to his people. 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:32.240 And I want us to begin looking at verses seven to 10 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:35.700 and to see this idea that the church of Jesus 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:37.320 is a gifted church. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.000 Not it will be a gifted church, 00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:41.800 not maybe it could become a gifted church, 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:44.040 but there is a diversity of gifts 00:08:44.040 --> 00:08:45.340 that Jesus has given his church. 00:08:45.400 --> 00:08:46.759 And when we begin to embrace that, 00:08:47.040 --> 00:08:48.220 I think it actually changes the way 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:49.320 that we move towards each other. 00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:52.600 If you look at the passage with me in verse seven, 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:55.100 there's a distinct shift, isn't there? 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:57.120 Especially if you have a Bible open, 00:08:57.180 --> 00:08:58.480 you can kind of look back at the passage 00:08:58.480 --> 00:08:59.440 we were looking at last week. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.100 This comes out of that famous statement 00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:04.240 of the unity of the gospel, 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:06.520 like the one Lord, the one faith, the one baptism, 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:08.400 the God and Father of all, 00:09:08.500 --> 00:09:10.640 who is ruler over all and through all and in all. 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:12.600 Up to this point that therefore, 00:09:12.760 --> 00:09:14.200 the walking worthy of the gospel 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:15.760 and the push towards unity 00:09:15.760 --> 00:09:19.680 has been an invitation to see our oneness in Jesus. 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:22.360 Notice that in verse seven, 00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:26.300 Paul now shifts to our individuality, doesn't he? 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.180 There's a but each one of us. 00:09:29.780 --> 00:09:31.420 Despite this call to unity, 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:33.900 it doesn't mean that now who we are 00:09:33.900 --> 00:09:35.560 as individuals doesn't matter. 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:38.720 This is not a call to kind of abandon 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.860 all of our gifts and personalities. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.020 Instead, Paul wants us to see 00:09:43.020 --> 00:09:46.500 that grace was given to each one of us 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:49.440 according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:53.020 That part of the plan of King Jesus 00:09:53.020 --> 00:09:54.700 and calling a people to himself 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:58.040 is that that people would have a diversity of gifts. 00:09:58.039 --> 00:10:01.459 And this is actually a really big idea in Paul's writing. 00:10:02.079 --> 00:10:03.779 In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, 00:10:03.860 --> 00:10:05.439 we can see in verses five and six 00:10:05.439 --> 00:10:07.679 that there's a variety of service, 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:09.439 varieties of service, but the same Lord. 00:10:09.579 --> 00:10:10.879 There's a variety of activities, 00:10:11.299 --> 00:10:13.559 but it's the same God who empowers them all and everyone. 00:10:14.139 --> 00:10:15.879 In Romans 12, we can also go and see 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:17.860 that the different measures of faith 00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:19.719 lead into a discussion of different functions 00:10:19.719 --> 00:10:21.139 of the members of the body. 00:10:22.079 --> 00:10:23.099 Later in this passage, 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:24.159 he's gonna use this metaphor 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.060 that speaks to the different purposes of the body. 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:28.659 This is a huge idea 00:10:28.659 --> 00:10:31.360 in Paul's understanding of the body of Christ. 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:34.139 To be a member of this body 00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:36.460 is to be a member of a body 00:10:36.460 --> 00:10:38.100 that has a variety of gifts. 00:10:38.340 --> 00:10:39.800 And where do those gifts come from? 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:44.560 Paul says they come from the ascended Lord Jesus. 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:45.800 And he gives us this image 00:10:45.800 --> 00:10:48.779 that comes from Psalm 68, right? 00:10:48.779 --> 00:10:49.899 You ascended on high, 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:51.959 leading a host of captives in your train 00:10:51.959 --> 00:10:53.860 and receiving gifts among men, 00:10:54.079 --> 00:10:55.360 even among the rebellious, 00:10:55.439 --> 00:10:57.100 that the Lord God may dwell there. 00:10:58.079 --> 00:11:02.199 This image from the Psalms of a conquering king 00:11:02.199 --> 00:11:03.879 who having conquered, 00:11:04.019 --> 00:11:05.899 who having won victory, 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:08.120 now has a host of captives 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.699 and a host of gifts to give to his people. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:12.720 The idea that in Jesus, 00:11:13.199 --> 00:11:14.459 our principal enemies, 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:16.319 sin and death itself have been conquered. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:19.120 And now Jesus has ascended on high 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:20.440 and sits at his father's right hand. 00:11:20.520 --> 00:11:22.220 And from that place of power, 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:23.940 Paul wants us to see 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:26.540 that part of his purpose in ascending 00:11:26.540 --> 00:11:28.220 is so like an ascended king 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:29.140 who sits on his throne 00:11:29.140 --> 00:11:31.320 and now has authority granted to him. 00:11:31.520 --> 00:11:33.020 He gives good gifts. 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:38.520 He gives good gifts. 00:11:39.300 --> 00:11:40.760 And there's a variety of gifts 00:11:40.760 --> 00:11:41.940 that can come out of that. 00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:44.360 And yet one of the things I think we have to do 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:47.200 is before we even get into some of the specific gifts 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:49.180 that Paul mentions in this passage, 00:11:49.680 --> 00:11:50.960 we need to ask ourselves, 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:53.399 do I believe this of the body of Christ? 00:11:54.139 --> 00:11:55.220 When I come to church, 00:11:55.259 --> 00:11:55.759 am I thinking, 00:11:56.100 --> 00:11:56.960 all right, here I go. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:58.220 I'm headed to the place 00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:00.039 where there's a bunch of gifts 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:03.000 of the risen ascended Lord Jesus at work, 00:12:03.419 --> 00:12:06.080 ready to serve me and my family and my children, 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:07.820 ready to serve me and my neighbors, 00:12:08.580 --> 00:12:10.019 an opportunity for me now 00:12:10.019 --> 00:12:14.600 to serve uniquely as a child of God, right? 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.439 There's a diversity of gifts. 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:17.600 There's a diversity of tools 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.259 and it's actually a beautiful thing. 00:12:20.379 --> 00:12:23.079 A lot of people in Colorado love to bike. 00:12:23.319 --> 00:12:24.199 They love to ski. 00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:26.559 I will just raise my hand and confess, 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.139 I too fall victim to those wonderful hobbies. 00:12:30.899 --> 00:12:32.919 And there's a joke among those hobbies 00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:33.439 and it's funny 00:12:33.439 --> 00:12:35.600 because both of them kind of have the same joke 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.779 and that's that the right number of skis 00:12:37.779 --> 00:12:40.100 or the right number of bikes is N plus one 00:12:40.100 --> 00:12:42.440 or N is the number you currently have. 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:45.920 Now that's not necessarily a good thing, 00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:48.000 but it does speak to this idea, right? 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:49.220 That when we get into something 00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:50.840 and we love something and we enjoy it, 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:52.200 as we're drawn into that, 00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:55.460 we often just wanna have more and more things to enjoy, right? 00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:56.500 And you think at first like, 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:57.680 oh, if I just have a set of skis, 00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:58.519 I could ski down this mountain. 00:12:58.580 --> 00:12:59.240 You're like, no, no, no, no. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:01.300 What sort of conditions are we dealing with here? 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.440 Are we looking at powder? 00:13:02.860 --> 00:13:04.320 Are we going back country, right? 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:05.240 If we're riding a bike, 00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:07.600 are we riding a mountain bike to do road bike riding? 00:13:08.020 --> 00:13:09.640 Heaven forbid that would happen, right? 00:13:10.020 --> 00:13:11.820 There's a variety of tools. 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:14.480 There's a variety of things we would use to do certain things. 00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:16.680 When we went to Japan on this mission trip, 00:13:17.300 --> 00:13:20.520 I thought we wanted like a Japanese knife. 00:13:20.660 --> 00:13:22.320 If you're a cook, if you like, 00:13:22.560 --> 00:13:25.580 you might know like Japan is one of the knife capitals, 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.600 but honestly, I was overwhelmed 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.480 with the types of knives and the shapes of knives. 00:13:30.560 --> 00:13:32.240 I was like, how can there be this many knives? 00:13:33.100 --> 00:13:34.200 And yet I'm someone who loves 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:35.779 that there's that many skis and that many bikes. 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:37.919 And so there's so many hobbies and things we can get into 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:39.299 where we're like, man, 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:41.180 if I could just have more of these things. 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:44.680 And I think there's something beautiful about that, right? 00:13:44.700 --> 00:13:46.639 That as we get into a craft, as we get into a hobby, 00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:49.060 we see the different ways that things can be enjoyed. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:52.180 And one of the things that I hope you're encouraged by 00:13:52.180 --> 00:13:55.200 is that Jesus actually looks at the church and says, 00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:57.919 there is almost an unending number of gifts 00:13:57.919 --> 00:13:59.799 and people that I can use in my kingdom. 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:03.059 You might be sitting here this morning 00:14:03.059 --> 00:14:05.899 and thinking about your personality and your giftings 00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:09.699 and thinking, well, I'm not that sort of person. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:13.639 You might have a vision of a very gregarious, 00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:14.500 outgoing person. 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:16.740 And you might think that in order to serve the church, 00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:19.339 Jesus is really looking for this type of person, 00:14:19.459 --> 00:14:21.359 this sort of relational ninja. 00:14:22.099 --> 00:14:24.099 You might be thinking about someone sitting next to you 00:14:24.099 --> 00:14:25.559 that you're like, I could never know 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:28.099 as much as so and so about the Bible. 00:14:29.619 --> 00:14:31.699 You might be thinking of someone here this morning. 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:33.699 You're like, if I could pray like them, I mean. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.919 But I can't. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.579 I'm not that sort of prayer warrior. 00:14:39.319 --> 00:14:42.419 And it's not that these things aren't admirable things. 00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:43.759 I mean, many of us should be aspiring 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:45.500 to grow closer to the Lord in prayer. 00:14:45.819 --> 00:14:47.179 And yet one of the beautiful things 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:48.239 about the body of Jesus 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:50.220 is that we get to acknowledge 00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:53.019 that he's given us each different measures of faith 00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:55.659 and gifting and personality. 00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:58.919 And really the only kind of prerequisite for that 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:00.659 is the prerequisite that's happened already 00:15:00.659 --> 00:15:02.860 in Ephesians, humble hearts 00:15:02.860 --> 00:15:06.080 that recognize their need for the grace of Jesus. 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:10.519 That if we come to the Lord Jesus in humility, 00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:12.039 confessing our sin, 00:15:12.419 --> 00:15:15.980 believing that his grace alone can redeem us 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:18.840 and give us a new identity, 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:23.399 God can work with humble people 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.899 dependent on the grace of Jesus. 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:28.120 And not only does he work with them, 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:29.460 but what Paul wants us to see 00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:32.920 is that he actually is intent on giving them gifts. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:34.480 Right? 00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:37.139 This should affect every aspect of our life 00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:38.279 as the body of Christ. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.379 It means that on the days 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:43.259 where we're perhaps worn down 00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:45.100 about the struggles at home 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:45.740 and our parenting, 00:15:46.100 --> 00:15:48.139 I mean, I love the way that 00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:49.540 in our membership vows, 00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:51.899 we take vows as a community, don't we? 00:15:52.420 --> 00:15:53.680 If you're here this morning as a visitor 00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:54.879 and you don't know what I'm talking about, 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:55.860 one of the things that happens 00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:57.399 when someone joins our churches 00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:58.540 in our denomination 00:15:58.540 --> 00:16:00.860 is not only do they take vows 00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:01.899 about what they believe, 00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:04.500 but the congregation takes a vow of commitment 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.120 to care for them and their children. 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:10.040 It's a beautiful reflection 00:16:10.040 --> 00:16:11.800 of this New Testament idea 00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:14.220 that we are all called to the body of Christ 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:16.440 and we all need the variety of gifts 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:18.660 in order to love and serve each other 00:16:18.660 --> 00:16:19.160 and our children. 00:16:19.379 --> 00:16:20.840 If you think about outreach, 00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:23.820 I hope we think about outreach 00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:25.360 as the body of Christ. 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:28.240 It can be so discouraging, can't it, 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:30.960 to think about evangelism and outreach. 00:16:31.420 --> 00:16:32.820 And we might look at ourselves and say, 00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:35.340 well, I'm an introvert 00:16:35.340 --> 00:16:36.779 or I have this kind of personality 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:38.820 or I have no interest in that biking and skiing 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:39.720 that he's talking about. 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:41.879 Is God calling me to reach all of the bikers 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:43.060 and skiers in Colorado Springs? 00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:44.779 No. 00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.420 I have a variety of theological reasons 00:16:47.420 --> 00:16:48.060 for saying that, 00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:49.080 not just this passage. 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:50.100 Right? 00:16:50.160 --> 00:16:51.160 But the beauty is, 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:53.560 is that Jesus invites us into a community 00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:55.759 where there's other people 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.920 to help us love and serve our neighbors. 00:16:59.060 --> 00:16:59.259 Right? 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.680 That you might have the opportunity 00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:02.100 to get to know people 00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:03.080 where God has placed you 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:03.820 and say, you know what? 00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:06.340 I don't know if I'm very gifted, 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:08.820 but I know someone in my body of Jesus 00:17:08.820 --> 00:17:11.200 that actually could really serve you well right now. 00:17:12.120 --> 00:17:13.100 And I actually believe 00:17:13.100 --> 00:17:15.320 that that's part of what King Jesus wants us to do. 00:17:16.120 --> 00:17:17.440 In order for this to happen, 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:18.740 I hope this is obvious to us, 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:19.539 but I'll just mention it. 00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:21.880 It just, it can't happen 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:23.259 unless we get to know each other. 00:17:24.840 --> 00:17:25.200 Right? 00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:27.519 Like if I don't know the body sitting around me, 00:17:27.580 --> 00:17:29.140 if I'm not beginning to move towards 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:29.940 the people around me 00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:31.940 and get to know who Jesus has called 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:32.960 to my particular church, 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.380 it'll be very hard for me 00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:36.819 to actually practically live out 00:17:36.819 --> 00:17:39.220 this idea of the gifting of Jesus. 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:40.279 And this is a place where, 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:42.440 we're about to talk about elders in just a moment, 00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.960 but this is a place where you could perhaps 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:45.140 go to the leadership of your church 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:46.299 and ask some of these questions. 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:47.779 If you're wrestling with something 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:49.259 or you're struggling with something 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:49.980 and you're wondering, 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.600 well, how has the church gifted? 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:53.860 How has Jesus gifted this church 00:17:53.860 --> 00:17:55.779 that might actually speak to this area? 00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:56.620 This might be a great place 00:17:56.620 --> 00:17:57.660 to get to know your elders. 00:17:58.620 --> 00:18:00.259 And they might have a better idea, 00:18:00.340 --> 00:18:02.079 a better grasp on the ways 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.480 that King Jesus has already gifted this church. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.779 Oh, well, so-and-so is actually 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:06.839 like this fantastic prayer warrior. 00:18:07.439 --> 00:18:08.240 And they would probably love 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.480 to come alongside you in prayer. 00:18:10.159 --> 00:18:12.079 Let's start with going to Jesus in prayer. 00:18:13.639 --> 00:18:16.460 Because as we accept the giftings of Jesus, 00:18:16.599 --> 00:18:17.659 the fact that the body of Christ 00:18:17.659 --> 00:18:18.819 is always a gifted body 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:21.000 because King Jesus loves to give gifts, 00:18:21.179 --> 00:18:23.859 that actually moves us to be an equipped body. 00:18:23.919 --> 00:18:24.579 And that's the second thing 00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:25.699 I want us to see in this passage. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:28.299 That as we begin to accept the idea 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:30.140 that King Jesus gives gifts, 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.819 it actually leads us to long to be an equipped body. 00:18:35.580 --> 00:18:38.299 And it begins by seeing what gifts Paul mentions here. 00:18:38.600 --> 00:18:40.259 And this is actually, I'll just mention this. 00:18:40.600 --> 00:18:42.380 This is a passage I love to go to with college students 00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:45.519 to kind of explain the importance of the local church, 00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:47.740 why Jesus is calling them to the church. 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:49.380 Because this one, I think always, 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:52.500 I've never mentioned this passage to a college student 00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:54.640 and not had some degree of surprise at this point. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.460 But I want you to ask the question, 00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:59.020 what gifts does Paul mention in this passage? 00:18:59.860 --> 00:19:01.880 Let's look at verse 11, right? 00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:04.160 After talking about the risen, ascended Jesus, 00:19:04.380 --> 00:19:05.620 he says, and he gave. 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.560 What did he give Paul? 00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:11.220 The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:13.800 the shepherds, and teachers. 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:16.280 I just want to stop there and say, 00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:17.560 the first thing he names 00:19:17.560 --> 00:19:19.960 is probably not the thing you or I would name, right? 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.100 Like if we were just like, 00:19:21.580 --> 00:19:23.960 hey, what sort of gifts does Jesus give the church? 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.640 We'd probably be quick to run to spiritual gifts. 00:19:27.100 --> 00:19:29.420 We might run to some of the character qualities of Jesus, 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.500 the fruit of the spirit. 00:19:31.020 --> 00:19:32.540 That would be, those are wonderful answers. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:36.960 But here, Paul goes to church offices. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.180 That's not my first thing. 00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:44.160 I am in a church office. 00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:45.680 The way REF functions, 00:19:45.820 --> 00:19:46.900 I'm actually a teaching elder, 00:19:47.340 --> 00:19:49.300 ordained in the same way our local pastors ordained 00:19:49.300 --> 00:19:50.460 and then sent to the college campus. 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:51.840 I am in a church office 00:19:51.840 --> 00:19:53.620 and I would never first answer, 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.039 say, what gifts does Jesus give church offices? 00:19:57.600 --> 00:19:57.799 Right? 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.380 Here he's saying that Jesus has actually given 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:02.340 specific roles to his people, 00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:05.700 specific offices to actually help them be equipped 00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:07.100 and encouraged and built up. 00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:09.620 The first we are actually seeing 00:20:09.620 --> 00:20:10.920 as we look at scripture together. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:13.940 When we look at God's word together, 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:16.440 we are seeing the gifts of that apostolic office, 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:18.600 that specific office of people 00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:20.519 that were sent out in the early church, 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:21.660 witnesses of Jesus, 00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:24.720 to give authoritative scripture. 00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:27.039 We don't have time this morning 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:29.519 for me to make the more kind of full-orbed argument 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:32.320 for how that word apostle really speaks 00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:35.720 to that specific revelatory office, 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:38.360 but I'm sure your elders would love 00:20:38.360 --> 00:20:39.680 to sit down and talk to you about that. 00:20:41.320 --> 00:20:43.180 So that's one thing that is mentioned here. 00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:44.039 Another thing that's mentioned 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:45.519 is evangelists, church planters, 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:46.859 those who have a special gift 00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:48.480 in planting and growing churches 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.460 and doing evangelism and going to places 00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.859 and sharing the gospel. 00:20:53.099 --> 00:20:53.799 I'll just admit, 00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:54.799 sometimes when people are like, 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:56.119 what do you do? 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:56.900 Why do you do it? 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:58.339 How do we make sense 00:20:58.339 --> 00:21:00.460 of why you should even be doing what you're doing? 00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:01.440 Sometimes I'm like, 00:21:01.660 --> 00:21:03.099 you know, I struggle with that question too, 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:04.119 just to be honest. 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:06.139 But sometimes, like, 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:07.420 I do kind of point to this idea 00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:08.339 that even in the early church, 00:21:08.379 --> 00:21:09.420 there was this idea of the church 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:10.920 sending out evangelists to places. 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:13.539 Go to this place and spread the gospel. 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:15.000 And there is the hope of, 00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.639 often of planting churches, 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:18.839 but the idea of like going to the college campus, 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:20.079 go beyond the college campus 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.799 and preach the gospel 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:24.059 and reach our covenant children 00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:25.000 and help equip them 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.859 to reach and serve their classmates 00:21:26.859 --> 00:21:29.019 and bear witness to Jesus. 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:30.379 All right. 00:21:30.579 --> 00:21:32.200 The one I want us to focus on this morning 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:34.700 just to be mindful of the most, 00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:35.079 I think, 00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:36.039 because it's so relevant 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:38.019 in the local body of believers, 00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:39.480 is the shepherds and teachers. 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:42.860 Jesus actually gifts his church 00:21:42.860 --> 00:21:45.140 with this office of shepherds and teachers 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:48.160 because at the heart of the idea of church 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:49.620 is this idea of the gathering 00:21:49.620 --> 00:21:52.019 and perfecting of the saints. 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:55.120 That's language that our confession uses 00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:56.360 to kind of summarize 00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:57.940 that the purpose of the church, 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.839 this idea that King Jesus 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:01.940 is drawing his people to himself. 00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:05.160 And as he draws his people to himself 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:07.000 through the ministry of the word and prayer, 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.680 he's then equipping them 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:10.519 to serve one another 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:12.079 and to serve the world around them 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.779 to his glory. 00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:14.660 Just as we've confessed, right? 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:16.579 It's getting back at that chief end of man 00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:17.500 to glorify God, 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:19.240 to enjoy him forever. 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:20.720 Jesus has gifted these offices 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:22.200 to draw us together 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:23.359 so that we might enjoy 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.259 and delight in God 00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:25.119 and point others 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:28.460 to that matchless glory, 00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:31.640 that worthy God and Savior. 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:34.320 And just, 00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:36.259 I want us to see 00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.540 just the weight of this call 00:22:37.540 --> 00:22:38.120 and this office 00:22:38.120 --> 00:22:39.560 and the role it has. 00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:41.020 In Acts chapter 20, 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:44.300 I think it's a special place for us to go 00:22:44.300 --> 00:22:45.520 because we're in the book of Ephesians. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:47.820 Paul is kind of saying his last words 00:22:47.820 --> 00:22:50.560 to the elders of Ephesus, right? 00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:52.620 The same people that he's writing to here. 00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:54.580 And notice the weight 00:22:54.580 --> 00:22:55.820 that he gives them to this office. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:56.759 And it's actually a place 00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:58.100 where he uses these words 00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:59.939 that we often use interchangeably 00:22:59.939 --> 00:23:01.500 like elder, pastor, 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.480 even overseer, bishop. 00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:05.039 Those words all appear 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:06.719 in verb or noun form 00:23:06.719 --> 00:23:08.779 in this short kind of exhortation. 00:23:09.419 --> 00:23:10.219 But in Acts chapter 20, 00:23:10.439 --> 00:23:11.559 speaking to the Ephesian elders, 00:23:11.679 --> 00:23:12.240 Paul says this, 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:12.980 now for Miletus, 00:23:13.059 --> 00:23:13.819 he sent to Ephesus 00:23:13.819 --> 00:23:15.699 and called the elders of the church 00:23:15.699 --> 00:23:16.419 to come to him. 00:23:17.500 --> 00:23:18.399 And then in verse 28, 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:19.079 this is what he says, 00:23:19.159 --> 00:23:20.179 pay careful attention 00:23:20.179 --> 00:23:21.419 to yourself 00:23:21.419 --> 00:23:22.439 and to all the flock 00:23:22.439 --> 00:23:23.500 in which the Holy Spirit 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:25.079 has made you overseers. 00:23:25.379 --> 00:23:26.559 It's that bishop word. 00:23:26.879 --> 00:23:28.019 To care for the church 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:28.519 of God, 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.980 which he obtained 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.440 with his own blood. 00:23:33.379 --> 00:23:33.619 Right? 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:35.339 From the early days 00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:36.119 of the church, 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:37.400 King Jesus has been 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:40.039 gifting people, 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:43.019 calling them to this unique office 00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:45.400 to care for the flock of God. 00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.279 To care for the flock 00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:50.799 that Jesus shed his blood for. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.379 And so I think 00:23:52.379 --> 00:23:53.639 there's a lot of application 00:23:53.639 --> 00:23:54.180 here for us 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.319 as we see Paul 00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.599 in Ephesians 4 say, 00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.819 part of the giftings 00:23:57.819 --> 00:23:58.219 of Jesus 00:23:58.219 --> 00:23:59.539 are these offices 00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:01.379 is how do we encourage 00:24:01.379 --> 00:24:02.819 or support these offices? 00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:04.779 In other words, 00:24:04.939 --> 00:24:06.159 are we availing ourselves 00:24:06.159 --> 00:24:07.019 of the gift of Jesus? 00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:10.299 Have you in recently 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.159 or in the past year 00:24:11.159 --> 00:24:11.899 thought to yourself, 00:24:12.219 --> 00:24:12.819 well, you know, 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:13.799 I'm trying to grow 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.719 closer to Jesus. 00:24:15.439 --> 00:24:16.419 I need to avail myself 00:24:16.419 --> 00:24:16.919 of the gift 00:24:16.919 --> 00:24:17.919 of the elders 00:24:17.919 --> 00:24:18.980 and deacons 00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.559 of this church. 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:22.940 once again, 00:24:23.019 --> 00:24:24.159 I'll just raise my hand 00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:25.000 and say that's not 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:26.179 something I normally go to. 00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:28.099 When I sit down 00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:28.859 and ask students, 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.119 like, 00:24:29.179 --> 00:24:30.379 how are you doing spiritually? 00:24:30.639 --> 00:24:31.619 When we kind of get into that, 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:32.859 how do you evaluate 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:33.579 that question? 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:33.879 You know, 00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:35.319 how do you gauge that? 00:24:36.899 --> 00:24:38.279 What does it look like 00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:38.879 for you to actually 00:24:38.879 --> 00:24:40.039 be doing well spiritually? 00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:41.119 I don't think 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:42.000 I've ever gotten the answer. 00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:42.440 You know what? 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:42.619 Like, 00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:44.419 I'm really enjoying 00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:45.440 the body of Christ 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:45.899 and especially 00:24:45.899 --> 00:24:47.079 the gifting of the offices 00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:48.460 that Jesus has given 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:48.980 the church. 00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:50.480 I would love to have 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.179 that answer sometime. 00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:51.460 I'd be like, 00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:51.659 wow, 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.659 that's really mature 00:24:52.659 --> 00:24:53.659 and not expected. 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:54.720 Right? 00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:56.299 And one of the reasons 00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:57.259 I'm excited about being 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:58.039 in this passage with you 00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:59.539 is Matthew continues 00:24:59.539 --> 00:25:00.220 his sabbatical, 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.460 but you're getting closer 00:25:01.460 --> 00:25:02.799 to the time of him returning. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.720 I'll just say that 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:04.699 I think it's beautiful 00:25:04.699 --> 00:25:05.379 that your church 00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:05.980 is practicing 00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.659 a biblical pattern 00:25:07.659 --> 00:25:08.319 of rest 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:10.139 and caring for 00:25:10.139 --> 00:25:11.579 the gifting of Jesus 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.339 of this office. 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:15.159 But I'll just also confess 00:25:15.159 --> 00:25:16.079 that as a pastor 00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.059 with lots of pastor friends, 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.859 I have heard for many say 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:19.579 that like sometimes 00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:20.839 coming back from sabbatical 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:22.319 can be really hard. 00:25:23.379 --> 00:25:24.139 What does it look like 00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:24.939 to reintegrate 00:25:24.939 --> 00:25:25.720 into the church? 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.720 What does it look like 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:28.259 for you as a congregation 00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:29.240 and for other elders 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.919 to help Matthew 00:25:30.919 --> 00:25:32.079 reintegrate well? 00:25:32.419 --> 00:25:33.500 To maybe not be flooded 00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:34.220 on day one 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:35.519 with all of the problems 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:36.059 that you think 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:36.779 need to be fixed 00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:37.519 right away, 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.019 immediately 00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.980 from everything that happened 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:39.599 while he was gone? 00:25:40.399 --> 00:25:41.319 There's a lot of things 00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:42.279 that you can be praying about 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:42.839 and thinking about. 00:25:42.919 --> 00:25:43.000 Well, 00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:44.139 if this is a gift of Jesus, 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.379 how can I reflect 00:25:45.379 --> 00:25:45.919 that gifting 00:25:45.919 --> 00:25:46.899 in the way that 00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:48.620 I care for Matthew 00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:49.560 and the other elders here? 00:25:50.280 --> 00:25:50.960 But this is obviously 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:52.200 a passage that speaks 00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:52.680 of the weight 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:53.320 of what we're doing 00:25:53.320 --> 00:25:54.280 to the elders as well, 00:25:54.340 --> 00:25:54.480 right? 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:55.259 What does it look like 00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:56.100 for you elders 00:25:56.100 --> 00:25:57.400 and deacons 00:25:57.400 --> 00:25:57.800 who are called 00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:59.120 to serve the church 00:25:59.120 --> 00:26:00.080 and the needs 00:26:00.080 --> 00:26:00.560 of the church 00:26:00.560 --> 00:26:02.360 and those who are 00:26:02.360 --> 00:26:03.680 on the outside 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:04.940 or those who are 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.640 in need of mercy, 00:26:06.320 --> 00:26:07.120 the leadership 00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:07.680 of the church, 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.380 what does it look like 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:09.140 for you to care 00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:09.960 for this flock? 00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:14.259 There's a pastor, 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.079 William Still, 00:26:15.600 --> 00:26:16.740 one of our seminary professors 00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.900 because he knew him personally, 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.640 he called him Willie. 00:26:19.620 --> 00:26:20.420 I just thought 00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:21.220 that was so funny. 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:23.740 But William Still 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:25.340 had this beautiful line 00:26:25.340 --> 00:26:26.579 about this idea 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:27.079 that in order 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:28.559 to feed the flock, 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.819 we must be fed men. 00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:32.799 We must be feeding others 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.220 out of that drawing, 00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:34.940 out of the grace 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:35.759 that Jesus is offering 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.600 to us ourselves. 00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:38.199 Are you being fed 00:26:38.199 --> 00:26:39.139 from the hand of Jesus 00:26:39.139 --> 00:26:40.619 so you can turn 00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:41.500 as under shepherds 00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.099 to the flock 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:42.759 and feed them 00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:43.659 and care for them as well? 00:26:45.179 --> 00:26:46.139 I just want to point out 00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:48.459 that the real authority 00:26:48.459 --> 00:26:49.859 of this entire model 00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:51.519 rests in King Jesus' 00:26:51.699 --> 00:26:52.459 authority, doesn't it? 00:26:52.639 --> 00:26:53.799 That all of our authority 00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:55.259 is subservient 00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:56.279 to King Jesus 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.459 who is the ascended leader 00:26:57.459 --> 00:26:58.839 and this is a beautiful passage 00:26:58.839 --> 00:26:59.779 to go and see that. 00:27:00.719 --> 00:27:02.199 But it's a challenging passage, 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:02.519 right? 00:27:02.679 --> 00:27:03.839 It suggests that there 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:04.599 are many gifts 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:05.319 that Jesus has given 00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:05.939 the church 00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:08.360 and that it even includes 00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:09.220 some of these offices 00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:09.799 and people. 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.380 I don't often quote 00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:13.340 our book of church order 00:27:13.340 --> 00:27:13.900 when I preach. 00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:14.220 In fact, 00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:15.180 I almost never do 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:16.340 and it's probably 00:27:16.340 --> 00:27:16.940 a dangerous place 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.660 to go at times 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:19.840 just to get lost 00:27:19.840 --> 00:27:20.380 in headiness 00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:21.019 and ideas 00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:22.320 and church government. 00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:23.880 But our BCO 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:24.920 beautifully says, 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.720 the head of the church 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:26.320 is Christ 00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:27.940 and that all of these 00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:28.720 offices and gifts 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.539 are subservient 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.080 to Christ 00:27:30.080 --> 00:27:30.820 and his purposes. 00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:33.440 And so that the government 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.440 of our church 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:35.920 says that Jesus 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:37.720 is the head 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.620 of the church 00:27:38.620 --> 00:27:39.740 and that image 00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.380 even of Jesus 00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:40.779 being the head 00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.160 of the church 00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.019 comes from passages 00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:43.259 like this one 00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:44.480 where Paul says 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:45.600 that even these giftings, 00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.660 what are they aimed at? 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.799 What does a gifted 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:50.200 and equipped community 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:51.600 aim for? 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.019 And that's what we look at 00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:53.740 in the final part 00:27:53.740 --> 00:27:54.440 of our passage 00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.620 starting in verse 13, 00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:58.100 starting in verse 12 really, 00:27:59.080 --> 00:27:59.320 right? 00:27:59.879 --> 00:28:00.659 It's an aim 00:28:00.659 --> 00:28:01.200 of growing 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:02.899 into loving maturity. 00:28:03.899 --> 00:28:05.019 That a gifted church 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:05.679 that believes 00:28:05.679 --> 00:28:06.579 that Jesus is calling 00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.059 it to be 00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.159 an equipped church 00:28:08.159 --> 00:28:10.939 is ultimately aiming 00:28:10.939 --> 00:28:12.500 to be a loving, 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:13.700 mature church 00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.439 that grows 00:28:14.439 --> 00:28:15.399 into Christ. 00:28:15.899 --> 00:28:16.419 And it starts 00:28:16.419 --> 00:28:17.119 in verse 13 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.839 with this aim, 00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:18.079 right? 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.179 And I think 00:28:19.179 --> 00:28:19.859 this is so important 00:28:19.859 --> 00:28:20.599 for us to begin there 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:21.379 because this is one 00:28:21.379 --> 00:28:22.200 of the key verses 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:22.759 in a passage 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.659 that once again 00:28:23.659 --> 00:28:24.559 is heavy on things 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.399 we can be doing 00:28:25.399 --> 00:28:26.539 and thinking about 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.099 and pursuing. 00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:28.059 This is one 00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:28.480 of the verses 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:28.919 that I think 00:28:28.919 --> 00:28:29.639 gets us back 00:28:29.639 --> 00:28:30.139 to the grace 00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:30.639 of Jesus, 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.019 right? 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:33.539 Until we all 00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.839 attain to the unity 00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:35.599 of faith 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.339 and of the knowledge 00:28:36.339 --> 00:28:37.179 of the Son of God 00:28:37.179 --> 00:28:38.819 to mature manhood 00:28:38.819 --> 00:28:40.059 to the measure 00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:40.960 of the stature 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:41.579 of the fullness 00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.119 of Christ. 00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:43.539 To go back 00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.200 to verse 12 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:45.099 and ask this question, 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:45.319 right? 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.519 How long do we do 00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:47.480 these equipping things? 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.319 What does it look like 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.319 for us to be seeking 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:51.000 to be equipped 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:51.599 and submitting 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:52.659 to the equipping work 00:28:52.659 --> 00:28:53.259 of those God 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:54.139 has placed over us 00:28:54.139 --> 00:28:54.960 and for us to begin 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.259 moving towards each other 00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:56.740 with the hope 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.500 of speaking truth 00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:57.879 and love 00:28:57.880 --> 00:28:59.160 like it's a natural 00:28:59.160 --> 00:28:59.760 question to ask, 00:28:59.880 --> 00:28:59.920 well, 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:00.960 how long do we do this? 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.340 What's the parameters, 00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:02.820 right? 00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:03.960 Here's the goal. 00:29:05.300 --> 00:29:06.120 The measure 00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:07.180 of the fullness, 00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:07.900 the stature 00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:08.440 of the fullness 00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:09.340 of Jesus himself. 00:29:10.560 --> 00:29:10.960 Now, 00:29:11.020 --> 00:29:11.600 if you 00:29:11.600 --> 00:29:12.520 are a follower 00:29:12.520 --> 00:29:12.860 of Jesus, 00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:13.820 I hope your immediate 00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:14.420 reaction to that 00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:14.560 is, 00:29:14.740 --> 00:29:14.860 oh, 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:16.300 forever. 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.920 If your reaction 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.800 to that verse 00:29:19.800 --> 00:29:20.220 is not, 00:29:20.580 --> 00:29:20.600 oh, 00:29:20.760 --> 00:29:21.140 forever, 00:29:22.020 --> 00:29:22.720 like we might need 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.120 to go back 00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:23.800 to earlier parts 00:29:23.800 --> 00:29:24.560 of Ephesians once again 00:29:24.560 --> 00:29:24.920 and talk about 00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:25.960 what the gospel is. 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:27.240 Right? 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.779 This idea 00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:28.680 that none of us 00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:30.120 is able to save ourselves. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:30.860 All of us 00:29:30.860 --> 00:29:31.620 are sinners 00:29:31.620 --> 00:29:32.480 in need of the grace 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.700 that Jesus alone offers. 00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:34.180 Right? 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:34.779 The measure 00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.299 of Jesus 00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:37.140 is perfection. 00:29:38.380 --> 00:29:39.539 It is his fullness 00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.259 and his holiness. 00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:40.799 In other words, 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:41.380 Paul is saying 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:43.240 this is the life 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.840 of a Christian. 00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:45.480 This is not just 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:46.019 something we do 00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:46.680 for a season. 00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:47.720 This is what it means 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.400 to be a Christian. 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:50.140 It's having been redeemed 00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:51.240 by the grace of Jesus 00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:52.559 the rest of our lives 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:54.039 we are working together 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.960 to grow into maturity, 00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:56.519 a maturity 00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.859 that we will not attain 00:29:57.859 --> 00:30:00.059 in this life. 00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:02.599 That we will not attain 00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:04.419 until Jesus comes 00:30:04.419 --> 00:30:05.619 and makes all things new 00:30:05.619 --> 00:30:07.700 and every last bit 00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:09.159 of sin in the fall, 00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:10.980 every sadness, 00:30:11.179 --> 00:30:11.639 every tear 00:30:11.639 --> 00:30:12.339 is pushed back 00:30:12.339 --> 00:30:14.279 and cast into the lake of fire. 00:30:15.639 --> 00:30:16.940 Until that happens, 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:18.679 we all are in this process 00:30:18.679 --> 00:30:19.279 of growth 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:20.279 and sanctification 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.839 and drawing near 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:22.460 to each other 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.000 with the hope 00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:23.819 of speaking truth 00:30:23.819 --> 00:30:24.339 and love 00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:25.599 with the goal 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.319 that we would grow 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.920 into loving maturity. 00:30:29.639 --> 00:30:30.960 In verse 14, 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:31.200 right, 00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:32.399 is this image 00:30:32.399 --> 00:30:33.319 that Paul gives us 00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:34.639 of being anchored, 00:30:35.619 --> 00:30:37.339 of not being tossed about 00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:38.099 and blown about. 00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:38.460 I don't know 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.460 if you've ever been out 00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:40.859 on a large lake 00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:42.079 or an ocean 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:44.039 when a storm is coming. 00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:46.539 It is a terrifying thing. 00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:48.660 One thing we experienced 00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:50.920 growing up in South Carolina, 00:30:51.120 --> 00:30:51.800 sometimes we'd go out 00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:52.940 in the intercoastal waterway, 00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:54.900 sometimes in our fairly small boat 00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:55.600 we'd venture out 00:30:55.600 --> 00:30:56.779 probably further than we should, 00:30:58.040 --> 00:30:59.259 is once that storm 00:30:59.259 --> 00:30:59.960 starts to blow in, 00:31:00.040 --> 00:31:01.120 if you thought your anchor 00:31:01.120 --> 00:31:02.160 was set and it was not, 00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:03.300 you're done. 00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:03.880 Like, 00:31:04.080 --> 00:31:05.640 it's getting dragged. 00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:07.120 It is a terrifying thing 00:31:07.120 --> 00:31:08.400 to try and get that anchor set 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:09.440 once the waves 00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:10.400 get to a certain point, 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.220 right? 00:31:12.100 --> 00:31:13.120 And one of the things 00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:14.320 that Paul wants us to see 00:31:14.320 --> 00:31:15.060 is that we do, 00:31:15.060 --> 00:31:16.759 we Christians have always, 00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:17.980 since the fall, 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:20.320 lived in a world 00:31:20.320 --> 00:31:22.519 that is tossed to and fro, 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:24.960 that there are doctrines 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:26.259 that are at times 00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:27.640 of evil origin, 00:31:28.100 --> 00:31:29.040 there's human cunning 00:31:29.040 --> 00:31:29.860 and craftiness, 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:31.180 there's deceitful schemes. 00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.140 That is, 00:31:32.300 --> 00:31:33.060 and some of you 00:31:33.060 --> 00:31:33.740 might have read this, 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:34.420 looked at this passage 00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:34.680 this morning 00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:34.920 and been like, 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:35.240 oh man, 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:35.960 that really feels like 00:31:35.960 --> 00:31:36.900 it hits right now. 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.340 And our temptation 00:31:38.340 --> 00:31:39.040 sometimes is to be like, 00:31:39.080 --> 00:31:40.019 it's never been as bad 00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:40.880 as it is now. 00:31:42.320 --> 00:31:43.360 And notice that, 00:31:44.040 --> 00:31:45.320 Paul's saying it's pretty bad, 00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:45.700 isn't he, 00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:47.420 in the early church times. 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:49.700 That there are all sorts 00:31:49.700 --> 00:31:51.200 of forces and powers 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.840 at work 00:31:51.840 --> 00:31:52.560 that would love 00:31:52.560 --> 00:31:53.360 to deceive us, 00:31:53.420 --> 00:31:53.800 that would love 00:31:53.800 --> 00:31:54.759 to blow us astray, 00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:55.620 that would love 00:31:55.620 --> 00:31:56.140 to blow us, 00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:58.360 to crash into one another 00:31:58.360 --> 00:32:00.279 in violence, 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:01.039 in conflict. 00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:02.400 That, 00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:03.400 in other words, 00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:04.779 this sort of loving maturity, 00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:05.860 this sort of growth 00:32:05.860 --> 00:32:07.539 isn't natural to us 00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:08.580 as fallen people, 00:32:09.340 --> 00:32:10.100 as sinners in need 00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:10.800 of God's grace. 00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:13.420 I laugh sometimes, 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:14.420 you heard me talk 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:15.240 about my failings, 00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:16.700 my lack of a green thumb 00:32:16.700 --> 00:32:17.099 earlier. 00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:18.599 It's popular, 00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:19.279 especially, 00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:19.980 I think, 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:20.940 among current generations 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:21.599 to talk about 00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:23.299 things happening organically 00:32:23.299 --> 00:32:24.819 and authenticity 00:32:24.819 --> 00:32:26.640 is like a big thing 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:27.120 right now, 00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:27.420 I think, 00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:30.319 for young people. 00:32:31.620 --> 00:32:32.319 And sometimes 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.039 that word organic 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:33.660 is thrown around. 00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:33.859 Like, 00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:34.779 I just like to let things 00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:35.620 just kind of happen 00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.160 and I'm like, 00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:36.339 man, 00:32:36.359 --> 00:32:37.420 do you know how hard it is 00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:38.519 to get stuff to actually grow 00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:39.279 that you want to grow? 00:32:39.380 --> 00:32:39.579 I mean, 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:40.420 if we're talking about weeds, 00:32:40.620 --> 00:32:40.799 sure, 00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.220 let's just do organic stuff. 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:43.940 But sometimes organic 00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:45.140 is used as just kind of like 00:32:45.140 --> 00:32:46.700 lack of intentionality, 00:32:47.059 --> 00:32:48.220 let's just see what happens. 00:32:48.839 --> 00:32:49.900 And that's not the picture 00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:50.579 we get here, 00:32:50.620 --> 00:32:50.980 is it, 00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:52.279 of growth in Christ? 00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.779 It's a fight, 00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:54.600 it's a struggle. 00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:56.259 There are things 00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:57.640 seeking to draw us 00:32:57.640 --> 00:32:59.400 away from the truth. 00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:01.240 And instead of being blown about 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.559 what Paul longs for us to do, 00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:03.600 we see in verse 15 00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:06.420 that that maturing love 00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:07.120 is a desire 00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:08.500 to speak truth in love. 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:11.720 to speak truth in love 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:13.279 so that we can grow 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:14.059 into Christ. 00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:14.680 In other words, 00:33:14.779 --> 00:33:16.599 one of my chief purposes 00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:18.339 as a follower of Jesus 00:33:18.339 --> 00:33:20.160 is to long to see 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:21.299 those people around me 00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.200 in the body of Christ 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:23.839 grow towards Jesus, 00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:26.180 to look more like him, 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:28.259 to see more and more 00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:29.319 how his grace 00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:30.460 is offered to them, 00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.220 how his spirit 00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.279 is at work in them, 00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:33.440 that that is a calling 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.440 of every believer 00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:37.019 so that we can actually 00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:37.920 work together. 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:38.920 And he gives us this image, 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.240 doesn't he, 00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:39.980 in verse 16 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:41.880 of a body working together 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.660 of joints and ligaments 00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:44.800 and this idea 00:33:44.800 --> 00:33:46.000 that regardless 00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:47.460 of those who might, 00:33:47.560 --> 00:33:48.380 some who might be called 00:33:48.380 --> 00:33:49.660 to this office 00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:51.700 to equip the saints, 00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.180 going back to verses 11 and 12, 00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.360 that at the end of the day, 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:55.840 all of us in the body of Christ 00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:57.660 have an essential role to play 00:33:57.660 --> 00:33:58.740 to be a healthy, 00:33:58.860 --> 00:33:59.400 functioning body. 00:34:00.360 --> 00:34:01.500 And we might tend to look 00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.360 at certain parts of our body 00:34:02.360 --> 00:34:02.580 and say, 00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:02.680 well, 00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:04.340 this part's not very glorious, 00:34:04.560 --> 00:34:06.340 this part's not that important. 00:34:06.339 --> 00:34:08.019 It's all important. 00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:09.819 And sometimes it's just 00:34:09.819 --> 00:34:11.779 a simple one bone 00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:13.119 being out of place, 00:34:13.179 --> 00:34:13.400 right? 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:15.279 And we can be in great pain 00:34:15.279 --> 00:34:16.940 and we can realize 00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:17.900 how hard so many things 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.420 in life are. 00:34:19.239 --> 00:34:21.840 One of the most hard things 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:22.840 about our trip to Japan, 00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:24.900 one of our students 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:26.159 dislocated her hip 00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:27.980 in Japan. 00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:31.099 Wasn't on my bingo card. 00:34:31.099 --> 00:34:32.739 I was like, 00:34:32.799 --> 00:34:33.940 this cannot be happening. 00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:35.839 I've skied with students 00:34:35.839 --> 00:34:37.079 and biked with students a lot 00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:38.119 since we've moved to Colorado 00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:39.239 and I've never had 00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:40.679 this traumatic of an injury happen. 00:34:41.259 --> 00:34:42.279 And just that joint 00:34:42.279 --> 00:34:43.420 being out of place 00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:44.799 and a small fracture 00:34:44.799 --> 00:34:45.779 on the femur head 00:34:45.779 --> 00:34:46.980 and it was bad. 00:34:47.380 --> 00:34:48.139 Overnight stay 00:34:48.139 --> 00:34:49.179 in a hospital in Japan. 00:34:50.739 --> 00:34:51.920 It was just a reminder, 00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:52.219 right? 00:34:52.259 --> 00:34:53.420 Like just one little thing 00:34:53.420 --> 00:34:54.000 out of socket, 00:34:54.739 --> 00:34:55.659 just a few ligaments 00:34:55.659 --> 00:34:56.480 out of place 00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.759 and you could be 00:34:57.759 --> 00:34:58.659 in such pain 00:34:58.659 --> 00:35:00.639 and so debilitated. 00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.759 And part of the reason 00:35:02.759 --> 00:35:03.659 I share her story 00:35:03.659 --> 00:35:04.779 is while that was true 00:35:04.779 --> 00:35:05.559 of her physically, 00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:11.259 like she, 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:14.159 she just loves Jesus. 00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:15.699 And so she got her crutches 00:35:15.699 --> 00:35:17.279 and she just crutched 00:35:17.279 --> 00:35:17.960 around Tokyo 00:35:17.960 --> 00:35:19.879 pursuing Japanese students, 00:35:20.359 --> 00:35:20.920 talking to them 00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:21.699 about the love of Jesus. 00:35:21.799 --> 00:35:22.480 At one point we were 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:23.399 at a dinner 00:35:23.399 --> 00:35:24.039 and I just like 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:24.899 walked by her table 00:35:24.899 --> 00:35:26.179 and overheard her talking 00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:27.879 about who the Holy Spirit is. 00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:28.960 And just, 00:35:29.400 --> 00:35:30.680 I mentioned this last week, 00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:31.619 like there are just, 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:32.500 there are no Christians 00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.360 almost in Japan. 00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:35.400 All of these students, 00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:36.900 except for two of them 00:35:36.900 --> 00:35:37.680 that we met with 00:35:37.680 --> 00:35:39.000 were just not Christians 00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:40.380 and yet she was pursuing them 00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:42.160 and she was not letting 00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:43.300 her physical malady 00:35:43.300 --> 00:35:44.260 prevent her from seeing 00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:45.320 that King Jesus 00:35:45.320 --> 00:35:47.220 was excited to work 00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:48.220 through her as well. 00:35:49.240 --> 00:35:50.099 That there's a variety 00:35:50.099 --> 00:35:51.220 of giftings in the body 00:35:51.220 --> 00:35:53.380 and that he was going 00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:54.000 to make his name 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:54.800 great and glorious 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:55.579 even through her 00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:56.420 as she was hobbled 00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:56.960 and hurt. 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:02.680 You are desperately needed 00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:05.079 not because 00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.940 there's anything 00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:06.800 lacking in Jesus 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:09.460 but because King Jesus 00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:10.019 has chosen 00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.860 to work through 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.320 his people 00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:14.019 because the body 00:36:14.019 --> 00:36:14.619 of Christ 00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:15.960 is his plan 00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.880 for the advancement 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:17.360 of his kingdom 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.139 and you, 00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:19.240 you can get it, 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:19.400 right? 00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.019 Like I get it. 00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:20.599 We look around 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:21.059 at each other 00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.420 and we're like, 00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:22.200 I don't know Jesus. 00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:24.079 have you seen 00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:24.899 the ways that I 00:36:24.899 --> 00:36:25.859 continue to fail 00:36:25.859 --> 00:36:26.379 and struggle? 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:27.659 Have you seen 00:36:27.659 --> 00:36:28.460 the conflict 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:29.439 we're capable of? 00:36:29.480 --> 00:36:30.199 Like are you sure 00:36:30.199 --> 00:36:31.239 you want to hit yourself 00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:32.000 to this wagon? 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:33.659 Right? 00:36:33.799 --> 00:36:34.659 And yet that is what 00:36:34.659 --> 00:36:35.779 Jesus assures 00:36:35.779 --> 00:36:36.199 his people 00:36:36.199 --> 00:36:36.799 that he is going 00:36:36.799 --> 00:36:37.099 to do. 00:36:37.179 --> 00:36:37.439 It's actually, 00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:38.399 he says it's better 00:36:38.399 --> 00:36:39.099 for him to leave 00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:39.779 to his disciples 00:36:39.779 --> 00:36:41.439 because he's going 00:36:41.439 --> 00:36:42.379 to send his spirit 00:36:42.379 --> 00:36:43.559 to work among them. 00:36:44.739 --> 00:36:45.419 Jesus is doing 00:36:45.419 --> 00:36:46.379 something incredible 00:36:46.379 --> 00:36:47.239 among us 00:36:47.239 --> 00:36:48.799 as we draw near 00:36:48.799 --> 00:36:49.199 to him. 00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:49.679 And so I hope 00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:50.139 you're encouraged 00:36:50.139 --> 00:36:50.719 this morning 00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.899 by this idea 00:36:51.899 --> 00:36:52.879 that Jesus 00:36:52.879 --> 00:36:53.439 is at work 00:36:53.439 --> 00:36:54.199 among his people, 00:36:54.859 --> 00:36:55.679 that this vision 00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:56.159 of unity 00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:56.839 we talked about 00:36:56.839 --> 00:36:57.419 last week 00:36:57.419 --> 00:36:57.859 is actually 00:36:57.859 --> 00:36:58.819 going to be realized 00:36:58.819 --> 00:36:59.539 by the gifting 00:36:59.539 --> 00:37:00.460 and grace of Jesus 00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.039 worked out 00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:01.659 in the lives 00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.319 of individuals 00:37:02.319 --> 00:37:03.659 seeking to love 00:37:03.659 --> 00:37:04.079 one another 00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:05.119 and serve one another. 00:37:05.899 --> 00:37:07.239 This can only be done 00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:08.919 by the gifting 00:37:08.919 --> 00:37:09.399 of Jesus. 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:10.899 Would you pray with me? 00:37:11.859 --> 00:37:12.639 Gracious Father, 00:37:14.259 --> 00:37:16.359 once again, 00:37:16.439 --> 00:37:17.279 we just thank you 00:37:17.279 --> 00:37:18.239 that you are 00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:19.359 a good, good father 00:37:19.359 --> 00:37:20.899 and you love 00:37:20.899 --> 00:37:21.639 to give your people 00:37:21.639 --> 00:37:22.199 good gifts 00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:26.619 and too often 00:37:26.619 --> 00:37:27.979 perhaps we are prone 00:37:27.979 --> 00:37:28.419 to listen 00:37:28.419 --> 00:37:29.000 to the voice 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:29.819 of the accuser 00:37:29.819 --> 00:37:31.159 and to deny 00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:32.419 your grace to us 00:37:32.419 --> 00:37:33.779 and to say to you, 00:37:33.979 --> 00:37:34.779 no father, 00:37:35.299 --> 00:37:35.959 not me, 00:37:36.399 --> 00:37:38.199 like Moses, 00:37:38.399 --> 00:37:38.959 like don't you want 00:37:38.959 --> 00:37:39.819 someone that can speak 00:37:39.819 --> 00:37:40.139 better? 00:37:41.959 --> 00:37:42.719 And yet, 00:37:43.279 --> 00:37:44.679 you are a faithful king. 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:46.739 you are faithful 00:37:46.739 --> 00:37:47.419 to work through 00:37:47.419 --> 00:37:48.359 the lives of your people. 00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:48.960 Your gifting 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:49.679 is greater 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:51.239 than our sin. 00:37:52.139 --> 00:37:52.899 Your grace 00:37:52.899 --> 00:37:53.319 is greater 00:37:53.319 --> 00:37:54.019 than our sin. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:56.039 You are at work 00:37:56.039 --> 00:37:57.839 through humble, 00:37:58.699 --> 00:37:59.119 dependent, 00:37:59.419 --> 00:37:59.980 needy people 00:37:59.980 --> 00:38:01.539 by the grace 00:38:01.539 --> 00:38:01.940 of Jesus. 00:38:03.139 --> 00:38:03.699 Would you help us 00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:04.440 to love each other 00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:05.500 to your glory? 00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:06.059 Would you help us 00:38:06.059 --> 00:38:06.899 to point one another 00:38:06.899 --> 00:38:07.379 to Jesus 00:38:07.379 --> 00:38:08.480 so that we might grow 00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:10.299 into this loving maturity, 00:38:10.460 --> 00:38:11.059 this fullness, 00:38:11.059 --> 00:38:12.440 the stature of Jesus? 00:38:13.900 --> 00:38:14.679 Would you help us 00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:16.119 to labor towards that 00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:17.440 as your people 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:18.119 this morning 00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:19.279 we ask in Jesus' name. 00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:20.440 Amen.