Building the Body of Christ
#377, Building the Body of Christ, Pastor David McIntosh, Sunday 02-07-2010
Text: Ephesians 4:11-15
Introduction
- We are in the 5th Sunday of our series Letting Christ Change Us. Connecting our vision with our values.
Last week we saw how we need each other like a healthy body needs all of its parts. - Today we are going to focus our attention on our 5th core value; a healthy relationship with ministry.
- Once we have been born-again, Jesus is our Lord & Savior, the Bible is now our source for direction in life, we are growing healthy relationships with our families and with one another we are in position for God to do a mighty work with all of us collectively.
- Because once the “Body of Christ” gets healthy; I mean we are searching the Scriptures for answers and drawing near to God, and our family life is improving and our relationships with one another are growing; once this is taking place and we are growing into a healthy “Body” of believers, God wants this healthy body to do something.
And that something is called MINISTRY. Say that with me, Ministry. - Just like and individual believer is saved for good works according to Eph. 2:10, so is the local body called to work the work of ministry.
GOD’S GIFTS
1. Eph. 4:11-15 – And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.
2. The source of all this is found right at the beginning of these verses, “He Himself gave.”
3. The He is Jesus; Jesus is the one that put this whole plan together.
4. What did Jesus give? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
5. Here we find the five offices of the church. People are gifted and called to fill these offices. Jesus gave them to the church; they are His gift to His Church.
6. Each one fills a different role although they certainly cross over.
7. So the first thing we discover is that God created apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, he gifted people to fill these positions and gave them to His Church.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS
1. Why did God give His Church these five gifts? We find the answer is verse 12.
2. “For the equipping of the saints.”
3. Equipping = take something that is unusable and make it usable. A recovered wholeness as when a broken limb is set and mends.
4. So in other words God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, preachers and teachers to train the people of God to be usable for God.
5. So equipping involves some steps:
a) Discipleship: we must first say to every believer, follow Jesus, obey Jesus. Jesus said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 1 John 2:5 – But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.
b) Surrender: We have to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:1 – I beseech you…that you present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
c) Teaching: Every person must see their need to be taught the things of God. Even if you are an expert in an area, God’s ways are not our ways. We must be teachable. John 14:26 – But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things. Titus 2:11-12 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us… Both the Holy Spirit & the grace of God are looking to teach us.
d) Relationships: A Christian learns the likeness of Christ from a relationship with the Word of God & relationships with people who are also following Jesus. Sharing our lives, studying & praying together that’s how the Christian lifestyle manifests itself in the real world we live in. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 – So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
e) Service: The church is commanded by the Word of God to stress to everyone James 2:17 – Faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. Teaching without ministry involvement will prove to be fruitless in the end.
6. So when Ephesians 4:12 reveals that God has given these gifts; the apostle, prophet, evangelists, pastor and teacher, God also shares they are for the purpose of equipping the saints.
7. Which is why people called to these offices have a passion to lead people to obey Jesus’ words (disciple) to understand all who live for Jesus will suffer persecution (surrender), Jesus’ ways are not our ways (teachable), we need each other (relationship) and the greatest among you will be the servant of all (service)
8. Now all these equipping has a purpose: FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY!
THE MINISTRY
1. Eph. 4:12 – For the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
2. Ministry = serviceable labor; it is work. Performance of labor.
3. So the equipping is done by the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers, and the ministry is done by the saints of God.
4. “The work of the ministry is the enterprise of each member of the body of Christ and not the exclusive charge of select leaders.”
5. “A healthy church involves every member in ministry.”
6. Three Common Myths of Ministry:
a) Ministry is for Professional ministers: my goal is to get them to church and let the professionals take over.
b) Ministry is making sure the program keeps going: When the people begin to serve program instead of the program meeting the need of the people it’s time to reflect.
c) Ministry always happens in the church building: Leader said: I have never shared my heart, my fears, failures and needs inside the walls of this church. But I have outside them.
7. Ministry is build around the call/commission Jesus gave to the church: Lead people to follow Jesus by obeying His Word. That is what all ministry should be doing.
8. It may look different when you are ministering to children, couples, addicts, elderly, youth, mothers, fathers, singles, divorced, the sick, the poor, the prisoner etc… However the goal of ministry is simple, lead people to follow Jesus by obeying His Word.
9. Because everyone does not have the same challenges to overcome in the pursuit of following Jesus.
10. Example: 16 yr. old teenager struggling in his relationship with his parents & alcoholic; the goal of ministering to both of these would be lead them to follow Jesus by obeying His Word. But each has different challenges/obstacles in the way.
11. John 15:16 – You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.
12. Matthew 20:28 – Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Altar Call
- This was not a message to guilt you into joining a ministry.
- But rather to exhort & encourage you to understand that God had called you to serve
- His Church needs you; your life & relationships with God will grow.
- Minister to you, hurt by ministry, prayer for help & direction, prayer for your ministry….