The Church in Action: Ephesians 4:1-16

Scott Strickland

Ephisians • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

Ephesians 4:1–16

Spiritual Growth

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1) Prayer and Introduction

a) Pray

b) Eph 4:1-16 is the framework for the remainder of the letter.

c) This passage shows the church in action. It sets the standard for how we, as the body of Christ, are to live.

d) Read Eph 4:1-16

Ephesians 4:1–16 NLT

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. 7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

2) A Worthy Life – Eph 4:1-6

a) Our lives must be worthy of Jesus’ Calling – Eph 4:1

Ephesians 4:1 NLT

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

i) Our calling is to be Children of God, part of His families, heirs with Jesus Christ

b) God’s measure for a worthy life – Eph 4:2-3

Ephesians 4:2–3 NLT

2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

i) Humility

(1) This is countercultural. Humility was not a respected quality.

(2) We are already called to be different. We are to be Salt and Light.

(3) We are called to holiness as we will see going forward in Ephesians.

ii) Gentleness

iii) Patience with one another

iv) Forbearing with one another’s faults out of love

(1) Love brackets the entire discussion. Eph 4:1-16 is the framework for the remainder of the letter.

(2) Love is the beginning and ending of that framework.

v) Maintaining the unity of the Body of Christ

(1) We don’t create the unity. Jesus has already united us. We must work to maintain that unity.

c) The body of Christ is one. – Eph 4:4-6

Ephesians 4:4–6 NLT

4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

3) The Gifts of Jesus: How do we do this? – Eph 4:7-16

a) Jesus gives gifts to the Church – Eph 4:7-10

i) Jesus is the giver of the gifts to the Church – Eph 4:7

Ephesians 4:7 NLT

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

ii) Jesus has the authority to give gifts to the Church – Eph 4:8-10 (Psalm 68:18)

Ephesians 4:8–10 NLT

8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

b) The Gifts and their Purpose – Eph 4:11-16

i) Paul gives a list of gifts. – Eph 4:11

Ephesians 4:11 NLT

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

(1) These are gifts of leadership within the Church, not the other gifts of Corinthians or Timothy.

(2) Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

(a) Grammatically, pastors and teachers are closely linked.

(i) Not all teachers are pastors but all pastors are teachers

ii) What are the gifts for? – Eph 4:12-16

(1) To equip the church for service (Eph 4:12a)

Ephesians 4:12a (NLT)

12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work

(a) Note that the leadership roles given are not to do all the work but to equip the believers to do the work!

(2) To build up the Body (Eph 4:12b)

Ephesians 4:12b (NLT)

12 build up the church, the body of Christ.

(3) To bring about the maturity of the Church (Eph 4:13-16)

Ephesians 4:13–16 NLT

13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.