9. Lesson 9 Ephesians Chosen to grow Ephesians 4 verses 7 to 16

Church of Christ Dapto The letter to the Church in Ephesus Lesson 9-Chosen to grow Ephesians 4:7-16      Grace given Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. John 1:16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. 2 Corinthians 6:1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. The One who gave Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” Psalms 68:18 You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. He ascended to God Ephesians 4:9-10 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) Christ ascended to God after He had descended to earth to complete the work God had prepared for Him. When His work was complete, He returned to God. Paul is making it plain that the One referred to in the Old Testament, Who ascended, was Christ. It was Christ who descended to earth. It was Christ to ascended to the highest heights. It was Christ who gave gifts to His people. The captives Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. The gifts Christ gave all the members of His Church gifts through His Spirit that He gave us. Gifts for the Church Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, Christ, as Head of His Church, appointed these positions with the associated tasks in the Church. They are part of His gifts to His Church. This is not the same as the gifts of the Spirit which are given to all. These positions are given to some. He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 9 Chosen to grow November 17, 2019 Page 2 Their work Ephesians 4:12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up The work of apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers is the same. They are to teach and train God’s people, the members of Christ’s Church, for the works of service which God has prepared in advance for them to do, with the result that the Church is built up when they do them. Each member of the Church is built up into the part they play in the Body as they complete their work. The Body itself is built up, increased in numbers and strength because every member does the work they were saved to do. The aim of their work Ephesians 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. The work of apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers is to continue until all the members of the Church reach the state of unity in Christ and a level of maturity to stand on their own feet. Every member is aimed to becoming completely like Christ Himself. The benefit of their work Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Each member is to be taught to grow into a spiritual adult state so that they do not remain children in the faith, relying on the aid of others to survive the destructive forces which have invaded the church. Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits”. Each member is to have the faith, the knowledge, and the wisdom to be able to resist the attacks of the wolves in sheep’s clothing who teach lies and seek to destroy, and to stand unmoved in their faith in Him. As an adult Christian I am to know that there are such people in the Church, as Christ prophesied. As an adult Christian I am not to see their presence in the Church as a failure of the message, or a failure of the leadership, or a failure of the power of the Spirit. As an adult Christian I am to refuse to accept the lie that they are “sincere” and to know that they are wilful liars and destroyers. As an adult Christian I am to recognise false teaching and refuse to be moved by it. As an adult Christian I am to stand firm as an example to others and as a means of them knowing that they too, can, and must, resist such pressures.      He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 9 Chosen to grow November 17, 2019 The effect of the work of the appointed Page 3 Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Speaking the Truth The alternate path to that taught by the false teachers is Truth. They speak lies for their own ends. 1 John 2:21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. We must never speak lies, or accept lies, or be silent before lies, but always speak the Truth. The Truth we speak is the Truth about Christ because He is the Truth about all things. The love that motivates speaking the Truth knows that lies bring destruction and only Truth can save. Love saves. Lies destroy. Truth leads to God. Lies lead away from God. Since Christ is the Truth, we cannot grow into being more like Him without a wholehearted and uncompromising commitment to Truth in all circumstances. Speaking Truth in love 1 Corinthians 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Truth speaking is evidence of love and must be motivated by love. It is possible to speak the Truth without love. Growing into Him in all things Growing into Christ is the life I have been chosen and called to live. If I want to grow into Christ, who is the Head of the Church, I can only do so by always speaking the Truth. I must speak the Truth to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I must speak the Truth to those who are not. My motive for speaking the Truth is not to prove that I am right and another is wrong, but to save the one to whom I speak from being misled into death by the lies of Satan, or misleading themselves by accepting his lies. The lies of Satan come out of the mouths of his servants and out of the hearts of those who choose to disobey God. The growth of the Church Ephesians 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. I play my part in the growth of the Church when I grow spiritually and when I speak the truth in love. I play my part in the growth of the Church when I do the good works that God has prepared in advance for me to do. If I refuse to do my work, or do it in a half-hearted or reluctant manner, I hinder the growth of the Church. This is only a matter of concern for me if I really care about seeing the Church grow and playing my part in it. He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians—Lesson 9 Chosen to grow November 17, 2019 Page 4 What does this verse mean for your life? I am to understand that the work of the leaders of the Church, if they are leading rightly, has been appointed by Christ for my benefit, and for the growth of His Church. I am to accept their teaching and guidance given from the Word and to seek to grow into a mature and adult spiritual state where I give more than I take. I am to resist the temptation to remain as a spiritual child always leaning on the leaders of the Church, and blaming them for my failures. I am to grow so that the Church grows, as Christ intended. I am to refuse to be disheartened or discouraged when I discover that there are false teachers in the church whose aim is not to build, but to destroy. I am to know that Christ Himself warned against them, and am to take comfort in the fact that He has prepared for me the means to overcome their destructive teachings. I am to be a spiritual adult and, in standing firm against the false teachers, help others to stand firm. I am to honour the value of Truth above all things and speak the Truth in Love. I must not use half-truths, or “white lies”, both of which are lies, in my conversation with my brothers and sisters in Christ, or with those who are not. Without the Truth the Church cannot grow. Without the Truth no-one will be saved. Without the Truth I cannot grow. With the Truth I will grow to be more and more like Christ Who is the Truth. I have been chosen by God to be part of Christ’s Church and grafted into Him. As part of Christ’s Church I am to grow to glorify Him. I am to grow into Christ if I am to live a life worthy of the calling I have received: if my life is to match my words. If I refuse to grow I deny the power and strength that the Spirit is giving me. If I refuse to grow I hinder the work of Christ and His Church. If I seek to grow, I glorify Him by showing His power and love and ensure that I play my part in His plan for the Church to grow. 2 Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. Which of these do I need to apply so that I can grow as I have been chosen to, and help the Church to grow?  Next Lesson: Chosen to be new Focus Verse: Ephesians 4:23,24     Ephesians 4:17-32 He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4