Growing Up In Christ

All right. I am so grateful for the worship team leading Us in phrase. I'm so thankful for their gifts as they use them to glorify our King in Toledo us and worship Dan. I am grateful for you and your pastoral leadership and speaking to this cultural moment and future as you guys are gathered here today. I'm also very mindful today about the calendar. And the reason I am mindful of the calendars. I have three Sundays Lord willing to share with you and to open the word of God with you on Sunday mornings and to enjoy our fellowship in worship together. And as I was reflecting on that shrinking pool of time, I was prayerfully considering what text God would have To share with you that for us to consider together here in this season and my heart was drawn to two different text. The first one is also the last one that I'm going to preach and that's numbers. I Chapter 6 verses 22 to 27. I'll be considering that with you on January 24th that this week and next week. We're going to be looking at a Fusions for together. So let me encourage you to take your copy of God's word and to turn to the book of Ephesians and we're going to be looking at the first 16 verses today. I next Sunday, we will finish that chapter out and as you guys are turning their I want you to join me in prayer as we open the word. Goddess, we consider your word and how it is that you have loved us how it is that you have graciously given us not just salvation, but given us yourself. God may we your people responds in the way that you intend for us to respond in Holy Spirit? Would you shape our thoughts and our feelings towards your word this morning into the circumstances of our world and our community and our church and our life according to your design and according to your will give it a dude's that seek your glory and not our own desire and God would you give us Christ continually before our eyes continually displayed in our lives and continually lifted up as King by your people here. We ask in Jesus name. Amen. Ephesians chapter 4 and I would encourage you to follow along as I read starting in verse 1 I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope the belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father overall of all who is over all and through all and in all but Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ gift. Therefore is says when he ascended on high he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men in saying he ascended what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions the Earth he who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might feel all things. And he gave the apostles the prophets the Evangelist the Shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of Ministry for building up the body of Christ until we all attained to the unity of the facing of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning by craftiness in schemes rather see the truth in love. We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ from the whole body joint and held together by every joint with which it is equipped when each part is working properly make the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Now is weed considered Ephesians chapter 4. I don't want to do that without giving attention to the fact that Ephesians chapter 4 is preceded by a fusions chapters 1 2 and 3, right? We need to understand where this is coming from. What's the background to the text that we just read? Right and we can look back to do that. But there's also a q in the text that I want you to note that tells us we ought to be aware of what just happened right when we open the Bible and we Come to a chapter be something like the word. Therefore as my pastor going up used to say you always have to ask what is it there for? All right. So what is this? Therefore therefore this? Therefore is there for a reason and that reason is the points back to Ephesians chapter 1 and chapter 2 and chapter 3. Remember Paul did not write this with chapters and verses division. This is the continuation of his thought and what a thought it is in Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 1 and I have a note here in my sermon notes that says review the first three chapters and in all caps of his briefly. So I'm going to try to briefly review the first three chapters of Ephesians, but follow along with me and look at that. This is amazing what God has given us through the pain of Paul here in these proceedings chapters in Ephesians chapter one. We have this incredible depiction of God, love. for his people that he loved us and he adopts us as his children in Christ or this is this is insane that the god of the universe would look at when I not just as part of his creation, but would invite us to inherit everything that is his The God Who made the universe adopts that according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious Grace, which he has blessed us in the blood in him. We have Redemption through his blood that forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his greatness has Paul is just going on and on and I wish that I could this morning go on and on and help us understand. How incredible this is Dan reference the craziness going on in our world. And if that's where our hope is if our hope is in a political system if our hope is in our wealth staying accumulated. Things are looking a little shaky right now. But according to this our hope is not in this life. Our hope is in God the action from eternity past carrying forward into eternity future. Whereby we are assured that we have the riches of his glory waiting for us in Christ. This inheritance that we have obtained through Christ. To be or not to be what sustains us. And then in the meantime, it's all well and good to say, that's the hope. That's where we're going Paul we get it thank you, but he says in the meantime, you still have something incredibly have the presence of the holy spirit with you the guarantee of that coming inheritance. Right. We have the presence of God With Us day-to-day. What more could we ask for who cares what happens to our stock portfolio? Who cares? What happens to our nation when we have God himself with us. This is incredible and Saint Paul flows out of this discussion of what we have been blessed with in Christ. And then it goes on and he says look this is amazing in this is my prayer that you would know this that you would rely on this and if this would be your reality that you walk into Christ is exalted above all things through Christ is glorious and then he he shifts out of that we get this depiction of our reality. How is it that we can enter into this adoption? How is it that we can receive this since how is it that we can have all of these blessings? It's not through works because each of us we're dead in our sins. How much work can a Deadman do none? God does something incredible we were dead. But now we've been made alive with Christ just as Christ died and rose again. So those who place their faith in him are raised to New Life not because of works that we've done because of the work that Christ did but that work that Christ did and making us alive then gives us a new opportunity to use our lives for something other than ourselves to walk in the good works that were created beforehand that we should walk in them. Right? We are not received by good works, but we are safe for good works because our hope is not in this world because our satisfaction is not based in this world. This world is not an opportunity to minister to our own Comfort or to fulfill our own desires. It is instead. An opportunity for us to demonstrate the kingship of Christ through the way we use our lives that's incredible that we would be invited into this purpose that we would be a part with our tiny temporary live will be invited into the Eternal plan and purpose of God and we can actually take part in it. We could shape and mold the direction of the kingdom of God by RBT ants to Christ. Right, and that's because we're one we're not in it alone. He talks about the unity between the church that it's not just the Jews the historic people of God is also the Gentiles in in Christ these two that were once separated and far off from one another are now together in Christ having access to the same father through the one spirit. So we are no strangers and Aliens. We are fellow citizens with the Saints and the members of the household of God with Christ being the foundation for And then Paul goes on and he says look understand that. This is the very thing that my life has been given to that. This is what I've been seeking to do is to tell everybody about this mystery that God has invited us into this plan establishment before the foundation of the world that he's giving fries to accomplish our adoption and it because of that because of that We have purpose. My purpose is to declare. This your purpose is to not lose heart. But you continue for this reason he gives it to you then prays for the Ephesian and for us as the church today for this reason. I bow my knees before the father from whom every family in heaven and on Earth is named that 1/4 inches of his glory. He may Grant you two be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being that Christ May dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints. What is the breath and the length in the height and the depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think according to the power at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever amen. I therefore What is that therefore therefore? It's to point us back to this great depiction of what God. Has done and what he is doing in the body.

Therefore in Lights of the glory of God in Christ in light of the invitation he gives rest to join him in his work for his purpose. Here's what process that passes that we just read. In 1 through 16 of chapter 4 and this is as I stand here.

On my third to last Sunday. What I want you to know Church. In light of all that God has done in light of the Gospel in light of the reality of the invitation to join God in his purpose. What ought to characterize the body of Christ. Unity Unity ought to characterize the people of God Unity has been my prayer is been my hope for this body. And it continues to be my hope and my prayer. Paul says in verse one. I care for a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. What is that manner of Life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, but we get glimpses of it all throughout the first three chapters. There's one God one father. There's no one body between Gentiles and Jews. There's one savior. There's one Lord. There's one spirits. Right, there's one. Hope there's one destination for the church. Right? This Oneness of God's plan and God's purpose the unity of God the Father God the son God the spirit this incredible superintendence of God over the history of redemption leads to one manner of life in one manner. Only Unity is what is called for by the gospel when we understand the reality of the Gospel our personal differences Petty disagreements those things Fade Into unimportance And so the manner of Life worthy of the Gospel is to walk in unity. What what's that look like Paul, how can we walk in unity impulse as soon as I'm glad you asked because I wrote verse to as well. With all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love. humility

gentleness patience bearing with one another in love. That's the manner of Life worthy of this unified gospel. That's the attitude incumbents on the people who've been transformed by this saving Jesus. That's the manner of life that is called for by the incredible Promises of God for his people is it we might be humble church. I want you to understand it is very easy to want the other guy to be humble. Is very easy in the church to look at your brother or your sister and say you're supposed to be humble. Is much harder to remind yourself? Must be humble in light of all that Christ has done in light of all the things that God has promised in light of this invitation to join him in his work in light of the fact that we are one in Christ. I must be humble. Don't you understand something? This is not a trait that our culture views kindly They may be paying some lip-service to humility. But by and large our culture does not value humility. They didn't in the first century either when Paul is writing to the Ephesians. He's writing to people who are embedded in Greek culture. This word is a bad word in Greek culture. If you were to look at somebody and say your humble and use the word that Paul uses here. You are essentially telling them. You're a Slave. You have no voice in the world. You have no right for self-direction. You are nothing.

But Paul says we have to turn in that word on ourselves. We have to be slave fish. We ought to be lonely. We have to be despised. We have to be the ones who do not demand our own but only exists to serve the will of our master. We ought to be humble. We have to have the attitude of a slave regardless of the blessings that we walk around in. regardless of this reality Did we know undergirds all of reality that we are inheritors with Christ of all things? We do not like Christ and like pulses and flip as we do not. count that game To us, but rather we relinquish it and we are humble towards Christ humble towards our community and we are humbled towards one another then he says we have to be gentle. We have to be gentle we we we walk in gentle Ness one commentator that I read this week's it at this way. Gentleness, he said is the spirit of one who is so absorbed in seeking some worthy goal for the common good that he refuses to be deflected from it by slight injuries or insults directed at himself personally or indeed by any personal considerations of any kind. Gentleness is not just turning. The other cheek gentleness is not just not repaying evil for evil gentleness is a refusal to be deflected. From the common goal by any slight offered to us. It's a refusal. To take matters into our own hands to say the church needs to go this direction. Therefore. I'm going to make sure it goes this direction to saying to the community. How dare you disagree with me? It's a willingness to endure personal slides. in order that the common goal might continue, which is what Which is briefly and we'll talk about this morning second that Christ would be displayed. The goal for the church is that Christ would be displayed and gentleness means that it doesn't matter what anybody says to me doesn't matter how anybody treats me. I'm not going to allow myself or this congregation to be deflected from that goal. Right patience patience. This is the thing is you never pray for patience, right? That's not what we're talking about here. This patient's the idea behind it. Here is the patience that God exists towards sinners. This is the patience that God existed. It's to those who have deeply offended him who have rebelled against his authority and yet he is willing to wait. And he is willing to trust. Did they will yet return through the Avenue of his son? And he says this is our attitude. If God, can the patient with me. And the fact that if we are faithful to confess our sins, right he is faithful to forgive our sins, right if he can be patient with me confessing the same sin Sunday through Saturday. And not give up on me. We ought to exhibit that same kind of patience to our brothers and sisters in the church. To our neighbors to our co-workers that willingness to be offended and yet not take offense that willingness to endure a slight but to refuse to seek revenge. This is patience with someone who's annoys us for lack of a better way of putting it. This is patience with the people whose personalities just rub us the wrong way. patients that indoors offense finally says bearing with one another in love. John Stott said this way this is that Mutual tolerance without which no group of human beings can live together in peace bearing with one another right? Sometimes you're the one buried. Here's the secret. I'm going to let you in on sometimes. You're the one being born. X you're saying this person is really rubbing me the wrong way, but I'm just going to kennels let that slide for the sake of peace and because I love this person sometimes somebody else is saying that about you. but if there's not this Mutual commitment to peace Mutual commitment in love It can be impossible to bear with one another. But we are to bear with one another. This is what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

Humility gentleness patience bearing with one another in love and I think that of in love is really important and it's not just that we you know, passively get along by never engaging on anything important by never interacting with one another outside of a baby in an hour that we can slap on a smile for a Sunday right at least we can brush by each other in the hall and we don't have to interact know this is the kind of intentional active desire for the good of the one who's being tolerated such as that you're bearing with one another you're bearing with one another in love. You're not just getting along to get along. It's not just pass if you stay on your side I stay on my side. This is an active desire for the good of the ones that you're bearing with and it's their response of a q desire for your good. It is a refusing to fight a willingness to endure dorit insulted the willingness to submit ourselves to one another for the sake of unity Unity is the manner of life. It is called for the foot in the gospel. Unity is expressed in this radically other centered approach to life has next with this. He's a call for Unity come from where does this drive toward unity in the church originated. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one. He's being just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father overall of all who is over all and through all and in all? Where does the drive towards Unity come from? It comes from the fact that Unity is quad is the thread that joins the trinity. existing from Before Time and then it runs through the gospel and God's plan of redeeming a people for himself and it runs into the church and it's demonstrated through the life of the people of God in minutes Express only in that Eternal. Hope the union of Earth and Heaven the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man being no longer distinct, but instead being united in Christ the new heavens and the new Earth. Unity is the thread that connects all of that. God in eternity past as father as son is Holy Spirit experienced nothing, but perfect Unity. And what is the gospel? If not his desire to bring his creation back into that Unity with him? And what is the church accept the visible expression of the truth of the Gospel that God is uniting all things in Christ. And what is the new heavens and new earth except the union of God's realm with our Realm? Unity is the golden thread connecting them all one Lord One Faith one baptism one body one Spirit one. Hope one God and Father who is over all and through all and in church Unity is not just a matter of making life easier on you as a body. If it's not just a matter of making sure that you know, when you show up on Sunday you get the good feelies.

Unity is quite literally. the only thing did we see? The only place in which we see this great truth. I've got it is the thing that displays best. The purpose of God from before the foundation of the earth like we saw in chapter 1 Unity is that things with not just a matter of getting along for the sake of getting along? It's a matter of displaying the Ultimate Reality of who God is and what he does but don't misunderstand this Paul then goes on to faith misunderstand this it's not that Unity is uniformity. It's not that Unity is a lack of diversity, right? It's not like we all need to dress the same. Look the same smile the same talk the same. No. The one who made everything. from nebulas down to nematodes

Love's diversity you cannot look it is it is incredible? I don't know why but I am Marvel sometimes. At the difference between looking up at the night sky. We're looking down at the ground these two things look nothing like each other. And yet scripture tells us. These are the product of God speaking and saying let there be when there was not.

And everything in creation shows us diversity. Right and you can travel across this world and you can see some incredible sights. The one thing you won't see. With the exception of Kansas is something that all looks the same.

I guess even Kansas might have some variety. Different kinds of corn maybe. I don't know. Right. This world is incredibly diverse. You don't think then that The God Who Would demonstrate that kind of diversity in his creation would demand that when his people come together they all be the same. Do you know he loves to see our Unity? In our diversity coming together not in us coming together in uniformity and heat we see that because that's what Grace was given to each one of us. According to the measure of Christ GIF. Therefore it says what he said that I'm high as a host of captives. He gave gifts to men these gifts what Peter in his writings caused the the mini shaded mini huge grace of God write each of us is different. Each of us bring something different to the body. And that's a cause for celebration. Some of us can play the guitar and sing.

others of a camps some of us preach some of us teach some of us change diapers in the nursery.

Some of us are really good at picking up the phone and encouraging a brother or sister cuz God laid them on your heart and you know, they just need a touch from somebody to need encouragement today. Some of us are really dedicated to prayer. Some of us love to spend hours in the word some of us love to stack wood.

We need all of those different gifts. This is the point here is that Unity is not the absence of diversity instead. It is the result of our diversity being focused laser like on a common goal in a common purpose, which is the Christ would be displayed. The Christ would be displayed in his people. Unity in diversity for a common goal and a common purpose to display Christ and it talks about these different people that God gave to the church. He gave the apostles in the prophets in the Evangelist in the Shepherds and teachers, but why did he give those things because some of your looking at that can thinking well, I don't think I'm going to pass level. Should I guess I'm Do do I just show up on Sunday and smile? Know why did God give those things look at the next verse?

To equip the Saints for the work of Ministry for building up the body of Christ.

Saints that's you. That's me. Together God gave us these different gifts these different leaders for a common purpose that we all might do the ministry that we have been given to do because this is what builds up the body of Christ. You have a Ministry that God has given you Unity unity in Christ focuses us on that Ministry. It shifts away from being the passive recipients of the gifts that others bring to the table and it brings up the idea that we talked about earlier not Fellowship like a potluck Fellowship like a platoon. Everybody has a role as we seek this common goal to display Christ. Everybody has a task in that course. Everybody has a Ministry we often talk about somebody receiving a call to the ministry. I think we ought to do away with that language. It's really not helpful. Because the call to the ministry that you received as the moment when Jesus lifted you out of that spiritual grave and made you alive that's your call to Ministry.

Sure their leader sure their Pastor sure their teachers sure there are prophets in the Vangelis. But their point is just to bring out the ministry that God has given you and to equip you for the sake of that Ministry with the goal. Did the body of Christ. Would be built up building up the body of Christ Unity not the absence of diversity Unity motivates, the ministry of all of Christ's people just the professional ones.

Get that church.

finally versus 14 to 16 when this happens when we are all engaged in the ministry for the right purpose for the goal of displaying Christ. We may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning bike rack units in deceitful seems rather speaking the truth in love weird to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ from whom the whole body joint and held together by every joint with which is equipped when each part is working properly make the body gross that have build up in love. the final thing here on Unity Unity in the church is the proof that we have grown up into Christ. It is the proof to us and to the world that this is not just some sort of collective wish dream. But this is our reality Unity demonstrates. The Christ is head and that we are his body that Christ is King and we are his subjects that Christ is Lord and we are his slaves and The God is father and we are his children Unity is the proof of that.

and love for one another is what ensures that it won't stop? Love for one. Another is what ensures that it will not cease to be the case. now Church

the time that you guys are coming into

search team in the process and saying goodbye to my family and I in no way changes any of this Ephesians 4 1 through 16. is true whether there's a bun in the Pulpit or not.

I am dispensable. 2 then Unity is indispensable to the tasks that Red Hills has been given. And so I want you to reflect on these words and it is been my prayer for you. It's you will continue to demonstrate this. now usually when I preach I tried to have you know, some some story try to pull in some Lord of the Rings quotes. I didn't do that today.

And I did that on purpose.

Because here's what I want you to understand. I didn't feel like I needed to come up with creative illustrations for this text today.

Because Church you are the illustration for this text. you

Are the living picture of the reality of a of Ephesians 4 1 through 16? And you have been that. For the past four years not perfect mind you.

But such an incredible testimony to the work that God does in his people. When we love one another when we submit to the word together and when we do the work of the ministry that God has called us to that. The body is built up Church. Continue to love one another well. continue to be United I had to tell you that you guys are amazing to other churches that hear your story. Did you know that like as a pastor? I probably don't say that enough. A good night when I talked with other pastors. About things that are going on in the life of their church and they hear what's going on at Red Hills. You guys have amazed them the transition in reworking our Constitution and bylaws in moving towards what was a challenge for some of a non-standard Baptist ecclesiology of of appointing lay pastors and having this plural Pastor leadership churches split over that kind of stuff. Can you guys were unanimous? Submitting to the word and saying that if we are desires our preferences aren't going to drive the bus. That just doesn't happen.

And soon as I reflected on this text, I thought how do I illustrate this? I said we'll just you guys look at each other. No, seriously, look at eachother look around. This is the illustration of Ephesians 4 1 through 16 continue in that continue to do that. Not just because it makes life better for you. Not just it because it would set your pastors uneasy heart at rest.

And because that is how Christ is demonstrated to the watching world, and that is how God is glorified.