Equipped: Maturing in Ministry
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Today we are continuing our Equipped series! Let’s look again at our base scripture Ephesians 4:11-13
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
We’ve talked about this passage for several weeks.... But today I want to take a few moments to acknowledge the service of those who are equipping others!
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Small group leaders: John & Cynthia Mahagan, OJ & Kristen Camero, Robert & Carmen Morales, Nathan & Holley Beard, Jack & Karen Wilson, Mike & Donna Evans, Kohnen and Kerri Barry, Jim & Lynn Miner, Janinne Mansur, Corlia MacDonald, Roy & Rose Contreras, Luis & Rene Lloret. Also, the Willinghams, Guenthers and Roberto & Mayri Morales that are starting to step into these roles.
Ministry leaders:
HOPE: J.J., Shellene, Dan
ESOL Program: Shelley
Worship Team: Joneil, Kahlid,
Translators: Robert & Carmen, Luis Cesar, Lety
Middle School: Lucas & Jaime Morris
Tech Crew: Richard Runge, Kyle Barry
Board Members: Avis Jenkins, Ed Dein, Bill Boyles
Ushers and Counters and Kids Church servants: many whom are also serving in other areas.
We also want to honor our Mike and Cindy Morris for all that they do.
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
Faith work did not go unnoticed to Paul!
We also see the labor of love of the servants among us and we constantly lift you up in prayer to our Father in heaven!
Now you might wonder how in the world you could serve in the church. But God doesn’t ask you to serve without first equipping you to serve. And this afternoon we are going to look at three ways that God teaches and equips you for ministry in the church. You are equipped by God’s servants, you are equipped by God’s Word, and you are equipped by God’s Spirit.
I. Equipped by God’s servants (Ephesians 4:11-13)
First of all, you are equipped by God’s servants. Let’s go back to our passage in Ephesians 4.
A. The pastors equip the people
The first thing this passage teaches us is that the pastors equip the people for ministry. “It was he who gave … some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service.” Some people think that ministry is something that the pastors are supposed to do. The pastors do the work of the ministry, and the people come to church and get ministered to. But that’s not what God says. According to this passage in Ephesians, Christ didn’t give pastors to the church to do the work of the ministry. Christ gave pastors to the church to equip God’s people to do the work of the ministry. “It was he who gave … some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service.”
So part of my job as a pastor is to equip you for ministry. That means that each one of us in the body of Christ should be serving in some way. We could say, “We have two pastors, but many ministers”. We have two pastors – myself and Marshall – but everyone of us here at the church are ministers. That’s right. You are a minister. You have been called to works of service. No one is exempt. We are all to serve in the body of Christ. Christ gave pastors to the church not to do the ministry, but to equip the people for ministry.
Why did Christ give pastors to equip God’s people for ministry?
When we look at verses 12 and 13: we see 2 reasons:
Ephesians 4:12–13 (ESV)
“....for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God...”
1. To build unity
Disunity points to a lack of ministry. When we minister to one another, we are forced to meet each other in our brokenness. Ministry builds empathy and compassion and it forces us to see our own hurts and needs.
Unity is under attack! In our nation, in our neighborhoods, in our families. The past two years we have been separated and pretty much left to our own devices.
During this time, some have invested in their own spiritual development and have looked for new ways to connect with Christ and His Body!
Mental Health Coaching: Shellene Hinds, Arnold and Cindy Austria, Lorna Heide, Shelley Bullard, Cindy Morris, and myself
Shepherding Class: Isaac Guenther and Arnold Austria
Now I am sure that each of these brothers and sisters have been met with new responsibilities and opportunities to serve. This is maturity, as we mature we take on more responsibilities… this is the goal within the church.
“....to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...”
Parents how do you feel when you kids WATCH you do everything? How do you feel when your kids EXPECT you to do everything? What if your children are adults and this is still the dynamic?
2. Te mature the church
The second thing this passage in Ephesians teaches us is that there is no maturity without ministry.
You cannot grow if you will not serve. Let me say that again! You cannot grow if you will not serve!
You cannot become mature in Christ without the ministry of others, and you will not become mature in Christ without serving others yourself. We need each other. We are saved to serve, and it is only as we serve each other in the body of Christ that we will 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. There is no maturity without ministry.
II. Equipped by God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
So that’s the first way God equips you. You are equipped by your pastors and teachers for ministry. Of course that raises the question, how do your pastors and teachers equip you? And that leads us to our second point. You are not only equipped by God’s servants. You are also equipped by God’s Word. Look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
This passage tells us three very important things about the Word of God.
A. All Scripture comes from God
First of all, all Scripture comes from God. When verse 16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God,” this means that even though the Bible was written by men, it is inspired by God. The Bible was written by various human authors over centuries of time, and yet God superintended the writing of the Scriptures in such a way that the words of Scripture are truly the Word of God. All Scripture is God-breathed. It is the word that comes from his mouth. All Scripture comes from God.
B. All Scripture is useful
Secondly, all Scripture is useful, and particularly: useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. We are probably most familiar with the teaching function of Scripture. This has to do with the content of Scripture, with what Scripture says, but these other functions are important too. “Rebuking” has to do with refuting error and convicting of sin. The word translated “correcting” means “to set something upright that has fallen down.” The word translated “training in righteousness” is a word that was used of training and disciplining young children.
I like to think of these four words in this way. Think in terms of life as a path. The teaching passages of Scripture tell you what the path is, that is, they tell you the right way to live. The rebuking passages tell you when you have left the path. The correcting passages tell you how to get back on the path. And training in righteousness helps you to stay on the path once you get there. All Scripture is useful in at least one of these four functions, which is why it is essential that we take time to read and study God’s Word, all of it.
C. Scripture equips you for every good work
And when you read and study God’s Word, something amazing happens. You will find yourself equipped for every good work. That’s what verse 17 says – “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17) Now in Paul’s day this word translated “equipped” was used to describe a completely outfitted rescue boat.
Today you could compare it to paramedics and an ambulance. The paramedics in an ambulance are completely outfitted, thoroughly equipped, ready for any situation or emergency. In the same way when you know the Scriptures, you are thoroughly equipped and ready for any task God may send your way. It is not enough to have the equipment, you must also have the training to use it correctly!
That is why Paul encourages Timothy to entrust the message to men who are capable to teach others 2 Tim 2:2
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Equipping requires commitment and diligence… Too many times we rely on what we have learned instead of what we are learning!
Thanksgiving is coming and much football will be played at many different levels, ranging from pros and Division 1 College programs where athletes invest hour upon hour equipping their minds by learning playbooks and how to read defensive schemes. They equip their bodies through drills and weight training, their playbook (toolbox) is full of answers for the counter attacks of their opponents.
There will also be many a “Turkey Bowl” played by guys that have not worked out for years, will draw plays on their chests in the huddle and will probably forget to stretch before the game starts.
In both cases, football will be played, but at very different levels and those who do not equip themselves put themselves at a much greater risk for injury.
Unfortunately, many times we do not open our Bibles until the crisis is upon us and we open ourselves up to moral injury.
III. Equipped by the God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
So how does God equip you for ministry? You are equipped by God’s servants. You are equipped by God’s Word. And finally you are equipped by God’s Spirit. Now let me show you how the three of these work together. Pastors and teachers equip you for ministry primarily by preaching and teaching the Word of God. Think of the various parts of God’s Word as the tools you need to be equipped for ministry. The pastor’s job is to teach you how to use these tools. But there’s still one piece missing, because these are not just regular tools. These are power tools, and to use power tools, you need power.
And that’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. Yes, you are equipped for ministry by your pastors, and yes you are equipped for ministry by God’s Word. But you must also be equipped by God’s Spirit. Look at 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 with me which talks about spiritual gifts.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
A spiritual gift is a gift given by the Holy Spirit to enable you, to empower you to serve in the body of Christ. This passage in Corinthians tells us three very important things about spiritual gifts.
A. There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit
First of all, there are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit. In other words, there is only one Holy Spirit, but he gifts us for service in different ways. We don’t all serve the same way in the body of Christ, because we all have different gifts. Some people have gifts of music, some people have gifts of administration, some people have gifts of teaching, some people have gifts of encouragement, some people have gifts of helping others. God is a rich giver of gifts, and he gives a variety of gifts through the Holy Spirit so that the body of Chris may be built up.
B. The Spirit gives gifts to all believers
Secondly, the Spirit gives gifts to all believers. (1 Corinthians 12:6)
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
That means if you are a disciple of Christ Christ this morning, then God has given you gifts for ministry. God by the Holy Spirit has gifted you to serve the body of Christ in a special way. He has given you the power for your power tools. Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift for service.
C. Use your gifts to serve others in ministry
And therefore, number three, you need to use your gifts to serve others in ministry. That’s what verse 7 says: (1 Corinthians 12:7)
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
God doesn’t give you your spiritual gift for yourself. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to serve others. Therefore it is important to discover your spiritual gifts so that you can use them to serve others in the body of Christ.
So how do you discover your spiritual gifts? First, ask God to show you your gifts. Ask and you will receive. Next, read through the lists of spiritual gifts in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Learn the different ways God equips people for ministry in the church. Then, prayerfully consider how God has used you in the past, and talk with others how they see you best serving in the body of Christ. But most importantly of all, start serving! It is only as you serve in the church that you will truly discover the ways God has especially gifted you to minister to others.
CONCLUSION: What is the purpose of the Church? Christ is our purpose! The purpose of the Church is to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. And one of the ways we do that is by teaching and equipping people for ministry. You are equipped by God’s servants, you are equipped by God’s Word, and you are equipped by God’s Spirit. In other words, you are ready to go! There are many ways to serve in the body of Christ. How is God calling you to serve?
As we prepare for communion today, let us consider Jesus’ words from the cross, “It is finished” He has finished his work of redeeming and equipping His Church. As we take communion today let us celebrate the amazing grace that we have received because of Jesus’ blood and the incredible way that through His gifts he has equipped his church to offer this grace to the hurting world we live in.