Being the Body

This is a the outline of my sermon printed in today's bulletin for note taking and reflection.

Ephesians 4:1-16 (NRSV)

¹ I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. ⁷ But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” ⁹ (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)

¹¹ The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

¹⁴ We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

Being the Body

(1) In the opening verse, Paul calls us to lead lives worthy of the calling we have received from God. What does that look like?

Like this: We are to bear each other in love with humility, gentleness and patience.

Describe some ways you need to work on this in your own life. Towards whom do you need to show more patience or gentleness?

How are we in the humility department?

(2) There is a goal in all of this. Living lives worthy of the calling is necessary for our unity as the Body of Christ (See Ephesians 1:22-23).

Our Unity is acknowledged in every way...
one Spirit, one body, one hope
one Lord, one faith, one baptism
one Father of all

Notice there are 3 groups of one and 7 ones altogether. Seven being the symbolic number of completion. Three being the number of divinity. One being the number of unity in God.

Sadly, we still have some way to go to truly live in that unity. Look at all of the misunderstanding that occurred recently in Cambridge, Mass. It is easy to carry these same types of misunderstandings and missteps in the church.

In Paul’s day those same types of divisions existed. People were discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, status. Consider what Paul says earlier to the Ephesians about their status as Gentiles...

¹¹ So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” – a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands – ¹² remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. (Ephesians 2:11-14, NRSV)

Also consider what he wrote to the Galatians...

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28-29, ESV)

How do we need to work on “breaking down the dividing walls of hostility” in the church today?

In our nation?

In the world?

What do you see as some of the things that continue to divide us?

(3) Paul reminds us that God’s goal is to be in a reconciled relationship with all people and Christ provides us all the gifts we need to do this work.

Today’s lesson reminds us that regardless of the number of spiritual gifts there may be (see 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 for some of the gifts) they can be broken down into two basic types: Those that equip the saints and those that build up the Body of Christ (the church). These are sometimes referred to as Verse 11 Gifts and Verse 12 Gifts.

Verse 11 Gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers to equip the saints (equipping gifts).

Verse 12 Gifts: for the work of ministry for building up the church (building gifts).

Can you identify the gifts God has given you?

How are you faithful in using them?

How can you more faithfully use the gifts God has given you for building up the Body of Christ?

Neither set of gifts is superior to the other just as no gift is superior to another. All together these gifts are given by God to serve a common purpose: to build up the church!

In today’s part of Paul’s letter, he is especially addressing the importance of the Verse 11 Gifts (the equipping gifts).

These gifts are to help build...
...unity of faith
...knowledge of the Son of God
...spiritual maturity to the full stature of Christ

Verse 11 Gifts are used to help us all as God’s children to not be tossed about...
...by every wind of doctrine
...by people’s trickery

In love, we must proclaim God’s truth that we may grow into that one healthy Body. Each part must be working properly to promote the Body’s growth.

How do you think this growth should look at Horne Memorial UMC in these areas?

Physical growth:

Mental growth:

Emotional growth:

Spiritual growth: