WE VS. ME EPHESIANS 4:7-16
How do we grow into spiritual maturity?
MYTH: Spiritual maturity is a product of time.
Example: a. Christian for 30 years = spiritual maturity.
Example: a. Christian for 30 years = spiritual maturity. b. Physical maturity, is a passive process that happens automatically over time.
TRUTH: Spiritual maturity is a gradual process of intentional training over time.
TRUTH: Spiritual maturity is a gradual process of intentional training over time. Example: Body Builder
Tom 35 Married Kids Truck Football
My Conclusion: Whoa, he must be a great body builder!
Right Conclusion: He probably has a sweet dad bod.
HEBREWS 5:11-14 11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.
HEBREWS 5:11-14 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.
HEBREWS 5:11-14 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.
HEBREWS 5:11-14 14 But solid food is for the mature for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.
1 TIMOTHY 4:7 7 But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness.
ESSENTIAL AREA OF TRAINING: Life in the Body
1. CHRIST IN THE CHURCH 2. CHRIST IN ME IN THE CHURCH
1. CHRIST IN THE CHURCH a. Christ is the head of the Church.
EPHESIANS 4:15 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head Christ.
EPHESIANS 4:7-10 7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah s gift.
EPHESIANS 4:7-10 8 For it says: When He ascended on high, He took prisoners into captivity; He gave gifts to people.
EPHESIANS 4:7-10 9 But what does He ascended mean except that He descended to the lower parts of the earth?
EPHESIANS 4:7-10 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
ACTS 1:9-11 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.
ACTS 1:9-11 They said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.
1. CHRIST IN THE CHURCH b. Christ is the standard of maturity.
EPHESIANS 4:11-13 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
EPHESIANS 4:11-13 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
EPHESIANS 4:11-13 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ s fullness.
2. CHRIST IN ME IN THE CHURCH
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah s gift.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 8 For it says: When He ascended on high, He took prisoners into captivity; He gave gifts to people.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 9 But what does He ascended mean except that He descended to the lower parts of the earth?
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ s fullness.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head Christ.
EPHESIANS 4:7-16 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
2. CHRIST IN ME IN THE CHURCH a. Jesus has personally given you a gift.
EPHESIANS 4:7-11 7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah s gift.
EPHESIANS 4:7-11 8 For it says: When He ascended on high, He took prisoners into captivity; He gave gifts to people.
EPHESIANS 4:7-11 9 But what does He ascended mean except that He descended to the lower parts of the earth?
EPHESIANS 4:7-11 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
EPHESIANS 4:7-11 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-7 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person. A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial.
ROMANS 12:6 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one s faith.
Romans 12, I Corinthians 12 Charisma = Gift Ephesians 4 Doma = Gift
A spiritual gift is grace given to the believer to display the glory of God in the body of Christ.
Romans 12, Ephesians 4 Leadership Service Teaching Encouragement Mercy Prophecy Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastor/Teacher Administration Faith Tongues Interpretation of tongue
2. CHRIST IN ME IN THE CHURCH b. You and your spiritual gift are to be used to build up the body.
EPHESIANS 4:11-14 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
EPHESIANS 4:11-14 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
EPHESIANS 4:11-14 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ s fullness.
EPHESIANS 4:11-14 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:12 12 So also you since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.
2. CHRIST IN ME IN THE CHURCH c. Jesus has tied your spiritual development to the development of the body.
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ s fullness.
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head Christ.
EPHESIANS 4:11-16 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 So the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, Because I m not a hand, I don t belong to the body, in spite of this it still belongs to the body. And if the ear should say, Because I m not an eye, I don t belong to the body, in spite of this it still belongs to the body.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 Now there are many parts, yet one body. So the eye cannot say to the hand, I don t need you! Or again, the head cant say to the feet, I don t need you! But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.
MATTHEW 25:31-44 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
MATTHEW 25:31-44 He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
MATTHEW 25:31-44 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.
MATTHEW 25:31-44 Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?
MATTHEW 25:31-44 And the King will answer them, I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.
HEBREWS 6:10 10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints and you continue to serve them.
1 JOHN 3:16-17 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has this world s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need how can God s love reside in him?
GALATIANS 6:2 2 Carry one another s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
APPLICATION 1. Do Make your aim love
EPHESIANS 5:1-2 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
COLOSSIANS 3:14 14 Above all, put on love the perfect bond of unity.
APPLICATION 1. Make your aim love. 2. Sense the opportunity
Quality of our love determines the brightness of our light.
Cost vs. Investment
1 PETER 4:8 8 Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins.