Ephesians 4:12-16. Supporting Texts: Exodus 25:9; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12, 19; Acts 6:4; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Titus 2:1; Hebrews 8:5.
I have long been disturbed by Christians who seem to have little or no desire to accomplish God’s will for their lives. To me, it has long been a guiding principle. I desire to do what God wants me to do and do it the way He wants me to do it. I believe I have faithfully followed the Lord’s will for my life, which has taken me to ministry in several states and in foreign countries. I would not trade being in God’s will for any other life.
God’s will brought me to this church to preach on January 9, 2005. I had preached at this church some years earlier, before this sanctuary was completed, but in 2005, High Prairie Church was searching for a pastor and had called me to come as a candidate. Linda and I drove out here on that cold winter day, (a little like this one), and I preached on the passage I want to address today, and that is Ephesians 4:12-16. On that Sunday, over twenty years ago, I emphasized the role of the pastor to the local church. I did not think when I preached that day that I would be called to be your pastor, so my purpose was to give biblical instruction to help you in your search for a pastor.
Now, over twenty years after that morning, I would once again like to visit that passage, this time to emphasize the goal of building the body of Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains several metaphors or word pictures to describe the church. The church is a uniquely New Testament teaching, (it is never mentioned in the Old Testament). In John’s Gospel, Jesus pictured the church as a flock (the Shepherd and His sheep) and a vine (the vine and the branches). In Colossians, Paul pictured the church as a kingdom (in conflict with the domain of darkness). Here in Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, several pictures are used to give a more complete portrait. The church is called a family, a building, a temple, and a bride. But, here in chapter four we find it is called a body. We are members of the body of Christ and we are to take orders from the head who is Jesus Christ.
In our 21st century world there are many ideas as to how a church is to grow. Some choose to depend upon slick advertising or popular entertainment to draw in crowds. I have studied some of these ideas and I have always wondered what God wanted us to do. What is God’s will regarding the building of His church? It is, after all, His church and we are merely temporary stewards. So, the question becomes, what does the Lord desire from His church? I believe this section of Ephesians grants to us the clearest and most concise picture of God’s purpose for the church. These verses could be construed to be a blueprint for the growth and development of the local church.
We should not be surprised that God gave a blueprint for building the church. When this church contracted to build the sanctuary in which you are sitting this morning, they first drew a blueprint for it, a blueprint I have seen. It showed the precise location of the pews, the pulpit, the electrical outlets, the plumbing, the peak of the ceiling: all down to exact measurements.
In 1445 B.C., God gave Moses a blueprint for the construction of the tabernacle. In Exodus 25:9, God instructed Moses, “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.” Five hundred years later, God supplied another blueprint for the building of the temple under King Solomon. Before he died, “David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the Lord, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things. “All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern”” (1 Chronicles 28:11-13, 19).
Clearly, our Lord was interested in the building of the tabernacle and the temple, even down to the smallest specifications. Should we think that God did not give us explicit revelation concerning the building of His church, which He purchased with His own blood? Absolutely not! These verses in Ephesians can be considered to be God’s blueprint for the local church, and here, two thousand years after the church began, here at High Prairie Church, these are His patterns for how He wants this church to operate in order to receive His full blessings and achieve its maximum potential. So let us look together at God’s gracious provision for growing the local church and we will discover God’s patterns, purposes, and outcomes He has chosen.
GOD’S PATTERN FOR THE CHURCH. Ephesians 4:12
God’s Focus on the Church. The book of Ephesians is about God’s design for the local church. In the book of Romans, Paul expressed the great truths about salvation and sanctification. In Philippians the idea of the servant’s heart is displayed. The theme of Ephesians revolves around the mission and ministry of the local church. The first three chapters are doctrinal and talk about the believer’s position. In other words, because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, each true believer in the Lord is placed in the same position of being in Christ. Every believer has the same position. All are forgiven equally. All are seated in the heavenlies in Christ. All have been redeemed. All are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. In chapter 2 we learn that all are saved the same way, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We also learn that there are no more barriers, and in this dispensation, God has joined redeemed Jew and saved Gentile together into this organism called the church. In chapter 3 we find that the church had been a sacred secret, now revealed, and that it is God’s great design.
Beginning in chapter four, the focus changes from doctrinal to practical. It is as though Paul is saying, “Now that you know your position in Christ, here is how you are supposed to live.” The very first thing he starts with is the purpose of the pastor of the local church and the church’s mission. In verse eleven, Paul listed four gifts to each local church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers. Today we will focus on the role of the pastor-teacher. The New Testament Greek scholar, Dr. Kenneth Wuest, wrote, “God’s ideal pastor is one who engages in a didactic (or instructive) ministry, feeding the saints on expository preaching, giving them the rich food of the Word.”
Equipping the Saints. Based on God’s Word then, what is the pastor’s purpose? The first and primary task is that of equipping the saints. The word “saints” refers to everyone who has received Jesus Christ as their Savior. To equip someone, in the context of Ephesians 4, is to bring them to a place of completeness. The word was often used by medical doctors of the first century to refer to the setting and restoring of broken bones. It’s the idea of restoring something that was broken.
How does the pastor equip or prepare the saints in his local church? God has given at least four tools to accomplish this task. Every task, job or trade has its own set of tools. The pastor of the local church is no different. Since his task is to equip the saints, his toolbox includes at least four important tools. First is God’s Word. The pastor’s task is to endeavor to correctly understand the Bible, and then communicate it to God’s flock. God has designed His Word for this task. Listen to Second Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” The saints are prepared through the teaching and exhortation of the Word of God. The second tool for the pastor is prayer. Early in the history of the church, the apostles established a pattern that they would give themselves to the Scriptures and to prayer. Acts 6:4 tells us, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” Pastor-teachers in the local church have inherited that ministry. They must diligently study the Word in dependence on the Holy Spirit and give themselves to praying for those under his ministry.
A third tool is the testing God sovereignly brings into our lives. James 1:2-4 reminds us that we should, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The fourth tool is suffering. Paul explains that to us in Romans 5:3-5, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
If a pastor is going to lead believers into spiritual growth by teaching the Word of God, he then needs to spend time in preparation and study to teach the things that are right. There are a lot of people talking and preaching about a lot of things, but not all of them can be right. Paul told Titus, “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1). There is a lot of teaching going on in churches today, but not much of it is sound. The only way to grow spiritually is to subject ourselves to sound teaching from the Bible. The only way to know whether we have it right or not is to spend quality time studying and preparing.
Serving Saints. The ministry of equipping is the work of leading Christians from sin to obedience. So, what should the saints do when they have been adequately equipped and prepared? The second distinct area is that the saints serve. That is, the members of the local church get busy and serve in the local church with ministries and also reach out into the communities that surround the church. God uses the pastor and other teachers to teach His truth to the local church, and the saints in that church serve each other and those in their families and communities. No pastor or group of pastors can do everything a church needs to do. Through prayer and teaching the Word, the people will be properly equipped and rightly motivated to do the work of service. Spiritual service is the work of every Christian. Attendance alone is a poor substitute for participation in ministry. How are you serving in the local church?
Building the Body. The third distinct area is that the body of Christ is built up. This is not primarily focused on the number of people in the congregation but to their development and strength as Christians. We grow through the ministry of the Word of God. We are told to “long for the pure milk of the Word so that you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) There should be a continuous goal in the local church to find ways to enhance the spiritual strength of each of its members, from the youngest to the oldest. This shows that all saints and not just a few leaders should be involved in the “ministry.” All saints are gifted to serve others spiritually.
GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH. Ephesians 4:13
Unity of the Faith. Verses thirteen and fourteen list three purposes for the saints’ ministry. The first is unity. This refers to every true believer in the local church coming to an agreement about the right things of doctrine and practice and an understanding of why they believe those teachings. God designed the church to be a fellowship based on a common belief system based on God’s truth. That unity or oneness is a goal for which Christians should work. God’s desire is for the people of each local New Testament church to be taught the truth so clearly that they come ever closer to complete unity in what they believe about Jesus Christ and the truths found in the Bible.
Knowledge of Jesus. The second of the three purposes is “the knowledge of the Son of God” or a growing knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The idea here is full and complete knowledge (epignosis) of Jesus Christ. This can be translated as the “experiential, full and precise knowledge of the Son of God.” Another translation concludes it is the, “comprehension of the full and accurate knowledge of the Son of God.” The truth is, we need to know more about Jesus Christ. We need to know more of His attributes and ministry. We need to know He is coming again. This sort of full and complete knowledge can only come from prayer and consistent, faithful study of God’s Word, followed by an attitude of obedience. Growing ever deeper in the knowledge of Jesus Christ is a process that lasts for a lifetime and will be ultimately completed when we meet our Lord face to face.
Spiritual Maturity. The third and final of the three purposes of equipped and prepared saints is spiritual maturity. You know, I like babies. I was one once (many years ago). Linda and I have four children and I was present when all four were born. I sure liked holding those little bundles of God’s blessing. Now we have twelve grandchildren and our first great-grandchild is on the way. Babies sure are cute. But we don’t expect babies to stay babies. No, we feed them and nurture them so that they grow physically, mentally and spiritually. We want babies to grow up into children and later, adults. If there were a baby who stayed a baby for a year, you’d suspect something was wrong. If it stayed a baby for five years, you’d know something was wrong. There is sadness that some people remain spiritual infants for decades. It’s disappointing, because, just as in physical growth, we are supposed to grow spiritually. If someone has been a Christian for years and is still immature, they are a source of great sadness and pity.
The goal of our maturity is to be like Jesus Christ, which means to grow up into him in all things. Since this is one of the goals of a dynamic church, we should measure or evaluate our church by the people who have been brought to spiritual maturity through its ministry. The standard of spiritual maturity is the measure of Christ. The Lord has given a standard of our spiritual maturity in the text of the New Testament. We strive to achieve that level, not one imposed by people.
THE RESULTS OF GOD’S PLAN. Ephesians 4:14-16
Christians Who Grow in Their Faith. In verses fourteen through sixteen of this divine blueprint for the church, Paul lists four results or outcomes of successful and spiritual ministry. The first is that Christians will grow in their faith. In verse fourteen, Paul describes spiritual immaturity. The Greek language had several words for child or children. This word means a child who cannot yet speak. They may be able to walk, run, eat and do many things, but they cannot communicate successfully with others. This is the word Paul uses to describe Christians who have failed to grow. Immature Christians demonstrate their instability – they are tossed here and there as a cork bobbing on the waves. They lack knowledge – they are carried about by every wind of doctrine. Since they have not come to maturity in their understanding of the Christian faith, they are distracted and confused by false teachers and false teaching. They sometimes drift back and forth and show little commitment. They find themselves susceptible to apparent dazzling displays that promise great things and tickle their ears but have little real spiritual content and little that points them to the glory of God.
The only insurance from falling into false teaching is to know the Bible’s true teaching. One church leader wrote, “The spiritually equipped church, whose members are sound in doctrine and mature in their thinking and living, is a church that will reach out in love to proclaim the saving Gospel. God does not give us knowledge, understanding, gifts, and maturity to keep, but to share. He does not equip us to stagnate, but to serve. We are not gifted and edified in order to be complacent and self-satisfied but in order to do the Lord’s work of service in building up and expanding the Body of Christ.” (Dr. John MacArthur)
Christians Who Speak the Truth in Love. The second expected result is that Christians will speak the truth in love. It’s not enough just to know the truth; we have to learn to speak it in love. Authentic, mature believers whose lives are marked by love will not be victims of false teaching, but will be living authentically and proclaiming the true gospel to a deceived and deceiving world. There are two important aspects to this verse. We must know both truth and love. To serve in the church, we must graciously apply truth and seek to build that truth in the lives of others.
Christians Who Participate in a Fully Functioning Body. There’s an interesting word in verse 16, which is a very long word in the original language. It has the idea of being fit and joined together. Building was very difficult in the ancient world. Buildings, like Solomon’s Temple, were built of stone, with no mortar to hold the stones together. Each stone had to be cut with amazing precision to fit together. Imagine the difficulty of cutting enormous stones, some weighing tons, to precise measurements to fit into such an immense building. I have never worked with stone, but I have spent hours trying to cut precise mortise and tenon joints with wood. That precise placing of parts into an exact pre-planned position is what Paul has in view here. The meaning is incredible. God is at work placing the precise people together in this church. Each person has a part and a place. You have been placed here in an exact place designed by the Great Architect and Designer. And, you have a vital purpose to fulfill, that no one else can.
Isn’t the Lord good? I never cease to marvel at His ways. With as much care and attention as He used in creating the Universe, He has woven His precise purpose into each local church. He’s given us His Word to guide and lead us. He’s given truth and light to guide us in dark and difficult times. He’s designed a body for our growth and support. Are you growing spiritually? How high on your list of priorities is your spiritual growth? Are you a Christian? Have you ever invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your life and be your Savior? If you have not, won’t you consider doing that today?
