SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 30

TITLE: THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY

TEXT: EPHESIANS 4:11-12

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN MATTHEW 16:18, OUR LORD JESUS MADE A REVELATION ABOUT HIS CHURCH TO PETER, HE SAID: (READ IT)

* NOW IN THIS VERSE JESUS SAYS TO PETER, PETER, PETROS – WHICH MEANS LITTLE ROCK, LITTLE ROCK, I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT UPON THIS ROCK, PETRA – A ROCKY MOUNTAIN OR PEAK, WHICH IS MYSELF, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.

** AND THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS CHRIST IS NOT ONLY THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH, COLOSSIANS 1:18, HE IS ALSO THE FOUNDATION, THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE OF HIS CHURCH.

(2) AND AS THE HEAD AND CORNERSTONE OF THE CHURCH, HE HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH.

* FOR YOU SEE IT’S HIS CHURCH, NOT OUR CHURCH, OR RAY RUSS’ CHURCH OR ANYBODY ELSE’S CHURCH, BUT HIS CHURCH, AND HE WILL BUILD IT. THIS IS A CAUSE THAT CANNOT AND WILL NOT FAIL.

** AND GET THIS, ANYONE WHO TRIES TO BUILD CHRIST’S CHURCH IS IN COMPETITION WITH THE ONE WHO IS THE ARCHITECT, THE OWNER, THE LORD AND THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

(3) AND WHEN YOU COMPETE WITH ONE WHO IS ALMIGHTY, YOU LOSE EVERY TIME. IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY!

* AND THAT MEANS IT’S NOT FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WHO BUILD CHRIST’S CHURCH, BUT CHRIST WHO BUILDS HIS CHURCH THROUGH FAITHFUL BELIEVERS.

** AND WHENEVER CHRIST’S PEOPLE ARE COMMITTED TO HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THE LORD BUILDS HIS CHURCH.

*** AND THAT MEANS HIS TRUE CHURCH IS ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AND HE BUILDS IT ACCORDING TO HIS MASTER PLAN THAT IS MUCH BETTER THAN OUR PLAN.

(4) AND WHAT A RELIEF THAT IS TO ME. I MEAN WHAT A RELIEF TO KNOW THAT FAITH BIBLE CHURCH IS NOT MY CHURCH OR ANY OF THE OTHER ELDER’S CHURCH, AND WHAT A RELIEF IT IS TO KNOW THAT IT’S NOT YOUR CHURCH.

* AND WHAT A RELIEF TO KNOW THAT I DON’T HAVE TO BUILD THE CHURCH. FOR AT ONE TIME IN MY MINISTRY I WOULD GO TO CONFERENCE AFTER CONFERENCE TO LEARN TECHNIQUES ON HOW TO BUILD THE CHURCH.

** I LEARNED CHURCH GROWTH TECHNIQUES, LEARNED HOW TO HAVE SPECIAL ATTENDANCE DAYS, HOW TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE BUS MINISTRY, HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO CHURCH AND ON AND ON.

*** AND I THOUGHT GOD’S BLESSINGS WERE EQUIVALENT TO BIG NUMBERS, SO WE ENGINEERED BIG NUMBERS, WE MADE IT HAPPEN, BUT OH HOW EMPTY THAT WAS.

(5) AND I THOUGHT THAT PASTORS WERE SUPPOSED TO DO THE WORKS OF SERVICE, THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, AND WERE THE HEAD FISHERMAN.

* AND I THOUGHT THAT EVERY SUNDAY MORNING WAS A FISHING EXPEDITION, WHERE THE GREAT FISHERMAN OF THE PULPIT WOULD CAST HIS LINE AND DRAW THE NET TO BRING IN ALL THE FISH.

** BUT THEN, I HEARD A MAN NAMED JOHN MACARTHUR TEACH EPHESIANS 4:11&12. AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY, WHERE HAVE I BEEN? BUT INSIDE I KNEW THAT WHAT HE SAID WAS TRUTH.

*** AND THE LORD USED JOHN MACARTHUR TEACHING HIS WORD TO CHANGE MY WHOLE PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY ABOUT 24 YEARS AGO.

(6) AND I REALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT AS A PASTOR I WAS NOT TO BE A PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AN ADMINISTRATOR, THE HEAD VISITOR WHO DOES ALL THE VISITING, THE MAIN FISHERMAN OR THE MAIN MAN.

* BUT AS A SHEPHERD IN CHRIST’S FLOCK, I WAS TO BE AN EQUIPPER, TEACHING AND PROTECTING CHRIST’S FLOCK ALONG WITH A PLURALITY OF OTHER SHEPHERDS.

** AND THAT LITERALLY REVOLUTIONIZED MY MINISTRY. I WAS TO BE AN EQUIPPER OF THE SAINTS, SO THE SAINTS WOULD DO THE WORKS OF SERVICE, THE WORKS OF THE MINISTRY, SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST WOULD BE BUILT UP.

(7) I REALIZED THAT THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH FOR GATHERING WAS FOR WORSHIP AND EDIFICATION, NOT EVANGELISM, BUT THAT WHEN THE CHURCH SCATTERED, OUR MAIN PURPOSE IS WORSHIP AND EVANGELISM, TO BE LIGHTS, SALT, AMBASSADORS, INVOLVED IN THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.

* AND I’M SO THANKFUL THIS MORNING FOR GOD’S GRACE IN OPENING MY EYES TO THOSE TRUTHS. AND IT ALL STARTED WITH EPHESIANS 4:11&12 WHICH IS OUR TEXT TODAY.

** AND EPHESIANS 4:11&12 TEACHES US THAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN GIFTED MEN TO HIS CHURCH, THAT THEY IN TURN MIGHT EQUIP HIS SHEEP, THAT THEY, THE SHEEP, IN TURN WOULD DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST WILL BE BUILT.

*** CHRIST BUILDS HIS CHURCH THROUGH US!! SO I’VE TITLED MY MESSAGE THIS MORNING, “THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY” AS WE STUDY THESE TWO DYNAMIC VERSES, EPHESIANS 4:11&12.

(8) AND UNDER THAT TITLE, WE’LL LOOK AT TWO THINGS: NO. 1 THE PLAN OF CHRIST IN GIVING GIFTED MEN TO HIS CHURCH, V. 11; AND NO. 2 THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST IN GIVING THOSE GIFTED MEN TO THE CHURCH, V. 12.

* SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE PLAN AND THE PURPOSE THIS MORNING UNDER THE THEME OF THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY, OR A BIBLICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY.

** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 11 OF EPHESIANS 4 WHERE WE’LL BEGIN BY SEEING THE PLAN OF CHRIST.

I. THE PLAN, (READ V. 11)

A. NOW THE WORD “HE” IN V. 11 IS TALKING ABOUT CHRIST, THE ONE WHO DESCENDED TO THE EARTH IN HIS INCARNATION AND ASCENDED TO HEAVEN AFTER HIS RESURRECTION AS A VICTORIOUS KING WHO HAD CONQUERED HIS ENEMY SATAN, VV. 8-10 OF EPHESIANS 4.

* AND AS THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, AS THE RULER OF HIS CHURCH, CHRIST GIVES GIFTS TO MEN.

** AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN WHEN HE ASCENDED BACK TO HIS FATHER.

*** FOR AFTER CHRIST ASCENDED TO HIS FATHER, HE SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO START HIS CHURCH OFFICIALLY AT PENTECOST AND GIFT BELIEVERS TO BUILD UP HIS CHURCH, TO BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER, SPECIFICALLY WHAT SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE, BODY BUILDERS.

**** THEY ARE SUPERNATURAL ENABLEMENTS TO SERVE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST GIVEN AT SALVATION AND EVERY BELIEVER HAS ONE, READ I PETER 4:10,

I CORINTHIANS 12:7&11, ROMANS 12:6.

1. NOW SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF EPHESIANS 4, THE GIFTS THAT CHRIST GIVES ARE GIFTED MEN THAT ARE GIVEN AS GIFTS TO HIS CHURCH FOR THE EQUIPPING OF HIS SAINTS.

* AND HE GAVE, CHRIST GAVE, THE SUBJECT HE HERE IS EMPHATIC TO DENOTE THAT CHRIST HIMSELF GIVES THE GIFTED PEOPLE.

** AND SPECIFICALLY THERE ARE 4 OR 5 KINDS OF GIFTED PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTED HERE THAT CHRIST GAVE TO HIS CHURCH: APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS, PASTORS AND TEACHERS OR PASTOR-TEACHERS, ONE MAN, NOT TWO, AS I WILL COMMUNICATE IN A FEW MINUTES.

2. AND FIRST OF ALL CHRIST GAVE SOME APOSTLES. NOW THE BASIC MEANING OF THE WORD APOSTLE IN THE GREEK IS ONE SENT ON A MISSION, A MESSENGER.

* AND IN IT’S PRIMARY AND MOST TECHNICAL USE IN THE N.T. REFERS TO THE 12 APOSTLES INCLUDING MATTHIAS WHO REPLACED JUDAS, ACTS 1:26, AND OF PAUL, WHO WAS UNIQUELY SET APART AS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES IN GALATIANS 1:15-17,

I CORINTHIANS 15:7-9, AND II CORINTHIANS 11:5.

** NOW THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE APOSTLESHIP THAT I’M TALKING ABOUT HERE WAS HAVING BEEN CHOSEN DIRECTLY BY CHRIST AND HAVING WITNESSED THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

*** AND WE SEE THIS IN MARK 3:13&14 AND ACTS 1:22-24.

- AND MARK 3:13&14 SAYS OUT OF THE NAS: AND HE, CHRIST, WENT UP TO THE MOUNTAIN AND SUMMONED THOSE WHOM HE HIMSELF WANTED, AND THEY CAME TO HIM. AND HE APPOINTED TWELVE, THAT THEY MIGHT BE WITH HIM, AND THAT HE MIGHT SEND THEM OUT TO PREACH.

- AND ACTS 1:22-26 SAYS: BEGINNING WITH THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, UNTIL THE DAY THAT HE WAS TAKEN UP FROM US – ONE OF THESE MUST BECOME A WITNESS WITH US OF HIS RESURRECTION. SO THEY PUT FORWARD TWO MEN, JOSEPH CALLED BARSABBAS (WHO WAS ALSO CALLED JUSTUS), AND MATTHIAS, AND THEY PRAYED, AND SAID, “YOU, LORD, WHO KNOW THE HEARTS OF ALL MEN, SHOW WHICH ONE OF THESE TWO YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO OCCUPY THIS MINISTRY AND APOSTLESHIP FROM WHICH JUDAS TURNED ASIDE TO GO TO HIS OWN PLACE.” AND THEY DREW LOTS FOR THEM, AND THE LOT FELL TO MATTHIAS; AND HE WAS ADDED TO THE ELEVEN APOSTLES.

* NOW MATTHIAS WAS CHOSEN. HE TOOK JUDAS ISCARIOT’S PLACE.

3. NOW BEYOND MATTHIAS, PAUL MET THESE QUALIFICATIONS BY CHRIST SPECIALLY CHOOSING HIM TO BE THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, AND OF COURSE PAUL SAW THE RESURRECTED CHRIST ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. AND THAT’S WHY PAUL CALLS HIMSELF A CALLED APOSTLE SET APART FOR THE GOSPEL OF GOD IN ROMANS 1:1.

* SO THE 12 INCLUDING MATTHIAS AND PAUL WERE THE ONES WHO HELD THE OFFICE OF APOSTLE. THERE WERE ONLY 13 OF THEM.

** AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THEREFORE, AS SOME CLAIM, FOR THERE TO BE APOSTLES IN THE CHURCH TODAY. THE APOSTLES HAD NO SUCCESSORS.

4. W. A. CRISWELL APTLY SAYS, “LIKE THE DELEGATES TO A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, WHEN THEIR WORK WAS DONE, THE OFFICE CEASED.”

* ON TOP OF THAT EPHESIANS 2:20 SAYS THAT THE CHURCH IS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS. AND YOU DON’T PUT THE FOUNDATION ON THE 20TH STORY OF A BUILDING.

** SO I BELIEVE THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THAT APOSTLES AND PROPHETS HAVE CEASED, AND THEIR MINISTRY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY EVANGELISTS AND TEACHING PASTORS AS WE’LL LOOK AT THEM IN A MOMENT.

5. BUT ALSO LET ME ADD HERE BEFORE I GO ON, THAT THE TERM APOSTLE IS USED IN A MORE GENERAL SENSE OF OTHER MEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH SUCH AS BARNABUS IN ACTS 14:4, SILAS AND TIMOTHY,

I THESSALONIANS 2:6 AND A FEW OTHER OUTSTANDING LEADERS IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

* AND THESE MEN WERE CALLED MESSENGERS OF THE CHURCHES IN II CORINTHIANS 8:23, WHEREAS THE 13 WERE CALLED APOSTLES OF JESUS AND HELD THAT OFFICE.

** AND NOTE THAT APOSTLES IN BOTH GROUPS WERE AUTHENTICATED BY SIGNS AND WONDERS AND MIRACLES, II CORINTHIANS 12:12, HEBREWS 2:3&4.

*** BUT ALSO NOTE THAT AFTER ACTS 16:4, THE TERM APOSTLE IS NOT USED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, NOW THIS IS NOT A STRONG ARGUMENT, BUT THEY APPEAR TO BE ON THE WAY OUT, NOR IS THERE ANY N.T. RECORD OF AN APOSTLE BEING REPLACED WHEN HE DIED, NO APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.

- SO THE FIRST GROUP OF GIFTED MEN TALKED ABOUT IN EPHESIANS 4:11 ARE APOSTLES. NOW MOVING ON THE 2’D GROUP OF GIFTED MEN GIVEN TO THE CHURCH ARE PROPHETS.

6. AND THESE PROPHETS MENTIONED HERE ARE NOT O.T. PROPHETS BUT N.T. ONES, ANOTHER GROUP OF GIFTED MEN GIVEN TO THE INFANT CHURCH TO HELP ESTABLISH THEM.

* FOR REMEMBER THE N.T. DID NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME. BELIEVERS COULD NOT SIT DOWN IN A N.T. CHURCH AND OPEN UP THEIR NEW TESTAMENTS IN THE APOSTOLIC ERA.

** SO HOW, THEN, WOULD THESE LOCAL ASSEMBLIES FULFILL AND DISCOVER GOD’S WILL?

*** WELL, THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD GIVE GOD’S TRUTH TO THESE PROPHETS SO THEY COULD DECLARE TRUTH AND DECLARE GOD’S WILL. THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD WAS NOT COMPLETE SO THESE MEN WOULD DECLARE GOD’S TRUTH, DIRECTLY FROM THE LORD.

7. AND OF COURSE THIS COULD LEAD TO A PROBLEM IF A PROPHET BEGAN TO GIVE FORTH AS AUTHORITATIVE SOMETHING THAT WAS HIS OWN IDEA, AGAIN THERE WAS NO N.T. TO CHECK HIM OUT.

* SO FOR THIS REASON PAUL ORDERED THAT THE SPIRITS OF THE PROPHETS ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROPHETS IN I CORINTHIANS 14:32. AND THESE MEN WERE TO CHECK ON EACH OTHER DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR MINISTRY ACCORDING TO I CORINTHIANS 14:29 – THERE WAS AN ACCOUNTABILITY.

** I CORINTHIANS 14:29 – “LET TWO OR THREE PROPHETS SPEAK, AND LET THE OTHERS PASS JUDGMENT.”

*** NOW AS TIME WENT ON PROPHETIC MINISTRY WOULD CEASE WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE N.T. AND GOD DOESN’T SPEAK TO THE CHURCH BY DIRECT REVELATION TO INDIVIDUALS TODAY.

*** FOR YOU SEE HIS DIRECT REVELATION IS IN THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE, INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, INERRANT AND AUTHORITATIVE FOR THE BELIEVER.

**** AND THE FOUNDATIONAL MINISTRY OF APOSTLES AND PROPHETS IS PAST AND NO LONGER NEEDED. GOD’S REVELATION IN THE BIBLE IS COMPLETE. WE HAVE ALL THAT WE NEED. DO WE NEED MORE?

- SO BELIEVERS TODAY NEED NOT SEEK DIRECT PROPHETIC REVELATION, WHAT THEY NEED IS TO KNOW THE BIBLE, THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.

8. NOW MOVING ON, THE NEXT GIFTED MEN TALKED ABOUT IN EPHESIANS 4:11 ARE THE EVANGELISTS. AND THE N.T. PICTURE OF AN EVANGELIST IS OF A MAN WHO GOES FROM PLACE TO PLACE WHERE THE GOSPEL HAS NOT BEEN PREACHED.

* HE PREACHES CHRIST, LEADS PEOPLE TO FAITH IN HIM, AND STARTS A CHURCH, HE THEN TEACHES THEM BASIC DOCTRINE, APPOINTS ELDERS AND MOVES ON TO THE NEXT PLACE, HE IS BASICALLY A PLANTER OF CHURCHES, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A MISSIONARY TODAY, MARK DEFELICE BEING A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

** NOW I GET THAT DEFINITION FROM WHAT THE WORD EVANGELISTS MEANS AND WHAT THE EARLY EVANGELISTS LIKE PHILIP AND PAUL, WHO WAS A CHURCH PLANTER DID.

9. FOR THE WORD EVANGELIST LIT. MEANS A BRINGER OF GOOD TIDINGS, MEN WHO PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.

* AND THE WORD EVANGELIST IS USED ONLY 3 TIMES IN THE N.T.; IN EPHESIANS 4:11, IN ACTS 21:8, WHERE PHILIP IS CALLED AN EVANGELIST, AND IN II TIMOTHY 4:5, WHERE TIMOTHY IS TOLD TO DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST.

** BUT THESE LIMITED REFERENCES DESCRIBE A VITAL, EXTENSIVE AND FAR REACHING MINISTRY, INDICATED BY THE USE OF THE VERB YOO-ANG-GHEL-ID-ZO WHICH MEANS TO PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS USED 54 TIMES IN THE N.T. AND THE NOUN EVANGELION WHICH MEANS GOOD NEWS USED 76 TIMES.

10. SO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST IS TO PREACH AND EXPLAIN THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION IN JESUS TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET BELIEVED. HE IS A PROCLAIMER OF SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD.

* AND ALL OF US ARE TO BE PROCLAIMERS OF THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL, ACTS 8.

** BUT THE N.T. EVANGELIST IS SPECIALLY GRACE GIFTED TO BE A KIND OF CHURCH PLANTER AND GIVEN TO THE CHURCH TO REACH THE LOST IN A SPECIAL WAY.

*** HE IS NOT A GUY WITH 10 SUITS AND 10 SERMONS WHO TRAVELS FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH TO HOLD EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS THEN LEAVES. FOR HIS WORK ISN’T FINISHED UNTIL HE HAS FOUNDED A CHURCH.

11. NOW MOVING ON, THE LAST GIFTED MAN LISTED IN EPHESIANS 4:11 IS PASTOR AND TEACHERS, AND I BELIEVE THE SCRIPTURE IS TEACHING US THAT THIS IS ONE MAN, NOT TWO MEN.

* IT DOESN’T SAY SOME PASTORS AND SOME TEACHERS BUT SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS. THESE TWO WORDS ARE LINKED TOGETHER BY THE SAME ARTICLE IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE.

** AND SOME COMMENTATORS AND STUDENTS OF THE WORD BELIEVE THAT PASTORS AND TEACHERS ARE BEST UNDERSTOOD AS ONE GIFTED MAN NOT TWO.

*** JOHN MACARTHUR SAYS OF THIS TEXT THAT OFTEN THE WORD AND, WHICH IS KAI IN THE GREEK, MEANS “THAT IS” OR “IN PARTICULAR”, MAKING TEACHERS IN THIS CONTEXT EXPLANATORY OF PASTORS. SO WE COULD HYPHENATE THIS TO SAY PASTOR HYPHEN TEACHER.

12. AND I TIMOTHY 5:17 ALSO SUGGESTS THIS WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT)

* ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WORK HARD AT PREACHING AND TEACHING, LIT. WHO LABOR TO EXHAUSTION IN THE WORD AND TEACHING.

** AND THOSE TWO FUNCTIONS DEFINE THE TEACHING SHEPHERD WHO IS ONE OF THE ELDERS, ONE OF THE PASTORS, NOT THEE PASTOR, BUT ONE OF A PLURALITY OF PASTORS WHO IS GIVEN TO THE CHURCH FOR A TWO-FOLD PURPOSE.

*** NO. 1 TO PASTOR LIT. TO SHEPHERD, EMPHASIZING THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF THE FLOCK. NO. 2 TEACHING WHICH EMPHASIZES HIS PRIMARY FUNCTION, FEEDING THE FLOCK OF GOD, SO PROTECTING AND FEEDING ARE HIS TWO MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES.

13. AND A PASTOR-TEACHER ALONG WITH THE OTHER PASTORS, WHICH AS A QUALIFICATION HAVE “TO BE ABLE TO TEACH” ARE PRIMARILY EQUIPPERS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO GIVE THEMSELVES TO THE WORD AND PRAYER, ACTS 6:3&4 (ILLUSTRATE DEACONS).

* SO THE PASTOR-TEACHER AND ELDERS, PASTORS, ARE NOT TO BE PROGRAM DIRECTORS BUT TEACHERS OF THE WORD AND MEN OF PRAYER.

** AND THESE MEN ARE TO SUPERINTEND AND TAKE CARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. AND THE N.T. TEACHERS, A PLURALITY OF THESE MEN LEADING AND RULING IN THE CHURCH.

*** AND SPECIFICALLY THE MAIN ROLE OF A PASTOR-TEACHER IS A MAN WHO IS GIFTED WHO SETS HIMSELF APART TO STUDY THE WORD TO DELIVER GOD’S MESSAGE FROM HIS WORD TO FEED AND PROTECT CHRIST’S FLOCK.

- SO HE HAS TO HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO STUDY, AND THAT COMES FROM A COMMITMENT BY A CHURCH FOR PLANNED NEGLECT. (EXPLAIN AND TALK ABOUT EXPECTATIONS AND STEREO-TYPES.) IT’S TOUGH, I CAN’T ALWAYS DO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO AND WHAT IS EASIER FOR ME.

14. NOW WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND, AS WE GO BACK TO EPHESIANS 4:11, WE SEE 4 GIFTED MEN GIVEN TO THE CHURCH. AND THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE BODY BY EVANGELISTS AND TEACHING PASTORS WHO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION THAT THEY STARTED.

* BUT THE TASK IS THE SAME, BRING BELIEVERS TO PERFECTION, LIT. MATURITY, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR SECOND AND LAST POINT TODAY, THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTED MEN AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PEOPLE THEY EQUIP, LOOK AT V. 12.

II. THE PURPOSE, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW THE PURPOSE FOR EVANGELISTS AND TEACHING PASTORS IS THAT THEY ARE TO BE EQUIPPERS OF THE SAINTS, WHICH MEANS BELIEVERS.

* THE EVANGELISTS LEAD PEOPLE TO CHRIST ALONG WITH OTHER BELIEVERS, AND THEN GIVES THE BASICS TO START THE MATURING PROCESS, THEN THE PASTOR-TEACHER PICKS UP FROM THERE AND CONTINUES TO TEACH THE WORD AND BRING BELIEVERS TO OBEDIENCE UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD.

** FOR THE WORD OF GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES TO EQUIP US, TO MATURE US, TO PERFECT US, READ

II TIMOTHY 3:16&17.

*** AND THE TEACHING PASTOR IS TO PREACH AND TEACH THE WORD, LIVE THE WORD AND DO ALL THAT HE CAN TO EQUIP THE SAINTS. AGAIN HIS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO BE AN EQUIPPER.

1. BUT NOTICE THE PROGRESSION FROM HERE. THE EVANGELISTS AND TEACHING-PASTORS EQUIP THE SAINTS SO THAT THE SAINTS DO THE WORK OF SERVICE, THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY.

* THE NIV SAYS: “TO PREPARE GOD’S PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE.” SO WHO SHOULD DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? THE SAINTS, NOT THE PASTORS, THE ELDERS.

** BELOVED THE PASTORS OF THE CHURCH ARE NOT TO BE PROGRAM DIRECTORS, P.R. MEN, AND GUYS WHO DO IT ALL, THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY IS DONE BY THE SAINTS.

2. AND BOY HAVE WE TURNED IT AROUND TODAY. FOR THE OBJECT OF MANY CHURCHES IS TO HIRE MORE PASTORS TO GET THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY DONE WHEN THE RANK AND FILE ARE TO DO IT!

* THE WAY IT IS DONE TODAY: ACTORS ARE PASTORS, THE AUDIENCE IS THE CONGREGATION AND THE DIRECTOR IS GOD.

** THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE: GOD IS THE AUDIENCE, THE PASTORS ARE THE DIRECTORS AND THE CONGREGATION IS THE ACTORS.

*** AND THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE PAID PROFESSIONAL WHO DOES ALL THE WORK IN THE CHURCH THAT IS SPONSORED BY LAY SPECTATORS WHO THROW IN THEIR NICKEL IS NOT BIBLICAL.

**** AND THE WHOLE IDEA OF TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH FEEDS THIS, CLERGY AND LAY SPECTATORS.

***** BUT WE ARE ALL MINISTERS OF CHRIST!! THE SAINTS DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY AS THEY ARE EQUIPPED, BROUGHT TO SPIRITUAL HEALTH, TO A CONDITION OF FITNESS BY THE PASTORS.

3. AND PROPER EQUIPPING BY THE EVANGELISTS AND PASTOR-TEACHERS LEADING TO PROPER SERVICE BY THE CONGREGATION RESULTS INEVITABLY IN THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE END OF V. 12.

* AND THE GREEK WORD FOR BUILDING LIT. REFERS TO THE BUILDING OF A HOUSE, AND WAS USED FIGURATIVELY OF ANY SORT OF CONSTRUCTION.

** AND IT IS THE SPIRITUAL EDIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH OF WHICH PAUL IS SPEAKING HERE, BEING BUILT UP INTERNALLY AS ALL BELIEVERS ARE NURTURED TO FRUITFUL SERVICE THROUGH THE WORD, ACTS 20:32 – TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE WHICH IS ABLE TO BUILD YOU UP.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) THE RESULT OF MATURITY IS REPRODUCTION, MAKING DISCIPLES AND DISCIPLING. A MATURE SHEEP REPRODUCES HIMSELF.

* AND WHEN WE ARE NOT REPRODUCING OURSELVES SPIRITUALLY, ALL OF US MUST TAKE PERSONAL INVENTORY TO SEE IF WE ARE BEING OBEDIENT TO THIS PLAN THAT GOD HAS LAID OUT CLEARLY IN HIS WORD.

** I MUST TAKE INVENTORY IF THE PRIORITY OF MY LIFE AND MY FOCUS AS A PASTOR-TEACHER IS TO EQUIP. AM I FAITHFULLY PROCLAIMING AND DISCIPLING MEN BY COMMUNICATING THE WORD OF GRACE?

(2) AND YOU MUST ASK YOURSELVES, AM I DOING THE WORKS OF SERVICE? AM I USING MY GIFTS? AM I APPLYING WHAT I LEARN EACH WEEK AND WHAT I STUDY ON MY OWN?

* AND ALL OF US MUST EXAMINE OURSELVES THIS MORNING. AND YOU CAN’T DO IT FOR ME AND I CAN’T DO IT FOR YOU. BUT WE MUST DO IT. THIS IS GOD’S WORD THAT WE ARE BEING CONFRONTED WITH TODAY, NOT OPINIONS.

** AND THIS TEXT GIVES US A BASIC BIBLICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY. AND AGAIN THE LORD USES US TO BUILD HIS CHURCH, AND HE WILL BUILD IT IF WE ARE FAITHFUL.

(3) BELOVED LET’S EXAMINE OURSELVES THIS MORNING, MAY WE SEE THE FRUITS OF MATURITY AMONG US.

* LAST OF ALL, II CORINTHIANS 13:5 SAYS: (READ IT).

** ARE YOU IN THE FAITH THIS MORNING? ARE YOU IN CHRIST? ARE YOU A PART OF THE BODY? IF NOT I CALL YOU TO REPENTANCE AND FAITH. READ LUKE 24:47&48.