1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,930 You have your Bibles turned with me to Ephes 2 00:00:02,930 --> 00:00:08,480 ians chapter 4 in verse number 11. 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:16,880 Working our way through verses 11 through 16 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,880 different times, looking at different verses 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:20,000 in 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,250 this one context. And today we're going to 7 00:00:23,250 --> 00:00:26,240 wrap this section up. So I want to begin one 8 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:26,960 more time 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,390 by reading this whole text verses 11 through 10 00:00:31,390 --> 00:00:35,840 16. Russell Paul writes, "And he gave some as 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:36,560 apostles, 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,740 and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, 13 00:00:40,740 --> 00:00:46,670 and some as pastors and teachers, for the equ 14 00:00:46,670 --> 00:00:46,960 ipping 15 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:54,030 of the saints, for the work of service to the 16 00:00:54,030 --> 00:01:00,080 building up of the body of Christ, until we 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:00,480 all 18 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,430 attain to the unity of the faith and of the 19 00:01:04,430 --> 00:01:09,840 knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, 20 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,100 to the measure of the stature which belongs to 21 00:01:14,100 --> 00:01:17,920 the fullness of Christ. As a result, 22 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,080 we are no longer to be children, tossed here 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,400 and there by waves and carried about by every 24 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,340 wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by 25 00:01:30,340 --> 00:01:34,960 craftiness and deceitful scheming. But 26 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:35,680 speaking the 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:40,210 truth in love, we are to grow up in all 28 00:01:40,210 --> 00:01:46,030 aspects into him who is the head, even Christ, 29 00:01:46,030 --> 00:01:47,360 from whom 30 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:52,420 the whole body, being fitted and held together 31 00:01:52,420 --> 00:01:58,480 by what every joint supplies. According to the 32 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:03,060 proper working of each individual part, causes 33 00:02:03,060 --> 00:02:06,800 the growth of the body for the building up of 34 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:12,850 itself in love." Now, last time we were here, 35 00:02:12,850 --> 00:02:19,380 you look there in verse 12, we said that that 36 00:02:19,380 --> 00:02:19,680 word 37 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,940 equipping, also in other translations, is 38 00:02:24,940 --> 00:02:30,000 translated perfecting, same Greek word, and it 39 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:30,960 has to do 40 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,420 with the idea of bringing the saints of God to 41 00:02:35,420 --> 00:02:42,320 spiritual maturity. That's God's will for all 42 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:47,450 Christians, that we are always to be growing 43 00:02:47,450 --> 00:02:52,400 to greater and greater levels of spiritual 44 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:53,200 maturity 45 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,130 in the time that we have in these bodies on 46 00:02:57,130 --> 00:03:02,800 his earth. That is what is involved in, from 47 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:03,760 Romans 8, 48 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:09,420 same thing, God's conforming us to the image 49 00:03:09,420 --> 00:03:12,240 of Christ. That's the same thing, it's the 50 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:12,640 same 51 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:15,630 process as he's conforming us to the image of 52 00:03:15,630 --> 00:03:19,120 Christ. We are growing to greater and greater 53 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,120 levels in our life of spiritual maturity, and 54 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,280 this is a lifelong process for every one of us 55 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:27,280 . 56 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,710 And we have learned in our study of this 57 00:03:30,710 --> 00:03:33,920 section that in addition to giving all 58 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:35,440 individual 59 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,020 Christians spiritual gifts, Christ has also 60 00:03:40,020 --> 00:03:43,760 given to the church as a whole, remember from 61 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:44,720 last time, 62 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,160 there in verse 11, "some as apostles, some as 63 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,310 prophets, some as evangelists, and some as 64 00:03:51,310 --> 00:03:51,760 pastors 65 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,820 and teachers." What for, Paul verse 12, for 66 00:03:55,820 --> 00:03:59,600 the equipping of the saints? That's why those 67 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:00,160 offices 68 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,450 are given, gifted men given for the equipping, 69 00:04:04,450 --> 00:04:08,060 the maturing of the saints. And as we 70 00:04:08,060 --> 00:04:08,880 discussed, 71 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,980 the office of apostles and those New Testament 72 00:04:11,980 --> 00:04:14,560 prophets have passed away, they're done away 73 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,780 with, they were there for the beginning and 74 00:04:16,780 --> 00:04:19,280 the foundation of the building of the church, 75 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:22,190 and now what do we have in the church? Evangel 76 00:04:22,190 --> 00:04:24,800 ists and teaching shepherds, if you remember 77 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:25,040 that 78 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,180 little nuance, that pastors and teachers is 79 00:04:28,180 --> 00:04:31,360 really in the great construction one office, 80 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,930 pastor-teacher teaching shepherd. And these 81 00:04:34,930 --> 00:04:38,920 men down through church history, God has 82 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,560 gifted to be able 83 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:45,900 to equip the saints, synonymous again with 84 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:49,920 bringing the saints to spiritual maturity, how 85 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,520 ? Through 86 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,360 the preaching and teaching of God's word on a 87 00:04:55,360 --> 00:05:00,130 regular consistent basis. Again, the Creeke 88 00:05:00,130 --> 00:05:00,720 word 89 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,380 there for equipping in verse 12, it means 90 00:05:06,380 --> 00:05:13,270 fully equipped, full grown, complete, total, 91 00:05:13,270 --> 00:05:15,040 mature, 92 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,310 all those words carry the idea of the original 93 00:05:17,310 --> 00:05:23,680 meaning. And as you know, God is not demanding 94 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:29,160 out of Christians sinless perfection in this 95 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:35,200 life. If he was, none of us would be able to 96 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:35,600 deliver. 97 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,050 Right? I mean, we can all amen that one, right 98 00:05:39,050 --> 00:05:42,880 ? From personal experience, because we would 99 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:43,200 all 100 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,650 be in a lot of trouble on day one of that 101 00:05:46,650 --> 00:05:52,560 endeavor, right? The only sinless perfection 102 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,240 that any of us have in this life is Jesus's 103 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,960 sinless perfection that he achieved in his 104 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:04,000 life on this 105 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,700 earth as our substitute. And that 106 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:10,300 righteousness, as I said earlier, is then imp 107 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:12,320 uted to us by grace 108 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,000 through faith alone in him. That's the only 109 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,600 sinless perfection we'll ever deal with until 110 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:18,000 we get to 111 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,850 heaven and we're in glory. And then we will be 112 00:06:20,850 --> 00:06:23,760 practically sinlessly perfect. And as a result 113 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:28,880 of that sovereign grace that is extended to us 114 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:35,840 in salvation, God is now asking for fully 115 00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:36,320 equipped, 116 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:42,180 full grown, mature Christians to spend their 117 00:06:42,180 --> 00:06:47,350 lives and being conformed into the image of 118 00:06:47,350 --> 00:06:48,000 his Son 119 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:53,080 with the time that we all have left. God is 120 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:57,040 asking that we mature spiritually 121 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,530 during the time that we live on this earth 122 00:07:00,530 --> 00:07:05,040 from the very moment of regeneration until the 123 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:05,520 very 124 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,820 moment of our last breath. That is what God is 125 00:07:08,820 --> 00:07:13,440 asking of every Christian. If you're a 126 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,660 truly a Christian, you should want that for 127 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:20,960 your life. When you hear me say that, 128 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,600 you should say, "Yes, that is what I want." As 129 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:30,100 I talked about last week, the purpose of the 130 00:07:30,100 --> 00:07:30,480 church 131 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,690 and church leaders, again, is to help you in 132 00:07:35,690 --> 00:07:40,960 this endeavor to bring you all to spiritual 133 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:41,680 maturity. 134 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,010 And as we saw, God uses all kinds of things to 135 00:07:45,010 --> 00:07:47,920 bring us to maturity. He uses, of course, 136 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,540 the Holy Spirit. Remember last week Paul got 137 00:07:50,540 --> 00:07:53,680 on to the Galatians in Galatians 3.3? "Are you 138 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:54,560 so foolish?" 139 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,600 He said, "Having begun by the Spirit, are you 140 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,160 now being perfected by the flesh?" 141 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,840 And the implication is, if you began in the 142 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,320 Spirit, if you were born by the Spirit, if you 143 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:06,720 went 144 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,900 well by the Spirit, you could never get to 145 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:14,000 maturity through the flesh. That only happens 146 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,330 by the power of the Spirit. And then remember, 147 00:08:18,330 --> 00:08:22,320 God brings trials and testings into our life 148 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,900 to bring us to spiritual maturity. Whether you 149 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:27,280 like it or not, that's 150 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,930 how he works. James 1, 2, and 3. "Consider it 151 00:08:30,930 --> 00:08:34,800 all joy, my brethren." How crazy is that? 152 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,570 "Consider it all joy when you encounter 153 00:08:38,570 --> 00:08:42,800 various trials." Only Christians say, "Yes, 154 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,440 joy, trials, 155 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,460 knowing that the testing of your faith 156 00:08:48,460 --> 00:08:51,450 produces endurance." Remember, we went through 157 00:08:51,450 --> 00:08:51,760 that in 158 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,920 James. Only we think like that. And in line 159 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:00,080 with trials and tests, right in line, involved 160 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:00,320 with 161 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,150 that, God uses suffering to mature us. 1 Peter 162 00:09:04,150 --> 00:09:07,870 5, 10, "After you have suffered for a little 163 00:09:07,870 --> 00:09:08,240 while, 164 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,810 the God of all grace, who called you to his 165 00:09:12,810 --> 00:09:17,520 eternal glory in Christ, will himself," look 166 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:17,760 at that 167 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,700 word, "perfect." Same thing as mature, confirm 168 00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:29,360 , strengthen, and establish you. So also, God 169 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:29,920 uses 170 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,930 his word to bring us all to spiritual maturity 171 00:09:33,930 --> 00:09:39,520 . 1 Peter 2, "Like newborn babies." Kind of 172 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:39,760 like my 173 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,720 little grandson, Lawson. He's still, "I want 174 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,530 to buy," he calls it, his bottle. Long. He 175 00:09:45,530 --> 00:09:46,400 longs for that 176 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,810 bottle when he doesn't have it. "Long for the 177 00:09:50,810 --> 00:09:55,040 pure milk of the word, so that by it you may 178 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:55,600 grow." 179 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,940 That's spiritually grow in respect to 180 00:09:57,940 --> 00:10:02,080 salvation. So think about it. The Holy Spirit, 181 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,840 trials, testing, 182 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:08,660 suffering, and the Word of God all play a role 183 00:10:08,660 --> 00:10:13,120 in God working to bring you and to bring me 184 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,630 to greater levels of spiritual maturity in our 185 00:10:16,630 --> 00:10:20,800 Christian life. So as your pastor, 186 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:25,420 I don't need to help the Holy Spirit, right? I 187 00:10:25,420 --> 00:10:28,720 mean, he can handle his role perfectly by 188 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:29,200 himself 189 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,260 without any help from me, correct? And I don't 190 00:10:32,260 --> 00:10:35,840 need to make you suffer and bring trials into 191 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:36,400 your life. 192 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,790 God will take care of that perfectly by 193 00:10:39,790 --> 00:10:44,640 himself, right? But I want area that I am 194 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:45,520 involved in, 195 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,440 in bringing you to spiritual maturity, Sunday 196 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,760 in and Sunday out, bringing you the preaching 197 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,140 of the Word of God. That is where he has 198 00:10:55,140 --> 00:10:58,840 called me to do this work, to assist you. And 199 00:10:58,840 --> 00:10:59,280 that's what 200 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,760 Paul is getting at here in our text. Today, in 201 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,480 our day, it's evangelists and teaching pastors 202 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,710 equipping you, maturing you for the ministry 203 00:11:10,710 --> 00:11:14,880 of the preaching of the Word. As I said, 204 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:15,440 especially 205 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,940 at this stage in the life of our church, folks 206 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:24,550 , and who we have here Sunday in and Sunday out 207 00:11:24,550 --> 00:11:24,560 , 208 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,400 really, this is my primary goal, to bring you 209 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:36,880 and to bring myself higher and greater levels 210 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,110 of spiritual maturity through my pulpit 211 00:11:40,110 --> 00:11:44,640 ministry of the Word. My ultimate goal is not 212 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:45,600 to get more 213 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,580 people in the building here. It's really not. 214 00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:49,470 I mean, we'd like to see that, right? We'd 215 00:11:49,470 --> 00:11:50,160 love to 216 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,820 add a bunch of more chairs and have a bunch of 217 00:11:51,820 --> 00:11:54,800 more people in here. But that really is not 218 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:55,520 the model 219 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,580 of ministry that I follow. Brother Moeke 220 00:11:58,580 --> 00:12:03,300 taught me this long time ago. Success in the 221 00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:04,000 ministry 222 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,250 is not measured by numbers, but by faithful 223 00:12:07,250 --> 00:12:10,720 ness to the work that God has given you to do. 224 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,130 Faithfulness determines success. Now, some 225 00:12:14,130 --> 00:12:17,180 might say, well, that's exactly what I expect 226 00:12:17,180 --> 00:12:17,680 a pastor 227 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:19,860 who has a church of 25 people on Sundays to 228 00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:22,160 say. It's not about the numbers, right? You 229 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:22,560 expect 230 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:26,140 me to say that. But as far as I read here, you 231 00:12:26,140 --> 00:12:29,840 can really double check it. You can look at it 232 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,310 right now. God didn't say he's given some as 233 00:12:33,310 --> 00:12:36,560 evangelists and teaching pastors to fill the 234 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,560 building. Do you see that anywhere in this 235 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:43,760 text? That's not the purpose. Let me tell you 236 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:44,000 something 237 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,190 else. The purpose is really not even to get 238 00:12:47,190 --> 00:12:50,710 people saved. That's a shocker. Although if 239 00:12:50,710 --> 00:12:51,200 somebody 240 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,560 comes in here to our worship service on Sunday 241 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:56,000 , which is designed for the saints, not for the 242 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:56,560 world, 243 00:12:56,560 --> 00:12:59,370 and they get saved, hallelujah. Praise God. We 244 00:12:59,370 --> 00:13:01,910 will be so glad. But the primary purpose in 245 00:13:01,910 --> 00:13:02,160 the 246 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,050 church is for the saints of God to come here 247 00:13:05,050 --> 00:13:08,000 and worship and for the saints of God to come 248 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:08,240 here 249 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,290 and be taught and be brought to maturity. And 250 00:13:11,290 --> 00:13:14,160 if in the process of that, someone who is lost 251 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:14,480 comes 252 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,890 in here and gets saved, hallelujah. Let's bapt 253 00:13:16,890 --> 00:13:20,340 ize them and get them in the fold. A young 254 00:13:20,340 --> 00:13:21,040 preacher 255 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,820 once said to Charles Spurgeon, my congregation 256 00:13:24,820 --> 00:13:28,320 is too small. And Spurgeon said, well, perhaps 257 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:28,560 they 258 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:30,880 are as large as you'd like to give an account 259 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,960 for on the judgment day. Now I can feel that 260 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,080 answer. 261 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,290 The reality here with us is I'm not 262 00:13:41,290 --> 00:13:44,920 responsible for how many. You know what I'm 263 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:46,000 responsible for? 264 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:54,160 What kind of ministry do I have with who it is 265 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,400 that God brings in our door? 266 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:00,670 What kind of ministry is in this building when 267 00:14:00,670 --> 00:14:03,690 you come here and when others come here? I don 268 00:14:03,690 --> 00:14:03,760 't 269 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,400 have any programs. And I'm not here to 270 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:11,580 entertain. I am here to equip the saints more 271 00:14:11,580 --> 00:14:12,240 than anything 272 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,720 else through the preaching of the word of God. 273 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,040 Paul understood this, of course, better than 274 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,750 anybody. He said this, look in Colossians 1.28 275 00:14:22,750 --> 00:14:29,600 . We proclaim him admonishing every man 276 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,980 and teaching every man with all wisdom so that 277 00:14:34,980 --> 00:14:40,160 we may present every man complete. Same word. 278 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:44,720 Mature in Christ. He got it. Paul told Timothy 279 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,240 and 2 Timothy 4 verses 1 and 2, 280 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,640 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God 281 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:55,040 and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living 282 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,570 and the dead and by his appearing and his 283 00:14:58,570 --> 00:15:02,720 kingdom preach the word. Be ready in season 284 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:03,440 and out of 285 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,260 season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great 286 00:15:07,260 --> 00:15:11,280 patience and instruction. Other translations 287 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:16,640 for instruction is doctrine there. Our exhort 288 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:22,410 ation in preaching must always be built upon 289 00:15:22,410 --> 00:15:23,920 doctrine. 290 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,130 We have to continually, from this pulpit, from 291 00:15:28,130 --> 00:15:31,760 the TV screen and Sunday school, we have to 292 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:37,040 continually provide you sound doctrine. That's 293 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:41,730 how you mature the saints. And in order to do 294 00:15:41,730 --> 00:15:42,560 that, 295 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:48,110 look at what Paul says in 2 Timothy 2.15. Be 296 00:15:48,110 --> 00:15:52,900 diligent, not lazy. Be diligent to present 297 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:53,520 yourself 298 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:57,470 approved to God as a workman who does not need 299 00:15:57,470 --> 00:16:01,420 to be ashamed accurately handling the word of 300 00:16:01,420 --> 00:16:01,760 truth. 301 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,220 That has to be the commitment of every 302 00:16:04,220 --> 00:16:07,200 faithful pastor more than anything else. 303 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:13,120 So we've seen here this progress to maturity 304 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:17,680 through gifted men equipping the saints. 305 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,930 And now I want you to notice in this text, 306 00:16:20,930 --> 00:16:23,770 this progression is just going to keep going 307 00:16:23,770 --> 00:16:24,320 like this. 308 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:29,610 Next, we're going to see you, the saints, do 309 00:16:29,610 --> 00:16:34,240 the work of ministry. Look next in verse 12. 310 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,630 The evangelists, again, and the teaching 311 00:16:39,630 --> 00:16:44,000 pastors, what are they for? Verse 12, for 312 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,430 the equipping of the saints, for what? For the 313 00:16:49,430 --> 00:16:54,800 work of service. Also translated for the work 314 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,550 of the ministry. Okay, so you're reading that. 315 00:16:58,550 --> 00:17:02,320 So who does the work of the ministry right 316 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:02,960 there? 317 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,770 The preachers? Saints. A lot of people, 318 00:17:07,770 --> 00:17:10,320 especially older Southern Baptist, 319 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,540 and everybody knows I'm telling the truth, 320 00:17:12,540 --> 00:17:14,560 think that the pastor is supposed to do 321 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:15,120 everything in 322 00:17:15,120 --> 00:17:17,460 the church. He's supposed to cut the grass, do 323 00:17:17,460 --> 00:17:19,510 the sermons, visit all the people and do it 324 00:17:19,510 --> 00:17:20,080 all. 325 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,010 That's not what the Bible is teaching here, is 326 00:17:23,010 --> 00:17:25,280 it? I mean, do you see that anywhere here? 327 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,200 Do you follow the progression of this verse? 328 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,280 The pastors are to concentrate on preaching 329 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:31,440 and 330 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,240 teaching the Word which matures the saints, 331 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,240 and the saints do the work of serving one 332 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:38,800 another, 333 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,850 and the saints do the work of ministry outside 334 00:17:42,850 --> 00:17:46,800 the church. Remember back in Acts 6, 335 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,450 they had the Greek widows were not getting a 336 00:17:50,450 --> 00:17:54,230 fair shake out of the food that was being 337 00:17:54,230 --> 00:17:54,880 passed out. 338 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,560 So they sent a report back to Jerusalem, hey, 339 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,080 we're not getting what we're supposed to get. 340 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,690 Those Jerusalem Jewish widows are getting the 341 00:18:03,690 --> 00:18:05,920 first dibs, and they're getting more food than 342 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:06,400 we are. 343 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,800 So the apostles heard this, and they said, " 344 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,640 Man, we can't get by down at issues like that. 345 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:12,880 We don't 346 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,300 have time for all that. Choose out of this 347 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:18,080 group seven men to handle this." That's where 348 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:18,640 Deacon 349 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,870 started. And then in Acts 6 verse 4, what did 350 00:18:22,870 --> 00:18:26,400 they say? "But we will devote ourselves, 351 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:26,960 apostles, 352 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,340 to prayer and the ministry of the Word." So it 353 00:18:31,340 --> 00:18:34,320 's clear their task was to equip the saints, 354 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:34,720 mature 355 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,240 the saints through their ministry of prayer 356 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,840 and preaching the Word, and then the saints 357 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,850 were to do the practical work of the ministry 358 00:18:42,850 --> 00:18:45,600 and tend to these widows who were not getting 359 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:45,680 a 360 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,580 fair shake with the food. Every Christian is 361 00:18:49,580 --> 00:18:53,360 called a minister. Every Christian has been 362 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:54,480 given spiritual 363 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,060 gifts to do the work of the ministry. You all 364 00:18:58,060 --> 00:19:01,440 have callings and administrations that the 365 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:02,320 Holy Spirit 366 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:07,950 of God enables, empowers, and wants to see you 367 00:19:07,950 --> 00:19:14,020 functioning in. Every one of us is called to 368 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:14,480 serve 369 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,780 in the Church of Jesus Christ in a multitude 370 00:19:18,780 --> 00:19:22,000 of ways. Peter, Peter makes this very clear 371 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,100 in 1 Peter 4-10. Look what he says. "As each 372 00:19:26,100 --> 00:19:29,040 one has received a special gift, 373 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:33,740 employ it in serving one another as good 374 00:19:33,740 --> 00:19:38,960 stewards of the manifold grace of God." God 375 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:39,840 has given every 376 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,280 Christian a gift. We talked about that I think 377 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,200 two Sundays ago, and it could be a gift of 378 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,800 multi-faceted 379 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,850 levels of that gift that can branch out into 380 00:19:48,850 --> 00:19:50,960 all kinds of things that you're gifted to do. 381 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,350 And God has made you all stewards of this gift 382 00:19:54,350 --> 00:19:56,880 , as Peter just said, which means, guess what, 383 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,740 if you're a steward, you don't own that gift. 384 00:20:00,740 --> 00:20:05,920 You're a steward of it. God owns the gift. You 385 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:06,320 only 386 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,890 manage the gift for God. And so it goes 387 00:20:09,890 --> 00:20:13,300 without saying that if he has made you a ste 388 00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:14,240 ward over 389 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,830 the giftedness that he has given to you, he 390 00:20:16,830 --> 00:20:20,320 wants you to use it. He wants you to use it if 391 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:20,720 you don't 392 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,210 know what your gifts are. Find out what they 393 00:20:24,210 --> 00:20:29,280 are and start using them. It's not hard. Every 394 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,900 Christian has a spiritual task, so get to 395 00:20:32,900 --> 00:20:37,610 doing it is what I'm saying. We are here in 396 00:20:37,610 --> 00:20:38,160 the pulpit 397 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,920 ministry with our gifts trying to equip you 398 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,760 through the preaching of the Word so that you 399 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:44,480 can serve 400 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,930 effectively. And then really, when you think 401 00:20:47,930 --> 00:20:51,120 about it, really, the gifts that you have, 402 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:55,110 they're not really for you. They're for others 403 00:20:55,110 --> 00:20:57,680 . And so if you don't use them, 404 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,250 then somebody else doesn't benefit from them 405 00:21:01,250 --> 00:21:03,920 because you're not using them. If you go back 406 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,490 and dig into the book of Acts, it's 407 00:21:06,490 --> 00:21:08,910 interesting. You will actually find that 408 00:21:08,910 --> 00:21:10,640 Christianity started out 409 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,170 as a layperson's movement, really. There weren 410 00:21:15,170 --> 00:21:18,800 't any professionals in the early church. 411 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:24,430 There were laypeople serving each other and 412 00:21:24,430 --> 00:21:26,800 witnessing to the world. And over time, 413 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,130 things changed to what we have today. The 414 00:21:29,130 --> 00:21:33,420 pastorate has become a profession. You get a 415 00:21:33,420 --> 00:21:35,040 degree from a 416 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,310 seminary and then you get called to a church 417 00:21:38,310 --> 00:21:41,680 and you're basically paid by that church to 418 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:42,400 this body 419 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,590 of lay spectators to watch you work. And 420 00:21:45,590 --> 00:21:48,640 especially in big churches, even when they 421 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:49,520 need to get something 422 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:51,760 done in the church, well, they just hire 423 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,560 somebody to do it is what they do. Instead of 424 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:55,280 somebody 425 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,660 within the church that has the ability of 426 00:21:57,660 --> 00:21:59,920 getting the job done and serving in that way, 427 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:02,550 well, just hire somebody outside and pay them. 428 00:22:02,550 --> 00:22:04,560 We got all this money. We can do that. 429 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,850 And what's really wrong? I really think this 430 00:22:07,850 --> 00:22:11,920 is really wrong. It's a lot of churches do 431 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:12,080 this. 432 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,250 You've been in churches that do this. When a 433 00:22:14,250 --> 00:22:17,920 church loses a pastor, what do they do to go 434 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:18,080 get 435 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,520 another one? Well, they go steal one from 436 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,360 another church. They send a pulpit command out 437 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:24,320 and they 438 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,450 sit in the back and they listen to them and 439 00:22:26,450 --> 00:22:29,190 they steal that pastor from that church. And 440 00:22:29,190 --> 00:22:29,360 lo and 441 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:32,110 behold, he gets a calling to come. It seems 442 00:22:32,110 --> 00:22:34,480 like it's never to a smaller church with a 443 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:35,200 lower salary. 444 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,210 Always the calling is to the bigger church 445 00:22:37,210 --> 00:22:39,360 with the higher salary. It seemed like funny 446 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:39,680 how that 447 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:43,360 works out, right? So they steal another church 448 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:49,360 's pastor instead of already having leadership 449 00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:52,770 available that they've trained up within their 450 00:22:52,770 --> 00:22:56,160 own church who's ready to step up to the plate 451 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,670 and take over. That's the way they did it long 452 00:22:58,670 --> 00:23:00,800 ago. They didn't go steal pastors from other 453 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:01,280 churches. 454 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,670 I mean, that's what we got right here in our 455 00:23:03,670 --> 00:23:07,040 church. Look, if Christie's uncle would have 456 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:07,280 been 457 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,650 successful in totally running me over with the 458 00:23:09,650 --> 00:23:12,080 forklift a couple of years ago, which was a 459 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,870 very close moment to death for me a few years 460 00:23:14,870 --> 00:23:18,080 ago. And I met the Lord that day. You got Dr. 461 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,670 R.D. Peters right there ready to go next 462 00:23:20,670 --> 00:23:23,920 Sunday. Next man up. You don't have to have a 463 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:24,320 pastor's 464 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,380 search committee. You don't have to go steal a 465 00:23:26,380 --> 00:23:28,560 pastor from another church. You've already got 466 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:31,680 somebody raised up ready to go. That's the way 467 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,760 it's supposed to be. The setup now of having a 468 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,650 professional pastor or a group of them to do 469 00:23:38,650 --> 00:23:41,520 all the work of the ministry totally. You know 470 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:41,680 what 471 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:46,340 that really does? It really robs the saints in 472 00:23:46,340 --> 00:23:50,800 serving in the church. And really all it does, 473 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,470 especially in these giant churches, it just 474 00:23:53,470 --> 00:23:55,920 makes people Sunday morning spectators. 475 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,970 And the ministry staff does all the serving 476 00:23:58,970 --> 00:24:02,640 and then they just go to the house. One 477 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:03,280 commentator 478 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,780 says this, "The distinction between clergy and 479 00:24:06,780 --> 00:24:10,240 laity is unscriptural and perhaps the greatest 480 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,100 single hindrance to the spread of the gospel." 481 00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:17,770 It's quite a quote. Now, keep everything 482 00:24:17,770 --> 00:24:18,560 balanced. 483 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:22,140 In reality, the Bible does call for special 484 00:24:22,140 --> 00:24:25,050 honor, give honor to whom honor is due for 485 00:24:25,050 --> 00:24:25,600 those who 486 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:27,960 serve as pastors in the church. We know that. 487 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,120 But in the big picture, guess what, man? I'm 488 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:31,520 just one 489 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,270 of you, especially me, the old oil-work 490 00:24:35,270 --> 00:24:39,940 warehouse preaching pastor. Okay? I'm up here 491 00:24:39,940 --> 00:24:40,880 and I'm just 492 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,530 using certain gifts that God has given me to 493 00:24:44,530 --> 00:24:47,550 the best of my ability, the best way I know 494 00:24:47,550 --> 00:24:47,840 how. 495 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:54,910 I'm not educated, but it's not for me to visit 496 00:24:54,910 --> 00:24:58,960 the sick or the shut-ins any more than it is 497 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,630 for you to visit them. You can do that just as 498 00:25:02,630 --> 00:25:06,800 well as I can. It's not for me to call and 499 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:07,120 check 500 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:11,220 on people any more than it is for you to do 501 00:25:11,220 --> 00:25:15,440 that as serving the church. Instead of asking 502 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:16,240 me, "Hey, 503 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,210 have you heard from so-and-so in a while? We 504 00:25:18,210 --> 00:25:21,120 haven't seen them in church in a while." Well, 505 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:23,620 you'll call them. We got the numbers. We got 506 00:25:23,620 --> 00:25:25,600 everybody's number. You haven't seen them in a 507 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,540 while. Don't call me. Call them and say, "Hey, 508 00:25:27,540 --> 00:25:29,420 what's going on?" Guess what? When you do that 509 00:25:29,420 --> 00:25:29,680 , 510 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,150 you represent the church just as well as I can 511 00:25:32,150 --> 00:25:35,920 . You do it just as well. It's not just for me 512 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:36,320 to do. 513 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,380 Guess what? It's even the same thing with 514 00:25:38,380 --> 00:25:40,000 discipling new Christians. 515 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,410 Those of you who have some maturity, you got 516 00:25:44,410 --> 00:25:49,360 some time walking in the Lord, guess what? You 517 00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:50,080 can 518 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,470 disciple a new Christian just as well as I can 519 00:25:53,470 --> 00:25:57,120 . And you should do that. The same thing with 520 00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:57,440 helping 521 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,750 people with their problems. I don't care 522 00:25:59,750 --> 00:26:02,250 whether it's spiritual or physical. You run 523 00:26:02,250 --> 00:26:03,040 into a snag, 524 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,790 you don't know the answer to the question. 525 00:26:04,790 --> 00:26:06,880 Yeah, come see me. But you can do that just as 526 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:07,200 well as 527 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,100 I can, praying for people, encouraging people, 528 00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:12,400 witnessing to people outside the church. The 529 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,940 list is long. And you can do all those things 530 00:26:15,940 --> 00:26:20,750 just as well as I can. And listen to this. If 531 00:26:20,750 --> 00:26:21,440 our church 532 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,620 is functioning at really that kind of optimum 533 00:26:25,620 --> 00:26:29,520 level in the way that Paul is talking about 534 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:29,840 here, 535 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:35,600 you all together will be serving in those ways 536 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:40,140 and more than I just listed for you. And I 537 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:40,480 mean, 538 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,250 I'm already doing my primary work of service. 539 00:26:43,250 --> 00:26:45,760 The old plate is full if you catch my drift. 540 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:47,540 All right? If you think it ain't, just come 541 00:26:47,540 --> 00:26:49,200 follow me around for a couple of days. I got 542 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,270 an extra bedroom. You can watch what I do. But 543 00:26:52,270 --> 00:26:57,440 again, look at verse 12. It's very clear. The 544 00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:59,780 equipping of the saints is happening right 545 00:26:59,780 --> 00:27:02,480 this minute. It's happening. You're being 546 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:02,880 equipped 547 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,720 right now. What is it for? For you? For the 548 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,660 work of service. That's you. My primary work 549 00:27:10,660 --> 00:27:11,200 is equipping 550 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,060 you through the prisoner word to do this, to 551 00:27:14,060 --> 00:27:16,800 do the work of ministry, to do the work of 552 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:17,200 service. 553 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,580 God has designed the church not to be a place 554 00:27:20,580 --> 00:27:24,480 where you just come on Sunday as a spectator, 555 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,030 to be served by the pastor who has prepared 556 00:27:27,030 --> 00:27:29,680 all week this sermon for you to hear. And then 557 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:29,840 you 558 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:35,100 just go to the house. Look, my task in 559 00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:39,720 studying in prayer or anything else is to try 560 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:41,760 to develop in 561 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:47,450 all of you full grown, fully mature, equipped 562 00:27:47,450 --> 00:27:53,280 saints, including myself, in order for you to 563 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:53,760 do 564 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:57,070 the work of the ministry in the church. That's 565 00:27:57,070 --> 00:28:00,160 how this all works. If everybody in here 566 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,450 is fully functioning in the way that God 567 00:28:04,450 --> 00:28:08,480 intended for all churches to function, let me 568 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:08,720 tell you 569 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,750 something. We will have a really healthy 570 00:28:11,750 --> 00:28:16,160 church that makes an impact in this world no 571 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:16,560 matter what 572 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,110 our size is, no matter how many people we have 573 00:28:19,110 --> 00:28:22,320 . If everybody's functioning at this level, man 574 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:22,320 , 575 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:26,380 there's no telling what God may do. All 576 00:28:26,380 --> 00:28:31,040 pastors really just love when somebody comes 577 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:31,520 up to them 578 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:37,650 after church and they say, "I think we need to 579 00:28:37,650 --> 00:28:42,400 do this or that," which in the Greek really 580 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:42,800 means 581 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:48,540 "I think you need to do this or that." Really? 582 00:28:48,540 --> 00:28:53,600 Huh? Look, I've told you this before a bunch 583 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:54,000 of time. 584 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:56,450 If you come up with an idea to minister in a 585 00:28:56,450 --> 00:28:59,760 certain way, whether it's inside the church 586 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,740 or outside the church, you come up to me, you 587 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:03,710 know what I'm always going to say? Well, that 588 00:29:03,710 --> 00:29:03,760 's 589 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:09,050 insane. I say, "That sounds great. Get to work 590 00:29:09,050 --> 00:29:14,160 , head it up, gather some people, get a team, 591 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,560 and I'll support you in whatever you want to 592 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:22,000 do." That's how I roll, okay? Look, I'd be 593 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:22,560 doing you a 594 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,760 disservice if I said, "Okay, give me that. I 595 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,930 'll do all that." That would rob you of your 596 00:29:26,930 --> 00:29:27,520 opportunity 597 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:30,830 to serve, right? That's what this is about. Go 598 00:29:30,830 --> 00:29:34,060 back to verse 12. Pastors are from the equ 599 00:29:34,060 --> 00:29:34,320 ipping 600 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,090 of the saints for the work of service and then 601 00:29:37,090 --> 00:29:40,480 looks next. What happens to the building up of 602 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,620 the body of Christ? That's the next thing in 603 00:29:43,620 --> 00:29:46,800 the progression. When we all do our part and 604 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:47,440 the whole 605 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:51,080 church is maturing properly and we are serving 606 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,880 one another with our individual gifts, God's 607 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:55,200 will 608 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,000 is fulfilled and we demonstrate, hey, this is 609 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,940 a spiritually mature church. Look how they 610 00:30:00,940 --> 00:30:01,520 function 611 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,550 in serving with one another and outside the 612 00:30:04,550 --> 00:30:07,600 four walls. I mean, we don't want a church 613 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:07,920 that can, 614 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:13,320 we should strive for a church that can stand 615 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:18,080 tall with maturity and represent Jesus Christ 616 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:18,480 to the 617 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,170 outside world. And when people come in here 618 00:30:21,170 --> 00:30:23,900 and get a little dose, they say, "Wow, this 619 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:24,560 place is 620 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,980 different." And it doesn't stop there. Keep 621 00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:31,760 going. Next, verse 13. What happens next in 622 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:32,880 this progression 623 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,350 until we attain to the unity of the faith? Oh 624 00:30:36,350 --> 00:30:39,640 boy. Remember, we said God wants a united 625 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:40,560 church. 626 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:46,370 God wants a mature, working, serving, unified 627 00:30:46,370 --> 00:30:50,800 church. If you have a church full of immature 628 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:51,600 saints, 629 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,190 which many places are, that's where you get 630 00:30:54,190 --> 00:30:56,560 all the strife in the church. That's where you 631 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:56,720 get 632 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,150 all the fights and the problems and the 633 00:30:59,150 --> 00:31:01,470 arguments between one another. And that 634 00:31:01,470 --> 00:31:02,960 usually leads to 635 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,620 church splits as some of us are very well 636 00:31:05,620 --> 00:31:08,510 familiar with from days gone by where David 637 00:31:08,510 --> 00:31:09,440 Miller used 638 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,270 to say one group goes down the road to start a 639 00:31:12,270 --> 00:31:15,390 new church and they call it a manual Baptist, 640 00:31:15,390 --> 00:31:15,680 God 641 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:20,920 with us. Remember, Paul is still not done with 642 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:26,320 this train of thought. When we are functioning 643 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:30,880 properly, folks, not only will we come to the 644 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,000 unity of the faith, but look at this next one 645 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:34,320 in verse 646 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:38,730 13, "And of the knowledge of the Son of God." 647 00:31:38,730 --> 00:31:42,720 We definitely want the church to grow up into 648 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:42,960 the 649 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,190 knowledge of the Son of God, right? Let me 650 00:31:45,190 --> 00:31:47,520 tell you something. This knowledge right here, 651 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:53,010 this isn't just basic knowledge. This is deep, 652 00:31:53,010 --> 00:31:57,560 personal, experiential acquaintance with 653 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:57,920 Christ, 654 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,160 which only comes about in your life when you 655 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:04,400 are being equipped through the preaching of 656 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:05,200 the word 657 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:08,920 and not only that, your own personal study for 658 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,800 yourself. Both of those things have to happen. 659 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,380 Look at what Paul says in Philippians 3-10 660 00:32:17,380 --> 00:32:22,410 that I may know him. That's the goal and the 661 00:32:22,410 --> 00:32:23,280 power 662 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:27,470 of his resurrection and the fellowship of his 663 00:32:27,470 --> 00:32:31,040 sufferings being conformed to his death. 664 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:35,210 Again, if you have some time under your belt 665 00:32:35,210 --> 00:32:38,000 living the Christian life, 666 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:42,450 do you not recognize what a joy it is to know 667 00:32:42,450 --> 00:32:46,800 Christ at the depth that you do now than when 668 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,010 you first believed in Christ? Don't you know a 669 00:32:50,010 --> 00:32:52,640 lot more about him now than you did when you 670 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,820 first believed? How fulfilling is it in your 671 00:32:55,820 --> 00:33:01,520 life experience to come to know Christ more 672 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:02,240 and more 673 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,010 and more as the days go along? That's the best 674 00:33:06,010 --> 00:33:09,280 thing in life. And this is what Paul is saying 675 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:09,440 . 676 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,960 The results here in this progression are unity 677 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,600 and an ever-deepening knowledge of the Son of 678 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:17,840 God 679 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:19,640 as you're being equipped as you're doing your 680 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,720 own study. Paul's not done though. Look next 681 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:22,960 in verse 682 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:27,240 13. What does that result in? To a mature man, 683 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,920 man and woman, to the measure of the stature 684 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:31,040 which 685 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:36,390 belongs to the fullness of Christ. That result 686 00:33:36,390 --> 00:33:41,410 is the primary goal to become more like Christ 687 00:33:41,410 --> 00:33:41,440 . 688 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:47,330 San Corinthians 3/18. But we all with unveiled 689 00:33:47,330 --> 00:33:51,760 face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the 690 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:52,480 Lord 691 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:56,320 are being, this is what's happening to us, 692 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:00,320 transformed into the same image Christ from 693 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:02,000 glory to glory 694 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,420 just as from the Lord the Spirit. There it is 695 00:34:05,420 --> 00:34:10,640 right there. That's the goal. Transformed into 696 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:11,760 the same 697 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,690 image, the glory of the Lord back to verse 13 698 00:34:14,690 --> 00:34:17,830 of our text to a mature man. We want our 699 00:34:17,830 --> 00:34:18,560 church 700 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:23,040 to represent a full-grown Christ when people 701 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:28,960 come in here. Mature saints verse 13 to the 702 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:29,600 measure of 703 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:32,600 the stature which belongs to the fullness of 704 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,920 Christ. It's very clear from all this that God 705 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,290 is not satisfied that people just go to church 706 00:34:38,290 --> 00:34:40,480 , just show up at church and that's it. I've 707 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:41,040 done 708 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,140 check the box off. I'm done for the week. Let 709 00:34:43,140 --> 00:34:44,720 me tell you something that's necessary. 710 00:34:44,720 --> 00:34:48,420 In fact, it's a command, not a suggestion to 711 00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:51,600 forsake not the assembling of yourselves 712 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,240 together. 713 00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:53,960 And if you're a Christian and you're regener 714 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:55,760 ate and you've been born again and you have the 715 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:56,160 sovereign 716 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,130 grace of God in your life, there's no place on 717 00:34:59,130 --> 00:35:01,760 earth you might rather be in your heart on 718 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:02,320 Sunday 719 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:06,000 than in God's house. But he wants more out of 720 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,500 us than just participating in a spectator 721 00:35:09,500 --> 00:35:10,080 sport. 722 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:15,510 He wants his will is to have full, grown, 723 00:35:15,510 --> 00:35:21,870 mature, robust, vibrant, strong saints to be 724 00:35:21,870 --> 00:35:23,680 functioning 725 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,760 in his church the way that he has designed 726 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:30,160 them to function. That's what he wants. 727 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,760 Now, there's another result here that Paul 728 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:37,440 lists and this is very important. Again, 729 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,020 we're in this progression. One thing leads to 730 00:35:40,020 --> 00:35:43,560 another. Look at verse 14 as a result. The 731 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:43,840 result 732 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:47,550 of all that we just read. We are no longer to 733 00:35:47,550 --> 00:35:51,200 be children tossed here and there by waves 734 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:55,010 and carried about by every wind of doctrine by 735 00:35:55,010 --> 00:35:59,040 the trickery of men by craftiness in deceitful 736 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:01,640 scheming. So with all that we just learned 737 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,160 leading up to this verse, when you are 738 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:05,200 spiritually 739 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:07,820 mature as a result, you will have the 740 00:36:07,820 --> 00:36:11,120 knowledge of sound doctrine. You can't be 741 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:12,640 mature without having 742 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:14,710 this knowledge of sound doctrine. And let's 743 00:36:14,710 --> 00:36:17,520 look at that verse again. Who is it there in 744 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:18,000 the verse 745 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,090 that gets carried away by every wind of 746 00:36:20,090 --> 00:36:22,390 doctrine by the trickiness of men by craft 747 00:36:22,390 --> 00:36:23,520 iness and deceitful 748 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:29,550 scheming? Who is it? Children. Children. What 749 00:36:29,550 --> 00:36:33,430 does that mean? Spiritually immature 750 00:36:33,430 --> 00:36:33,920 Christians. 751 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:38,650 People, Christians in the church who lack 752 00:36:38,650 --> 00:36:45,520 discernment. They are gullible. They fall 753 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,720 for the TV preachers. They fall for them for 754 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:51,770 the craftiness and trickery and deceitful 755 00:36:51,770 --> 00:36:52,720 scheming 756 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:55,470 of the false teachers that permeate our 757 00:36:55,470 --> 00:36:58,480 internet, that permeate our airwaves on 758 00:36:58,480 --> 00:36:59,840 television. When 759 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:03,440 you are mature, when you are equipped, when 760 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,800 the Word of God abides in you, when you study 761 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:07,280 to show 762 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,730 yourself approved on the God of workmen who's 763 00:37:09,730 --> 00:37:12,400 not ashamed in your personal study, guess what 764 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:12,640 you're 765 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,470 like? You're just like what it says at the end 766 00:37:15,470 --> 00:37:18,660 of 1 John 2.14 at the end there. You are 767 00:37:18,660 --> 00:37:19,120 strong. 768 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,080 And the Word of God abides in you and you have 769 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:27,040 overcome the evil one. That's what you are. 770 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:31,050 So many Christians get pulled into false 771 00:37:31,050 --> 00:37:34,240 doctrine. You know why? Because they're 772 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:35,280 infants 773 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,790 in the faith and they stay as infants and they 774 00:37:38,790 --> 00:37:42,320 don't study the Word and they are not equipped 775 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,470 properly with sound doctrine at their church. 776 00:37:45,470 --> 00:37:48,800 They just up listening to man-centered dribble 777 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:52,590 in Jesus' name. Walter Martin is an important 778 00:37:52,590 --> 00:37:55,440 author. He's dead now. Back in I think it was 779 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:55,600 the 780 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:57,720 70s or maybe the 80s. It might have been the 781 00:37:57,720 --> 00:38:00,110 70s. He wrote a very important book called The 782 00:38:00,110 --> 00:38:00,400 Kingdom 783 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,110 of the Cults. And what he did is he wrote the 784 00:38:04,110 --> 00:38:07,520 basic teachings of all the major cults that we 785 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:07,680 have, 786 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:11,180 especially here in America. He said in that 787 00:38:11,180 --> 00:38:16,000 book this, "Isn't it amazing that a 90-day 788 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:16,720 wonder out 789 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:18,590 of the Jehovah's Witness can take apart the 790 00:38:18,590 --> 00:38:22,980 average Christian in 30 minutes?" Let me tell 791 00:38:22,980 --> 00:38:23,040 you 792 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,350 something. That's so true. But Christians who 793 00:38:25,350 --> 00:38:29,760 don't know their own doctrine well. But to not 794 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:31,040 be 795 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,550 that kind of Christian, not only do you have 796 00:38:34,550 --> 00:38:38,960 to be in a sound biblical church, let me tell 797 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:39,200 you, 798 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,370 also you have to do the study for yourself. 799 00:38:42,370 --> 00:38:45,520 You can't just rely on only the equipping that 800 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:46,000 happens 801 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,430 here on Sunday. Becoming a theologically 802 00:38:49,430 --> 00:38:53,590 knowledgeable, discerning Christian takes work 803 00:38:53,590 --> 00:38:54,320 on your own 804 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,960 part in your own study. Let me tell you 805 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,160 something. I don't have any more education 806 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:01,120 than anybody else 807 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:03,410 in here. I've got a high school diploma. I 808 00:39:03,410 --> 00:39:05,870 didn't go to seminary. I'm not smarter or have 809 00:39:05,870 --> 00:39:06,320 a higher 810 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:08,940 IQ than anybody in here. But I discipline 811 00:39:08,940 --> 00:39:11,770 myself to do the work to know what I know. You 812 00:39:11,770 --> 00:39:12,080 can do 813 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:15,930 the same thing as me. You can do exactly like 814 00:39:15,930 --> 00:39:19,680 I have done. Turn off the TV. Put the phone 815 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,760 down is the only way you're going to get there 816 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:26,560 . Get in the word. Put the phone down. Put the 817 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:29,960 computer down. Turn the TV off and get in some 818 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:33,140 good sound theological books. If you don't 819 00:39:33,140 --> 00:39:33,360 know 820 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:35,890 any, come ask me. I got a whole bunch of them 821 00:39:35,890 --> 00:39:38,880 back there and at my house. Let me tell you 822 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:39,360 something. 823 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:42,640 You can even study the doctrine of the cults 824 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:46,480 that come to your door so that you can witness 825 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:47,280 to them 826 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:49,640 in an effective way. And generally in America, 827 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:51,360 there are only two that's going to come to 828 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:51,520 your 829 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,390 door, right? Mormons and Jehovah's Witness. 830 00:39:55,390 --> 00:39:58,800 Primarily 99.999% of the time, the only people 831 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:00,890 that are coming knock on your door are them 832 00:40:00,890 --> 00:40:03,120 too. Let me tell you something. It doesn't 833 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:03,600 take a lot 834 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,220 of time at all to understand the basics of 835 00:40:07,220 --> 00:40:11,500 what they teach about who God is and how he 836 00:40:11,500 --> 00:40:12,160 operates 837 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:14,950 in salvation from their unbiblical perspective 838 00:40:14,950 --> 00:40:17,760 . It doesn't take a lot of time. I can take you 839 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:20,720 through it myself. Last time Jehovah's Witness 840 00:40:20,720 --> 00:40:23,200 came to my house, Christie took a picture and 841 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:24,970 she posted it on Facebook. Boy, was that an 842 00:40:24,970 --> 00:40:29,120 interesting day for them. I'm sure they didn't 843 00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:30,870 have anybody else's house that day. It was 844 00:40:30,870 --> 00:40:33,840 quite like the visit that we had. But what I'm 845 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:34,160 telling 846 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,160 you is when they knock on the door, don't be 847 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:38,640 hiding behind the curtain. Oh, look out Martha 848 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:38,640 , 849 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:41,590 they're here again. Be quiet so they don't 850 00:40:41,590 --> 00:40:46,350 hear us in here. Oh, arm yourself. Get a 851 00:40:46,350 --> 00:40:47,520 little booklet 852 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:49,620 back there right down that shelf. Eight things 853 00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:51,680 or something you need to learn about Jehovah's 854 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:54,210 Witness. It don't take much so that when they 855 00:40:54,210 --> 00:40:57,120 do knock on the door, you open it. Come on in. 856 00:40:57,120 --> 00:40:57,280 I'm 857 00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:59,780 glad to see you. Have a seat right here on the 858 00:40:59,780 --> 00:41:01,620 couch and then you can present the true 859 00:41:01,620 --> 00:41:02,480 accurate 860 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:05,170 biblical gospel to them as opposed to what 861 00:41:05,170 --> 00:41:08,060 they're teaching and wonder of wonders the 862 00:41:08,060 --> 00:41:08,880 Lord might use 863 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:11,640 that to get them saved. I can't tell you. I 864 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:15,520 can't. James White can't even count the number 865 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:16,080 of Mormon 866 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:17,960 missionaries that have been saved in him 867 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:20,000 comparing the biblical gospel to the Mormon 868 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:21,280 God. It's just 869 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,940 unending numbers and they come back to him and 870 00:41:23,940 --> 00:41:26,480 they tell him, oh man, that night you spent 871 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:26,960 that time 872 00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:30,110 with me and now I see the truth and they get 873 00:41:30,110 --> 00:41:33,920 saved. Let them in the door. Every single one 874 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:34,400 of you in 875 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:37,190 this room should be able to do this. Every one 876 00:41:37,190 --> 00:41:39,890 of you should. And that's in line with 1st 877 00:41:39,890 --> 00:41:41,200 Peter 315. 878 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:44,640 You know this verse, but sanctify as the Lord 879 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,550 in your hearts always be ready to make a 880 00:41:47,550 --> 00:41:48,320 defense 881 00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:51,560 to everyone who asks you to give an account 882 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:54,520 for the hope that is in you yet with gent 883 00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:55,360 leness and 884 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:57,630 reverence. That person shows up your door with 885 00:41:57,630 --> 00:42:00,020 some false doctrine. You ought to be able to 886 00:42:00,020 --> 00:42:00,320 defend 887 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,580 the faith and tell them, here's what the Bible 888 00:42:03,580 --> 00:42:07,200 says. But notice it's right in line with where 889 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:07,520 Paul 890 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:11,010 goes next in this progression in Ephesians 415 891 00:42:11,010 --> 00:42:14,860 , but speaking the truth in love. Oh, stop 892 00:42:14,860 --> 00:42:15,600 there. 893 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:19,630 This is one of the big purposes of being 894 00:42:19,630 --> 00:42:24,480 spiritually mature, that you develop the 895 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:25,120 ability 896 00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:29,560 to speak the truth. Yes, uncompromisingly, don 897 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:33,760 't leave anything out. Yes, but you do it in 898 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:34,240 love. 899 00:42:34,240 --> 00:42:36,880 When we make a defense of the faith, when we 900 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,560 present the true gospel, we're not trying to 901 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:39,840 win 902 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:43,560 an argument. We're not trying to beat somebody 903 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:47,360 down verbally with our theological knowledge, 904 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,070 so we can just wipe them out with what we know 905 00:42:50,070 --> 00:42:52,650 and make them feel bad. We're trying to 906 00:42:52,650 --> 00:42:53,520 present the 907 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:57,680 gospel in order to see another sinner like us 908 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:01,600 adopted by grace into God's family. That's 909 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:01,680 what 910 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:05,250 we're trying to do. The motive is love. Speak 911 00:43:05,250 --> 00:43:08,640 the truth in love. What's the method Peter 912 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:08,800 just 913 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:11,130 told us? Gentleness and reverence. You're not 914 00:43:11,130 --> 00:43:13,120 up there hollering and screaming at them that 915 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:13,280 they 916 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,860 go into hell for what they believe. No, gent 917 00:43:15,860 --> 00:43:18,570 leness and reverence. Be smart. Be smart in how 918 00:43:18,570 --> 00:43:19,200 you do it. 919 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:22,140 There are two great enemies to evangelism. 920 00:43:22,140 --> 00:43:27,840 Number one, not speaking the truth. In other 921 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,780 words, not giving an accurate gospel 922 00:43:30,780 --> 00:43:33,810 presentation. God loves you and has a 923 00:43:33,810 --> 00:43:34,720 wonderful plan for your 924 00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:38,260 life. It's not the gospel. Number two, indif 925 00:43:38,260 --> 00:43:42,110 ference to people. Second greatest hindrance. 926 00:43:42,110 --> 00:43:42,960 Cold indifference 927 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:45,400 to people where you just don't care. You just 928 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,680 want to go to battle and you just want to show 929 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:49,780 them how superior your belief system is to 930 00:43:49,780 --> 00:43:53,120 theirs. Don't even do that. Don't even do that 931 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:53,360 if that's 932 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:56,420 what your motive is. Paul is saying mature 933 00:43:56,420 --> 00:43:59,680 saints will speak the truth. They will care 934 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:00,160 about the 935 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:04,360 person they're speaking to and they will do it 936 00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:09,020 in love. Sound, effective, evangelism is just 937 00:44:09,020 --> 00:44:09,280 a 938 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,750 byproduct. When you do it right, spiritual 939 00:44:12,750 --> 00:44:16,440 maturity. As brother Ed used to say, doing God 940 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:17,120 's work, 941 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:22,080 God's way. God's way for God's glory. So we've 942 00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:25,760 walked our way through this progression of 943 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:29,060 maturity for the church today. Gifted men, 944 00:44:29,060 --> 00:44:32,780 teaching pastors evangelists, equip the saints 945 00:44:32,780 --> 00:44:33,040 . Then what 946 00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:35,440 happens? The saints do the work of the 947 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:38,540 ministry. What happens then? The body is built 948 00:44:38,540 --> 00:44:39,200 up and the 949 00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:43,680 results of a mature body are unity within the 950 00:44:43,680 --> 00:44:47,600 body, deep fellowship with Christ, Christ 951 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:48,560 likeness, 952 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:51,970 the knowledge of sound doctrine, and a loving, 953 00:44:51,970 --> 00:44:55,360 truth-telling evangelism to the world around 954 00:44:55,360 --> 00:44:55,520 us. 955 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,740 And then Paul's going to conclude all of that 956 00:44:58,740 --> 00:45:02,080 with the back into verse 15 and on into verse 957 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:02,560 16. 958 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,370 Let's look at them together. We are to grow up 959 00:45:05,370 --> 00:45:09,600 . That's us in all aspects into him who is the 960 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:09,840 head, 961 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:15,070 even Christ. Verse 16, from whom the whole 962 00:45:15,070 --> 00:45:18,810 body, that's us, being fitted and held 963 00:45:18,810 --> 00:45:20,560 together by what 964 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:24,200 every joint supplies. Look at this. According 965 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:27,520 to the proper working of each individual part, 966 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:30,020 so each individual part of the body of Christ 967 00:45:30,020 --> 00:45:33,770 has to be working together, causes the growth 968 00:45:33,770 --> 00:45:34,000 of the 969 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:38,040 body for the building up of itself in love. 970 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:42,640 And that's how Paul concludes this section. 971 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:43,360 Simply put, 972 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:47,700 Christ is the head from whom the whole body of 973 00:45:47,700 --> 00:45:52,240 Christ in all its individual parts working 974 00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:52,800 together 975 00:45:53,360 --> 00:45:56,180 is how the body functions properly. And the 976 00:45:56,180 --> 00:45:59,620 power for all of this is not ours. It's Christ 977 00:45:59,620 --> 00:46:00,080 . 978 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:04,430 All the parts individually come together 979 00:46:04,430 --> 00:46:08,800 because of Christ's power. Notice the emphasis 980 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:09,280 so far 981 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:12,920 in our text has been on our effort, our 982 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:16,440 responsibility, our service. And that's right. 983 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:17,120 All of that is 984 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,940 absolutely clear and unmistakable what Paul is 985 00:46:19,940 --> 00:46:22,400 meaning. But when we come here to the end of 986 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:22,640 this 987 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:26,480 section, who does it all come back to? Jesus. 988 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:31,430 It all comes back to Jesus. As we say on the 989 00:46:31,430 --> 00:46:31,600 time, 990 00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:34,780 if we are the place here where Christ is 991 00:46:34,780 --> 00:46:38,560 building his church, not us, certainly don't 992 00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:38,960 look to me 993 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:41,280 to build it, Christ is building the church. 994 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:43,220 And you know what will happen more than 995 00:46:43,220 --> 00:46:44,000 anything else 996 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:46,930 here? Christ will be on it. Christ will be 997 00:46:46,930 --> 00:46:50,230 magnified. Christ will be glorified. All the 998 00:46:50,230 --> 00:46:50,960 glory, 999 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:54,010 all the emphasis will be put toward him. 1000 00:46:54,010 --> 00:46:57,120 Scripture will be fulfilled. And then we will 1001 00:46:57,120 --> 00:47:01,650 know the fullness and the fountfulness as God 1002 00:47:01,650 --> 00:47:06,480 designed it to be in his church. Is that what 1003 00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:06,640 you 1004 00:47:06,640 --> 00:47:10,370 want? You can get to it. Let's pray. Father, 1005 00:47:10,370 --> 00:47:13,520 we thank you, Lord, for this convicting 1006 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:13,840 section 1007 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:17,640 from the Apostle Paul. Oh, you feel it from 1008 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:21,670 Paul, that he's just trying with all his guts 1009 00:47:21,670 --> 00:47:22,000 to get 1010 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:25,330 his point across to what God's design is for 1011 00:47:25,330 --> 00:47:30,880 his church. Lord, help us. We get weary in our 1012 00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:32,480 struggle 1013 00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:35,000 with the world of flesh and the devil. But 1014 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:37,920 take this message, Lord, and help it, starting 1015 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:38,480 with me, 1016 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:42,470 to invigorate and motivate us, Lord, to serve 1017 00:47:42,470 --> 00:47:45,680 you at optimum level and live in such a way as 1018 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:45,920 you 1019 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:48,620 are brought on the glory. In Jesus' name we 1020 00:47:48,620 --> 00:47:49,440 pray. Amen.