STRONGER-Part 11-AFTER THE SERMON
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a sermon group discussion. CLICK HERE to find a discussion group. Enjoy!
Sermon Title: STRENGTHENING THE CHURCH-PART 2
Main Scripture: Ephesians 4:13-16
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Check out this overview of the entire book, especially the first chapters of Ephesians to better understand the depth of Ephesians 1 Ephesians Overview
Summary:
Pastor Ryan finished verses 13-16 this week. We learned last week that we all have received gifts from Christ. These gifts are meant to equip and build up the body of Christ, the church. The leadership gifts given to the church are responsible to equip us, the saints. We saints are responsible for submitting to the equipping process for works of service in the body and for God’s mission on earth. But we also have received gifts that we should learn and grow in to build up the body of Christ too. The result of this maturity and building up is we will be more like Jesus. We won’t be like little children being tossed back and forth by every new wave of teaching. We will have the discernment to keep us from falling for clever lies. We will be full of truth and love and speak to one another with both, truth and love. Lastly, there will be cooperation and teamwork resulting in a church that is healthy and full of love. Paul showed us in verses 1-6 how we keep and preserve unity. Now Paul is showing us that we strengthen the church and our unity through the gifts of Christ and Christ-like maturity.
Pastor Ryan’s teaching notes:
Three signs of spiritual growth:
Stability - v. 14
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
Verse 14 is the positive outcome from being equipped, serving one another and maturing in our knowledge and walk with Jesus Christ. But verse 14 also implies the danger if we are not equipped, not serving with our gifts, and not maturing in our knowledge and walk with Jesus Christ.
Paul paints a vivid picture here of the instability of immature believers or spiritual infancy. They are like little boats in a stormy sea, totally vulnerable to the danger of the wind and waves. They are helplessly “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching.”
This is not necessarily an immature or newborn believer’s fault, we all are like babes in Christ when we are new converts into the faith. But it is not good when the church or the new believer does not come together for spiritual discipleship and growth.
“Infants are defenseless, unable to protect themselves; in the spiritual life they are an easy prey for false teachers and others who would like to lead them astray from the path of truth.” -FF Bruce
If the child in the faith does not mature they are at great risk of being unstable, tricked, and led astray in the face of mounting pressures of different doctrines and standards of life.
“Such immaturity becomes increasingly dangerous as false christs, prophets, and teachers multiply in “the last days” (Matt 24:4-14, 23-25).
On the other hand, believers who are maturing in the faith are learning and accepting what is true, know what to reject as false, and even demonstrate or emulate the truth and character of Jesus Christ.
The mature believer grows in discernment and the body of Christ is even equipped with those who have the gift of discernment to counsel us!
Loving truth - v. 15
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
“Speaking the truth in love.” This phrase literally means living the truth in love. In other words, when you speak the truth, you show or demonstrate love at the same time. This may be a powerful point for not correcting or trying to speak the truth to a fellow believer online, because you can’t properly communicate or show the truth in love, online.
Remember in verse 2 where it says make room for each other's faults. People can get the wrong idea that we are supposed to bear with unacceptable behavior and not address it. This scripture balances it.
Truth, according to the New Testament revelation, is always inseparably bound together with love. There is no such thing as “all truth and no love,” any more than there can be “all love and no truth.” The balance is important.
“Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.”
Truth without love can be cruel and love without truth can be deceptive.
It is a mark of maturity when we are able to share the truth with our fellow Christians and do it in love.
If you share the truth in love you need to be able to receive the truth with love too. Maturity isn’t just being able to speak the truth, it's also welcoming it from a fellow believer.
There are times where a fellow believer needs to hear a loving rebuke due to falling for a lie of this world. But there is also a time where we need to speak the truth in love because a fellow believer is agreeing with an accusation and condemnation from Satan. Example: I am not loved, forgiven, I’m worthless. We speak the truth in love in those moments too.
Cooperation - v. 16
16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
NIV: “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
What are ligaments? Our bones, muscles, and joints work together in a coordinated way to move our body and give it stability. Tendons connect muscles to bones, allowing us to move, and ligaments help to hold things in place. Ligaments are made out of connective tissue that has a lot of strong collagen fibers in it. Ligaments often connect two bones together, particularly in the joints: Like strong, firmly attached straps or ropes, they stabilize the joint or hold the ends of two bones together. This ensures that the bones in the joint don’t twist too much or move too far apart and become dislocated. ligaments help to maintain stability in the body. Their function is reflected in their name, which comes from “ligare” – the Latin word for “bind” or “tie.”
Members of Christ do not seek out our own gain but the gain of the whole body. This is to have a spirit of cooperation. Does my interest benefit the whole or could it hurt it? Am I doing my part to help grow the church or are others straining and doing all the work in my place?
V. 16 “As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Yes, as we are in Christ he makes the whole body, or church grow. But we play an important role in that growth as we do our own special work.
How do we grow stronger and strengthen unity in the church?
When we serve one another with the gifts of Christ.
The church will never be revitalized without individuals being revitalized. If we want to have a strong and healthy church, we aren’t dealing with an amorphous mass or a team of pastors and a board of deacons. Rather, each member of the body has to exhibit godly characteristics in order to have a shift in the church. Thankfully, God makes His resources available to each person in order to build a strong body. Christ apportions grace individually—“to each of us.” No one is left out. Each Christian is given enough of this wonderful provision of grace to successfully carry out their particular function in the body of Christ. Whatever area of ministry and contribution we’ve been designed to do, God provides enough for us to fulfill it. -Carolyn Tennant
When we grow and mature in Christ.
Unity matures as we mature in Christ.
When we fellowship and serve with Christ-like maturity it builds up, strengthens, and fills the church with love.
Takeaways:
“Infants are defenseless, unable to protect themselves; in the spiritual life they are an easy prey for false teachers and others who would like to lead them astray from the path of truth.” -FF Bruce
The mature believer grows in discernment and the body of Christ is even equipped with those who have the gift of discernment to counsel us!
“Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.”
Truth without love can be cruel and love without truth can be deceptive.
It is a mark of maturity when we are able to share the truth with our fellow Christians and do it in love.
If you share the truth in love you need to be able to receive the truth with love too. Maturity isn’t just being able to speak the truth, it's also welcoming it from a fellow believer.
Unity matures as we mature in Christ.
Discussion:
What was one big takeaway for you from today’s message?
What something new you learned, today?
What scripture verse stuck out to you and why?
What did you sense the Holy Spirit was saying to you during this message?
How can we be stable and ready when waves of false teaching and clever lies come our way?
What’s an example of speaking the truth in love?
According to chapter 4 so far…why is maturity in Christ so beneficial for the church?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed we encourage you to say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I see my sin and how wrong it is. I see how without Jesus I’m lost. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me from my sin, my past, this world, and your judgment. I repent, I turn away from that life and I put my faith and life in Jesus! Amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know!
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!