Consumed by the Vision
Consumed by the Vision
Ephesians 4:1-16 August 7, 2005
TRANSLINE
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called
With all humblemindedness and gentleness
With patience
Bearing-with one another in love
Being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace –
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling
One Lord, one faith, one baptism
One God and Father of all – the One over all and through all and in all
And to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ
For this reason it says [in Psalm 68:18], “having ascended to on-high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts to people”
Now what does the “he ascended” mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
The One having descended is Himself also the One having ascended far above all the heavens, in order that He might fill all things
And He Himself gave some as apostles, and others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers
For the equipping of the saints
For the work of ministry
For the building-up of the body of Christ
Until we all attain
To the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God
To a mature man
To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
So that we may no longer be children, being tossed-about and carried-around by every wind of teaching
By the trickery of people
By craftiness with-regard-to the scheme of error
But that while speaking-the-truth I love, we may grow as to all things into Him Who is the head – Christ
From Whom the whole body
Being fitted-together and held-together by every joint of supply
According to the working in measure of each individual part
Is producing the growth of the body
For the building-up of itself in love
RECAP
God’s vision for us
How to keep it alive (prayer)
How to live it (grace)
United in it
Committed to it
*Consumed by it
Changed by it
ILLUSRATION
“Why I Don’t Attend Church”, The Evansville Press, Rev. Stephen Schwambach
POSB
1. The way to be consumed by the vision
With lowliness
With meekness
With long-suffering
With love
2. The purpose for being consumed by the vision
To keep the unity, the bond of peace
4-6. The seven basic reasons for being consumed by the vision
Only one body
Only one Spirit
Only one hope
Only one Lord
Only one baptism
Only one God and Father of all
7. Every believer is gifted to be part of the vision
8. The picture
9. The great cost: the death of Christ and his descending into the lower parts of the earth
10. The great value: that Christ might fill all things – the whole universe with his presence
11. Every believer’s gift is Christ-centered
Every believer’s gift has a threefold purpose
12. An immediate purpose: to equip others
13. An eternal purpose: to become perfect in Christ
14-16. A personal purpose
To no longer be children – immature
To grow up in all things – mature
To do his part in building up the church
QUESTION
What would our church (or you yourself) be like if we were fully consumed by the vision?
CONCLUSION
Exodus 13:20-14:4, 14:13-16, 14:19-22
Be consumed by the “one thing” (the vision of God).