A Place for Everyone (slide 1)

Joke

A girl was visiting her friend in a neighboring town. She found out that her friend had just bought a couple of new dogs and she asked her what the dog’s names were. The friend responded by saying that one dog’s name was Timex and the other dog’s name was Rolex. The friend said who would ever name their dogs names like Timex and Rolex? Her friend replied HELLOOOOOOOOOooooooo, they are watch dogs!

Open (slide 2)

Titanic: 53” long, 4’5 inches, 9090 pieces, 46 individual bags,

Have you ever built a lego kit? I never really did until Heidi started working there. You open the box whether it is big or small. It could be anywhere from 100 to many thousand pieces. For instance this is one of the biggest lego sets you can get the Titanic. In the box you have directions of how to build the kit, and individual bags that are numbered specific. Each bag makes a specific part of that kit and if one bag is missing the whole kit can just not work.

We learned the last time that I spoke to everyone that we not only need to talk the talk we need to walk the walk. We need to have unity as believers. We need to be one body of Christ united and together to further the kingdom of God.

This is true and Paul is right, we need to be united but that doesn’t mean that we all still don’t have jobs that we need to do. As we will see now Paul is going to shift the focus from a unity of believers to a uniqueness of believers.

Let’s start by reading the first part of our scripture.

(slide 3)

Ephesians 4:7–11 (ESV)

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men.”

(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

psalm 68:18

The universal truth about sharing the Gospel is that God will enable us as believers to do everything that we NEED to do to fulfill His glory. (slide 4) The thing that allows us to do it is…

God’s Grace

Grace is something that unmerited, its unearned, and it is very much undeserved! Yet it was given to all who accept the gift of Salvation. That is Christ’s gift to those that He chooses who choose him.

Christ giving us that grace as a gift is totally from God and had zero to do with us. That grace is a soverign act of giving that could only come from the savior. He gave us that grace because

God chose us!

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

God continually is giving himself to us. As the father, Jesus the son, and the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Christ came to earth. He lived on earth as a human while being totally God. He died on the Cross giving us salvation.

Philippians 2:5–8 (ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Grace is an amazing gift from God, but it was not the only gift that was given to men by God.

After His job was done Jesus ascended back to His heavenly home and gave us the Holy Spirit. And with the Spirit Christ gave the church Spiritual gifts to further the kingdom of God.

Who gets these gifts? Everyone who has recieved the gift of Gods salvation has a gift. You need to think of your gift like a fingerprint. It is unique and only you have that specific gift.

Bob Ross creating color. Your gift is your unique color. It cannot be duplicated. Your gift is your gift and it is no one else has that Gift because God knew your gift would be perfect for you.

Some of the gifts are vocal. Teaching, leading worship. Some of the gifts are more behind the scenes, directing kids, doing the sound in the back, being on the elder board. They are all important and they are all given to you by God because they are necessary in the Church.

Paul wrote of some specific jobs that God gave some of his people to establish the church and start the ministry that Christ died for.

The first of these jobs that we see here in the scripture is that of an

Apostles and Prophets (slide 5)

The definition of an apostle is “one who is sent with a commission.”

Apostles were sent with a job to do. Responsibilities. In fact,

There were 3 responsibilities that were required if you were called to be an apostle.

#1 To lay the foundation of the church.

#2 To receive and declare the Revelation of God’s word

#3 To give conformation of the word through “signs, wonders, and miracles.”

2 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV)

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

The apostles and prophets laid the foundation for the early church. The gift of being an apostle or a prophet were in fact foundational gifts. When the church was established those gifts were no longer necessary. This does not mean that God cannot do those things anymore. What it does mean is that some gifts were given to establish the church and when it was established those gifts were not necessary any more.

That doesn’t mean that we as christians don’t have an apostolic ministry.

John 20:21 (ESV)

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

This just means that we should not go around calling ourselves apostles.

Greg Locke

We need to the job we were given. We do not need a trophy. Our reward is going to be in glory not here.

The next job given to us as believers is a gift that we have today.

Evangelists (Slide 6)

The job of an evangelist is the preach and explain the good news of Salvation in Jesus Christ to all those who have not yet believed. To be the “bearers of the Good News.”

Evangelists are exactly what you think they are. Anyone who goes from place to place to share the good news.

There are plenty of “Evangelists” that are famous in the church.

SLIDE 7

Billy Graham

DL Moody

Billy Sunday

Kirk Cameron

We put men like this up on a pedastle. And with good reason. They go out or went out and shared the good news with whomever will or would hear it.

I know what yo are saying, Mike Sever is an Evangelist?! Yes he is!

You don’t have to preach to thousands or even to hundreds to evangelize look what one anonymous preacher said….

(Slide 7) “The work of the evangelist is to preach and to explain the good news of Salvation in Jesus Christ to those who have not yet believed.”

Who of us here cannot do this. I know that it can be scary, but nothing says that it will be easy. But we can all say something. If your not, what is holding you back? If you are saved you are capable of sharing the good news of that Salvation.

The last gift that is mentioned in our passage is…..

Pastors and Teachers (slide 8)

If you want to know what a good Biblical example of this is we have an excellent example of a pastor/teacher in Pastor Mark. A pastor is a shepherd. It is someone who is called to lead and teach a flock.

It is the job of the Pastor/teacher to equip the saints for the work of building the body of Christ.

Acts 20:28 (ESV)

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

To be called to be a pastor or a teacher is not something to be taken lightly. If you accept that call you are telling God that you are taking the responsibility of correctly sharing his word. So many other posters I mean pastors are more interested in money or looks or notoriety. It is an amazing responsibility that cannot be taken lightly.

1 Peter 5:1–4 (ESV)

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Why are these jobs important for the church. Paul started by talking about unity of the one, now he talks about our individual jobs, and now coming full circle we see why, this is all to……

To Build the Body of Christ (slide 9)

Lets read the rest of our passage.

Ephesians 4:11–16 (ESV)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

When everyone does their part you see spiritual growth and maturity in the church.

There will be 4 evidences of Spiritual Growth (slide 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4)

#1 Christlikeness

As we grow as believers we will be more like Christ. Which is the ultimate goal.

#2 Stability

A maturing Christian is not so easily swayed by outside influences. (Like non-theological pastors, cults, etc…) We will be able to tell what is correct and from God and what is not. Think of it like a child. It is easy to convince a child of something. As we get older and mature we are able to see more what is real and what is not.

#3 Truth Joined With Love

We are all supposed to share God’s words with other believers (hold them accountable) yet we are also supposed to do it in love.

Proverbs 27:6 (ESV)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

Remember no one is without sin. We all do. So when you need to talk to someone about a sin that needs addressing don’t be Judge Judy be more like Jesus.

Finally number 4…

#4 Cooperation

An isolated Christian cannot minister to others, and others are not able to minister to them. We need each other. We need each other to lift each other up. To fellowship with one another.

The Potluck

When you have all of these in your church as Paul show us we go full circle and we have unity with one another.

Let me ask you….

CLOSE (Slide 11)

Is there something you are good at? Are you friendly. Are you artsy. Are you good with kids. Maybe you are a prayer warrior. Lets be honest with each other, It is easy to think there is nothing that you can do. That everyone else has gifts and talents and you got left out. I can’t preach like the Pastor does so I cannot help the church.Think of all the different ministries we have at the church, BZ, BZE, Youth, Men’s, Women’s, Sewing Group, missions, Operation Christmas Child, the sound team, I could go on! Where can you fit in? As harsh at it may sound there are 2 types of Christians,

#1 The Christian that is satisfied with sitting on the sideline. Watching other believers do the work.

#2 The Christian that accepts whatever gift God gave them and uses that gift however they can.

If you accepted God’s salvation you were given 2 beautiful gifts, salvation and a gift that God wanted you to have, that is specifically yours, to further His kingdom. The only question left is will you use it.

Lets Pray

1 Corinthians 2:12 (ESV)

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.