No Longer Children
NO LONGER CHILDREN
EPHESIANS 4:14
The matter of respecting leadership does not supplant the lordship of Jesus Christ, but it means that what they say and think are important to us. Important enough to that what they say and do has an effect on our thinking and our actions. That we become like the Berea Church in that we search the Scriptures daily to see if what is said is true. Not searching for fault or an excuse for accusation, but confirm it all in our spirits.
Gifts, how important are they to us? We no when we have given someone a gift that is important, meaningful, to them by their reaction. Not just the immediate reaction, but the long-term response to the gift. Do they take care of it, do they use it, and do they respect it.
Jesus gave gifts to the Church, to you and I for the purpose that we would no longer be children.
I. THE GIFTS GIVEN EPHESIANS 4:11
A. JESUS GAVE THEM
B. THEY DID NOT MAKE THEMSELVES
C. THEY DID NOT PURCHASE THEMSELVES
D. THEY DID NOT GIVE THEMSELVES
E. THEY DID NOT DECIDE THAT THEY WERE GIFTS
F. JESUS CALLED THEM, PREPARED THEM, ESTABISHED THE, GAVE THEM
II. THE WORK OF THE GIFTS
A. PERFECTING THE SAINTS
B. EDIFYING THE BODY
C. SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE
III. THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS
A. THAT WE WOULD BE UNIFIED
B. THAT WE WOULD BE PERFECT
C. THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER BE CHILDREN
D. THAT WE WOULD BE DOCTRINELY SOUND
E. THAT WE WOULD BE A PERFECTLY FUNCTIONING BODY
F. THAT TOGETHER WE WOULD DISPLAY THE PERFECTION OF CHRIST
IV. THE RESULTS OF THE ACHIEVED PURPOSE
A. THAT THE WORLD WOULD BE CONVINCED OF THE REALITY OF CHRIST
B. THAT HEARTS WOULD BE WON
C. THAT THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS WOULD BE INVADED
D. THAT HOMES WOULD BE RESTORED
E. THAT BODIES WOULD BE HEALED
F. THAT THOSE HELD CAPTIVE WOULD BE DELIVERED
G. THAT WE WOULD BE THAT BRIDE WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE