5/15/2022

All right. Good morning. Thank you, Kami. That was great and goes along with the message quite well today with what we're going through in Ephesians. But before we get all of that, today, we have two graduates within our midst. So, Cody and Olivia, if you'd come up here, please. So, we have two graduates. Who, what time do you guys walk today? Two. Are you guys ready? No, so in honor of you guys and and your completion of high school and we're just excited for you guys to see what God does next in your life. And do we have to study Bibles here? One for each of you. So they're MacArthur Study Bibles and no, we hope that you take those with you to college, or to wherever you go next in and use them to further your walk-in in God and what he has for you and that you would study his word deeply. So you just want to give that to you guys today, and just an honor, what you guys are done. You're welcome. Can we pray for you this morning to say? Thank you for Cody and Olivia. I think you for the Olsen family guy, just pray that as they get ready for graduation today. Lord, that they would that you give them calm spirits that you would allow them to to be able to just enjoy the day. And God. We just thank you for their accomplishment that they're able to have the even here and end at Clarion Inn in being able to graduate. I pray that you do them in their next steps of life as As they seek to follow you. I pray that they would continue to follow you and God that they would be able to use these Bibles to study them thoroughly and that they would be applying your word to their lives in your busted name. Amen. Congratulations guys.

All right. So we are in Ephesians chapter 4 today and just excited to to go through this text with you. And how many of you just like the change of weather outside lately. This is just great. Just wonderful. I mean I remember about five years ago at about this point. It was hot just like this week was in and I remember running around all campus trying to fix air conditioners and stuff at Faith and at that point. I was working at Faith and we were in the midst of a, a building project. So something that I had gotten hired on to do there at Faith, was to help with the Seminary project on there and this is what it used to look like. So is this fourplex? It just kind of it. It was ready to be changed. They were using it as the music building at that point and that was the outside of it. And as as we got into this project and I was hired on I had told Kurt before this and even dr. Jim, you know, I really don't have any, I don't have any Inexperience really I have welding experience, but I've never really done this. And Kurt said, that's okay. I'll train you and I've talked about this before and I just thought, okay. Well how much can you really turn me to do and then along the way? It just kept growing that the jobs in the task just kept growing of things that I had to do. It one from digging out insulation and doing destruction, which was actually the best part of just tearing down like we tore off all that, the siding and stuff. That was a blast knocking out walls. All of that was easy stuff, but then the cleanup came and that was terrible. Have you ever been a part of deconstructing a house or something like that is not fun until you have to go and start cleaning and it feels like you've smashed drywall and everything everywhere. Right? And it's just, it's a never-ending job and then he gets to the construction part. And as we got into it, they decided that they wanted to do brick a brick facade on the outside of the, on the outside of the seminary building. Kurt told me Cody, you're going to help with that.

I've never laid brick before and he goes, it's okay. This guy who's coming out will train you, and I thought, I don't know, but I guess it's my job. So I'll see if I can learn how to do this. I didn't think that he'd be able to do and we got about the first few rows done. This guy's name is John Bachman. He came out from Indiana and he was in his eighties and he was teaching us how to do this. And he was he was picking up 10 bricks at a time. Like it was nothing and carrying them up the scaffolding and showing us how to do it. And we got to about this height on both sides and he looked at us and he goes. All right. Well, I'll be back in about six weeks.

And Sam, and I who are working, there said what he said. Well, I've shown you as much as I can. I'll let you guys do the rest of it. We thought he was joking. No, he's serious. He left. So we started to try to do what he had told us to do and and I he came back in six weeks and help us finish up because once we got to the top, we really had no clue what we're doing. He helped us finish up one whole side and all but then we ended up doing the full interior side of it and everything like that. And this is what it ended up looking like on the outside. It's hard to believe that it's the same building that we first saw there. But as we got done with that, we were able to put brick on almost every single part of the outside of that. And he just he was a good teacher and he's kind of a Gruff guy. Not not saying that against him. He just he told you what he needed done right away and you had to be like right there and he was a good teacher in that. Cuz if it made you realize I need to work fast because this mortars going to dry and set. And we only have a limited time to work with it. And So where's this going this morning? Did I just want to tell you about how he braked in a building? No, not really. It was to show us how sometimes we think that we may be ill-equipped in an area. But if we have someone who's able to train as well, we're able to do things that we never thought we'd be able to do. I never thought I'd do anything like that. There is many different things within that building project to where I thought, how are we going to do this? And then just be slow training along the way and I was able to learn how to do these different things and in. So that's that's where we're headed today in the texts are big idea for today. Is this Christ, equips each believer for the work of the ministry. Ministry Christ, equips each believer for the work of the ministry, and we see this in Ephesians 4:11. So if you have your Bibles with you today, where in Ephesians chapter 4 starting and verse 7, Paul says this, but Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift there for. It says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men and saying he ascended, what does it mean? But that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above the heavens that he might fill all things and he gave the apostles, the prophets, the Evangelist the Shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all the time, 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 and deceitful schemes. Rather speaking the truth in love. We are to grow up. Open him 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. Let's pray. God. I thank you for allowing us to be able to worship you today to be able to worship you in both song and Inward and got as we leave this place as we live our lives and worship to you. God. I pray that as we go throughout this text that we would be equipped to carry out the work of the ministry that we would understand that each one of us has a crucial and critical part and helping your body. The church grow. God, there is not a more important person here than the other but we are all one in you. And I pray that as we study through this text that would become clear to us that it would become evident and that we would spur one another on to Good Works in you and your blessed name. Amen. So we see three things here today, as we're going to go through this to it to support the big idea of the fact that Christ equips each believer, for the work of the ministry. And we're going to see how how Paul lays this argument out for those who are in Ephesus in these different house churches of telling them that each one of them is equipped to be a worker of Christ. Because many times, we we can get mistaken on that of the fact that weight. God called me to do ministry. Absolutely. He called every single one of us and he equips every single one of us to be able to do his work for him for the building up of his church. And sometimes we forget that sometimes we look past that we don't realize that that were active in part of the ministry in and that's, that's when churches start to die. That's when churches stop growth. That's when that's when we as Christians and Disciples of Christ. Stop growing as well. See, price designed us that when we are in him to be active and doing his work as well. So, we see three things here from the text today. The first one here, is that every believer is giving a gift, every believer is given a gift for the church. We see this in the first few verses hear of 7 through through 10, but Grace was given to each one of us. According to the measure of Christ's gift. We see that in verse 7 and what is actually the structure that he uses here is actually very similar. Even the word forget. There is, is, is very similar to and the word for Grace is similar to Romans, chapter 12, and 1st Corinthians chapter 12, or we have this. This longer expansion in what gift serve as and how each one of us is given a gift. In fact, if you have your Bibles with you today, let's flip open to Romans chapter 12. I want to read verses 3, through 3, through 8 there this morning. So Romans chapter 12, verses 3 through a twerp, All rights to the church and Rome. He says by the grace, given to me now, noticed your he says, Grace given to him there. I say to everyone among you not to think himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, Remember last week, what we talked about to have humility that part of being a disciple of Christ is having humility in our walk with him. So, again, to have sober Judgment at the think, more highly than what we should have ourselves each. According to the measure of faith that God has assigned, that sounds familiar. Sounds like the text that we read this morning for as in one body. We have many members in the members. Do not all have the same function. So we though many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another having gifts that differ, according to the grace given to us. Let us use them if prophecy in in proportion to our faith, if service and are serving to the one who teaches. And his teaching, the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the one who leads with Zeal, the one who does acts of Mercy with cheerfulness. See each one of us was given a gift according to the measure of the faith that Christ has given to us were all given a different gift. And he was kind of funny within this text. Paul has gone from Unity to diversity and then we're going to go back to Unity before we get to the end of this end and we live in a world where we focus on everything being about ourselves, right? And what can I get out of this? What can I do from this end? And how does this benefit me? And yet we've been looking at the whole body of the church as we gone through Ephesians about how were we're no longer separated by or ethnicity or no longer separated by where we were born or what we do or occupation. There's no caste system within the church. There's no class system, separating us out. We're all equal and one in Christ. We got to know Paul stops and he has his transition by saying but and it's it's to show us that we are different from each other. We're not all the same but we do have different gifts. That Christ has given to each one of us and then as as we get to the end here, we're going to see that for the purposes for the church. So we still have that singular purpose and that singular Mission as Disciples of Christ, but yet we all serve in a different capacity. We're giving different gifts in which we can serve Christ with. And that's the important part for us to look at today. And and that each one of us are given unique gifts to serve. Christ to serve his church. So let's get into this next part because it's a lot of fun. Right? I mean, we read that we go. Wait a moment fall. What are you talkin about? Maybe, maybe you don't, but in verse 8, it says it's therefore, it says when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men and saying he ascended, what does it mean? But that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might feel all things. She was in this passage in Ephesians chapter 4. This these little versus that I just read, their there has been much ink spilled over this to explain what this means. So it doesn't mean that that Christ after he died and was in the Tomb. Does this mean that he actually descended into the lower parts of the earth? Meaning did he descend into hell? And then you have this, this view that they would write about about this upper and lower. She all and how you have a Abraham's bosom that that's talked about of how there's there's diesel. Customer states that are sitting there. And that's where some people believe that Christ went down into during his death to go and set these captives free. So I want to say state that this morning not to confuse us, but I don't think that's what it's talking about here. I don't I'm not opposed to it. But at the same time, I don't think that. That's what that's what Paul is talking about here. I think that we get off focus as to what Paul stalking up, what Paul is trying to apologize, trying to explain here is the victory that Christ has had in his death and in his resurrection, the fact that he has descended down onto the Earth with us. I think that that's what it's talking about that he came and and had a an Earthly Ministry that he served out here while he was here on Earth and then he died and then he rose again. And now he has ascended with with God. And I think that actually fits into the context of Evie of the fusions very well because we're we're has Paul talked about Christ being In heaven, he's sitting, he's raining waiting to come back for us as we talked about before, as we've gone through the doctrine that Paul has laid out for us. So I think that that fits within the context of what we're studying out here, the fact that Christ has been Victorious and then you tie this with the song that Paul is quoting, which is Psalm 68, 18 and it's talking about how, how David it's, it's a song that is talking about when David was Victorious, that God had given him the Victory and how it the picture of a king leading, his his leading. The prisoners of war is out of captivity back to Jerusalem and how even after these victories. Then at that point, the king would give The Spoils of War to the people. I think that that's what Paul is trying to highlight for us and he's trying to explain for us. Is that Christ Victory on the cross? Also provides to each one of us gifts and Grace.

So it's not like this direct. Like it's some 68 is not a, a Messianic song, but it's he's just using it as an illustration for us today. Maybe I'd be better to look at it like this. It's like when you go to work your employer, at least they should gives you the different tools needed to complete your task. Write. Thank if you're on the assembly, line down at John Deere and and you walked into work, and there's no tools there and they wanted you to put together a sprayer. Well, that would be kind of weird, right to go to into Hagee and into to not be able to put together the sprayer of the tractor parts that you need to be putting together because you have no tools will. Whose job is it to bring the tools and in your boss were to come out and say, hey, Greg, you need to go home and grab all of your tools and then come back to put this together. What would you say? You say okay? Okay, hold on the wrong. Maybe I'd be a little more stubborn than you. Greg. I'd say, we'll wait a moment. I'm working for you. Shouldn't you be the one supplying the tools for me today, right? That that's kind of how I picture. This is the fact that Christ has employed us for the work of the ministry, every single one of us and he's giving us the tools and the gifts and the ability to be able to do that. And that's why he's highlighting the uniqueness of each person within the church because every single one of us has a different upbringing. Did you do realize that today that each one of us is different in some way. Some of us have the gift of leadership. Some of us have the gift of teaching, some of us have the gift of encouraging, some of us have the gift of giving different things like that, that will be riding and in Romans chapter 12, and you can even see in 1st Corinthians 12. We all have different gifts that Christ has given to each one of us. Don't think that that you were born into the family that you were born into and you you've experienced the things that you have in your life. Out of dress pants. God uses all of that to equip us.

So, how how does this work? Well, I think that we need to move on that. Every believer is giving a gift for the church, that that we're equipped that that we have these gifts. But then at the same time, the church trains Believers for Ministry. The church trains Believers for the work of the ministry and I think that this is a crucial aspect because sometimes we have these gifts and we don't even know what we don't understand. We don't even understand that that our upbringing, or a past or how, how we were raised is going to benefit us differently. Even our personalities, the difference in that changes from person to person and you think if everyone was the same ol, that would be kind of boring and in, some some cases kind of crazy to write, if everyone was like me boy, will you be in trouble? But But the church trains Believers for the work of ministry. That's that's what happens here. That's what even is is part of this Sunday service that we have that we come together. We worship God and we teach each other. About God is to train each other for the work of the ministry. We've been given these gifts but now we need to learn how to use them. Right? So how does this happen? How does this take place? I would say through the word of God, through God's word. We're we're equipped. We study his word, just as we go through this, we come together on Sunday, mornings to study God's word, both in Sunday school during the Sunday service and even on Wednesday nights. Why would we do that? It's not to come here and to look good on a Sunday morning. It's actually to study God's word to learn how to live throughout the week. Not only that, but even in our homes as we go throughout the week, we should be focusing. Remembering what God's word says and then studying it out for ourselves as well. The second part of this is prayer. I think that as we come together and as we pray with one another, that's another aspect of it. Even in an ax we see next, chapter 6, that Deacon's come up. Why? So that way, the elders can devote themselves to prayer and the teaching of the word. So we see that the pastor's of the church at that point then are able to focus on praying for the Believers and then teaching them the word. But I think that also as a church together, it's important for us to be praying. Where do we see the church on, on the day of Pentecost? What are they doing? They're gathered together praying or in the upper room as they're waiting for for the the Holy Spirit to come upon them. They're what their gather together, praying. I think that it's important for us. I say And even in learning how to grow in Christ that we need to pray. And there's other benefits in prayer that we talked about earlier this year as well. But prayer also helps us to realize our Reliance on God to prayers. Another means in which keeps us humble. And let's have a sober mind of understanding that this happens to the work of Christ. Fact, if you have your Bibles with you this morning, I flip over to Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews chapter 13, verses 20, 321.

Now, may the God of Peace. Who brought again from the dead. Our lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the Sheep, by the blood of the Eternal Covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do, his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. So here we see that, Jesus is the great Shepherd and we actually see this in any fusions chapter 4. We haven't read the text again. Yet here this morning in verse 11, where it says and he gave the apostles, the prophets, the Evangelist the Shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. So Paul here is saying that we come here for church. Now, we have these different people, like the apostles, like the like the prophets, like the Evangelist, like the Shepherds and the teachers for what to equip the saints. That means you guys, that means all of us. Every single one of us is the saint we're all in Christ. Those who have placed their faith in Christ, is a saint, they're called Saints, even in 1st Corinthians as he starts that out. He calls everyone, their Saints. usually we think of someone who's Holy, you're better than everyone else. Right? No, everyone. Whose Place their faith in Christ is a saint. Is that means all of us are what being equipped for the work of the ministry? That means we are all employed by God to work for him.

Think about that for a moment. Is that how you think about your relationship with Christ? Because Christ is the great Shepherd. He's the shepherd over all of us.

He's weird to follow his example. He's the one who leads us. He's, he's the one who can ultimately lead us.

And he guides us but not only that but then he's given the apostles and Prophets who I think have passed away. They were there for four for the establishment of the New Testament Church to authenticate the word of God. And now we have evangelist and and we have Shepherds and teachers and I think Shepherds can be both Shepherds. There is actually the word where we get the word Pastor as well play Omen. So that's where we get the word pastor. And that's what we use within our church here. But then also you have teachers. So the the term Shepherd there is someone who's going to have oversight almost an in to guide the fog. And then you have the word teacher and I think it's Shepherd, can be both a shepherd and a teacher in both aspects. And I think that there's people who aren't pastors who can also be equipped and and who can also have the gift of teaching within the church. And were able to come together. Why? And I don't want us to miss this to be equipped for the work of the ministry.

We come together to be equipped for the work of the ministry. Until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. So this goes on until we we are with Christ in heaven.

There's not going to be a time where we finally reached the end of our equipping process. While we are here on Earth, we are to be equipped and trained and refreshed and how to serve out the work of the ministry. And I think that that's going to look different for us as we grow in Christ. As we grow in our knowledge and understanding of him, I think that will be equipped further. And then even in different stages of life, that, that equipping is going to look different. Even within the family and within the household. You think of even just those stages of even how you have to train, your kids will. Then even as we get to different stages within our lives, our ministry, and what that looks like within our lives will be different and that's okay.

But the important part is that we stay active in the work of the ministry.

Back in 2007. I graduated from high school hard to believe that it was already that long ago. And as I left High School, I thought for sure that my calling was to go to Faith, Baptist Bible College to become a pastor. So I went down there that fall and was all excited, ready to go and I my first semester went pretty smooth. Will my second semester was kind of Rocky. There's two classes that it just I stopped going to Cody and Olivia if you go to college, don't do that. Doesn't bode well for you and I and I didn't take it very seriously. The second semester will then third semester came along and and I really didn't take that fall semester. Very seriously at all, either, I went back and I talked to my pastor back in Mason City and night. I talked to my parents, I said, you know, I just don't think that God's calling me to be a pastor right now. I don't think that I'm ready. I don't think that this is right for me. I'm not enjoying my time at school. What should I do? When my parents said? We'll just wait, Cody, go, go, talk to Pastor gives more. Maybe he can help you out in this. So, I went and shared all of that with Pastor Gizmo and I and he said, you know, what, Cody? I think you should stop going to school. I thought, no way did he just say that said, come back home? If you can work at at the family business, with your dad do that. Don't waste your money on College. If you're not going to take it seriously and definitely if you don't feel like God's calling you into the ministry. Definitely don't do that. Then I said, okay, so it's good advice, but then he ended with this whatever you do stay active with another local church. Stay active serve within the local church because God's called every single believer, just because you're not going to school to be a pastor doesn't mean that you're not supposed to serve within the church. You're supposed to continue in that. That was the best advice. He gave me because I stayed act. If I came back home, I grew in maturity and I stayed active within the local church during that time. And I continue to grow and God through the work of the local church, equipped me for Ministry, even as Taylor, and I got married later on, we, we got involved with in a local church where He stayed active within the church and we were used by God. And through that God moved my heart to realize that I'm supposed to go into full-time Ministry. No full-time Ministry is not for everyone and the church. Doesn't just pay a pastor to do all the work. I'm actually here to help equip and train you for the work of the ministry. And so it's a partnership that we have all together as the body of Christ. So, that's why we come together on Sunday mornings, like what we've already talked about. That's why I spend my week studying out God's word is to help you be equipped to live your lives in Ministry to God. Think of how different that is then how we normally look at it, that coming to church is the time that we need to get all nice and in, to make it look like we have everything, together know, this is where we practice. This is where we learn how to live for Christ. This is where we come together. As we talked about last week and we share each other's burdens lifting each other up so that we can go out into our lives and glory to live out her life for the glory of God and in worship for him. And to minister to others.

So we have different Ministries within the church that that we are to be serving and there's different ways in which we can serve within the church to help build the church up. And we're going to get to that here in a little bit. But we're also to be ministering to those that we come into contact with on a daily basis as well. Do you look at your life as an outpost of the ministry of the church?

Do you look at the Ministries within the Church of something that you should be doing or be active in in some way? Because God calls every single one of us to be active in serving the church. What keeps you from serving, the church? What keeps you from from using your, your gift and being trained and how to use it?

Do you actually follow out the plan that God has set forth for you and serve your local church. Do you serve those around you? Do you work for Christ or you're more focused on what you can do for yourself, but they're thing for us that we're going to look at here today and I is the church will grow as Believers grow. The church will grow as Believers. Girl, growing up, we had this door and here's my, here's my niece, Ireland who lives up in Sheffield, and we lived in an old farmhouse and my parents ended up tearing the house down. But before they tore it down, they, they pulled this door out and you can see all of those marks throughout the years that we had. In fact, Nicole sent this to me and it is funny. Ireland is I think, what is she now? Is she She's six but Nicole at the age of seven, you can see the mark right there by her. Ear. Ireland, is way taller than what my sister was at the age of seven. I just want to point that out today because Nicole thought it was funny. Anyways, where am I going with this? How do we measure growth? Do you ever wonder that within the church? How are we supposed to measure growth growing up? You know, you would take and you and Mark it off and then you'd stand back and we have a little ruler at our house that we Mark measurements on it. And and it was always an exciting day when we got to go Mark our growth. Well, most of time, sometimes I can see those lines are pretty close. We didn't really grow that much in between. And so anyways, we'll move on here. How do we measure growth within within the church will the church grows as Believers girls? So what does that mean? What does that look like within the Church of Christ? What is that look like here at homes Baptist. What's more important in growth? Let's look at that here in the text. 413 until we all the time, the unity of the faith, in 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 and deceitful schemes. Rather speaking the truth in love. We are to grow 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. How do we measure that noticed that Paul doesn't say when your church reaches this number, then you've reached the measure of growth there in Ephesus when you guys do, you know, did you hear about that time in acts when we had 3,000 added to the church? And one day I was such a great day. That's the measure of growth that you need. That's not what Paul saying here. What's he focusing on? He's actually focusing on the disciples. The Believers that are within the church. He's actually giving them a measure of growth that they can actually look at that. As they learn about the knowledge of God as they as they continue to learn. In fact, the goal is to one day have a full knowledge of Christ. Guess what? That's not going to happen until we get into heaven. And not even then I think we'll have this eternity of learning that will continue to learn about Christ and will continue to learn about the blessings that God has given us and will continue to learn about how God has blessed us and we'll be amazed by it. I think that's what, what will spend an eternity part of our time doing is just learning more about who God is. Growing in our knowledge of him, but I think also that that we continue to learn and grow in our knowledge of him. That means we're reading his word where we're praying. That means that during the times of suffering and trials were going to learn about how to rely on him. All the more

But more than that to that even, we're going to be able to sniff out. What is bad Doctrine in bad teaching, because nothing can Darrell you quicker than bad Doctrine and teaching within within your walk of misapplied Bible truths. Because sometimes we'll have this true that we think is biblical that that we think is real or or someone will use God's word in the wrong way and then lead others astray. We as a church should be able to sniff that out. So that way if I come up here and I preach something that's wrong on a Sunday morning. You should know to know your Bible as well. Enough to be able to say, you know, what Pastor, I think that was wrong. We actually see this in the early church when Aquila and Priscilla run along Apollo's. Remember that story Apollo comes in. He starts teaching within the church and they they hear what he's teaching. They realized this guy's a really gifted teacher, but he doesn't know what he's talking about. So then they take him aside and they explained the gospel to him. Notice they don't they don't go up in arms and they don't go after him and try to try to get rid of him and run him out of town. But instead they go to him and they speak the truth to him, and love does not sound familiar, but we're learning about today. See, they've grown up in a way to understand God's Doctrine. Not to become angry at someone, when they're, when they're teaching it wrong. But then to take them aside and to help them learn even more. That was their giftedness. That's something that they were able to do.

Are you in a point with in your life that you're able to? To smell all bad Doctrine to to understand that too to test everything by the word. Not only that. But but the other picture here is that they're not tossed to and fro like children that they're able to stand their ground to understand it to understand that that there are things going on within the world that are just wrong, right, but they're also not sent into a tailspin. When everything around them seems to be crumbling. Think of the Believers that James rights to Andrew slime with how he tells them that that what trials are further good, you think will James? That's kind of mean for you to be riding to people who were going with in Trials, right? Counter for all joy, brethren. You see when we were within the word of God, and we're rooted deeply within it, and are being equipped. And we're being trained in the word of God, and we're growing in it and we have disciples that are growing in it. We're going to be sure-footed when things come along that shake us.

So we is a church will be strong in the word of God. I think that's the measure of faith. Is that the Ministries that we have here are equipping you to know, deeper the knowledge of God. At least, that's my that's my point of emphasis as we come here together on a Sunday morning is to teach you more about. God, not just have a fun sermon that that seems to be entertaining and stuff like that. If, if we just came here for Sunday, morning for entertainment. I can think of a lot of better things to do on a Sunday morning. Then listen to me, right?

No, our goal here on Sunday mornings is to learn more about God. So that way we're stronger and our foundation of the Gospel. That's why we come here on Sunday mornings and that we grow together with love. And when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

I think that's a key part that we miss a lot within our churches is the love. That should be the mark of a true church. The love for God and the love for others. I think that those are two things that we need to grow in and as we grow in our love for God. We will grow in our love for others and as we grow in our love for God. And we grow in our love for others. Were going to see the need of God in other people's lives. And as we grow independently in God together, as we come together on a Sunday morning, our church will grow as well.

Our church will grow together. Because as we grow closer to God, we will grow closer to one another here that many times on on a charge, that is given to a married, couple on the day of their wedding. But if you grow, as you grow closer to God, you will grow closer together as a couple and it's true, but I think it's also true within the church as we grow in our love, for God. We will grow in our love for one another. Don't miss that. Today. That's part of as we grow together. We will grow together in love. And through that. Love, we will serve others where we are needed.

They're going to be times where, where we have a task to do here at church. That we don't want to do.

But we're still called to do it. Out of love for one another. And I think if we have our love for God in the proper order and we're serving and worshipping him with our lives. We're going to be able to lay aside other things so that way we will put others more important than ourselves. Like what we looked at even in Philippians chapter 2 last week.

So as we go throughout our lives, I want you two to realize that the measure of growth is not outward, but it's in word within our lives within our walk with Christ. That's why Paul starts there in in the beginning of this is that I therefore a prisoner of the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Each one of us has been called each one of us is being equipped for the work of the ministry. It's not something that we give to someone else to do it, something that we do together as the body of Christ, and we will continue to do it until Christ returns.

So, some questions to end with today, as we close our time together. first one being,

Where are you serving in the work of the ministry? Were you serving right now? Where are you serving God? And the work of the ministry right now within your lives. Are you active and serving within the church? Are you active with serving God in an area of ministry within the church? Are you part of a local church? I think that's commanded in Scripture that we are to be members of one another that we are to be a body here together.

Second question here. This morning is, how are you being equipped for the work of the ministry? Maybe you are active within the work of the ministry. Will, where are you being trained? Where you growing within your life? How are you being equipped even further?

Are you, are you taking the time to be equipped further in the work of the ministry? Or are you saying how, you know what? I've reached the level with in my life, where it's it's good enough. I don't need to go any further. I'm I'm comfortable with where I'm at. Or you may be in a, in a stage of life where where you are able to take on more responsibilities and you're saying, you know what, I've got all this time. Now. Where else can I serve god with the resources that he's given to me what the time that he's given to me.

How are you being trained? How are you being equipped for the work of the ministry? To bring others to Christ and also to help others grow in him. Let's pray God. I thank you for allowing us to be able to come together and to worship you. I pray that as we go throughout this week that we would serve you that we would worship you with our lives. That we would that we would grow in our knowledge of you that you would continue to equip us that we would continue to learn how we can serve you with in our lives. God. I pray that you did Cody and Olivia as they graduated a God that they would that they would continue to set their lives on what you have for them that you would lead them and that they would submit to you. God and your blessed name. Amen.