Monthly Archives: April 2010

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Thistletown Baptist Church

Jesus Christ – Body Builder: He Gave for the Equipping of the Church

Eph. 4:1-16 (ESV)

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [7] But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. [8] Therefore it says,

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

and he gave gifts to men.”

[9] ( In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] 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, [14] 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. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] 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.

I Introduction

1. Today we return to our considerations of the church.

a. So far – the marks of a disciple. The church is made up of disciples of Christ. Disciples are those who follow Jesus Christ. They are those who believe in Jesus and have turned away from their sin. They have taken up their cross and followed Him. They love Him more than they love anyone else, even father and mother, sister and brother, husband or wife. They are those who love one another. They are those who are opposed, persecuted, ostracised, misunderstood … in various ways because of their loyalty to Jesus Christ. They are those who are obedient to the call of Christ upon them, the first command being to be baptized. The last time we were together in this matter we looked at the truth that those who are disciples of Jesus Christ, who have the true marks of a follower of Jesus Christ and have been baptized as believers in Jesus Christ, join themselves to a local assembly of Jesus Christ. Disciples of Christ belong to churches.

b. The point of the message was that there are no lone star Christians in the world. A believer not affiliated with a local church is an oxymoron. We spent most of the time last time looking at the incredible things that the New Testament says about the church, especially the “one anothering” texts. The church is a fellowship of saved people who love one another and serve one another … . It is one of the chief things that God gives us so that we will not have sinful unbelieving hearts that turn away from the living God. If you do not meet with, pray with, worship with, other believers you are asking for trouble. The church is the place where your gifts are to be used. The church is the only vehicle for the proclamation of the gospel in the New Testament. There is no Christian faith without the church. It just does not exist.

2. Today we start looking at leadership in the church. We are in Ephesians 4:1-16. If you have your Bible with you I want you to open it to Ephesians 4. If you did not bring a Bible with you grab a pew Bible and turn to page 788. Follow along.

a. Overview of Ephesians

i. The two chief divisions in Ephesians

b. The Christian Walk – 4:1 – 6:9

i. walk in unity – 4:2 -16

ii. walk in holiness – 4:17-32

iii. walk in love – 5:1-6

iv. walk in light – 5:7- 14

v. walk in wisdom – 5:15 – 6:9

II  Walk in Unity – Ephesians 4:1-16

1.

a. 1-6 – Keep the Unity of the Spirit

i. Note verses 3, 4, 5, 6. The point could not be driven home any plainer.

b. 7-16 – Unity in Diversity

i. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and we are to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But that does not mean that there is not something for each of us to do. Grace is given to each one.

(1) Don’t lose sight of this dear ones. If you are a believer God has graced you with gifts for the sake of this church. The purpose of that gift is – I Cor. 12:7, Romans 12:5, I Peter 4:9. Your gift is not for show. It is not for demonstrating how talented you are. It is not for starting up some big ministry that will capture the attention of the world, Christian or secular. It is for the glory of god and the benefit of the people you worship with

(2) Note how the use of gifts here is part of the Letter to the Ephesians that has to do with unity. See again I Cor. 12:12-13, 22-23, 24-25; Romans 12:4-6a

(a) Dear believer in Jesus Christ: what are you doing with the talents and gifts that God has given you that contribute to the unity of this assembly of believers? We are about to look at the leaders mentioned in this text – but note what the ministry of the leadership is to accomplish – verses 12 – “for the building up of the body of Christ”. Then see 13 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God…”. And then note this about verse 13 – it says that we “attain to mature manhood”. Literally it states “to a full grown /mature man”. The word for “man” in verse 13 is gender specific. But it does not mean that only men can become mature, it means that we all together become one mature man. The church is not a conglomeration of individuals who grow up. It is a man who grows up. Then see verse 15 “we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head…”. Then see verse 16 “when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” That is what the proper use of your gift is to accomplish. That is the goal. Have you ever given that thought? Continue reading →

You can click here to go to the Internet Archive page for this sermon, or listen to the sermon using the player below.

Good Friday

Jesus Prays in the Garden

Matthew 26:36-46 (ESV) – Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” [37] And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. [38] Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” [39] And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” [40] And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? [41] Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [42] Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” [43] And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. [44] So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. [45] Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. [46] Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

1. His hour has come.

a. Twice in the Gospel of John we read that the hour for which Jesus was here had not yet come.

i. John 7:30 – So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

ii. John 8:20 – These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

b. And then we are told that it has

i. John 12:23 – And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

ii. John 12:27 – “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

iii. John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

iv. John 17:1 – When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

The hour is the hour of His glorifying God through His death and resurrection. That hour has come. We find ourselves in that hour this morning and the part of that hour that we focus on is Jesus’ prayer in the garden. Continue reading →

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