Growing Churches by Grace: On to Ephesus
|
We do everything humanly possible to grow churches. We make sure the building is nice and comfortable. We want a dynamic pastor who can “preach.” We bathe our ministry with powerful, emotionally charged music and drama. We work hard to accommodate every age group. We organize to the hilt! We have pastors to meet every personal need. Then we develop an advertising campaign to convince people to come. Come to our church. Look at all we have to offer! Could
it be that we do not understand God’s prescription for the growth and unity
in the body of Christ? We have focused on the apostle Paul and especially
upon the small phrase that he claimed often “according to the grace of God
that was given unto me.” This small line became Paul’s trademark expression. Let’s
rejoin Paul as he begins to carry out his stewardship responsibility at
Ephesus. Shared Responsibility
Paul had gone to the city of Ephesus and
preached the gospel. Many people
believed in Christ and became a part of His body. Now, note carefully Paul’s
special use of the small “grace phrase,” according to the grace of God
given.” God’s Grace to Us “But to each
one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph. 4:7). Paul had said on other occasions “according to the
grace of God given to me.” Here he subtly changed the direction of
God’s grace! He said “to each one of us” God’s grace has been given. The
Ephesian believers were included in God’s stewardship plan. A grace stewardship is being extended to all believers. God passed His plan of communicating
the gospel and building up the body of Christ on to the Ephesians and to
us! Like
Paul, each believer has been foreknown by God, called, justified, and
equipped to carry out a grace responsibility (Rom. 8:29-30). The gift of apostleship is not around
today! That is to say, no believer today has the unique gift to be an apostle.
The apostles were the foundation builders used by God at a particular time
and for a particular purpose.
But believers throughout the centuries have been set apart, called,
and equipped by God to build on the foundation that the apostles have laid.
This is God’s grace way of building churches! Christ's Gift
“Christ’s gift,” the word “dorea,” means
without a cause! “Dorea”
emphasizes the freeness of the gift given by Christ. Christ’s gift here is
not talking about eternal life.
It is an ability to carry out a stewardship responsibility. God did
not want the Ephesians to think that they had in some way earned this
equipping grace. It was all based on the plan and work of God. Grace always
comes from the top down! God is always said to “give grace.” Grace is given
according to His choice. “Therefore it
says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led
captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.’ (Now this expression, ‘He
ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower
parts of the earth? He
who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so
that He might fill all things)”
(Eph. 4:8-10). The second person of the Trinity became flesh and
descended to earth in order to die and pay for sin. He was buried, and He rose from the dead. Shortly after
His resurrection, He ascended back into heaven. At His ascension, Jesus
Christ began to build the church that He had spoken of to Peter (Matt.
16:13). “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build
My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18). As Christ ascended into heaven, He distributed gifted
believers all through His body to perform their grace stewardship. He began with the apostles! ·
“And He gave some as apostles. . .” Apostolos: one sent with a message. This included
Paul and the other disciples who became apostles. ·
“. . .and some as prophets. . .” Prophetes: fore-telling or forth-telling. We assume that this refers to New Testament
prophets ·
“. . .and some as evangelists. . .” Eangelistes: those who are especially gifted to
present the good news. ·
“. . .and some as pastors. . .” Poimen: those who shepherd; the elders. ·
“ . . . And teachers . . . (Eph. 4:11). Didaskolos: instructors. It was not Paul's intention to mention all the
grace-gifted believers here. He just wanted to show that God’s grace was
being extended to the Ephesians.
Each believer was being placed into the body of Christ in order to grow
His church. This is God’s design
for growing churches. Growing Churches by
Grace There is no clearer diagram in the entire Bible for
how to grow a church than right here. This method will produce growth and
unity within the body of Christ because it is God’s plan. In fact,
Christ’s church can grow no other way. Let’s slow down and go through
this formula line by line! “For the
equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the
body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12).
Jesus Christ placed gifted believers throughout His
body in order to equip the saints. The word “equipping” means to train or to
prepare. The various gifted
believers first become the recipients of God’s grace extended to them. They
responded to His call and were set apart for a special stewardship purpose.
They were placed precisely where God wanted them to be.
Work is the Greek word “ergon.” It implies
energy being used. Service is the word “diakinos” or ministry. Every Christian has been given the
grace to help equip others to minister. Believers are not called of God to
sit in a building and listen to a sermon! Believers are called of God to
serve!
“Building up” is a combination word made up of “oiko,”
to build, and “dome,” the top or the roof. When put together, the word gives the idea of building
from the ground floor all the way to the top. God's prescription for the
growth of the body of Christ is based on the spiritual contribution of every
gifted member in the body. No one is left out! “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 which belongs to the fullness of
Christ” (Eph. 4:13). “Until” is a time word!
When believers share their stewardship responsibility
with others in the body, that body will be marked by a unity of faith. That means that everyone will be on
the same page doctrinally and will be able to work together as a unit. This
unity can only be achieved when every believer contributes his or her special
gift of grace.
Knowledge is “epignosis” or ample
knowledge. When each believer
contributes his ministry to the body, then the body will have ample and
accurate truth concerning Jesus Christ. This knowledge may involve His deity,
His becoming flesh, His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and His
work now as High Priest, Head of the Church, and as our coming King.
Given time and the contribution of the ministry of every
believer, mature believers will be produced. The Greek word for mature is the word “telios.”
Every Christian is to profit from the ministry of every other gifted believer
in the body in order to become mature (and balanced). This is God’s way of growing a
church! How are we to measure maturity in the body of Christ?
Literally “measured by the stature which belongs to
the fullness of Christ.” The spiritual
maturity of each believer is to be measured against the character of Christ.
The character of Jesus Christ can be seen in the lives of spiritually mature
Christians. How do we know when
gifted believers have accomplished their goal? “As a result, we
are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried
about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in
deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).
The word “children” is “nepios,” or little
children. This word stands in contrast to “telios,” mature adults, in
verse 13. Believers are instructed to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ
and to ultimately become mature believers (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18). Maturity can only be achieved by
receiving the ministry of every believer in the body of Christ.
A failure to grow up in Christ will result in
spiritual infancy and instability. Believers are not to remain vulnerable to
the tricks and deceitful schemes of evil men. “But speaking
the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head,
even Christ” (Eph. 4:15). Each believer is to perform his ministry
responsibilities mixed with love so that others easily receive our
ministry. This will result in
growing up in all aspects into Christ. “From whom the
whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies,
according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of
the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16). How is this spiritual body held together?
Now notice carefully what the Lord Jesus Christ uses to hold the entire body together.
The Head (the Lord Jesus Christ) fits and holds the
body together by the use of every gifted member of the body. There are no
useless parts in the body. How is the body of Christ to grow?
Each believer has been given grace from God, has been set apart by the Lord Jesus Christ, called of Him, equipped by Him, and given a special ministry from Him. We all have a stewardship responsibility to proclaim the gospel and to build the body of Christ upon the foundation that has been laid for us. This is God’s grace way to build His church. |
What can Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
teach us about growing churches the “Grace way?” |