(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church on August 18, 2002. This is the third of a series of sermons on the purpose of the local church. All Scripture references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB®, unless otherwise stated)
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11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of 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 a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. 14 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; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which 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.
Introduction: As we have been studying the purpose of the local church, we have learned that the church's aim or purpose is to glorify God (Eph.3:20-21), and that we do this by worshiping Him in at least 3 key ways: Exaltation (ascribing worth to God), Edification (the building up of the body of Christ), and Evangelism (our local witness and missions). This week I want to focus in on the Edification aspect of worship and how that impacts the entire health of the local church. The edification process is more than just church programs or busy work, as we will see. The only way that a church can truly be edified, is when they follow God's body building program.
I. God's Trainers For Edification
(vv.11-12).
1. Their God-given calling and enablement for edification (v.11).
A. Apostles (v.11a).Application: If God's Church is to be healthy and is going to be built-up according to God's plan, then we need to recognize the importance of spiritual gifts and the importance of utilizing those gift(s) that God has given us. While the foundational gifts of Apostles and Prophets are no longer active in churches today, there are many other gifts that are. God doesn't give us gifts so that we can pick and chose IF we will use them, but He gives them to us so that we WILL use them. Someday, when we stand before our Lord and Savior, we will give an account to Him of what we did or didn't do with His gift; 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that EACH ONE may be recompensed for HIS DEEDS in the body [i.e., the local church], according to what he HAS DONE, whether good or bad" (emphasis mine). When you fail to exercise the gift that God gives you it doesn't just affect you in the future, but it affects the whole church in the here and now!1) "apostles," ("o apostolos," (oh ap-os'-tol-os: n, acc, m, pl}); a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders, apostle.B. Prophets (v.11b).- The distinguishing features of an apostle were, a commission directly from Christ: being a witness of the resurrection: special inspiration: supreme authority: accrediting by miracles: unlimited commission to preach and to found churches (Vincent).2) An apostle is a "divinely appointed representative" (BEC).A) There are no apostles today in the strictest New Testament sense.B) These men helped to lay the foundation of the church.
1) "prophets," ("o prophetes" {oh prof-ay'-tace: n, acc, m, pl}); prophet, one who solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, one who speaks for God by proclaiming what God wants to make known.C. Evangelists (v.11c).2) New Testament prophets were gifts to the church to provide edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3: BKC).
A) Believers in the New Testament churches did not possess Bibles, nor was the New Testament written and completed. so the Holy Spirit would share God's truth with those possessing the gift of prophecy (BEC).B) The prophets had a foundational ministry in the early church and they are not needed today (Eph. 2:20: BEC).
1) "evangelists," ("o euaggelistes" {oh yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace': n, acc, m, pl}): an evangelist, one who brings or announces good news, the name given to the NT heralds of salvation through Christ who are not apostles, also used of preachers and/or teachers of the Gospel.D. Pastor/Teachers (v.11d).2) The Apostles and prophets laid the foundation of the church, and the evangelists built on it by winning the lost to Christ (BEC).
3) This is similar to what present-day missionaries do.
1) "some as pastors and teachers."A) "and," ("de" {deh: conj, coord}): moreover, and.2) This gift refers to one office with two functions (LBC).B) "pastors," ("o poimen" {oh poy-mane': n, acc, m, pl}); a shepherd, sheep herder, pastor, minister.
C) "and," ("kai" {kahee: conj, coord}); and, also, even, indeed.
D) "teachers," ("didaskalos" {did-as'-kal-os: n, acc, m, pl}); a teacher, master, one who teachers concerning the things of God.
A) "Pastors and teachers" are listed together because they are governed by one definite article in the Greek text (BKC).(1) The Greek article is a linguistic handle for holding a word or a group of words in thought (Greek Enchiridion, William G. MacDonald).B) The preciseness of the Greek language here not only stresses the importance of the local church pastor to provide spiritual guidance, but it also stresses the importance for them to teach their flock(A) The basic function of the article is to identify (Essentials of NT Greek, Summers).(2) "the" (o) occurs before "pastors" but not before "teachers"(B) When used with the conjunction kai, if the 1st of the two nouns has the article and the 2nd does not, the two are one thing - which is the case here in our passage (Essentials of NT Greek, Summers).
(3) Also the word "and" (kai) differs from the other "and's" (de) in the verse (BKC).
Transition: God not only has provided us with trainers to build-up His church, but He has also given them. . .
2. Their God-given focus for edification (v.12).
A. For preparing believers for service (v.12a).Transition: Now look what happens when we follow God's plan, it is intended. . .1) The aim of these ministries is now disclosed, and it is the equipping of all God's people for service.A) "equipping," ("katartismos" {kat-ar-tis-mos': n, acc, m, sg}); equipping, complete furnishing, making adequate, perfecting, as a process of adjustment that results in a complete preparedness.2) The idea is that the work of the ministry is done by the flock, and that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and the pastor/teachers are to equip them for that ministry (JISR).B) "work," ("ergon" {er'-gon: n, acc, neut, sg}); deed, work, action, accomplishment.
C) "service," ("diakonia" {dee-ak-on-ee'-ah: n, gen, f, sg}); service, ministry, task.
A) Gifted people (Eph. 4:11) are to minister the Word to others so that they in turn are readied to get involved in ministering to others (BKC).B) This is the method that the Apostle Paul used as illustrated in 2 Timothy 2:2, "And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
B. For the strengthening of the whole body (v.12b).Application: This passage clearly teaches that pastors/teachers are more than just paid employee's of the church who do "the ministry." This passage teaches us that in order for a local church to be a healthy church, it takes everyone getting involved. D.L. Moody said, "it is better to put ten men to work than to do the work of ten men" (LBC). This passage clearly points out that the church is not a rest home, nor is it a waiting room for those who have their tickets to heaven. A church that doesn't apply God's plan for edification will never bring glory to God, only open shame because of their disobedience.1) When the local church is functioning as God intended it, then the whole church is strengthened.A) "building up," ("oikodome" {oy-kod-om-ay': n, acc, f, sg}); the act of building up, edifying, the act of one who promotes another's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness and holiness.2) The members of the church grow by feeding on the Word and ministering to each other (BEC).B) "of the body," ("soma" {so'-mah: n, gen, neut, sg}); the body, used here of NT believers in the church.
A) They grow in their closeness to one another as they get involved in ministering to one another.B) They grow spiritually as they learn and apply God's Word to their lives.
Transition: Paul just gave the overview of God's plan, and now he gives us the details of. . .
II. God's Training Plan For Edification
(vv.13-16).
1. Maturity (vv.13-15a).
A. Through unity in faith (v.13a).Transition: Another aspect of God's training plan for building up the body of believer into maturity is that it is brought about. . .1) Here "unity in the faith" is a goal to be reached.A) "unity," ("henotes" {hen-ot-ace': n, acc, f, sg}); unity, a state of oneness, unison, agreement, unanimity.2) When believers are properly taught and led into the work of the ministry, the body is built up, and there will be unity (JISR).B) "faith," ("pistis" {pis'-tis: n, gen, f, sg}); as belief directed towards a person or thing, confidence, faith, trust, reliance on.
A) Disunity in the church is the result of biblical ignorance and spiritual immaturity.B) Unity is achieved by "keeping our eyes on the Lord, and not on each other"
(1) A healthy church's eyes are focused upon the Lord and following Him.(2) A sick church's eyes are focused upon each other and never looks up to see where the Lord's going.
B. Through knowledge of Jesus Christ (v.13b).Transition: The closer we walk with the Lord, the more we grow to understand Him and the more stable our faith will become. . .1) This isn't just speaking about a salvation type of knowledge of Christ, but a relational type of knowledge.- "knowledge," ("epignosis" {ep-ig'-no-sis: n, gen, f, sg}); precise and correct knowledge, used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine, what one comes to know and appropriate through faith in Christ.2) This is both head and heart knowledge that is seasoned and matured through experience and time.
C. Through spiritual maturity (vv.13c-14).Transition: God's plan for the Christian life is simple, to shape and mold us into the likeness of His Son and to show the same type of concern for one another. . .1) The more we mature in our walk with the Lord, the more in His likeness we become (v.13c).A) The Christian's goal is to measure up to God's standard for our lives and not try to have everyone else measure up to our standards.2) Another result of striving to become like Christ in our walk, is that believers become more stable in their faith (v.14).B) Christ alone is our standard for true maturity, "to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ."
(1) "mature," ("teleios" {tel'-i-os: adj, acc, m, sg}); brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, perfect, full grown, mature, fully developed.B) Another way of saying this is, "when I grow up, I want to be just like Jesus."(2) "measure," ("metron" {met'-ron: n, acc, neut, sg}); measure, standard, as an instrument for measuring.
(3) "stature," ("helikia" {hay-lik-ee'-ah: n, gen, f, sg}); age, time of life, of an attained state fit for a thing, stature, used here figuratively of being of age or mature.
(4) "fulness," ("pleroma" {play'-ro-mah: n, gen, neut, sg}); that which is filled, full, fulness, the complete amount.
A) Infants are easily swayed and confused, as waves blown by the wind.(1) "tossed here and there by waves," ("kludonizomai" {kloo-do-nid'-zom-ahee: v, part, pres, mid/pass, dep, nom, m, 1per, pl }); to be tossed by waves, used here figuratively of being unstable in opinion, fluctuate, frequently change the way one thinks or believes.B) False teachers create such winds by their teaching and seek to trick people into following them.(2) "carried about," ("periphero" {per-ee-fer'-o: v, part, pres, pass, nom, m, 1per, pl}); carry about from one place to another, to be driven, used here figuratively of the effect of diverse doctrines on the mental and spiritual life, cause to think one way and then another.
(1) "trickery," ("kubeia" {koo-bi'-ah: n, dat, f, sg}); dice playing (the deception of men, because dice players sometimes cheated and defrauded their fellow players), used here figuratively of craftiness, trickery, cheating.(2) "craftiness," ("panourgia" {pan-oorg-ee'-ah: n, dat, f, sg}); capability for every work, cunning, craftiness, trickery.
(3) "deceitful," ("plane" {plan'-ay: n, gen, f, sg}); as a straying from the truth (error, delusion, deception).
(4) "scheming," ("methodeia" {meth-od-i'-ah: n, acc, f, sg}); method or procedure, used here in a bad sense as scheming to deceive (craftiness, cunning, deception).
D. Through love (v.15a).Application: God's plan for building up His church is much more than saving people, but it includes raising them so that they may become mature and responsible adults, who will be ready to serve with Him into eternity; Romans 8:29, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren." There should nothing worse for a Christian than to someday stand before Christ and to have never tried to become like Jesus Christ. The basic principle found here in the Scriptures is that we are saved to serve, and that is how God builds up His church. Paul followed God's plan to the letter, and so should we; Galatians 4:19, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you." How do we start? Its simple, you need to start with having the right attitude, just as John the Baptist did when he said, John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Then you need to study God's Word and seek God's direction for your life, that is, where He would have you to serve and in what capacity.1) Believers should maintain truth in love in both speech and conduct (SL).A) Loving, effective confrontation involves speaking the truth in love.2) The church that stresses both the truth and love will produce spiritually mature Christ-like believers (SL).(1) "speaking the truth," ("aletheuo" {al-ayth-yoo'-o: v, part, pres, act, nom, m, 1per, pl}); to speak or tell the truth, of upholding the Gospel speak what is true (about God), be faithful to the truth.B) This has the idea of maintaining truth in love, in both speech and life (BKC).(2) "love," ("agape" {ag-ah'-pay: n, dat, f, sg}); love, a deep deep love, an unconditional love.
C) Little children do not know how to blend truth and love (BEC).
(1) They think that if you love someone, you must shield him from the truth if knowing the truth will hurt him.(2) It is a mark of maturity when we are able to share the truth with our fellow Christians, and do it in love.
(3) Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
Transition: If we are going to stay focused upon completing God's training plan for building up His church, we must do so in a spirit of cooperation and. . .
2. Unity (vv.15b-16).
A. United under one leader (v.15b).Transition: Not only are we united by One Leader, Jesus Christ, but we also are. . .1) From the Head (1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18) the body derives its whole capacity for growth and activity (BKC).2) If you remove the head, the body will die.
A) There can only be one true leader in the church, and that must be Jesus Christ.B) When church tries to replace Christ as their leader, they end up running around in circles like a chicken with its head cut off until they finally cease to live.
B. United in service and love (v.16).Application: The key to a healthy church that glorifies the God is for Christians to abide in Christ and to fulfill their proper function in the church. As a result they grow closer to one another in love and unity (BBC). When we fail to do these things, we not only fail the Lord, but each other. True edification can only be found in God's body building program, everything else is just a cheap imitation; Colossians 2:18-19, "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God."1) God has arranged the church so that every member is exactly designed for their own place and function, and perfectly joined to every other member so as to make a complete living organism (BBC).2) As each believer in a local church fulfills their proper role, the church body grows spiritually, physically and even mentally in love for one another.
Truths To Ponder:
1. God has provided everything that is needed to build up the local
church body, if we will only follow His plan.
A. That means we must be leadable.2. Christ is the One in Whom all Christians mature and out of Whom the church grows (JISR).B. That means we must be teachable.
C. That means we must be useable.
-- Vincent: He is emphatic. It is He that gave.- "some," ("men" {men: conj, coord}); truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
-- Vincent: The distinguishing features of an apostle were, a commission directly from Christ: being a witness of the resurrection: special inspiration: supreme authority: accrediting by miracles: unlimited commission to preach and to found churches.- "and," ("de" {deh: conj, coord}): moreover, and.
-- Vincent: Preachers and expounders under the immediate influence of the Spirit, and thus distinguished from teachers.- "and," ("de" {deh: conj, coord}): moreover, and.
-- Vincent: Traveling missionaries.- "and," ("de" {deh: conj, coord}): moreover, and.
-- Robertson: Only here are preachers termed shepherds (Latin pastores) in the N.T.- "and," ("kai" {kahee: conj, coord}); and, also, even, indeed.
-- Robertson: Here Paul groups "shepherds and teachers" together. All these gifts can be found in one man, though not always. Some have only one.
-- Vincent: Pastors or shepherds. The verb poimaino to tend as a shepherd, is often used in this sense. See on 1 Peter 5:2; Matthew 2:6. The omission of the article from teachers seems to indicate that pastors and teachers are included under one class. The two belong together. No man is fit to be a pastor who cannot also teach, and the teacher needs the knowledge which pastoral experience gives.
Verse 12.
- "for," ("pros" {pros: prep, acc}); for, for the sake
of, with a view to, for the purpose of, in order to.
- "equipping," ("katartismos" {kat-ar-tis-mos': n, acc,
m, sg}); equipping, complete furnishing, making adequate,
perfecting, as a process of adjustment that results
in a complete preparedness. (KJV = perfecting)
-- Robertson: Late and rare word (in Galen in medical sense, in papyri for house-furnishing), only here in N.T., though katartisis in 2Co 13:9, both from katartizo, to mend (Mt 4:21; Ga 6:1). "For the mending (repair) of the saints."- "saints," ("hagios" {hag'-ee-os: adj, pron, gen, m, pl}); of persons who are consecrated to God, saint.
-- Vincent: In classical Greek of refitting a ship or setting a bone. The preposition for denotes the ultimate purpose. Ministering and building are means to this end. Hence its emphatic position in the sentence. perfecting comes through a process.
-- Vincent: Rev., much better, unto the work of ministering. eis unto, marks the immediate purpose of the gift. He gave apostles, etc., unto the work of ministering and building, for the perfecting, etc. The prevailing sense of diakonia ministry, in the New Testament, is spiritual service of an official character.- "to," ("eis" {ice: prep, acc}); into, unto, to, towards, for. (KJV = for)
-- Robertson: This is the ultimate goal in all these varied gifts, "building up."- "of the body," ("soma" {so'-mah: n, gen, neut, sg}); the body, used here of NT believers in the church.
-- Vincent: Building defines the nature of the work of ministry.
Verse 13.
- "until," ("mechri" {mekh'-ree: conj, subord}); until,
till. (KJV = till)
-- Vincent: Specifying the time up to which this ministry and impartation of gifts are to last.- "we all," ("pas" {pas: adj, pron, nom, m, pl}); each, all, the whole, everyone.
-- Robertson: "The whole" including every individual. Hence the need of so many gifts.- "attain," ("katantao" {kat-an-tah'-o: v, subj, aor, act, 1per, pl}): to come to, arrive, to attain to a thing, reach,
-- Robertson: To come down to the goal (Php 3:11).- "to," ("eis" {ice: prep, acc}); in, unto, to, towards. (KJV = in)
-- Vincent: Arrive at, as a goal.
-- Robertson: "Unto oneness of faith" (of trust) in Christ (verse 3) which the Gnostics were disturbing.- "faith," ("pistis" {pis'-tis: n, gen, f, sg}); as belief directed towards a person or thing, confidence, faith, trust, reliance on.
-- Robertson: "the oneness of full knowledge of the Son of God," in opposition to the Gnostic vagaries.- "Son," ("huios" {hwee-os': n, gen, m, sg}); a son, a male offspring.
-- Vincent: The full knowledge. Not identical with faith, since the article puts it as a distinct conception; but related to faith. "Christians are not to be informed merely on different sections of truth and erring through defective information on other points, but they are to be characterized by the completeness and harmony of their ideas of the power, work, history, and glory of the Son of God" (Eadie).
-- Robertson: In sense of adult as opposed to infants in v14.- "man," ("aner" {an'-ayr: n, acc, m, sg}); of a male, man, also used generically of a group of both men and women.
-- Vincent: Rev., full grown.
-- Robertson: Boys rejoice in gaining the height of a man. But Paul adds to this idea "the fulness of Christ", like "the fulness of God" in 3:19. And yet some actually profess to be "perfect" with a standard like this to measure by! No pastor has finished his work when the sheep fall so far short of the goal.- "fulness," ("pleroma" {play'-ro-mah: n, gen, neut, sg}); that which is filled, full, fulness, the complete amount.
Verse 14.
- "as a result," ("hina" {hin'-ah: conj, subord}); that,
in order that, so that. (KJV = that)
- "no longer," ("meketi" {may-ket'-ee: adj, adv}); no
long, no mor, not hereafter. (KJV = no more)
- "children," ("nepios" {nay'-pee-os: adj, nom, m, pl});
little child, a minor not of age, used here of being childish,
untaught or unskilled.
-- Robertson: Some Christians are quite content to remain "babes" in Christ and never cut their eye-teeth (Heb 5:11-14), the victims of every charlatan who comes along.- "tossed here and there by waves," ("kludonizomai" {kloo-do-nid'-zom-ahee: v, part, pres, mid/pass, dep, nom, m,
-- Robertson: To be agitated by the waves.- "and," ("kai" {kahee: conj, coord}); and, also, even, indeed.
-- Robertson: To carry round, whirled round "by every wind of teaching." In some it is all wind, even like a hurricane or a tornado. If not anchored by full knowledge of Christ, folks are at the mercy of these squalls.- "every," ("pas" {pas: adj, dat, m, sg}); every, all.
-- Vincent: The different teachings of philosophers or of religious quacks are represented as winds, blowing the unstable soul in every direction.- "doctrine," ("didaskalia" {did-as-kal-ee'-ah: n, gen, f, sg}); instruction, the act of teaching, what is taught, teaching, doctrine.
-- Robertson: "In the deceit," "in the throw of the dice" (from kubos, cube), sometimes cheating.- "of men," ("anthropos" {anth'-ro-pos: n, gen, m, pl}); a human being, men.
-- Robertson: Cleverness, trickiness.- "in," ("pros" {pros: perp, acc}); at, near, by, towards, with regard to. (KJV = whereby)
-- Robertson: The word planes (wandering like our "planet") adds to the evil idea in the word. Paul has covered the whole ground in this picture of Gnostic error.- "scheming," ("methodeia" {meth-od-i'-ah: n, acc, f, sg}); method or procedure, used here in a bad sense as
-- Robertson: To follow after or up, to practice deceit, and occurs nowhere else (Eph 4:13; 6:11) save in late papyri in the sense of method.Verse 15.
-- Vincent: A deliberate planning or system. Of error includes the idea of deceit or delusion.
-- Vincent: To be true, to arrive at truth, and to speak truth. Here the idea is rather that of being or walking in truth. Rev., in margin, dealing truly.- "in," ("en" {en: prep, dat}); in, by, with.
-- Robertson: It is the metaphor of verse 13 (the full-grown man). We are to grow up to his stature.- "in," ("eis" {ice: prep, acc}); into, unto, to, towards, in. (KJV = into)
-- Robertson: We are the body and Christ is the Head.- "Christ," ("Christos" {khris-tos': n, nom, m, sg}); Christ = "anointed," the Messiah, the Son of God.
Verse 16.
- "from," ("ek" {ek: prep, gen}); out of, from, by.
- "whom," ("hos" {hos: adj, pron, rel, gen, m, sg}):
who, whom, which.
-- Robertson: Out of which as the source of energy and direction.- "the whole," ("pas" {pas: adj, nom, neut, sg}); every, all, the whole.
-- Vincent: The present participles denote present, continuous progress. The two participles represent respectively the ideas of harmony or adaptation and compactness or solidity.- "by," ("dia" {dee-ah': prep, gen}); through, by way of.
-- Robertson: Literally, "through every joint of the supply."- "according," ("kata" {kat-ah': according to, toward.
-- Vincent: The supply specifies it as peculiarly Christ's. The phrase joint of the supply signifies joint whose office or purpose it is to supply.
-- Robertson: Just "in measure" in the Greek, but the assumption is that each part of the body functions properly in its own sphere.- "working," ("energeia" {en-erg'-i-ah: n, acc, f, sg}); function, activity, used here of supernatural activity, energy,
-- Vincent: According as each part works in its own proper measure.
-- Vincent: Notice the peculiar phrase; the whole body maketh increase of the body. It is a living organism, and its growth is produced by vital power within itself.- "growth," ("auxesis" {owx'-ay-sis: n, acc, f, sg}); (KJV = increase)
-- Robertson: This is the way the body grows by cooperation under the control of the head and all "in love"
-- Vincent: As the element in which the upbuilding takes place.
Greek References
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