Welcome to the New Braunfels OPC Sermon Archive. New Braunfels OPC is a mission work of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and desires to proclaim the life-changing good news of Jesus Christ to New Braunfels and the surrounding communities. Today's sermon is preached by Pastor Carl Miller. Let's listen in. Well, if you have your Bibles with you this morning, please turn with me to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. We continue in this epistle this morning considering verses 14 through 16. Verses 14 through 16. Now we'll begin reading at verse 11 for context. Let's pray to the Lord together. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, Lord, as we come now to your word, we pray that it truly would be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Lord, we pray that our hearts and minds would be illuminated by your spirit, that we would be able to see clearly that which you have declared to be true, that which you call us to do. And we pray these things in Christ's name, amen. Ephesians chapter 4 beginning in verse 11. Hear now the very Word of God written for you and for me today. And he himself gave some to be apostles, and some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Amen. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. May God add his blessing to the reading of his word to us. Well, brothers and sisters in Christ, the great king of the church, our Lord Jesus Christ brings stability, provides the structure, the oversight, and the nurture that brings growth in his body. This is the spotlight that Paul has been shining as he shows us as God's people all that God has done for us in both grounding and gifting the members and the church corporately. And this is so good for us, isn't it? Not only are we the recipients of such blessing, but Paul's instruction in chapter four helps us as we get on our feet together. standing where we need to. It helps us to learn more about ourselves and one another as we prayerfully consider the gifts God has given us, as we see more clearly where we need to go and what we need to do. It helps us better understand God's design for the government of his church and what he has called the officers he has ordained to do. And so Christ gifts the men that he calls to serve the church in special ways. Do you remember the offices that God gave? If you recall, Paul told us of the four groups of officers that Christ gave to lead, to shepherd, to nurture, and discipline the flock. All of them, the apostles, the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, have offices of authority in the church as they declare the authoritative word of the living God. Now if you recall, the apostles were those who sat under Christ's teaching and witnessed his miracles and resurrection. They were those he sent and commissioned to take the gospel forth to establish and oversee churches, to expand his kingdom. His prophets were men who served as the mouthpiece of God to the people. They could rightly and authoritatively proclaim the word of God, saying, thus says the Lord, as he gave them utterance. They exhorted, encouraged, corrected, rebuked when needed, and gave predictions according to the sovereign will and work of God. As we know, the days of the apostles and prophets are gone, and yet the call and work of evangelists and pastors and teachers goes on. Evangelists are those ordained men God gave gifts to proclaim the gospel far and wide. They were called to build up congregations that the apostles had planted. The pastors and teachers are called to shepherd and lead and protect and instruct God's people. Pastors and ruling elders oversee and lead and nurture and correct the flock together. And so we need to be thankful for the men who serve you in these ways. Be faithful to sit and grow under their ministry, I encourage you. But God has given these officers the ever so important task of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Remember, the church is to be a training ground for spiritual growth and maturity, and therefore, the pastor and elders of the church must be diligent to do just that. For God's desire for his church is that the saints' skills be sharpened that your gifts be developed and put into practice for the blessing and edification of the body of Christ. All of this is pressing towards the glorious goal of presenting God's people mature in Christ. And so as we consider our passage this morning, I want you to remember that maturity matters. Spiritual maturity matters. There is good reason for that, as well as a responsibility that Paul teaches us that we must do as we progress toward the mature manhood that he spoke of in verse 13. This morning we'll look at the purpose for such maturing in verse 14, how true growth happens in the church in verse 15, and the building up of Christ's body in verse 16. So as we begin, let's consider the purpose of maturing, as Paul said in verse 14a, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. Beloved, here we find the contrast of maturity. As Paul describes the immature to be like children. Now, on the one hand, God teaches us positive aspects of being childlike in the scriptures, doesn't he? For example, Jesus says that it was good to be so. And how and in what ways is this true? Well, consider Jesus' words in Matthew 18, verses two through four. Matthew 18, verses two through four. We read there, At that time, the disciples came to Jesus saying, who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him in the midst of them and said, assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me. Very strong and important words there by our Lord and instruction regarding these things. So what is the benefit of being like little children in relation to entering Christ's kingdom? Well, to understand this, it's helpful to know that the word Jesus uses for child here refers to young children, even infants. As infants and young children are dependent on their parents for everything, they can do nothing for themselves. So too, we must recognize that we are dependent on our Lord and Savior for everything. We are welcomed into Christ's kingdom with nothing in our hands to bring, nothing to give. Simply to his cross we cling. We completely rely on his saving grace and forgiveness. Our salvation is 100% of God from start to finish. And so our dependence on Christ Like little children of whom we are, our utter humility before him is a positive thing. And further, as children's scripture teaches us that we must desire the pure milk of the word, Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2.2. We're also cared for by our heavenly father, Matthew 6.31. We are to be harmless and void of malice, Paul taught Corinth in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 20. However, on the other hand, we are to grow as Christians. As a baby boy, by God's grace, will grow into a young man and then a mature man, There are aspects such as our childish thinking, understanding, words, and ways that we need to leave behind. Paul taught the church in Corinth about this growth and progress, and let's consider three passages for a few moments as Paul spent quite a bit of time pressing this in with the saints there. The first passage I want to direct your attention to is 1st Corinthians three verses one and two. 1st Corinthians three verses one and two. He told the church. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able. And so a little bit of a rebuke there from Paul to the church, right? For he gave them food. He was a faithful apostle. He was a faithful pastor and under-shepherd. He gave them food, but it was milk. They were not ready in their growth, in their maturity to move on to things more solid. If you turn with me many chapters over in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, look at verse 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 11. Paul says, when I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. And again, one chapter over from there, chapter 14, verse 20. Paul said there, brethren, do not be children in understanding. However, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. So there is this balance in the scriptures that we find in regard to being childlike. and also being mature, moving beyond our childish ways, our childish understanding, growing and maturing into mature manhood, into mature womanhood. But this is the same message that Paul now gives the church in Ephesus, is it not? Walking as children, in many ways has many dangers that those who do so aren't prepared to handle. Children are naive. They can be overly trusting, especially with strangers, young children, for example. They listen and follow very easily, too easily, and if not redirected or stopped or guided, could be to their peril. and thus we have to teach them what not to do and what to do. For children lack wisdom, comprehension, and experience. They need instruction and guidance and protection that they would grow. And this has been Paul's lesson regarding the ministry of church officers and their work of guiding and growing, of imparting knowledge and understanding, of preaching the word and moving God's people from milk to meat for the purpose that he states in verse 14b. And look at verse 14b in Ephesians 4. And the purpose is that we won't be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. My friends, God makes us more and more spiritually stable in our sanctification. so that we aren't tossed like large waves of the sea, carried about, so that we aren't up and down, following this false teacher or then over to that false teacher. So if we don't grow in spiritual maturity, that's what will happen to us. That's important to remember. We will just believe and follow what they say without testing what they teach by scripture. For trickers and cheats love to play and to wreak havoc on the ignorant, the young, and the naive. And it's interesting to point out here that the Greek word for trickery in this verse, it literally refers to playing a dice game. or using slight of hand. And that is what these kinds of men use to deceive the saints. It's that type of trickery, it's that type of cunning. These false teachers stand against the unity of the body, against the unity of the faith, against the knowledge and the growing in the knowledge and the grace of Christ. And it's especially in light of this, that the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs such stability and growth. Because we see all around us ways and churches and people in which that is not true. But here God's word is teaching us, it's pointing us in the direction that we need to go. It's teaching us the things that we need to do and keep doing for the glory of Christ. So Paul goes on to tell us then how this growth is to take place in verse 15. He says, but speaking the truth in love. may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. So speaking the truth in love is the means of our growth together. It's the contrast of the deception the false teachers have tried to promote. Sometimes this phrase is used by Christians to communicate what we need to do with someone that we are in conflict with. But note the context here. Note the context here. This is the only place in scripture that this phrase is used. Speaking the truth in love is opposed to, it's in opposition to false doctrine spoken in deceit by those who desire to lead us astray. We are called to confess the truth. We confess Christ. We confess the true doctrines of the scriptures, and we don't waver on that. We are to do so void of cunning and craftiness. We firmly stand for the truth, but we don't speak the truth according to the ways and the methods of the world and the wicked. No, we are to do the opposite as we speak the truth in love. Love must control what we say, beloved. Love must control the words that come out of our mouth, the things that we do. If love is what is driving us to speak to others, We'll be concerned about how we speak to them. We'll watch our words as well as our attitudes, our motives, our tones with which we speak to them. We'll strive not to give offense by the way that we speak the truth. As you go about speaking truth and love, keep in mind its purpose. It's a means of growth. And it's a means of growth, not only individually, but also and particularly for the body, for the body of Christ. Look at its fruit in verse 15b. That we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. That's where we're headed. If you remember in verse 13, Paul taught us the goal that the officers of the church are to have in the growth and the maturity of believers in the body. But here again, we see even more helpful fruit of what this is doing and what is evident here. Notice that this growth is comprehensive. It's growth in knowledge and faith and unity and especially in love. We speak the truth in love so that we grow in love. Love of our God, love of Christ, and love for his people. Remember, I've said it before and I'll say it again, till the cows come home. If you love Jesus, you'll love his people. And this manner of speaking is a means of growth by which we see growth even in the body. And notice also that growing up in all things is growing into Christ, who is our head. This points us back to Paul's teaching in chapter one, verses 22 and 23, where he said that God put all things under Christ's feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. And so again, here in chapter four, Paul brings our union with Christ into focus. Jesus is the source and the goal of our growth. Beloved, Christ is also our example. John told us in 1 John 2.6 that as we abide in him, we are called to walk as he walked. We are being trained and are called to strive for that perfection as we grow into him, as Paul said. And so as we do this, as we grow together, we are being built up as his body, and that's what he speaks of in verse 16. from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. So as Christ has graciously given gifts to every member of his body, as he has united us in him to walk and grow together, here notice again the reference to the whole body. Importantly, there is no one who is left out. And again, I say importantly because as Christ has joined and knit us together by what every joint supplies, as each part as each member has an important job to do. If someone were left out, the body would be off kilter. Even if we take this illustration of the body and we consider our own bodies, consider what our joints do. Each joint has a very specific purpose and a specific movement that aids and benefits the rest of the whole body. My elbow joint can't go backwards. I'm not double-jointed, some of you may be, but I can't go, it won't go backwards, right? And that's good, that's right, because that's what the elbow is designed to do. And so Christ, even as he has built up, as he has established, as he is growing his body, as he is growing his church, he has put each joint in the right place. He is joining together and knitting everything together in his body in exactly the right way for the most effective working of his body. And so the same is true in terms of it being out of kilter and not functioning correctly. If somebody was left out, the same is true if some parts of the body weren't working and others were. The body would likewise be off kilter. And yet Jesus has beautifully designed and crafted his body to work in harmony together. And that's what's being pressed in here yet again. And notice that as that harmonious work happens, the result is that it causes the body to grow and to be built up. Not just does it aid the body in its functioning, and that's important as it needs to move and it needs to be doing what it's doing, but it is there and causes the body to grow. and to be built up in what? In love. And the very thing that is a part of the means of church growth that we just looked at in verse 15, the part that has to be coupled, that must be coupled with the speaking of truth. Christ is the source of our strength, beloved, and gifts us even as our head, but see that the growth is for the edifying of the body itself in love. We can't be passive in the Christian life. We must use our gifts and build one another up in love. And so I'll leave you with a few things. There are sadly many churches today who are what they shouldn't be and are doing what they shouldn't be doing. They aren't training grounds for spiritual growth and maturity. They are like ships tossed to and fro by the waves and winds of doctrine, and their people are suffering as a result. They aren't being fed and grounded in the word, nor are they being built up in Christ. They are carried about chasing here and following after there and trying to grow the church with worldly methods and measures. Their instability is on display as a result. All the more. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ must rise and stand, doing the things, growing the church according to the principles and methods and means that Christ has ordained and commanded. Growing boys into men and girls into women of faith and even consistent and committed in our lives and practice. And take with you today as well, beloved, spiritual maturity matters. It does. When we think about church growth, our minds may go to a couple of different places, maybe more than that. But when we think about church growth, speaking the truth in love is the means and love should be our measure as we grow together. Church growth isn't and shouldn't be primarily about numbers. Not at all. If numbers is our number one measure of church growth, we're doing it wrong. But we should be focused on maturity. Individually, as families, as the bodies, as we seek to grow the church and build the church as Christ is called and designed for it to happen, he blesses. The people are blessed, you are blessed being a part of this body and built up and the Lord in his sovereign will and timing brings more people to the fold. Yes, numbers are good. We desire to reach out to the lost. We desire to see Christ's church grow numerically. We desire to have more impact in our community and beyond, absolutely for the cause of Christ. But spiritual maturity matters. And the working of the body with our gifts And so let's keep that in mind as we leave today. And finally, be committed to do your part. As Christ supplies and joins and knits, let us harmoniously use our gifts together so that our body will truly edify itself in love. That is the pattern, that is the goal that is set before us. Christ gives us the way in which we need to do that. And so let's be faithful to do that for the glory of Christ, for the good of his body, for the expansion of his kingdom here in New Braunfels and beyond. Praise God for his word and let's pray together. Thanks for listening. We hope that you are blessed by what you heard today. To listen to more New Braunfels OPC sermons, or to find more information about our church, please visit our website at www.nbopc.org.