So we commenced our study last week in chapter 4 of Ephesians, just making the point that here Paul comes away from the theology that he's been preaching in those first three chapters and he now comes to a practical application of that theology he comes from exposition to exhortation and we noted how that that word in chapter in verse one of chapter four beseech is a very very strong word it's calling alongside and paul says i want you to come alongside me and i want you to walk worthy, worthy to be of equal length. In other words, Paul is saying that the teaching of the first three chapters, the theology, has to be held in perfect balance with the practical application in the next three chapters. Both are equally important. And we thought how that Paul was espousing their Christian unity. This is what he's after in verses one to six, impressing a promise. And he talks about the character of it. He talks about its divine origin. And he talks about the charge to build that unity within the Christian fellowship that we belong to. A world that fails utterly in its attempts at unity. And here we have the church being encouraged to be that beacon, that outpouring of the unity that the world seeks, showing to the world that here, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Father God and the actions of the Holy Spirit working amongst the members of a fellowship, how that unity can be gained. He talked about its character, in verse two he speaks of lowliness of meekness of of long-suffering of forbearing in love something which is humble and gentle not something which is weak but something which is strong He speaks about it being something which is the unity of the spirit and it makes for a satisfying unity in the fellowship for the glory of God. He speaks about its divine origin, one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father, the perfect seven we thought of it as being. unity of the church rooted in the Holy Trinity. Each of those seven is connected to one person or other of the triune Godhead, the Holy Spirit, the person of Christ and God the Father. And then we thought about the charge to build that unity. Paul says, do your utmost to keep the unity of the spirit. The force of the word here is that this is urgent, is what he is saying. There's no room for rivalries, no room for hatreds, no room for factions. There has to be a concerted effort to draw near to the triune God, and as a result, draw nearer to each other, the fellowship of believers, to bring about that unity. And he thought then about how that this was going to need peacemakers. And a peacemaker was one who was honest, one who was willing to risk pain, risk rejection as he stood for the right. And then thirdly, paradoxically, he said the peacemaker has got to be a fighter. He's got to contend for the right. The world, we said at the close of our study last week, is in an endless search for peace. And we thought how lovely it would be if each fellowship of believers might, the world, see the church living out its indestructible unity of peace in humility, gentleness, and patience, and forbearing love. That those folks, as they look upon the church, might be drawn to it. Unity then rooted in the triune God, focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, reliant on the power of the Holy Spirit, but all in the bond of peace. And so we come to verses seven to 16. And here Paul is going to turn his attention to the growing of the church, the upbuilding of the church, of the believers. Much has been written over the years on the subject of growing churches. You go online and you can find any amount of books that have been written, messages that have been delivered on the subject of growing the church. And yet, in these 10 verses of Ephesians chapter 4, Paul explains God's way of growing a church. And he's going to explain that as being by living out in its life the unity that's been espoused in the previous six verses. Paul says, take this unity and use it to grow the church. And we need to just make the point here that it's not membership numbers that's in view, but rather the spiritual development of the individual members of the church or fellowship of believers. This is what's in view here. Paul's not saying, I want you to grow in numbers. What he's saying is, I want you to grow the more like Christ as a fellowship. I want you to grow the more unified in your doctrine, in your theology, in your practices. I want you to be one in the Word of God. And so he starts off by speaking about the essentials for growth. And first of all, in verses 7 to 11, he speaks about gifted leadership. This is most important, he says. In verse 7, but unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Grace. And the grace that is being thought of there by Paul is the ability to perform the task that God has called us to do. That's what the grace is that he's speaking of here. Let me just read you what Paul says in Romans and chapter 12 and verse 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us where the prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry let us wait on our ministry and so on. The grace here he's thinking about is these gifts that God has given to each and every believer and then we made mention of it in chapter 3 as we studied there in Ephesians and chapter 3. In verse 7 he says, Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me. And then in verse 8 he says, Unto me who am less than the least of all the saints is this grace given. So the word grace here he is using to identify the ability we have to perform the task that God has called us to do. Each believer has received this enabling grace in the exact proportion, he says, that Christ has determined. We all, he says, no exceptions, we all have a special part to perform in the fellowship in which we belong and in our personal lives. Everyone has something that they have been given of God, a grace they have been given of God to be used in the fellowship to which they belong and more expansively into the body of Christ, the church. Verses 8 to 10 he says, not only do we have this special grace, but these graces have a very spectacular origin. And Paul quotes for us Psalm 68 and verse 18. And it's a wonderful psalm, isn't it? It's an exciting psalm to read. It's an uplifting psalm to read. For there we have in Psalm 68, God marching in triumph before all Israel after the Exodus. It speaks of the earth shaking under his feet. It speaks of kings and armies fleeing from before him. up the slopes of Jerusalem he goes in victory leading captives and receiving note the word receiving gifts from men and Paul is going to use that but he's going to change the word receiving and he's going to change it to giving And he's going to use it to explain to us how that we can be part of that tremendous, wonderful, uplifting Psalm 68 by changing that one word from receiving to sorry, from giving to receiving gifts from men to giving gifts, indicating that the triumphant Christ gives gifts to men. Paul wants to emphasize that the descent of the Lord Jesus Christ from the glory of heaven to the incarnation there as we were thinking not so many weeks ago of this coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and how that this word of God became inarticulate as a tiny baby born there in seeming weakness and how that he would eventually go to the cross and become sin for us. then eventually to burst forth from death in total and absolute triumph and fill the whole universe as the conquering king who joyously, Paul says, lavishes gifts upon his children. Paul says that Christ not only bestows abundant gifts on his church, but he gives his people power to exercise those gifts. You know, you might have a feeling in yourself that as you've been before the Lord, perhaps in prayer, you've got a feeling that you've got a gift, that there's something that God is giving you the ability to do. But you might feel that you just don't have the power and the ability to carry it out. But you know what Paul is saying here is that if God has given us a gift, whatever that gift might be, then he will give us the power to carry out that particular gift, to exercise that gift. You see, God gives us gifts in the expectation that they will be used and that they will be used to bring power and victory to the church. Amazing, isn't it? That whatever small gift we feel we have, however inadequate we feel, if we allow the Holy Spirit to take up that gift and use it through us, God says it will bring power and victory to the church. And we all have that responsibility. In scripture, we find that there are five lists of these graces. In 1 Corinthians we get two lists, in Romans we have one, in 1 Peter we have one, and here in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11 we have one. Paul says, and he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and some teachers. Paul here focuses on four gifted persons. who are gifts to the Church, to the body of Christ. He speaks of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or shepherds, and teachers. So let's look first at the apostles and the prophets. Chapter 2 and verse 20. and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the word that is most important in that statement is foundational. The 12 apostles and those who preached in association with them are these apostles and prophets in view here. They were given to the Church at that specific time to establish the Church, and their role became unnecessary when the New Testament was written. They were unique endowments which did not extend beyond the apostolic age. Now there will be people and maybe someone here who will disagree with my stating that so emphatically. But that's how I believe it is and that's what I believe Paul is saying here. That the apostles were given at that specific time to minister to the church. They were foundations upon which we then build and the same with the prophets and these apostles and prophets became unnecessary in the church when the whole canon of scripture was put into being we then have every we have the whole mind then of god the apostles teaching the prophets prophecies they're all here and these gifts were no longer in a in operation from the time of the departure of the apostles from that apostolic age. They were unique endowments and did not extend beyond the apostolic age. But the next one he speaks about are the evangelists and they are very much for the church age, the evangelists. One commentator I read, R. Kent Hughes, he says they're the obstetricians of the church. He says these evangelists are those who are gifted in promoting the new birth, in preaching the gospel. They're bringing to the people the good news of the gospel and the way in which new birth can be enjoyed by those who take Christ as their savior. It's unfortunate that as we, in this day in which we live, we find that the title of evangelist has become one of some derision in the world in which we live. There are too many of those who are self-styled so-called evangelists. We see them on our television screens. You know, if you want to look at an evangelist, look at Billy Graham. If you want to look at an evangelist, look at Louis Palau. If you want to look at an evangelist, yeah, nearer to home, look at Dick Saunders. these are true evangelists these are not charlatans these are not in it for the money as so many of them are so all who are gifted in making the gospel clear plain and relevant to the lost a marvelous gift indeed and one that can i suggest that all believers All believers, in one way or another, should endeavour to develop. We are all expected to share the gospel with those with whom we meet, those who are headed for a lost eternity. Evangelists, then. And then Paul speaks of pastors and teachers. He brings them together. As I say, Kent Hughes calls the evangelists, he calls them the obstetricians, bringing new birth. And he calls the pastors and teachers the pediatricians. He says they are the ones who are going to be the pastors, the shepherds of the flock. Let me just read you Acts 20 and verse 28. Take heed, he says, therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. He's encouraging these pastors, these teachers, these shepherds to be tender, to be caring, to carry out a nurturing ministry, suggesting a touch here or a kind word here or a gentle prod at the right time. This is what Paul wants to see these pastors and teachers engaged in. It's a very strong thought here. It's the thought of feeding the sheep being a top priority. It's resolute strength in protection of the flock. You remember how that the Lord, when he questioned Peter on three occasions, asking him after the resurrection, do you really love me, Peter? And every time he said to him, when Peter replied in the affirmative, every time he said to Peter, feed the flock, feed the flock. And so it is for pastors and teachers, that tremendous responsibility of being tender and caring and nurturing the believers in the flock. These pastors and teachers, they stand in the stead of the apostles. The apostles and the prophets, as I say, no longer have a position in the church. But these pastors and teachers, they stand in the stead of those apostles and prophets. It's a serious business. It's not something to be taken upon oneself lightly. it's a very serious thing to be a pastor or a teacher, or as we might think, an elder. It's responsibility for sound teaching and exposition of the scriptures, because that is the surest way to promote the growth of the church. The sound teaching and the exposition of the scriptures. It's a big responsibility resting upon those who would seek to teach the Word of God. One commentator puts it this way. He says that lame sermonettes produce Christianettes. In other words, If the preaching is too airy-fairy, too wishy-washy, then it will produce wishy-washy, airy-fairy Christians. But, but, and it's a big but, those who receive the teaching must take it to heart and put it to work in their life. and the life of the church, if the church is to grow. This is what Paul is espousing here. He says, make sure that there is sound teaching, that there is good, sound exposition of the word of God from pastors and teachers, but then ensure that you, we, as those who listen to the preaching, to the teaching, are those who take it to heart and put it to work in our life, if we want to see the church grow. Do you see how important it is, each individual member of a fellowship? It's quite easy to join yourself to a fellowship and to drift along and sit in the back row, if you like, and not really take on any responsibilities, not use the gift that you've been given for the benefit of the fellowship. It's a serious thing. teaching young people many years ago and I was always concerned that two things they needed to get a real grip of. One was the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the other was the fellowship to which they belong. These two things are so important in developing as a believer, as a Christian. Getting a real true appreciation of what it means to be in fellowship, to be part of a fellowship. Something that God expects of all of us. God doesn't expect any of us to just believe. The command is that we're baptized. and then by extension to be those who join ourselves to a fellowship and use the gifts that he's given us to develop that fellowship, to be the body of Christ, to grow it. And the means of that growth? The first part of verse 12. for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry. This is what Paul says, that's the means of grace. The gifted leadership given to the church, there to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The thought here is of the leadership preparing God's people for the work of the ministry. Each and every member of the body of Christ has a role to play. None of us, none of us at all is more or less important than another. Sometimes we tend to think that those who stand on a platform are far more important. Those who take the leadership of a fellowship. But Paul says everybody has a gift. Everybody has to use that gift to their utmost ability. That's all God requires of us if this fellowship is to grow. Again, talking to children, I used to use light bulbs as an example of what I was trying to get over. You know how that light bulbs come in different wattages. I expect we have something different now. We're lumens now, aren't we, or something. But, you know, a 25-watt bulb and a 100-watt bulb, they look exactly the same, possibly. But one is going to give far more light than the other. That's not important. The important thing is that the 25-watt bulb gives out 25 watts of light, and that the 100-watt bulb gives out 100 watts of light. And I suggest that that's light believers. Some of us are 25-watt Christians, if you like. We've only got small gifts God has entrusted with, but we've got to use that gift to the full extent of our being. And if we're 100 watt, we've got to shine as 100 watt. If we're only a 25 watt, we've got to shine as a 25 watt. But we are all exactly on the same level. We are all as important as each other, Paul says. Each and every member then of the body of Christ has a role to play, none more or less important than another. Another little illustration I heard recently was we're not to imagine the fellowship as a bus with people on it. We're not to imagine that the pastor of a fellowship or the elders of a fellowship are the drivers and the congregation of the passengers just slumbering peacefully there in peaceful security behind the pastor or the elders. We've got to be up and doing, doing our part, carrying the burden of the testimony alongside those who would be leaders. I remember how that once talking to some elderly ladies connected to a to a Church of England church and how that they'd been going along to that church for many, many years. And their appreciation of salvation was simply that they would get to heaven because the pastor was going to take them there, the vicar was going to take them there. He did all that was necessary for them to get them into heaven. And that's not what Paul says it should be like at all we all have our part to play and we must do our part if the church is to grow and the goal of that growth we want to see the church grow and the goal of it is simply maturity that's what paul says in verse 12 end of verse 12 down to 14 he says i want it i want you to become a mature fellowship So we have a church with pastors doing their job effectively. And people who are prepared to serve each using their individual divinely appointed gift. What will the result be? Paul says it'll be a church displaying maturity. A church made up of mature believers. People who are not fickle, unstable, gullible, easily influenced by the latest book or preacher or a fad. not blown about, he says, by every wind of doctrine, and not vulnerable to the wolves. This is what Paul says. This is what we're not to be like. He says, I want you to be mature Christians. You know, you see so many Christians who become believers, who rejoice in the fact that they are saved and they're soundly saved, but they have no interest in maturing as Christians, as believers. They have no interest in committing themselves fully to studying the Word of God and to allowing it to have, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to affect their lives and to drive them forward in their Christian lives. Paul says what we want is a church displaying maturity, a church made up of mature believers. As a child, you might well go into an ice cream parlor and you'd be absolutely blown away by all the flavors. And you'd perhaps have difficulty in choosing one. And having chosen one, you might get it in your hand and think, well, actually, I'd rather have another flavor. You're blown around by all the flavors that are there. You can't choose which one to have. Paul says, I want you to be mature believers because then you won't be blown around by every wind of doctrine. You will be fixed and solid and stand firm on the word of God because you've been taught. Going back to the ice cream analogy, As children, you can't choose. As adults, I suspect that if I went around the congregation tonight and said, tell me what your favorite flavor ice cream is, you'd probably come out with one, maybe two. That's because you've matured, because you've decided what you like best. Paul says that's how we need to be as Christians. He says that has to be the goal of every church, to be desirous of growth. Elevation is the thought here. In the world of education, in an education establishment, they will seek to elevate the students to attain the very highest honors in their degree courses. In the church, we're dealing with something on an altogether higher plane, something which is far more substantial and dynamic, something which is spiritual, and more importantly, perhaps, eternal, something that is not going to fade away. Christians, then, working together exercising each their own divinely given gift to the end, that there's mutual growth, that the whole church grows together. And then just finally, the medium of that growth, verses 15 and 16. But speaking the truth in love, he says the medium of that growth, the way it is going to develop most satisfactorily is through truth. and truth that is bound up with love. Not just speaking the truth, but doing it. Truth, he says, if you like, fertilized with love, creates conditions conducive for the Holy Spirit to do his work. And we need to be those who are allowing ourselves to be directed by the Holy Spirit daily, to grow into Christ in every way possible. Every part of the body of Christ then, of which each of us are a part, joined, he says, jointed, equipped, working properly, and that makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. This is what Paul is saying. This is the unity. This is the growth of the unity. This is the growth of the body. So how does a biblical church grow? How does it come? One, it comes through gifted leadership, dependent on the power of the spirit, living lives that are in accordance with the word of God. Secondly, through discipleship. in which God's people are prepared for works of service and are using their gifts to the fullest, relying on the enabling of the Holy Spirit. And then thirdly, through progressive corporate maturity, all the members encouraged and sustained by what is evident of the spiritual graces in each other. It's a lovely thought that, isn't it? That we should be looking at the graces in each other and using them in our own lives to encourage ourselves to develop our graces. We're all reliant on each other in this respect. And then fourthly, through transparent, honest, loving speech and lives, speaking the truth. Well, it's a tall order, isn't it? It's made me think very, very seriously about my attitude within the fellowship to which I belong. Do I display the graces that I... Do I rely on the graces of those in that fellowship to encourage me and to build me up? And am I really concerned that the fellowship to which I belong grows in the way that God wants it to grow. Not necessarily numerically, although that's very good and nothing wrong with it, but that it grows to a maturity, a spiritual maturity that becomes evident in the preaching of the gospel and in the teaching of the word of God. Amen.