BUILT UP IN CHRIST (EPHESIANS 4:1-16)

now that we know our identity in Christ that we have been blessed beyond measure we have been reconciled empowered err and enabled in Christ what does these things that's the implication of all this thing in my practical daily and normal life as a follower of Jesus oh here's the question that answers what does it mean to me what's the relevance of that book to me now that I am in Christ and now that I know I am I have a new identity in Jesus oh I'll give a title to our conversation in Ephesians chapter 4 1 2 16 the first section is built up in Christ so you will notice in the in this paragraph in the 16 verses that I will show you today Paul would concentrate and saying we are being built up in Christ we are like a building and we are being matured and we are being grown up in Christ as a new community and it's like a man maturing and you would use the word infant until you become mature so it's like a baby growing but God's goal is that we become mature to the fullness of our faith and our knowledge of Jesus so please bear in mind although he's talking about collectively as a church every time Paul would address the officiants he's talking to them as a church as a community as God's people the third race but it is also applicable in the individual lives because the community is composed of individual followers of Jesus but it's very good to always observe that this is in the context of the new people the new community that Paul is saying you are now the new community that God the God community that he has started so built up in Christ so when I was studying this several weeks ago I was so excited because have you learned what's the one thing if there's a one thing here because there's so many things going on in chapter 4 1 to 16 and probably you have read it what I was saying Lord if there is one overarching big idea that you want us to grasp and you want us to bring home on Sunday what's the one thing here's the one thing brothers and sisters so when you read it and even when you follow me through the the scriptures today this is the glaring truth that Paul was actually pointing out in the first 6 in verses of chapter 4 that in Christ our unified call are united calling is to build upon and you will discover here that we are being reminded of our calling what is that call to be to be United to be one in Christ so our unified calling we only have one calling there are several callings but Paul would discuss that the basic calling of the community our unified calling is actually to build up all referring to those who are in Christ so ok are we ready let's go to verse 1 chapter 4 here's Paul picking up from what he said in verse in chapter 3 I am a prisoner remember that Paul was writing this letter when he was in prison either in Ephesus or in Rome back during those times Paul would write in prison and he reminded them as a prisoner for the Lord I'm acing this this apostle that even when he was in chained he looked at it my life in him I live and move and have my being that even in the prison cell Paul was so devoted to God that he looked at it as I am a prisoner for the Lord but look at the next line then he Paul said now shifting now from doctrine to to our duty from Creed to character from exposition to excitation Paul is now saying then I urge you the word urge can be translated as I exhort you my brothers and sisters as Paul would say that in Romans chapter 12 as I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received another translation walk worthy of the calling you have received I urge you I exhort you I admonish you my brothers and sisters you know your identity in Christ that you have been reconciled that you have been redeemed you have been rescued now that you know all these things I urge you put it into practice now Paul is shifting now it is our time not only to know it but to put it in our daily lives Paul said I urge you to live a life worthy walk this life walk your life worthy of the calling you have received which can also be translated as live a life worthy of the calling you have been so polish not doing a play of words here but particularly the word worthy is peculiar the word that was used in the Greek for the word worthy carries the idea of wait Tim bang you Halligan and what Paul is trying to say is live your life now that you know you are in Christ live your life worthy meaning with the same weight with balance weight of how much you have been saved by Christ pantheon mark anton bang number cocoon piano custom league test and just live your life worthy of the same balance of how God has save you in other words what Paul is saying is you have a million-dollar salvation and why are you responding with $0.05 response now that I have talked about your identity in Christ how God came down sent his son died for you you were dead you were bankrupt years here and God raised you up lifted you up position you in Christ so and so forth it is not worthy that you live a life that is not on the same equal footing or in the same weight that's why Paul said I urge you live your life in Christ on the same weight of the calling you have received so how are we as followers of Christ are we living our life in a sense the pinna Halligan poni in your pocket alec does not end or are we taking our salvation for granted anyway I'm saved by grace through faith then we just go easy laughing with our Christian life and periban you did not really appreciate what God has done for you in other words what police tries to say you did not understand the fullness of what God has done for you that salvation is not just coming to church salvation is not just going to heaven when you die it's more than that the Son of God came died for you if you really know and understand to what extent God what God has done in Christ for you you must live your life on the same way you walk this life worthy of the calling appreciate what God has done live your life in the light of what God has done for you for the efficient believers maybe they just take it for granted many Christians today just like us today maybe we pathetic particular types of a giggling boy a Christian and Arden which reflects our lives that we don't really appreciate what Christ has done on the cross for us that's the saddest part you have a mole you have a million-dollar salvation but we are giving a five cents response to a million dollars of vision it's not the same so that's what Paul is trying to say how I asked Paul what I was leading a vision how do I live worthy of the calling Paul tell me how do I live worthy of the calling and he answered that he said be completely humble and gentle now if you notice the word be he's talking about the root of everything you're being you don't just you just don't just act humble because you may up humble but you're not humble be completely the being Paul is not discussing here it should be your very nature it's a habit that you have to form now that you are in Christ he tandem humility and gentleness now this is obviously the fruit of the Holy Spirit if you are familiar with Galatians chapter 5 meaning to say these things is not a product of our human effort but rather it is an outflow of our of the Holy Spirit at work which already we already know in the proceeding the past three chapters and pollie saying be completely humble and gentle in those days in the first century the times of the writing of Paul humility is not a virtue they never consider humility as a virtue humility is something that you don't do the Roman influence the grip if you're strong you're you're powerful you're actually shallowly humility was never seen as a virtue it was only after Jesus Christ came that he shifted though an idea of the world that humility becomes a virtual and Paul would tandem it with gentleness because a humble person is also a gentle person a humble person is not harsh he's not violent a humble person is me because in the new community that in dmae was it in your new community juice and genders like a classic Ohana there will be friction among you just like what we have here in the church in our Koinonia there you meet people that is opposite to your personality and you don't like the personality you don't like the attitude and per se you be humble and humble means of course you're not proud because pride causes division its relinquishing your self-centeredness because you are not the focus its price who is the father's and Polly saying be gentle because meekness is not it's not supposed to be seen as weakness gentleness or meekness is actually power under control but much Daniel is on caballo a black stallion stallion powerful piranha tamed down that's the description of Paul a person who is gentle and meek is not weak that person is actually strong so a person who is gentle is a person that is powerful who is under control and put himself under the control of the Holy Spirit so don't perceive as people who are gentle Mahina a gentle in a sauna and about MA Kabbalah I began the way we perceive our husband a very bohemian Mahina the strength he submitted it under control of God and Polly sitting here be patient bearing with one another in a tolerant love you know a patient's lack of patience means narrowness of soul its Antebellum pasensya very narrow-minded a person who is patient reflects a large nests of his heart that he loves someone or the other person so much that he gives him room and space to fall to fail the change and to grow an impatient person is irritable an impatient person is a proud person because he looks at other people and imagine opera boggle and Koopa Troopa imagine in the community in Ephesus were there are different kinds of people different strata of life educated in the Greeks if you are not educated you are barbaric that's how they label you even in those days they have this kind of discrimination and Paul would say now that you are in Christ now that you're part of one community that third race the community of God God's people live your life worthy of the calling how be completely humble gentle and patient and one and then he said this in verse three make every effort another imperative make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace I want you to look at this very carefully the focus is not just unity per se we're not just having unity for the sake of unity our unity here is because of what Christ has done our unity in Christ we're not just talking about generic unity the unity that is a product a product of what God has done we are united in the spirit by virtue of what Christ has done in Paulo saying make every effort make this priority guarded keep it Gorger guards the unity in the spirit look at the verse again the unity is not a product of our community this is not our doing if it's already there the unity is already there our command is to keep guard it with all your heart do not destroy it the unit here is a product of the work of the Spirit bringing the two person into one and what Paul is saying living a life worthy of the calling is to guard the unity that you have in the spirit through the bond of peace maybe because the efficient believers and America Thimphu Chanukah a light on me my song it because we're still in the process of growing but Polly saying make every effort meaning exert all energy pay attention focus to it God keep it maintain it the unity in this place not talking about organizational unity the unity that Paul was talking about is because by virtue our common denominator is that we are all in Christ we all share the same faith the same experience the same rescue the same grace by virtue of our inclusion with Christ then I asked Paul how do we keep the unity of the Spirit why do we have to keep the unity of us in the spirit Paul and he gives us the lease and very obvious very basic reason he said this is because there is one body you're part of one body the body of Christ there's one spirit the spirit that works in him and the spirit that works in me is the same Holy Spirit how can we be fighting we're not supposed to be rivals because by nature were like that as human being and Paul said no no don't live that life anymore and look at the description of Paul just as you were called to one hope the inheritance the coming of the kingdom in the future when you were called look at the play of words justice you were called to one Hope when you were gold that's the calling to be one in Christ to be united in Jesus that's why I said in my in the overarching truth that I wanted to bring home is that in Christ our unified call is to build up all we're not here to divide we're not here to destroy but you know the human nature you always want to be isolating yourself you always worth the cost factions and divisions but if you're operating that way it is not the Holy Spirit that is working in you or in us and Paul said not only that he quoted a Creed he quoted a song probably a song or a hymn that the officials already are familiar he said remember you have one Lord one faith one baptism what Paul is trying to say how can we be devided how can you not keep the unity in the spirit is Allah our Lord nothing when you pray to the Lord I pray to the Lord you are nothing the same Lord how can we be fighting how can we be rivaling what is your faith your belief in jeans your confidence and your allegiance in it's the same faith that I have we have one page we have one baptism into the body of Jesus Christ one God one father of all who is over all through all and in all it's impossible that we do not keep the unity in spirit because we belong to one body if you have a beautiful eyes and your nose is cute and most of the time in our gonna nose you mutant and ice more would the ice be so generous to the nose and said yeah Maura my own nose a crostini Isilon maganda are you not affected because of the entirety because the part or part of one body that's what Paul is trying to say were part of everything prepared one body there is no room for division because we are one in Christ then he said this interesting because unity does not mean sameness unity does not mean we are clone and we are uniform interesting the unity here is disciplined to us but look at this to each one the unity that we have in Christ he allows either our diversity that even the unity can be achieved in our diversity pay attention to what Paul is saying but to each one of us now he said one he focus on each one so from talking about one faith one Lord one baptism but the contrast in spite of our oneness in body one belief one knowledge one faith in spite of that each one of us was given different gifts to each one of us grace the word grace here talks about the ability the gifts the talents some of us can sing well some of us can write well to each one of us ability has been given as price apportion meaning God respects our differences and our diversity he doesn't want us to look the same because unity can be achieved in our diversity because it's not the thing that makes us one it's our shared faith and experience in Christ that makes us one and God allows either our diversity different kinds of gifts for one reason look what God what Paul said and he he shifted to this verse verse eight a very a very peculiar verse he quoted I don't know if you have advanced reading you have probably struggled this part of the of the letter and you're wondering what does Paul trying to say when he coated this Paul said this is why it says it's referring to a quotation when he ascended on high he led captive his train and gave gifts to men now Paul coated some 68 in the Old Testament record at Psalm 68 and use it to apply his principle in the letter to the Ephesians now I want to bring you back to Psalm 68 this is what Paul quoted from the Old Testament some sixty-eight talks about the victory of God some 68 if you read the entire chapter talks about the success and the triumph of God after delivering Israel from the bondage of Egypt when they were marching Moses they were they were brought to Sinai Moses went up to the mountain it's a symbol of God triumphant victory or the triumph of God over his enemies and Paul coated this one verse 18 when you ascended on high he led captive in your train you received gifts from men even from the rebellious that you O Lord might dwell there but if you are keen observer you will notice that the quotation of Apostle Paul was not direct he used it but he changed the meaning of it because here you will find God is receiving gifts but in the New Testament in Ephesians when Paul quoted this he said God is the one who give the gifts he did not receive in other words he's the one who gives so there's a there's a change here only the Apostles Apostle Paul and the early writers had the privilege of doing so but we don't have the right to do that today apostle paul used it and applied that verse in the church you know why because the analogy is this I want you to pay attention carefully I'll try to explain it in a very simple way the analogy is this way Moses went up to Mount Sinai to talk to God in Exodus after the triumphant or the victory over Egypt when they were out of Egypt they brought the first stop was Sinai and Moses went up to the Mount Sinai to Mount Sinai to face God when Moses came down he brought with him two tablets of law the Ten Commandments the Decalogue so Moses gave it to the nation of Israel as a code as an ethics to them now Paul used this imagery perused this and say in the same manner he who sent that is the one who descended and he was talking about Jesus because if you're observing very carefully in the verse it is first the Ascension ascended first before that descended look at Jesus he ascended and high as a symbol of a triumphant victory over the cross and sin if this is Exodus in the Old Testament Moses symbolizes victorious going up to Mount Sinai bringing back the law in the New Testament Apostle Paul is saying the new Exodus when Jesus Christ hung on the cross on the day of Passover he was the sacrificial lamb he he overcame death and grave and when Jesus Christ ascended to the heavens and he came back to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit he gave gifts to men to the church on the day of Pentecost and Paul was so beautifully explaining this saying the gifts that we receive is actually a product of the victory that Christ has worn for you and me he won over the sin over sin and then he explained it what does he ascended mean except that he also descended to the lower portion or Earthling region when I was a new believer in vehicle I heard one fellow pastors explaining this that Jesus went to the to hell and so on and so forth he made so many dramatic explanation about Jesus going to hell but in this for it has not talked about like that it talks about his incarnation when he became human and ascending under high and giving back through the Holy Spirit sending the gifts to the church it has nothing to do with him going to hell or anything Paul said he descended to the lower earth the region in the world he who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe now Paul is alluding again to what he said in chapter 1 God is not only redeeming man is redeeming the entire universe the world and the cosmos so Jesus is not only the king of the Jews is not only the king of human being is the king of universe because some day Jesus would rule back in this world and take back what Satan what what we what man to Satan during the time of temptation in the wilderness or in the Garden of Eden it was he now Paul went back to his argument remember that portion in Paul said it was he referring to Jesus he gave some to be apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers if you are a Christian for quite some time probably you have heard in the many teaching that this is the called so-called fivefold ministry I don't know this is a but I believe this is just this is an exhaustive list because in other portion of the New Testament Paul would lead other giftings that are not present here but what Paul is trying to say God has given us the gifts how do we keep the unity and maintain the unity in the Spirit God has given us this gifts the pastor the teachers and everyone these are given so that he will equip the church to keep the unity in the spirit he gave us this gifts to equip the Saints the body of Christ the believers the new community let's look at the next person God gave these gifts to prepare God's people should the giving of the gifts is because he God wants us to preserve and to keep the unity in the spirit pastors and leader we're not supposed to be the one solving seeds of division in factions we're supposed to be the agent of unity pastors and fellow leaders we're not supposed to be destroying we're supposed to be building that's the very purpose of the gift God has given to us let us be faithful in using those gifts if you have the gift of teaching teach so that you may equip others to build the body of Christ if you're ever a grip of evangelism you can share the gospel do it in such a way that you build the body of Christ if you have the deep of prophecy you have the gift of Apostleship you can go and being sent in the different mission work do it in such a way that you build the body of Christ to prepare God's people to equip the Saints to equip this third race to equip this new community for works of service in other translation for the works of ministry why so that the body of Christ may be built up here's our keyword there that's why I entitled this built up in Christ our unified call is to build up all may we not forget that brother census may be not sway or or led astray and the tour from our calling that we are to build not to destroy as part of the healthy body of Christ function well so that you become a contributor of health to the body of Christ that's why I've said this for many Sunday's being a being in Christ is not just coming to church and warm the seats in the church it's more than that God expects you and me to play your part in the body of Christ it's just sad that many Christians today including myself there is always a temptation that we become Benchwarmers that we just come to church but you are so gifted why are we not using it to build the body so that the body of Christ may be built up that's the very intention God gave some to be probable he gave gifts skills and abilities look at what Paul is saying when until when until so this is a progressive thing this is a continuing thing until we all reach unity again he goes back to the theme of unity keep the unity in the spirit why are we doing this God has given us this this or gifting so that he will the leaders would equip the Saints in the ministry because it cannot be done by one man if you're quite some time if you have been in the wind Singapore quite some time you will realize that we are so blessed with many leaders and pastors because this work cannot be done by one person our pastoral team would do their pastoring in every way in their own way of raising leaders in equipping leaders and empowering and in turn their leaders are equipping we're equipping one another why for what reason to build our own kingdom no to build up the body of Christ let us not lose that focus that's why it's really sad when there are divisions in the church and factions in the church as a pastor I'm not worried because you're not dividing me you're dividing the body of Christ and if he will be accountable to God next chapter you will see all would straightforward say that's what grieving the spirit you grieve him because who is at work among us who is the one making us one in Christ the Holy Spirit and if I am going dividing each one of us we are going against the work of the Spirit and that's dangerous everybody works called to build a ball that's what policy until we all reach this is some day in the future let's continue to labor do not let anything move you because your labor in the Lord is not in vain Paul would say that in the other letters until we all reach the unity in faith why do you think every Sunday we preach the gospel what are we trying to achieve that we may learn to put our trust in Jesus in whatever circumstances you are in put your confidence in him faith until we all reach the unity in the faith and grow in the knowledge in our experience in our understanding of who God is and what God has done in Christ for us and become mature look at that that's the goal maturity being christ-like mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ I was reflecting on that word fullness we cannot fathom the fullness of Christ that's something that we will experience in the future it's overwhelming you have a bucket you have a jar you go near by the beach the ocean and you put water in the in your small jar and you feel it you think you have the fullness look at the ocean there's more do you feel like in our amount one of our services you feel like so filled and full of the Holy Spirit look at the ocean they're small it's overwhelming until we reach the fullness of Christ that some day we meet him face to face and all our doubts are gone and all our questions are gonna are answered and we come to the understanding the full understanding and we will all be ashamed because we made wrong assumptions we made wrong judgment of other people what's the effect of that that we all grow up that we are being built up what's the goal of that what's the effect Paul said then when these things are done then we will no longer be infants in contrast with the mature you will no longer be baby and Paul described what an infant mean look what he said you will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves and use the imagery of a boat not being anchored properly being swayed by the waves Paul is using this picture tossed back and forth by the waves mcenany ganito much maganda into a you're like a boat tossed to and fro you don't know where you stand in Christ that's the sign of being immature but don't get me wrong that's why the church is helping us to grow until we reach the maturity that you are no longer gullible you know you don't just buy anything just come out of the market it takes maturity to discern that's what polish trying to say that there every window teaching and every cunning and craftiness of men in there deceitful scheming and ami Polamalu Bosnian an animal a bus in America to ruin but there's nothing new Under the Sun then we will no longer be infants that's our goal our prayer is that all of us will mature coming to church attending worship sunning on a regular basis be part of a smaller by Koinonia where you can be nurtured join the ministry they'll conserve no matter what kind of ministry offer your talents because you grow when you serve you growing you read but don't join all the ministries because you don't have life anymore at the end of the day you blame me pastor I'm still single because I've also involving all the ministries but just choose one one major and one are we always encourage our workers just have one major in one minor ministry but don't just go on with the life without serving I will always share with my children no matter what kind of status in life you will be someday whether you're rich or poor whatever find time to serve God find time because you're part of the body maja Sabine on the item part number de Tourvel incites a Kundalini Viator in a tangle among a partner Merriman part number Dino alum gamete appendix mm damn it the Megami didn't imagine that nothing is accident in the body so you're not man yes we are important in the sight of God but don't seek for importance Galena Paulo well we all labour building up each other until we all reach the maturity the unity and maturity in the faith then we will all mature not this infants that can be tossed to and fro by the winds of teachings grow and then he said this one of the signs of a mature Christian is that you learn to speak the truth in love you cannot find this in a young person spiritually speaking or even age it takes maturity to control our mouth a words when you reach 50 you will notice your man living down that I know 30 come up Osaka when you're reaching for do you realize melody nomina go away you start to become patient you see pinion hahaha be more you don't just blurt out your words you're a mature person would think twice ten times what the world what words will I use will it hurt the person will it destroy the person well I speak that we're not being told that to speak the truth were told to speak the truth in love sign of Allah starting an onion I stood I already used Greek and Hebrew in talking to her Bahraini some open open paren not sign language then I have a personal event panini but we should not stop speaking the truth in love look at what polish eye we will including himself we will all attain all things grow up into him to become like him we grow up into him who is the head the body is talking about the body is giving us the figure of the head the head that is Christ also beautiful speaking the truth in love that's the sign one of the signs of a mature believer maturing believer you know how to your patient meet people with the bigness of your heart you love that person so much that you gave him or her room to fail to change and even to grow among appearance not and look at your parents recall your parent how patient they are they were to us they would find the right timing to talk to us one of the sign of an immature and young mobile mapa soul energy ship sabe muna ceramic is emily paulo and it's an amateur is it muna but wasabi him but it takes time that's the goal and then Paul said from him the head the whole body joined together it's the head that joins us together by every supporting ligament grows and builds its itself that's our key word again in love and I like that last sentence I want all of us to read that last sentence in red one two three again again again in unity marital community no one two three beautiful it doesn't say as the pastor or the leader does it work as each one as each part does it work because we're one body how are you my brothers and sisters how are you if you claim to be in Christ then this is not a choice for you but if you're not in Christ I would understand you're not increasing this is not for me but if you are in Christ if you're a follower of Christ then this is something to think about the beauty of being in Christ is that were part of the beautiful body of Christ so our take home in Christ our unified call is to build up all make that resolution in your heart from now on I want to be part of the solution not the problem I want to build not to destroy do you want to be remembered at the end of your life that person that brother you know we're celebrating 30 years and sometimes we look at the pictures of all brothers and sisters who were part of this church somehow it cannot control some in your my oh that Booton animal is neon destroyer eunuch do you want to be remembered as such or do you want to be Miss America Missy - I really miss that brother or that sister because he was so inspiring that when you talk to him you don't live brokenhearted you live inspired do you want to be remembered as a person who is inspiring and encouraging you wanna be a Barnabas because our unified goal is to build up all right it must be enjoy human anomalies in monopoly in a man a 1707 now what I'm trying to say is that we have to realize all of us has the potential to be a destroyer all of us in one way or another is not blameless but Paul is saying you have a million-dollar salvation live your life worthy of the call raise your life your ethics your standard mirror what God has done for you worthy of the call [Music] that in this life your mirror the vastness and the immeasurable blessing of what Christ has done for us I leave you with this challenge let us all fulfill our role in this body because we're part of one body how do you do that find a time where you concern pastor I'm so busy and I can only serve once a week once assigned a every man that's fine fine ask God Lord what do you want me to do and sure God has given you gifts and abilities on offering [Music] let us fulfill our role in the body of Christ we can serve in any way but sir take your part in building up the body of Christ you [Music]

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Length: 39min 19sec (2359 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 05 2019