Growing Together

Introduction

Well, we made it. Congratulations on making it to the new year, two thousand and nineteen. If last year’s New Year’s resolution was to live to see twenty nineteen, then you’re the probably one only one in the audience who kept your New Year’s resolutions last year. This is the first Sunday, of course, of this new year. I’m gonna give you some depressing statistics. Make you feel old. Nineteen eighty nine was thirty years ago. That wasn’t bad enough. If you were born in nineteen sixty-nine, you will turn fifty this year. If you were be born before nineteen sixty-nine, you’ve already with me crested the hill. And have to scroll considerably to get to your birth year on any given website. But it’s not all bad news. New years are exciting.

They are for me at least. They’re exciting in a couple ways, because number one, I get to take down the old calendar. And there were some bad news in last year’s calendar. And I can dispose of that past year and all of the bad that wentance, I can throw away with that calendar the sins and the mistakes of last year. And I get to hang in its place a brand Christmas new calendar. Full of opportunities. Some challenges, but mostly opportunities. Opportunities to serve God and to let my light shine. I’m thankful for new beginnings and for new years. To that end, as a congregation, we try to help with that. One thing we’re doing this year, if you’ll participate in that, is we’re going to spend a year in the gospel story.

I hope you spent a year in the Psalms with us last year. But our Bible reading for this year, this chart is found on the table in the foyer. If you’d like a PDF file of that, let me know, and I can email that to you. But we want to spend a year in the gospel story. A little explanation about this Bible reading. It’s different, maybe, than other Bible readings you’ve done in the past. Many Bible readings, we’re going to read all of the Old Testament, the New Testament, or certainly all of the Bible, they’re pretty intensive in the sense that you have a lot of text to read. It’s been my experience that that is almost a defeating prophecy because you get behind through sickness or travel or something else, and it’s almost impossible or certainly discouraging to try to get caught up.

It also has a disadvantage, is that you’re reading so much in addition to your other studies and responsibilities that you don’t get to spend much time in that text. You’re just reading it and flying through. Now don’t misunderstand me. I love those type of Bible reading programs. I do those myself. But there’s some advantage to this slower pace Bible reading. This year, we’re going to read, if you’re participating in this with us as a group, you’re going to read one chapter a week. Number one, that’s very doable. But number two, it’ll give us time to pause and to study that chapter. Not just read it, to check it off the list, but to study that chapter. We’re doing Luke and Acts, that two-volume book that tells the gospel story.

To that end, we want to help you with that. Starting tomorrow, Lord Willie. If you’re on our website or want to sign up for the email, we’ll be sending an email that will accompany that weekly’s reading. And we’ll give you some other text if you want to add to that, some other text that you can include in your reading or in your study, some things to maybe think about and reflect upon that week as we not just read through Luke and Acts, but as we study, meditate, and pray our way through the gospel stories. I hope you’ll participate in that with us this year. One of the ways we want to help start this brand new year in a good way. Another way in which, as a church, we want to help you, the elders have assigned a theme for 2019, and that theme is growing together.

In this coming year, you’re going to hear a lot about growing together. A lot of thought was put into this theme and the need for this theme. So I want to tell you a little bit about the purpose behind a congregational theme and the purpose behind this theme. Not that other things aren’t important and won’t be focused on throughout the year, but the elders have decided this is something that we need. That we need to be working on as a group is the idea of growing together. And so we want to put before you time to time the emphasis for us to accomplish this both individually and as a group as we strive to grow together in 2019. So I want to kick off that theme this morning of the idea about growth.

I hope we understand. In fact, if you will get your New Testaments and turn with me in Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4, we’ll be looking at the first 16 verses there as we focus on what might be the theme verse for this theme. In Ephesians chapter 4 and in verse 16. You know, growth is important, isn’t it? No one, no one gets anywhere without growth. Nothing gets done without growth. A travel group was making their way on a bus tour through Western Europe. And at every stop along the way, the tour guide would highlight the significant events and people of each city that they stopped in. He would tell them the big, the grand historical events that took place in this European city, and would emphasize the famous great men and women of Europe who may have been born in this particular city.

But not every stop was like that. They made one stop in an obscure village, small obscure village, just for a bathroom break. The tour guide said nothing about this city other than we’re going to stop here to use the restroom. As the tourists were milling around the bus, there was an old man, the resident of that village who was sitting on a bench thereby where the bus had stopped. And one of the men, maybe in an attempt to be funny, asked that old villager, weren’t there any great men born in this city? To which the old man just simply replied, Nope. Just babies. I’ll give you a minute. I think that silly joke kind of illustrates the importance of growth. No great men are born, are they?

They’re born babies. Something had to happen for them to become great men or women of history. And that something is growth. And that’s what we want to talk about this morning and throughout this upcoming year, Lord willing, is this concept of growth. That’s the theme of Ephesians chapter 4, verses 1 through 16, is growth, not just any kind of growth, but the greatest of all growths, and that’s spiritual growth. We have within all of us, as babes in Christ, the potential to be spiritual greats, if we’ll but grow.

1. You Are Part of Something Glorious

Ephesians chapter 4 verse 16 from whom, speaking of Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Do you see that the concluding verse of our text that we’ll examine this morning is all about growth. And not just growth, but specifically to our theme, growing together. I want to make three points from our text here in Ephesians chapter 4, verses 1 through 16. The first point is this. I want you to understand that if you’re a child of God, if you through faith have confessed your faith before men, have repented of your sins and been baptized for the remission of your sins, that you’re a part of the body of Christ.

Therefore, you are part of something glorious. Let’s stop and bask in the glory of what we’re a part of. I think it’ll help us see the importance of the togetherness and the importance of growth if we understand really what we’re doing and what we’re a part of. Begin with me, if you will, in Ephesians chapter 4 and in verse 1. The apostle by inspiration says, I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. With all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit. Just as you were called in one hope of your calling.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Do you see where the inspired writer begins there in talking about the idea of growing together, of growth, spiritual growth? He begins by talking about the unity of this faith. There is one, he says. Now that speaks of unity, but it also speaks of singularity, not just singularity of purpose, but singularity and quantity. That there is just one Lord, one God, one faith, one baptism, one body. And we get to participate in that.

To think that there is but one. And I’m a part of that. Earlier in the book of Ephesians, in Ephesians chapter 3, he had talked about this one body, and again, the gloriousness of this body. When he looked at look with me in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 8 this time. To me, the apostle says, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given. In other words, this wonderful gift was given to me as an apostle, that I should preach the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. Let’s pause there. Do you see what he’s saying?

Grace, a wonderful gift was bestowed to me, the apostle says, that I could participate in this.

All of us, to some degree or another, if you’re a child of God, if you’re part of the body of Christ, can echo the words of Paul. Grace was given to me that I could be a part of this. And I want you to start this morning and just thinking about that. That you’re a part of something. You’re part of something glorious. Be thankful for that. Maybe even take the time this week, maybe even this afternoon, to reflect upon not just that fact, but how that fact came to be. How did you come to be a part of this? Think about the grace of God, the gift of God. Think about that death that we just remembered. Think about the people in your life. Some living, some gone.

That contributed to the fact that you’re a part of this glorious thing. The grace that was given and bestowed to you. To the intent, continue in verse 9, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. That the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church. Let’s talk about what that means. That does not mean that it is the church’s responsibility to tell the world about the manifold wisdom of God. Now there’s a sense when that’s certainly true. We’re to be evangelistic. But that’s not Paul’s point. The manifold wisdom of God is not made known when the church communicates that to others. He says the existence of the church, the existence of Christ’s body declares in itself the manifold wisdom of God.

When someone looks at the body of Christ, they see the wisdom of God. They see the ends of all the ages. They see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. They see the purpose of everything we read about God doing in those scriptures. It all, every bit of it funnels and comes down to this. And by the grace of God, I’m a part of this. That wonderful. Back up a little earlier in Ephesians chapter 1 and in verse 23.

Of this church, he says, and he put all things under his feet, that is the Father, put all things under the Son’s, Jesus 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 and all. Christ is the focus of all the scripture. And the focus of Christ was his body. If you’re a part of this spiritual body, you’re a part of that which fills Christ. Fulfills his mission, fulfills his purpose, fulfills his body. And so the Ephesian writer tells us, first of all, think about what you’re a part of. That’s the foundation. That’s the first step of growth. Because no real growth, no substantial sustaining growth will ever take place unless we understand the importance of that.

Until we are shaken to our core with the reality of what’s at stake and what we’re a part of. Nothing, nothing motivates changes in health, exercise, and diet like a massive heart attack. Because you’re suddenly shaken to the core with the reality of what’s at stake here.

2. This Spiritual Body Is Equipped for a Purpose

I’m a part of the plan of God. I’m a part of the body of Christ. That one body, one faith, and one baptism. And this body, back to our text in Ephesians chapter 4. And this spiritual body is equipped for a purpose. Christ came. The fulfillment of all the ends of the ages, the fulfillment of prophecy, the plan of God was brought to fruition through the birth, life, and death of Christ for us, his body. So that we might have our sins washed away. But don’t you understand if we’re going to see in this text? That was not the end point of the purpose of Christ giving his life for this body. Was not just so that we could be washed clean of our sins, to be made holy and set apart so that we might set lifelessly upon some shelf somewhere.

Looking at one of those dishes brought a reminiscent smile to my face because it was a particular serving plate that was for our family at least expensive, and mom didn’t usually buy expensive things. It was very ornate and very beautiful. I can remember when Mom bought it. I can remember the threats issued that if we touched it or even looked at it, what would happen to us. Mom’s saying that this was for special occasion.

And so that costly dish was set upon a shelf high in the China cabinet. Closed up. And in hindsight, you might as well have glued the door shut, because to my knowledge, mom never used that platter. Special occasion never came around. I hate to inform all the people that were invited to my parents’ house, you weren’t special enough. That dish was purchased to set on a shelf, to never be you. That’s not the story of your redemption. Christ didn’t wash your sins away so that you could set on some shelf, forgiven of your sins, until the judgment day. To the contrary, read this, Ephesians chapter 4, beginning in verse 7, but to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, he says, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

Now this, he ascended. What does it mean? But that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth. I think that refers to his burial, his death and his burial. He who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. Paul’s again. That he might fill all things. Does that ring a bell of chapter 1? Verse 23, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Verse 11 of Ephesians 4, and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all should come to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Do you get that Christ, one of the grand purposes of his coming, of his sacrificial death, of his resurrection and ascension back to his father was so that he might equip us. Equipping implies something, doesn’t it?

If Dad says next Saturday, after breakfast, we’re meeting in the backyard.

You know it’s not good news. That’s telling you that work is about to be done. That equipment implies what we’re about to engage in. And so it says that Christ, when he ascended on high, he gave us gifts. He equipped us. That implies two things. Number one is that we are to be doing something. We are not redeemed and cleansed to set on some shelf somewhere. We are redeemed and cleansed and equipped to get to work. That’s the implication. The second implication is the tools that we’re equipped with imply what type of work we’re to be engaged in. You read that list again. Evangelists, pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets. Those are all spiritual gifts. This body has a spiritual work. God equipped us for that. Side note, the church, even in the local sense, is not to have a physical temporal focus.

It’s not our job to entertain. It’s not our job to feed physical food or to entertain or sports. If it was, Christ would have equipped us with those works. But the focus was on spiritual. And the focus was on spiritual because that was our need.

3. Growing Together Is Essential

We can do those other things. We can play ball, we can have a picnic, we can entertain without the blood of Christ. Do you understand that? Christ did not come and die on that cross so that we might do something which we could do without Him. He came and died so that we might accomplish what could only be accomplished through Him? This work is spiritual. And we’ve been equipped to that. And his last point is that this growing together is essential. Look again at verse 13. That’s the purpose of His giving the gifts. Which was at least one of the purposes for His coming and dying that death. Verse 13, till we all come to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Growing together is what it’s all about. Now it’s worth stopping here. And asking, what do we mean when we say growing together? What does that mean? Does that mean growing spiritually as a Christian, becoming spiritually stronger, more spiritually minded? Is that what we mean by growing together? Or does it mean growing together relationally in our fellowship with one another? Getting closer to one another, more connected to one another. More like we really feel we’re a part of one another. We’re truly a body, truly a family. Or by that do we mean that we’re to be growing in the involvement in the church? That I’m doing more, that I’m more a part, an active part of this local body. Or by that do we mean growing numerically as new souls are added in this area?

Which of those do we mean when we say growing together? Well, remember that both here and in 1 Corinthians 12 and in Romans 12, the metaphor is of a physical body. And when a physical body grows as it ought to, it doesn’t just grow in one arena. That it’s growing in a multitude of ways. All simultaneous because they’re all interdependent upon the other growth. And so, what do we mean by growing together? We mean growing in every sense of that word, in every facet of it, that we might grow up into that mature body, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And the great need for this is seen. Look in verse 14. That we should no longer be children. Individual growth is what we’re talking about.

That we no longer be children. Children in one sense. In some sense, being a child is wonderful. But another sense of being a child is not so wonderful. Because being a child means you are vulnerable. Nature teaches us that no one is more vulnerable than the young. And so we grow in spiritual maturity so that we might be able to withstand. That we should no longer be children, verse 14, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the trickiness of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. Growth is seen as being essential because we no longer become children. We’re individual growth, and growth is essential for stability. No longer toss to and fro. And growth is seen as being essential. In verses 15 and 16, 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.

Additionally, this growth is essential in this text because this growth is a self-perpetuating growth. How do we grow? We start by growing. How do you help somebody else grow? Grow. And it catches on. It’s also essential because it will help us to withstand and to win the battle. Through that stability, through that maturity. We can win this fight if we choose to grow. Well, a few tips. How do we start? First of all, don’t choose the path of least resistance. Very little growth is accomplished the easy way. Life has taught us that. Despite what the commercials on television tell you you can’t get rich quick, you can’t learn to play the piano overnight. Choose the more difficult path. Be willing to accept the challenge to grow.

Secondly, be patient. It’s going to take a while. Growth that we’re talking about doesn’t, again, doesn’t come overnight. And so be patient. Be patient with yourself. And maybe equally important, be patient with others. As we struggle to grow together. Third, start. Do something. Now, my advice would be to start small. Anytime we overwhelm ourselves, certainly beginning of the first year with all these big grand resolutions, even grand spiritual things, and we overwhelm ourselves and we set ourselves up for almost instant defeat. Start small. Maybe it’s just a daily Bible reading. Maybe it’s just one more service of the church that you can attend. Maybe it’s just one more act of charity or kindness or encouragement that you can extend to somebody. And as we’ve seen in this text, that growth, not just in a corporate sense but an individual sense, is self-perpetuating.

Conclusion

Start. Start small. But start. As we grow together. 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 the growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Will you accept the challenge this morning, this year? To grow together. Well, in order to grow, a seed has to be planted. A start has to begin somewhere. If you’re not a child of God this morning, hopefully you’ve been a little excited about the concept of growth. Then why not begin that journey of growth today by becoming a child of God? Repent of your sins, confess the faith that you have in God, and be baptized this very morning to begin this journey of growth.

But maybe you started that journey and you haven’t grown as you should. You might even say, I’ve died spiritually. Then why not start again? If you’ve become a Christian in the past but have failed in some way, seek the prayers of the brethren or need to make some kind of public confession this morning, why not let us help you as we grow together? Why not come right now as together we stand and as we sing?