When the Body Grows

Thank you for tuning in to the radio ministry here. Our focus is making Christ is providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. or visit us online@ubc.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop this morning on preaching a message call when the body grows back in 2009.

Our family decided to take a trip out West. As you know I love the old Westerns. We went down all those cow towns in all those places and a lot of pictures there as well on this. We went by the Buffalo Bill Museum saw wild herbs statue and all those kind of things.

It was a great great great trip, especially for me.

Got to go into Monument Valley seen those John Wayne for movies as I was us living it. I was in heaven now a couple weeks back I mentioned to Nicole that would be great if we could get our kids again and that trucking go out West End and see the old place. Back then the look like this. I can only imagine what it would be like in her reply was, you know, if we all try to get into that truck and ride 5000 miles. We will kill each other. We will not all come back, so also with our church body. There was a time when 20 people on a Sunday morning was a good Sunday and there only two kids in our children's ministry and I was Nicole I mean Rebecca and Abigail and I was all we had. We would count anything that breeds if a cat came in. We would count it. That was part of her attendance for that morning, but things have changed our body has grown and praise God for that. With that said, we have to be careful. We have to be careful that we don't kill each other in a different sort of way in this morning.

If you have your Bibles turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. Our messages called in the body grows. Ephesians 4 verse 14 Paul says 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 home were growing into cries, but from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies.

Every person in the body of Christ and if you choose this to be a body of Christ doesn't matter if your name is on the membership role, but if you come and attend this place, in a sense you're part of this body, you have a role to play. You have something to supply when you don't.

The body is suffering. According to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. But the question I would ask you this morning for our purposes is there is number one.

How do you relate with others in the body at Clearview are you helping to edify others in this body are you saved, you belong to a church body. You are to be saved. You have to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are part of his body. Then you can be a part of a local body.

If you're not saved this morning. Let the message. Open your eyes to the truth of the word of God and then calls you and lead you to make a decision before we can understand the meaning and application of the passage we just read. We need to first ask the question why did Paul write this letter to the Ephesians. Although there is no clear consensus. Most scholars believe that Paul's main purpose was to promote unity and love in the Ephesian church. He wanted them to love one another with the same deep love with which they love God and the love Christ, by the way there's only two kinds of love.

The vertical love and the horizontal love loving God, loving people and they are interconnected and intertwined. If you love God, what's gonna follow you love people. If you love people what's gonna follow is the love God more.

There is a connection that happens this morning.

The question for all of us is do you have both in your life. You say all I love Jesus I love God, but I can't stand other people. There is a a broken connection there something is intercepting something is blocking the flow of that love towards people who are love people.

I'll do anything for anybody you love God. Oh well, you know, no within something is wrong something is broken. Using vertical love and horizontal love are connected by was Paul telling this to the Ephesian church. Maybe because he sensed that there were some blockages here or there. Maybe he says that they were losing their grip on their love for Christ maybe has said that there was some kind of a bitterness and a bad spirit in their love for each other. Was he right yes.

Few years later, the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation. I want you to hear what he said in Revelation chapter 2 verse one to the angel of the church of Ephesus write these things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. Who is this Jesus Christ what is Jesus saying to the church in Ephesus. I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars translated. Jesus is telling the Ephesian church. I know that you are Orthodox in your belief verse three and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary. You're also in doing church man. They are Orthodox in the belief and there are out there doing things they don't get tired. You want things done in the church are doing new things done in the community will do it verse four. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Paul was absolutely right in reminding them to love each other in reminding them to stay united with each other.

The question for us this morning is not how is Clearview doing today. Praise God were doing great church is growing. Word is spreading lives are being changed were doing wonderful. The real question is what will people say five years 10 years 20 years from now about this church even more important, what would God say five years 10 years 20 years from now, will he say you are wonderful in your belief you are straight up when it comes to the gospel you are doing things you are serving the community. You're right reaching people but I have this against you, you have lost your first love when my mentors used to say in this way, there were straight as a gun barrel and there were just as empty. You can be straight up. You can befall of truth and yet love is missing this morning were going to look at this passage because we will be celebrating the communion nor the communion really is is our dining room table.

Have you been to the dining room table and your family and people are mad with each other. Have you ever been to a family reunion.

When one family shows up in the other family moves to the other side before we can go to that table as a family. There are certain things that need to happen. So with that in mind, let's return to this passage we just read blessed begin in verse one of Ephesians chapter 4. Listen to what Paul says I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling in which you were called. Paul refers to himself as a prisoner of the Lord what he saying is that I'm bound to Christ, where Christ goes I go, what Christ tells me to do I do what Christ tells me to say I speak. He is on authority from God for what he's about to say is not Paul saying it. He is simply a prisoner listening to the master and what is the master saying walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.

If you are saying there was a calling on you live up to it, is all that's right right calling to hang on to the truth now sounds, sanctification, and salvation by grace through faith justification read to hang onto the penal substitutionary atonement. Yes sir inerrancy and inspiration. Sufficiency of Scripture. That's right know those are wonderful things, but in the context it's not about the doctrine in the context when Paul says live up to your standard he's not talking about doctrine. Right now he's talking about behavior you as a Christian, there is a doctrinal standard but there's also a behavioral standard. Listen to what he says in verse two with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love. How many of you have heard about the Christian graces second Peter chapter 1 the Christian graces those things that mark us different from the world. In this passage we don't have the whole list, but some are mentioned, starting with lowliness it would lowliness it. Humility is the mark of a believer. Nothing will destroy unity faster than pride pulses as a believer you have a standard to uphold the standard is be humble was number to be gentle.

Gentleness means meekness is not weakness it's meekness means that there is a way that you approach is a way that you respond there's a way that you tall something then going away from the lever. That's a barbarian way barbarians do that savages do that Christians something in happen. Hey. So I talked about something. There's a spirit behind our young with me on that. There's a spirit in which you come there's a spirit in which you interact. If somebody just ruffled your feathers discuss with them over you and walk around with a potato chip on his shoulder say, I dare you try to knock this one off as a spirit of junk something else, long-suffering, long-suffering, means patience, it means don't say what comes to your mind into your mouth something else bearing with one another in love means learning to tolerate each other but do it with agape love. We don't sit there fuming because something did not go your way and your angry, but I'm not gonna say nothing this time.

That's not forbearing. Love forbearing love says I'm not been allow resentment and bitterness to get into to my heart is not going to happen.

There is no room for that I have to maintain the standard of a Christian. It makes a difference in how we treat and interact with each other. Do you agree with that. It makes a difference when a charge is sweet when the people are crying even if you disagree, you don't have to be disagreeable.

This is part of what makes us question that we are not rude and crass and hateful and harsh as something sweet about it were not weak people. If called upon. We will stand and we will fight and we will defend over not the kind who will go in pick up our axes in the our swords and our daggers and chop heads often staff people in the back that's not us many years ago I remember this church was going through a difficult time not discharge but a charge. Growing up I remember and I just like it happens even today, the church went through is split. You know what I'm talking about. It went through a split there was a group that stayed there was a group that left and both of them were just as wrong that they were not getting along.

It was over silly starlet was not doctrinally with the silly stuff and the one that left said what tell you what would we get up to go over there you start something new.

It is good to be just so amazing and powerful.

Gonna reach people in and out to what we hate these people as a little boy. I was thinking in my mind.

So when you get to the new place. Just like getting a turn on the Christian graces in August on you to be lowly and gentle and patient and forbearing with each other but right now you are mean as a snake. Okay I get it. By the way, some of the split splinter groups may even go on for a while, but without the Christian graces cannot attract anybody.

You see, you need doctrine but yes you also need the Christian graces to go long as our church grows. Listen folks, there's a way we interact is a way we talk to each other, there's a way we can even disagree without being disagreeable is your life marked by these Christian graces when people react with the open date date.

The interact with your route rather this scene, the gentleness do they see the lowliness to this. See the patient's asking the same question to myself as a pastor, do they see forbearing love. Now if I were to end the message now and tell you now go and live by the Christian graces. It won't be by the time you get to your car. Somebody is going to rub you wrong and you let him have it.

Even if you don't say it. You think Paul knew that and under the authority and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

He says, oh, wait a minute before you can really live out these Christian graces you have to be standing on certain foundational beliefs there many times in our home growing up and even today. If we have the option to sit down and have a meal that might be a crossword that might be somebody's not behaving Sabina doing right were angry were frustrated. Dinner is served for dinners on the table. I rather take my plate go on the living room right I'll do my work and I'm sure the kids would like to do the same thing but there's something that brings us right back. There are certain foundational beliefs that we stand on. We are family.

We have decided that we will endure. We will make it to the end and this is important. What is happen what may have to be dealt with is temporary. There are certain foundational beliefs that do not change that bring us to the table. Paul gives them a seven layered foundation.

Imagine that seven layers that we stand out on that enable us to live out the Christian graces list of the first layer verse four there is one body. Now there are many local bodies. This is one there many in this community. Some of your travel from half an hour 45 minutes away. There are many local bodies, but do you know that ultimately there is only one universal church.

Those who have received Christ as their Savior. There's only one body, that is our bottom line foundation, but he doesn't stop there was a second layer. There is one body and one spirit, the same Holy Spirit who indwells you indwells me who is guiding my conscience conscience without a guide is like a car without a driver who is guiding my conscience the Holy Spirit who is guiding your conscience.

If you receive Jesus as your Savior. The Holy Spirit is.

Guess what, we have a second layer of that foundation on which we stand, which is the Holy Spirit. But that's just a second here comes 1/3 11 whole, just as you were called in one hope of your calling me have the same expectation that God will work out his plan in our lives and in this world we are all waiting for the coming again of Jesus Christ, which is known as the blessed whole or the glorious appearing. If you are part of this family, we have the same hope was the fourth layer verse 51 Lord meeting.

We have one master. We have one boss asked, not me. That's not the trustees. That's not any of us. This is Jesus Christ. The second person of the Godhead who became man died for the sins of the entire human race rose again on the third day and is coming back. He is our Lord. He is the boss were standing on that foundation. But we don't stop there.

Number five is one faith. It means there is this one saddled body of truth that we believe June. Verse three says faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. It has been handed down what we believe about the Bible. What we believe about the Trinity, what we believe about Jesus Christ being fully God fully man would be believe about the resurrection, heaven and hell will be believe about morality, marriage value for human life. This is the fate the body of fate that we hold onto on which we stand here comes the sixth layer 1 baptism, by the way, baptism is not necessarily water baptism that Paul has in mind. I believe he is talking more about what he said in Romans six were we were baptized into his death. We were buried with him through baptism into death, and we have risen to walk in the newness of life. Water baptism simply tells the world that what has happened internally. Now you are confessing openly. We have the same baptism. Now people do different baptism and that's there thing. I believe baptism by immersion is a biblical way to do it, but either way if you receive Christ as your Savior. You have been baptized into his death, burial and resurrection here comes the last one, one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all.

Does that mean that means this when you receive Jesus as your Savior.

Now you are part of the family of God. Previously you were just a creation of God. Now you have earned the right and the privilege to sit at the dining table of God. So when there are problems like no one told us the date has changed. I do find a parking lot or drive around like five minutes in the seven layer foundation is there, we can work these things out if the seven layer foundation is missing than any little problem is too much to handle and I'm out here many of y'all have come from different churches, different backgrounds, because this connection was not there. I'm not here knock any of anybody down because we are still part of that one body write email my encouragement to us as a charge is that we need to always remember that we are standing on this foundation that we have this deep family bond than any other. This agreement can be worked on if we step away from any of those layers. No amount of pretend niceness is going to get us together so number one remember our Christian graces number two.

Remember our foundational beliefs. Here comes number three remember our role in the body. When the dinner is served. Somebody's the one doing the cooking. Somebody sets the table somebody cleans up the table.

Somebody sweeps the floor. Somebody loads a dishwasher somebody has cook again. Every body has a role this in verse seven, but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Something was given to us gifted to us by Christ. Listen to verse 11 we read this and he himself gave some of us to be apostles, who were the apostles. They were the ones who establish churches, along with signs and wonders and miracles second gift on the screen. Some profits profits were those who communicated the divine revelation of God's prophecy was foretelling and forth telling. Foretelling what is coming forth telling what God has said many times what God said was convicting. But many times it was edifying to number three. Some are evangelistic means they preach the good news of salvation and people get saved I believe an evangelist. Even today, just like Philip the evangelist who led the Ethiopian eunuch we have Billy Graham evangelist and many others like him was the fourth. Some pastors and teachers, some shepherds and teachers. This is the calling. God has given to me. I've been called to pastor and teach. So what is my job. What is our job well. Glad you asked.

Listen to this for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ were for equipping of the work up artist Mas which means mending, restoring, putting things right. Equipping the saints for the work of ministry me there's something God has called you to do. Let me move on quickly. What is the goal, till we all come to the unity of the faith.

The goal is that we are united and of the knowledge of the son of God to a perfect person to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ to number one.

We are not only united number two we get to know Christ more and more number three become more mature and look like Jesus Christ. You may not believe it but many of y'all since you been coming here are looking more and more like Jesus Christ, at least from my angle. Are you wives not agree with that. Maybe husbands may not agree with it but from our angle. If you been coming here for a while.

There is a softness about you. There is a lowliness about you.

There's a patient's about you. There is a forbearing love about you and it makes us feel good because what's happening is you becoming more like Jesus Christ.

But it doesn't stop there. Listen to verse 14 that we should no longer be children that mean children means not childlike but don't be childish.

What do children do they whine and complain and cry and pitch a fit when things don't go their way into that show me a church where people do that you can back it up.

There's problems deeper than what they're fussing about what's more, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting acting like middle school are coming together, whispering and seeing who we can leave out start all the middle school. Or maybe in the service but a charge because rack like that something is wrong, deceitful plotting your lowering the standard, but instead verse 15 speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.

Verse 16 from home, the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies means if you don't help you. So I'm a nobody, and I don't do anything. I just sit here.

There's something that you are supposed to be doing for this body.

I don't know what it is I am going to try to equip you, but there's something that you need to be doing because the body is lopsided.

The body is suffering. I'm not a member, you don't have to be on a roll to be part of this body. Verse 16. According to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love with every part does what is needs to be done.

We not only grow but we edifying shall be billed each other this morning. The question is again three part number one can people see the Christian graces in you can see that Christian Grace and me have you reverted to the barbarian way am I going back to the savage ways or cans people see what makes a Christian, are we standing on the seven layer foundation because if we don't know that any little thing will cause us to divide the foundation truly is there.

We can work it out.

Number three there is a role that you have to play there's a role or purpose God has for you.

Are you doing your part. Thank you so much for joining us for this churches grow.

Sometimes they can encounter if we remember to focus on our seven layer foundation to keep God first in everything we do. Growth becomes less of a burden more more information, visit us online@bc.org. This sermons notes check out Pastor Shah's block and shop.com