Nothing Compares 2U

ReviewReview- Love, Unity, Faith, Commitment, - Love, Unity, Faith, Commitment, Freedom, ChangeFreedom, Change

QualificationsQualifications

no understandingno understandingno humilityno humilityno faithno faith

Unity- God’s people uniting for God’s purposes Unity- God’s people uniting for God’s purposes while respecting each other’s different planswhile respecting each other’s different plans

““Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace…”- Ephesians 4:3through the bond of peace…”- Ephesians 4:3

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…whole measure of the fullness of Christ…

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ…into him who is the Head, that is, Christ…

From him the whole body, joined and held From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work- Ephesians 4:7, 11-16part does its work- Ephesians 4:7, 11-16

Context: Context: But to each one of us grace has But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it- vs. 7been given as Christ apportioned it- vs. 7

Grace= salvation AND giftednessGrace= salvation AND giftedness

We have different gifts, according to the We have different gifts, according to the grace given us- Romans 12:6grace given us- Romans 12:6

What are spiritual gifts? What are spiritual gifts?

Who has them?Who has them?

Who decides which gifts go to which people?Who decides which gifts go to which people?

How does that change how we view our How does that change how we view our abilities (or lack of abilities)?abilities (or lack of abilities)?

It was he who gave some to be apostles, It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers- vs. 11and teachers- vs. 11

ApostlesApostles- Qualifications: Walked with Jesus and - Qualifications: Walked with Jesus and witnessed the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22)witnessed the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22)

Prophets- Prophets- Foretellers and forthtellers. Spoke the Foretellers and forthtellers. Spoke the Word of God as the Spirit of God gave voice- on Word of God as the Spirit of God gave voice- on par with scripture (1 Cor.13:8)par with scripture (1 Cor.13:8)

Both offices were needed when scripture was still Both offices were needed when scripture was still being writtenbeing written

EvangelistsEvangelists- sharers of the good news of life - sharers of the good news of life in Christin Christ

Pastors and teachersPastors and teachers- one person, two - one person, two ffunctionsunctions

SShepherdhepherd- protect, guard, lead- protect, guard, lead Teacher- disciple, guide, eTeacher- disciple, guide, equipquip, biblically , biblically

counsel- all based on God’s Wordcounsel- all based on God’s Word

What do most people think the job of a What do most people think the job of a church leader (pastor) is?church leader (pastor) is?

……to prepare God's people for works of to prepare God's people for works of service- vs. 12aservice- vs. 12a

Prepare-Prepare- katartismon- “to put right” katartismon- “to put right” (setting a broken bone, mending a net)- (setting a broken bone, mending a net)- helping the church become what it helping the church become what it ought to be (through teaching and ought to be (through teaching and shepherding)shepherding)

Works of service-Works of service- diakonia diakonia== ministry ministry

… … until we all reach unity in the faith and until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature...- vs. 12b-13become mature...- vs. 12b-13

As leaders equip and Christians do ministry As leaders equip and Christians do ministry together, the natural results are: unity and together, the natural results are: unity and mmaturityaturity

How do being equipped and using our gifts How do being equipped and using our gifts in church ministry result in unity and in church ministry result in unity and maturity?maturity?

...attaining to the whole measure of the ...attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ- vs. 12b-13fullness of Christ- vs. 12b-13

How do churches and individual How do churches and individual believers experience Christ’s fullness? believers experience Christ’s fullness?

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming- vs. 14in their deceitful scheming- vs. 14

What’s Paul’s point?What’s Paul’s point?

Newborn and immature Christians are Newborn and immature Christians are

naïve and easily led astraynaïve and easily led astray

Instead, Instead, speaking the truth in lovespeaking the truth in love, we , we will in all things grow up into him will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ... who is the Head, that is, Christ...

From him the whole body, joined and From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting held together by every supporting ligament, ligament, grows and builds itself up grows and builds itself up in lovein love, , as each part as each part does its work-does its work-15-1615-16

As we are “As we are “preparedprepared,” we teach and ,” we teach and guide one another in love. Together, we guide one another in love. Together, we grow towards Jesus, each supplying grow towards Jesus, each supplying what the other needs in Christwhat the other needs in Christ

Big Idea: We need one another. We Big Idea: We need one another. We were formed for fellowship and mutual were formed for fellowship and mutual growthgrowth

What do most people think the What do most people think the point of church is?point of church is?

How should this change how we How should this change how we view church?view church?

Takeaways:

God didn’t create the church to revolve around a pastor

God’s ultimate design is that all believers would be involved in using their gifts for his glory and the benefit of the whole group

As Christians minister, the natural result is unity and maturity, bringing the fullness of Christ into the fellowship