WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE?

Last night, our Bible study group looked at the middle part of our motto which is “BRINGING IN, LIFTING UP AND SENDING OUT TO IMPACT OUR WORLD THROUGH THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST” so the attention was on the phrase “LIFTING UP”. The purpose of this study was to remind all of us that we must make sure that what is happening in the middle of that motto is driven by love… the kind of love that God tells us to have.

First notice some key words in Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV) — 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [underlining added]

We are to humble towards each other which is the opposite of being arrogant. We are to have a spirit of gentleness towards each other as well. Adding to that, we are to be patient with each other and bear with one another in the spirit of love making sure that we are promoting unity and peace in the body of Christ.

Next notice some key words in Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV) — 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [underlining added]

One. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. One. We are to think in terms of one. Thinking about the oneness in verses 4-6 and the key words in verses 1-3, we then spent most of our time together looking at verses 11-16 and asking the following questions…

Ephesians 4:11 (ESV) — 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

• WHO IS “HE”? God. 1 Corinthians 12:18 (ESV) — 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
• WHO DID “HE” GIVE “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” TO? To the church, first the "universal church", which means all of those who are born again, and then more specifically to the "local church" which means each group of born-again believers that meet together to worship and become more like Christ. 
• WHY DID “HE” GIVE “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” TO THEM? " to equip the saints for the work of ministry" from verse 12

Ephesians 4:12 (ESV) — 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “equip”? To train and prepare someone for something.
• WHO IS TO BE EQUIPPED? The "saints" which means the born-again believers of Jesus Christ. "Saints" does not mean perfect people. If you are a true Christian, you are a saint.
• WHAT ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED FOR? "the work of ministry". Every Christian is to be busy serving God in addition to worshiping God. And yes, ministry is "work". It doesn't happen automatically. It takes prayer and hard work but what greater thing could we hear being said to us than "Well done, My good and faithful servant"?
• WHY ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED? "for building up the body of Christ"
• HOW ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED? VV.15-16 Through "love". By "speaking the truth in love" and by "build[ing] itself up in love"

Ephesians 4:13 (ESV) — 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

• WHO ARE “we all”? All believers. Regardless of title or position or lack of either, we are all to growing up in Christ.
• WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE SAINTS BEING EQUIPPED FOR MINISTRY? Unity, both in faith and in knowledge of Jesus. Spiritual maturity, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" 

Ephesians 4:14 (ESV) — 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

• WHY SHOULD WE SEEK “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? "so that we may no longer be children" We are to be growing in our spiritual walk so that we don't chase after every fad that comes along. For example, some churches are always changing their identity to copy somebody else whether it be Rick Warren's "purpose-driven church", Bill Hybels' "seeker-sensitive church", etc. We are to pattern our church after God's Word and how He shapes us.
• WHAT CAN CAUSE US TO BE “tossed to and fro”? "by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" Again, what does God's Word say? Anything we consider to be "doctrine" must be based upon the Bible and nothing else. We must not follow people's "cunning", "craftiness" or "deceitful schemes".
• HOW CAN WE KEEP OURSELVES FROM BEING “tossed to and fro”? By being grounded in God's Word so that we are seeking to "attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV) — 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

• WHAT IS THE “truth” THAT WE ARE TO SPEAK? God's Word
• HOW ARE WE TO SPEAK THAT “truth”? "in love" Love that shows that we care for each other and not just for ourselves.
• WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IF WE SPEAK THAT TRUTH IN LOVE? We will be able to "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ". [Underlining added]

Look at the key words in Ephesians 4:16 (ESV) — 16 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. [underlining added]

The whole body, not just part of it, being joined and held together. Each part being equipped and working properly. The body growing up and building itself up in love. That is what is supposed to be happening in every church.

WHAT COULD KEEP THIS PASSAGE FROM HAPPENING IN OUR CHURCH?

• WHAT IF THE PREACHERS/TEACHERS WERE NOT EQUIPPING THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Then the whole ministry load would be saved for or fall upon the preachers and teachers. That would keep the church from growing and it would keep the saints from being able to serve and develop their spiritual gifts.
• WHY WOULD THE PREACHERS/TEACHERS NOT WANT TO EQUIP THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Pride (not wanting to share the ministry with anyone), not having confidence in the saints to be able to learn it or do it, not willing to take the time to train someone to minister, being burned too many times from training someone and then that person turned on you or left you, etc.
• WHAT IF THE SAINTS DIDN’T WANT TO BE EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Then they would be disobedient and rebellious towards God and the church. They would act like "consumers" who only come to church to get what they want and then leave, etc.
• WHY WOULDN’T THE SAINTS WANT TO BE EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? They don't want the responsibility, they are too focused on themselves, they don't feel like they are qualified to minister, they think somebody else will do it, etc.
• WHAT IF THE CHURCH WASN’T SEEKING “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? It would be full of divisions and conflicts. It would have no appetite for God's Word and no desire to see any growth.
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT A CHURCH IS NOT SEEKING “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? Not reading your Bible, not attending Sunday School, the worship services and the Bible studies.  Arrogance instead of humility. Being focused on self instead of the whole body. 
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT A CHURCH IS ACTING LIKE “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”? Always chasing after the latest celebrity preacher or author. Not being serious about your commitment to God and to His church. Not being consistent with what you believe and why you believe it. Fighting for position, power and recognition.
• WHAT CAUSES A CHURCH TO ACT LIKE “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”? Not seeking "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"
• WHY WOULD WE NOT WANT TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE? This quote is very powerful. “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” Warren W. Wiersbe Some people don't want to speak the truth in love because they feel better about themselves by pointing out the faults of others. Some people are more concerned about what they say than how it will affect whoever they are talking to.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T “speaking the truth in love”? We will cause more divisions and more folks to leave the church.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T WANT TO GROW UP? Disobedience to God. We are to be making disciples, not making divisions. We cannot please God if we refuse to grow up.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE THINK WE ARE GROWING UP BUT REALLY WE AREN’T? Then our talk won't match our walk. We will say that we are Christians but our lifestyles will scream the opposite. Jesus said in several places that we will be known by our fruit. If our fruit is not matching what we are saying, we are only deceiving ourselves.
• WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT THE WHOLE BODY BE “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped” AND “each part is working properly”? Simple, if we are not joined together, we are falling apart and that will happen if each part is not working properly.
• ACCORDING TO VERSE 16, WHY MIGHT BE ONE REASON THAT THE BODY ISN’T “joined and held together” AND “working properly”? If there is no true love for each other.

Let me close this post with verses from the King James and the New American Standard Bibles (because of the beautiful word "edify" which we should be doing...)
Romans 14:19 (KJV) — 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB95) — 1 …Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
1 Corinthians 14:12 (KJV) — 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) — 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV) — 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.