Sermon Series: Preaching Our Purpose: 

Part 4 Making Partner 

Ephesians 4:7-16 

PSBC 1/30/00

In a nutshell: Being able to partner with others in this church to accomplish Great Commission work in our valley and the world requires a commitment to spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is characterized by 4 things: the Unity of your faith and knowledge; Your Christ-like character; a Stability in your Faith; and joining truth with love.

I. Introduction

A. "Making Partner" in a Law Firm

I've read just about every book John Grisham has written. And my favorite TV programs are ones built around some kind of courtroom drama. I guess I'm just intrigued by the whole lawyer profession, court battles, jury decisions, legal process and so on.

Well, an interesting phrase that keeps cropping up from time to time in Grisham's books and in the TV dramas I watch is the phrase, "making partner".

And without going into great detail, my understanding of "making partner" in a law firm is being elevated to a place of full participation and ownership in the firm.

B. Transition to the church

Well, a similar thing takes place in God's church when the people of God's church begin to follow a process that God has designed. Something akin to a partnership takes place. And that partnership is characterized by full participation in the mission of the church and a personal ownership in the outcome of accomplishing that mission. And that's where we want to see each one of you in the years to come–being active participants in the mission of this church and personally taking ownership in the outcome of that mission.

That's why the final phrase in our church purpose statement says... (We will) PARTNER with each other to do Great Commission work in the Coachella Valley and the world.

But in order for this partnership to take place in each one of us, we must pay attention to three very important things: 1. Understand God's process for making us partners 2. Allow that process to do it's work IN US. 3. Allow that process to do it's work THROUGH US.

I wish I had time this morning to address all three of these things, but I don't. So I thought I'd zero in on the first two. Because those are the two that often get neglected. You see, most of us are naturally a "doing" kind of people. And because of that, we will tend to bypass the process God has designed to make us Partners in doing Great Commission work, and we will tend to ignore the work that God wants to do IN US to get us ready to be partners. And the tendency of most of us is to go right to wanting to find out what God wants to do THROUGH US. And by doing so, we become less effective that we could be had we paid attention to... and took the time to understand... all of what God has designed to make us fit partners with Him and each other in doing Great Commission work in the Coachella Valley and the world.

So, I'm going to ask you to turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4. (P. 1821 in Large Print Bibles). And based on verses 7-16 were going to look at those first two things in depth this morning...

1. One, is to understand God's process to get us ready to be partners in Great Commission work. 2. And second, what He wants to accomplish IN US, as a result of this process.

II. God's Process

A. Gifts = God handing out Grace

The first thing in the process that God uses to get us ready to be partners in Great Commission work is found in verse 7. Paul, the writer of this letter calls this "apportioned grace."

Ephesians 4:7 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

This apportioned grace, as we learn from other scripture passages, is in the form of spiritual gifts. There are over 20 spiritual gifts that are portioned out by the Holy Spirit once a person enters into a salvation relationship with Jesus Christ. Upon becoming a Christian, the Holy Spirit of God supernaturally gives at least one of those 20 or so gifts to an individual. And those gifts are to be used to serve the body of Christ.

B. A thought is triggered

Just mentioning these gifts, triggers an image from the Old Testament for Paul. Look at verse 8...

Ephesians 4:8 8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."

The image Paul thinks about comes from the Old Testament passage, Psalm 68:18, which says...

Psalm 68:18 18 When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious– that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.

Let me explain what's going on here. Psalm 68 was a victory song that King David composed to give honor to God for the victory that led to the conquering of Jerusalem and bringing of the Ark of the Covenant up to Mount Zion. Now here's what triggered Paul mentioning this...

1. It was a custom in David's day for a conquering king to bring home the spoils of the war he won, along with the enemy prisoners he had taken captive, and parade the prisoners and the spoils before the people of his kingdom. Then after that parade, the spoils were given out to the people. 2. But, another feature of the victory parade was the display of the king's own soldiers who had been taken captive by the enemy, but had been re-captured by their king. They were referred to as the "re-captured captives"–prisoners who had been taken prisoner again, so to speak, by their own king and given their freedom.

And Paul's mind wanders to this parade that David was writing about, then about the gifts of grace that Jesus gives us, and the salvation that is ours in Jesus. And he makes this connection of the two in verses 9 and 10...

Ephesians 4:9-10 9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

In other words... -Jesus came down to earth, -He won the victory by conquering death -That victory freed people from captivity to sin, -And he now distributes the spoils of His victory–spiritual gifts–to His followers.

C. The List of 4

Now, in this passage, Paul lists only four of the 20 or so gifts. He does this because in this passage he is more concerned with teaching the process of becoming a partner in Great Commission work, than he is about teaching on spiritual gifts in general. The 4 gifts he mentions are essential in God's process of moving followers to become partners. Look at verse 11...

Ephesians 4:11 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

1.The gift of apostle is the missionary or church-planter gift. When you read about personal spiritual growth in the New Testament, it is normally used within the context of the church. Without a church family to surround us and support us and encourage us and challenge us, we have very little chance to grow and mature in our faith. So in order for spiritual maturity to take place, there has to be a church. And in order for a church to exist, there has to be a person, in the beginning, with the gift of apostle to start things rolling.

2. Prophets are those in the church who speak forth the word of God. In other words these are people who know God's message and communicate that message to you in no uncertain terms. That's me, and some of our Flock leaders and pastors.

3. Evangelists are people who show us at the drop of a hat, how to introduce someone to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing how to introduce someone to Christ is a huge part of the Great Commission. Evangelists confidently communicate the gospel message to people who don't know Jesus, and they see results. The authors of the "Contagious Christian" 201 course, have this gift. And those of us who are not evangelists can learn from those evangelists how we can do what God has called each of us to do. We won't see the same volume of results as evangelists, but they help us see the simplicity of the gospel and how to present it.

4. Then there are the pastor/teachers. Paul combined these gifts here to show that there is a function in the church of not only teaching, but also of nurturing. A person with this gift will be involved in people's lives, helping them along, demonstrating what he or she is teaching. People with the gift of pastor/teacher shepherd people along in the process of growth...nudging, prodding, loving, feeding and healing. Many of our Sunday School teachers and Flock group leaders have this gift.

And the job of these spiritually gifted people is ...

Ephesians 4:12 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

In other words, to prepare God's people to do a vast variety of service work that will help accomplish the Great Commission through the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given them.

So, that's the way God prepares us to be partners in doing Great Commission work. 1. He first of all gives us at least one or more of the 20 spiritual gifts to every person. 2. These gifts are meant to build a church into a strong and purposeful living organism that can accomplish the Great Commission. 3. And, in His wisdom, He gives certain ones of us very specific gifts and jobs to do, that will help the rest of a church accomplish that Great Commission most effectively.

So, What does God want to accomplish IN US through this process? We know he wants to accomplish Great Commission work through us. But what does He want to accomplish IN US that will allow Him to work through us?

III. 4 Thing God Wants to Accomplish

A. Unity of Faith and Knowledge

Ephesians 4:13a 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God...

1. Unity of faith refers to theological content.

Jude 3 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

Jude says we have to be able to defend the faith against attack. There has to be a body of belief that we will go to the wall for.

Probably the clearest listing of what these beliefs are, is found in an old statement of belief, called the Apostles Creed. (# 716 in back of hymnal)

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into Hades; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.

That's the basic knowledge that a partner in Great Commission work will be able to articulate, defend and prove from Scripture. If you're not there, then pick up your Bible and get to work!

2. Unity of the Knowledge of the Son of God

The knowledge of the Son of God is knowledge gained by a daily walk with Jesus Christ.

Please understand, this isn't merely a head knowledge–facts, and names, and places. This is knowledge that captures the heart and flows into your life. It's what Henry Blackaby talks about in his book, Experiencing God...(front of bulletin) "This is an intimate love relationship with God. Through this relationship, God reveals Himself, His purposes, and His ways; and He invites you to join Him where He is already at work. When you obey, God accomplishes through you something only He can do. Then you come to know God in a more intimate way by experiencing God at work through you."

That's the knowledge of the Son of God. A love relationship with Jesus Christ!

B. Christ-like Character

The second area God wants to add in our lives through His process of apportioned grace is found in the second part of verse 13...

Ephesians 4:13b 13b ...and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

This isn't rocket science. This is really a very simple concept. A professor of mine from Wheaton College, Robert Webber said it really well in one of his books...

Some time ago I was biking in Michigan and met another biker who, like myself, was a professor of theology. In the course of our conversation by the side of the road he said something I will never forget: "Bob, all I really want in life is for the Word of God to take up residence inside of me and form me into Christ-likeness." I think this statement hit me hard because my seminary training in the Bible was never that personal. We were always asking "What does it say?" and seldom if ever made the step into a deep personal application of "How can that truth take up residence in me?"

Friends, the whole measure of the fullness of Christ is taking the steps necessary to get the words of this book take up residence in your life, so you become more like Jesus in every part of your life.

C. Stability in Your Spiritual Life

Look at verse 14 for the third thing God's process is supposed to accomplish in us...

Ephesians 4:14 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

For 15 years, I was involved professionally with the church's ministry to children. I love kids. Kids are special to me. But children have two characteristics that help define their child-likeness: Children are unstable and naive. In other words, they lose interest quickly and it's easy to fool or deceive them. That's not because of a deficiency in their character, but because they haven't yet been exposed to large doses of truth.

We expect children to mature out of instability and naivete'. And it's sad when they don't.

What Paul is saying is that in order to partner in Great Commission work, you must know the truth of God, and submit to that truth so you have stability in your spiritual life.

Illustration: In a sermon I listened to a couple of years ago, I was impressed by how the preacher articulated this concept. He said, "I was dismayed recently when I read what one senator said. This particular senator announced himself as a Republican candidate for the presidency. While he was announcing this, he wanted to quickly divorce himself from the religious right. So he said, "I do not refer to them as the 'religious right' or the 'Christian right' because they do not articulate religious values or Christian values." That's a relatively strong statement. Then he went on to say that they advocate intolerance.

This senator was talking about us. Can I say what others have said? Tolerance is the final virtue of a decadent society. Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying we should be petty, harsh, narrow-minded evangelicals. I don't want to be a jerk. But I am saying that to be a Christian is to believe that God has spoken in sentences that can be understood and must be obeyed. If that means I'm intolerant, so be it. ( Rob Bugh, "Brokers of Truth and Love," Preaching Today, Tape No. 144.)

The point is, if you're going to partner with God, then you had better know what He wants you to obey, then do it. God will not use unstable and naive' people to do Great Commission work..

D. Joining Truth and Love

The last thing God's process wants to accomplish is found in verse 15...

Ephesians 4:15 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Speak the truth in love. For a believer to truly partner with God in Great Commission work, he or she must be able to join truth and love when confronting or addressing Kingdom issues with people. Both are essential. One without the other is inadequate.

Truth without love can be harsh, judgmental, legalistic, and unforgiving. Truth without love produces self-righteousness. And that's not a mark of a partner of God.

But love without truth can be wishy-washy, unbalanced, and overly permissive. Someone called love without truth "sloppy agape". That's not worthy of God's partner, either.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, Life Together, makes a very important statement: "Nothing can be more cruel than the tenderness that commits another to his sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe rebuke that calls a brother back from the path of sin."

At Palm Springs Baptist Church, we must care for one another that much–to speak the truth, and temper the truth in genuine love for each other.

IV. Conclusion

Paul concludes this section on what God wants to see take place in us so we can partner with Him in Great Commission work by stating why this work is so important...

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

A. NBA example of teamwork

Illustration: I don't know if you follow professional basketball at all, but there is an interesting parallel to what is happening in that game today, and the idea Paul leaves us with in this verse.

In the last few years, fewer NBA players have passed the ball, than they did just a decade ago. Now, that's contributed to a significant drop in game scores. According to Mike Wise in the New York Times (2/8/98), "After making nearly 48 percent of their shots from the field ten years ago, teams are now making less than 45 percent. What's more, fewer players are passing the ball. Ten years ago teams averaged 51.2 assists–that is, passes leading directly to a score–each game. Today the number is 43.6."

Have you noticed in the TV ads for NBA games you seldom hear about what teams are playing one another. Instead, you hear about the individual match-ups, not the teams. When the L.A. Lakers play the Utah Jazz, the teams aren't promoted–it's the match-ups of Shaq against Karl Malone. One coach has said, "That sends a bad message. Why play a team sport and not help your teammates?"

Well, friends, Paul's teaching in the final verse of the section is this... sometimes Christians can make the same blunder as the NBA. Verse 16 says, the church works best when it partners together to do Great Commission work, not when it focuses on individuals. Practically speaking that means...

-I'm not the only one whose supposed to do it. -The pastoral team or the elders aren't the only one's who are do Great Commission work. -It's not only for those who teach Sunday School or lead Flock groups -The Great Commission is fulfilled the BEST when we are all working together, using our gifts in whatever area of service God sees fit to gift us to do.

B. Final Question

So, the final question for you this morning is this... Now that you know God's process, and what He wants to accomplish in you through it, are you willing to submit yourself to it and let it...? -develop a Unity faith in you and a thorough knowledge of Christ; -produce in you a Christ-like character; -help stabilize your Spiritual life; -teach you to join truth and love when you deal with people.

If you answer "Yes", then we are well on our way to being able to really help this body of Christ...

Love, Accept, Guide and Partner, to share God's Truth and to be His Light.

Amen.