“Becoming an Equipping Church”
Ephesians 4:7-16

I. Introduction
We are continuing our study of Ephesians seeking to discover together the Biblical purposes of the Church, and hence of our congregation.  We are doing so to lay a strong foundation for our pursuit of congregational renewal, which we are calling becoming a Missional Church.  In today’s study passage, we discover that a central driving purpose of a missional congregation is to equip Christians to do the needed work of ministry so that the Body of Christ grows wider and deeper.

Let us pray…        Scripture reading…

II. Exposition
Let’s first place this passage in context.  The book of Ephesians begins with the apostle Paul declaring in poetic and powerful language God’s grand plan for His people, the Church of Jesus Christ.  We discover that we were predestined before the world was even created to be co-heirs and co-rulers with Christ over the universe, and that right now, we are spiritually seated with Christ in the heavenlies blessed with every spiritual blessing necessary to participate with God in accomplishing the Trinity’s grand plan.  This divine plan is gathering back into reconciled relationship in the kingdom of God all of God’s wandering and wounded children.  This is our eternal destiny and current calling.

Then, last week, as we began studying chapter four, our Lord commands us, founded on these amazing truths of who God is and who we are as God’s children, to live a life worthy of such a calling.  One way to live into this calling is to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.”  That was our topic last week, our unity in Christ.  The apostle Paul, in our passage for today, now moves from our unity in oneness to our unity in our diversity.

In verse 7 we read, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”  Paul is about to talk about some of the spiritual gifts Christ has given to the Church.  He grounds this discussion in revealing that spiritual gifts are one means that “grace” is given to and through us.   Remember, grace is not just about forgiveness of sins.  Grace is the power of God that makes us His adopted children and then empowers us to live into this calling.

Paul then goes on to reveal the initial event through which God first distributed this gifts of grace.

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

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

Now this sermon is not going to focus on the nature of spiritual gifts primarily, but on the purpose of those gifts.  But let me address some key points about the nature of spiritual gifts that I think get shortchanged in most popular models on the gifts.

All our theology and models of what it means to be the Church and a Christian must be grounded in a solid Trinitarian theology.  Last week, we discovered one very practical application of this truth in seeing how our relationships should reflect the kind of relationships that exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This is what is meant by “Trinitarian community.”   

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul places the spiritual gifts in the context of Trinitarian theology.   The practical truth here is:
 -  All our ministry is a participation in the high priestly ministry of Christ.  That is, Christ is always at work in the world, all around us, drawing people closer to Him, glorifying the Father, advancing the kingdom.  Anything we do that has any value for Christ and kingdom is a joining in on what Christ is already doing.  So our calling is not to decide what ministry activity we should do, it’s to discern what Christ is up to in each given situation and then join in.
 -  The spiritual gifts are channels through which we participate in what the Father, Son, and Spirit are doing in the world today.

And this is the picture our passage is revealing.  Remember, Christ took on human form not just so he could die, but so that he could perfectly obey all the God requires of us, and then Christ’s obedience is attributed to us just as if we perfectly obeyed.  When we pray, our inadequate prayers are taken up in Christ’s perfect prayers.  When we engage in any kind of ministry, our inadequate service is taken up into Christ’s perfect service and made fruitful and acceptable to the Father. In the same manner, when Christ walked on planet Earth, He operated in all the spiritual gifts.  This is the phrase in our verse of Christ “descending to the lower earthy regions.”  Then when Christ “ascended on high” He distributed these gifts to the Church to carry on His redemptive work.

So, when we operate in the spiritual gifts, this too is taken up into Christ’s perfect use of the gifts and made fruitful and effective.  Spiritual gifts, like our standing before God as being holy, is never something we own as permanent possessions.  Rather, the Holy Spirit grants us the grace-gifts according to the need of the moment and according to our calling to empower us to participate in the ministry activity of Christ.

This key truth has these four practical and critical applications:
  1. We should not lay claim to any spiritual gift as if it were our possession to be proud of.  Operating in the gifts is always an act of grace on God’s part, and always for the purpose of participating in the ministry of Christ.
  2. We should never use an awareness of, or a lack of awareness of, what particular grace-gifts God tends to use us in as an excuse to not be actively serving where needed.
  3. There are spiritual gifts that are both given to us according to the need of the moment or a season of ministry we are in, and then there are those clusters of gifts that we tend to be used in on a more regular basis.
  4. Spiritual grace-gifts are best discerned by serving where needed, and then having them affirmed in operation, not sitting in a class or taking some gift assessment (although these can be minimally helpful).

Illustration: Kelly and I…

Now, it is generally recognized that the key passages on spiritual gifts, besides our passage today, are Romans 12, 1 Co 12-14, & 1 Pet 4.  But in those three passages the emphasis is on the gifts granted to people.  In our passage, the people themselves are the gifts.  That is, the leadership that Christ raises up and gives to His Church are also called grace-gifts!

 These leaders are placed into four main categories as we see in verse 11,” It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.”  Now we’re not going to go into great detail on each of these offices.  Basically, the office of apostle and prophet are no longer in operation.  However, the gift of apostleship is still in operation and manifests itself in callings like missionaries, church planters, bishops. The gift of prophecy is still in operation and manifests itself both in a charismatic manner during worship and prayer gatherings, and through the anointed proclamation of God’s Word.  

While every Christian is called to evangelize, certain Christians are called to the office of being an evangelist.  The grace-gifts of pastor-teacher in this passage are both combined yet still allow for separate operations.  That is, every pastor should be a teacher, but there is also the gift of teaching operating in those who are not pastors.

Now, let’s get to the main point of this sermon, the purpose of these grace-gift leaders, and indeed of the all the ministry of a local congregation.

Verses 11-16 are a single Greek sentence to emphasize the progression of maturity that should be occurring in each congregation and each believer’s life.  When the leaders within a congregation are fulfilling their calling, than here’s the progression of spiritual maturity that will be occurring

v.12  to prepare God's people for works of service,
 -  God’s people will be equipped to do the ministry that Christ wants a particular congregation to participate with Him in doing.

There are six fruits that flow out of a congregation that is being equipped for ministry:

    so that the body of Christ may be built up
 
1. Edification:
The word “built up” here is edify, and it refers to a house being built.  When Christ’s Body, represented by a local congregation is being properly equipped, it will naturally be a congregation that is growing both numerically through conversions and in depth of faith, hope, and love


   v.13 until we all reach unity in the faith,

 2. Unity: We discussed this in depth last week


    and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
     measure of the fullness of Christ.

 3. Maturity:
The maturity described here includes both propositional & experiential knowledge.  The word “knowledge” here includes passing on the essentials of our faith, sound doctrine, and Biblical literacy.  The phrase “fullness of Christ” refers to the knowledge of God that only comes by abiding in a close, personal, intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  An equipping church will engage head and the heart, intellect and imagination, perception and passion.


   v.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. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,

 4. Steadfastness: 
An equipped Christian and congregation will hold deep convictions about the essentials of our faith, be willing to die for them, easily discern when a teaching strays from them, and at the same time will be able to present those truths with humility, grace, and persuasiveness.  


   we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

 5. Christlikeness:
The goal of equipping is that each of us has increasingly more of the light, love, and life of Christ being lived through us. The goal is not self-improvement, or character development, or increased competency in one’s skills. Kingdom ministry is done in the power and grace-gifts of the Holy Spirit that brings us into participation with Christ’s ministry.  The outcome of each of our worship, preaching and teaching gatherings is we should leave there more interdependent on one another, and utterly dependent on Christ, and completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit.


   v.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.

 6. Power:
When a local congregation is bearing these fruits of being equipped for ministry, then every member is functioning in his or her full potential in Christ.  The result is a congregation that is fully engaged in fruitful, powerful ministry participating with Christ in leading lost people to salvation and equipping the saints to live lives of faith, hope, and love


A Biblical, Missional congregation will be an equipping congregation.  

An equipping congregation will be fostering these six fruits. But we can understand even more of what all is involved in being an equipping congregation by exploring that word in our study passage in depth.

In verse 12, the NIV uses the word “prepared," better translations use the word “equipped.”  It’s the Greek word, “Katartismos.” This particular form of this word is only used once in the entire Bible, and it carries the meaning of being completely furnished or equipped.   

But when we study the other forms of these same word through the New Testament, we discover that the apostle Paul is drawing on a rich depth of meaning when he calls the church to equip the saints for ministry. 

When we do this we discover that equipping involves five major tasks of equipping:
  “For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for,
    that you be made complete.”  2 Co 13:9
The phrase here, “be made complete” which is the same root word as equipping carries the meaning of “a strengthening of the soul,” and “a training and instructing.”

Hence equipping includes:
1. Small Groups:  Equipping involves inclusion in a supportive, encouraging community.

2. Training and Instruction:  Equipping includes the overall instruction in God’s Word via preaching, teaching, and individual study, and specific training in how to do different types of ministry

Now most tend to limit equipping to just those two aspects, and that is why the models come up short. 

Equipping also includes these categories:
“Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour, 9 whom withstand steadfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.” 1 Peter 5:8-10

3. Suffering: Being equipped unto Christlikeness will always include seasons of trial

The most common word in this equipping group is “Katartizo,” and this is where we get our richest meanings of what should be included in an equipping ministry.  In classical Greek, this is a medical term which means to mend a broken bone and put it back in its rightful place.  In the Gospels, this word is used for the “mending” of the fishing nets.  

How many broken people are there both in and outside the church that need to be mended and set in their right place among God’s people!?

And so equipping also most include:
“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” Gal 6:1

4. Restoration: This includes walking with the new believer (or long term believer if this has not happened yet) through the process of inner healing of past wounds, the addressing of any demonic access points, and the pursuit of freedom from any deeply rooted, life-controlling addictions.

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen”. Heb 13:20-21

5. Spiritual Formation:  This includes instruction and practice in the more contemplative spiritual disciples like meditation, fasting, solitude, prayer that draws a person into intimate, abiding relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   
 
What we are talking about here really is reclaiming what was the model for discipleship called catechesis that was followed by the early church.  It included:
1. Immersion in the Word of God.
2. Teach them the central doctrines of the faith.
3. Spiritual and moral formation.
4. Deliverance ministry.

Can you imagine if Third Presbyterian Church became such an Equipping Church?  

Can you imagine a congregation where all our Christian Education from children, to teens, to adults included these five elements of equipping so that our children and teens were learning how to pray and minister as well as the adults?  

Can you imagine a congregation that every year was seeing at least 10 new people come to Christ, being baptized and then discipled?  

Can you imagine a congregation where people knew that this was the place to come if you are struggling with deep hurt and addictive sin because the power of God was there healing and setting people free?

Does anyone here desire that Third Presbyterian Church become such an Equipping Church?