Building Up the Body (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Like I’ve mentioned in another sermon, I have always loved football. Growing up I would practice and practice as much as I could, even before I started playing for an organized team. Now, I’ve always grown up on a farm, and had a “farm-boy build.” So, coaches immediately stuck me on the offensive and defensive line, which I didn’t appreciate. There is no glory in playing offensive line--none.

So, once I started playing ball in junior high, I decided I wanted to switch things up. It was the first or second practice and coach said, “Anybody who wants to play quarterback line up over here.” So, I went and lined up. Actually, I have some pretty solid quarterbacking skills: I can throw a good ball and have good vision of the field. But, I still remember the coaches face when I stepped into that line. It was a look that said, “Son, you may have some gifts as a quarterback, but God has given you different equipment to play a different position.” He humored me for a bit, then sent me back to the offensive line.......where I flourished as a player--all the way into college. God HAD built me and gifted me to play offensive line. I simply had to get over the fact that I wouldn’t receive any glory for my position. I had to stop being ungrateful for the gifts God had given me. When this happened, I flourished and my team flourished.

It is very similar in the church. Although Paul knew nothing about the game of football, he viewed the church in a similar way (he used the analogy of a body). Before we dive into our passage for the week, let’s read it together. [Read Ephesians 4:1-16]

This passage has three broad sections. The first section speaks about unity in the church; the second section speaks about the gifts Christ gives the church; and the final section shows some of the practical outworking of those gifts in the church. I wanted to give you a heads up at the beginning of this message that I’m not going to go through this passage 1, 2, 3 but I’m going to go 2, 1, 3. I’m not doing this in order to confuse anybody, but because I think it will help all of us understand how this passage fits together as a whole and how it applies to this congregation.

In verse seven, Paul says, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”” (Ephesians 4:7–8, NIV). Take a moment to let this picture sink into your mind. Paul is quoting from Psalm 68, which is a Psalm of victory and he’s showing how this Psalm pointed forward to Christ. He paints this picture of Christ ascending into heaven, having conquered sin and death, victorious. And in his victory over sin and death, Christ gives gifts to his people. These gifts are completely undeserved, so Paul calls them grace. Take a moment to let that picture sink in, our victorious savior, who conquered sin and death, and ascended into heaven has given each one of us gifts that we don’t deserve.

It’s important to notice a couple things about this passage. It says, “But to each one of us...” That means that everyone who has believed in Christ has received a gift from Christ. Every one of us. There are no Christians sitting in this congregation who have not received a gift from Christ. He takes away any excuse you may have. You cannot say that you have nothing to offer, because the victorious Christ HAS given you a gift. The question is not WHETHER you have been given a gift, but WHAT gift has been given to you.

I encourage each one of you to spend some time prayerfully considering that question throughout this next week. What gift(s) has Christ given you? Not only is important to pray about this and ask Christ about this, but we also figure this out through the body of Christ. Ask some people in the church, “What gift do you think Christ has given me?” Sometimes other people can see our gifts more clearly than we can. Another way we can discover the gifts Christ has given us is by trying things out. If you think Christ has gifted you to work with young children, see if you can find a place to utilize that gift. You may find out that you have that gift, you may find out that you don’t have that gift. If you don’t, move on and try something different. Spend some time prayerfully considering HOW Christ has gifted you.

This passage also says, “grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” That means Christ has decided to pour our different gifts on different people in different measure. Since it is grace, this decision is not based on any merit of our own, but solely by Christ’s will. So, He will give some people musical gifts to use in the church, but they may not all have the same measure of musical gifts (some will be better than others). He will give some the gift of preaching, but not all will have the same preaching ability. Some have been given the gift of helps, but not all will help in the same way and in the same capacity. Each one of us has been given a gracious gift from Christ in the measure he determined.

There are two things that can easily happen when we begin to think about this. Some of us can easily fall back into childlike patterns and say, “That’s not fair!” Others can begin to look at their own gift and feel like it is insignificant, wishing they were gifted at something else (kinda like me wishing I was a quarterback) or wishing they were gifted with a greater measure (like someone else). Others, can easily become prideful of the gifts Christ has given them, especially if he has given them a greater portion. They can begin to think their gift is the most significant in the church. They can begin to get frustrated with everyone else because they don’t have the same gifting that they do. This leads us back to section one....

At the beginning of this chapter, Paul says, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1–3, NIV). Paul calls the church to walk in unity. Remember back in chapter two, where it says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV). Now, Paul is saying that one of those good works we should walk in is unity. That’s the entire focus of this first section. Paul uses the word “one” SEVEN times in just two verses in order to point the idea of unity into our brains. Yes, each one of us--individually--has received a gift from Christ, but we are ONE body--we are united.

In order to live as ONE body, in order to have all of our differing individual gifts functioning together as one, we must live with humility, gentleness, patience, and bear with one another. When we think that we are the only ones gifted enough to do a particular task--or perform a particular function in the church--Paul calls us to humility. Maybe we’re not as big a deal as we think we are. When we see people attempting to use their gifts in the church, and recognize that they need some guidance, let us provide that guidance with gentleness (not wrath, anger, or frustration). When we see people using their gifts in church, but struggling to get everything right, let us show patience toward one another. When we see people trying to use their gifts in church and feel like they are “overstepping” or “taking things too far” let us bear with them in love. These character traits are absolutely essential for a diverse congregation to live in unity with one another.

Here’s what I find amazing about the way God designed the church. By giving each person differing gifts in differing measure, he has forced us to rely on one another. There is no single person in this congregation who has all of the gifts necessary for this Body to function in a healthy way. Christ has put this body together in such a way that each of our gifts need other people’s gifts in order to be used effectively. That means that if you are not using the gifts Christ has given you, you are hindering this body from functioning properly. That means that if you are holding people back from using the gifts Christ has given them, you are hindering the body from functioning. The goal is for each member of the body to have the freedom and opportunity to use the gifts God has given them for His glory.

In saying all of this, I want to point out that this has been put into writing as part of the vision for Faith Community Church. I want to read a few excerpts from that document. “We are working to develop a sense of gifts and calling in our people.” “We likewise need to work with our ministry leaders and all the rest of our people to help them better understand their gifts and calling from a spiritual perspective, and how this can apply to the practical and spiritual aspects of our ministries.” “A healthy church is not a ‘one person band’ centered around a pastor, but a living, breathing organism made up of many parts...where people are serving the Lord from their hearts, using their gifts more fully.” I love each of these lines in this document, not only am I passionate about this aspect of ministry, but each of these lines point to the central reality of this passage. A healthy church is one that gives freedom and opportunity for EACH MEMBER to use the gifts Christ has given them for His glory.

In the final section of this passage, Paul gives some of the practical outworking of this understanding of the body of Christ. He looks at one particular set of gifts given by Christ. He says, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11–12, NIV). In particular, I want to focus on what Paul has to say about pastors. Actually, many commentators believe the two words “pastors” and “teachers” should be combined by a hyphen, making it “pastor-teachers.” According to this passage, the primary role of the pastor-teacher (my role) is to equip the God’s people for works of service. Another translation say “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (ESV). I like that better, because it uses the word ministry and it shatters the idea that the pastor is the only one who does ministry in the church. Actually, it shatters the idea that only a few people do ministry in the church. It says that my job is to equip EVERY ONE of you for works of ministry. My job is NOT to do all of the ministry in this church. If I were to try to do all of the ministry of this church, if I were to try to be a “one man band,” I would be preventing people from using the gift Christ gave them and hindering the body from being healthy. The same things applies if this church expects me to do all of the ministry. Each member of this body is called to to ministry. Each member has been given a gift from Christ to be used for ministry. My job is to EQUIP each one of you to do that ministry. My job is to equip each one of you to do the ministry God has gifted and called you to do.

Paul says that when people are equipped for the ministry Christ has called to, THEN the body will be built up. He says, “...so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11–13, NIV). The Body of Christ is not built up by me. It is built up when each member of the body is using the gifts Christ has given them. Then the body is built up. Then the body begins to reach unity in faith and knowledge of Christ. Then the body becomes mature. Then the body begins to become more like Christ.

I think it’s important to clarify the goal of each member using their gifts in the body. Paul does not say that when everyone is using their gifts the church will increase in size and number. Paul does not say that when everyone is using their gifts the church will attract more young families. Now, these things may happen, but they are not the goal. Paul says that when each member of the body is using the gifts Christ has given them, the BODY OF CHRIST is built up, the BODY OF CHRIST “builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16, NIV). When the body of Christ is built up, the body becomes more like Christ. That’s the goal! When each member is using their gifts, the BODY will become more like Christ and will be firmed up in it’s walk with Christ. They “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 people in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14, NIV) but “will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15, NIV).

Since this only happens “as each part does its work,” there are some important questions we need to ask ourselves this week. What gifts has Christ given me? How can I use these gifts for building up the Body of Christ? Am I serving in areas where I am not gifted (and maybe need to get out)? Is there something new I could do in this church with my gifts? Do I need to change the way I do something so that I fits my gifting better?

Then there are the harder question. Have I looked down on others because of their gifts? Have I become prideful of my own gifts? Who’s gifts in this church do I need to show humility, show gentleness, show patience, or “bear with” better in love for the sake of unity?

May the Spirit open our hearts and give us strength to show humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance with one another. May the Spirit give us guidance as we seek to understand the gifts Christ has given us. And, may the Spirit empower us to to step out in faith, using the gifts given us by Christ, so that through Christ this body would build itself up in love.