Cherish the Past, Celebrate the Present, Commit to the Future

Ephesians 4: 11 – 16

JESUS CHRIST said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

As a result of what our Lord has done, is doing, and will do to build His church we have reason to: CHERISH THE PAST, CELEBRATE THE PRESENT, AND COMMIT TO THE FUTURE.

Ever since His resurrection, by His Spirit, He has been busy building His church universally and locally. I believe in the local church because it is what Christ called His “body.”

Some contemporary thinkers speak in grandiose terms of belonging to the church universal, that is, the invisible church. They profess they don’t believe in or belong to the local church. Their involvement is with the invisible church. To them I would like to say, “That is so wonderful that I would like to contribute some invisible money to help your invisible church.”

Those who declare their belief in the universal but not the local church need to go outdoors and look around. As they stand basking in the sun, they might say I believe in the sun universal. Take away the sun local and there would be no sun universal. Take away the local church and there would be no church universal.

I believe in the local church because Christ believed in it. I believe in the local church because the Greek word for church is used 85 times in the New Testament to refer to the local church.

It is spoken of by Christ as His “body.” To me one of the most distinct evidences of His love and sense of intimacy with the church is found in the life of Saul of Tarsus. Saul had been appointed by the Sanhedrin to investigate the accounts of the resurrection of Christ. The Scripture describes him on his way to Damascus to interrogate by intimidation and if need be death to Christians there who professed the resurrection. He is described as breathing out threats of cruelty. Suddenly a heavenly light blinded him and he heard the voice of the resurrected Christ saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).

Saul was a brilliant young lawyer. Under these conditions can’t you imagine his immediately building his defenses. “Jesus, you said ‘Me.’ What do you mean ‘Me.?’ Its not you I am persecuting, its the church.”

Jesus: “Saul, that is Me!”

That is how intimate He feels about His church. I want to treat the local church with the same dignity and love I do its Head.

The church is also called the “bride of Christ.” I know there are some sick churches but I am not going to use them as an excuse to diminish my devotion to His church.

In Ephesians chapter 4 several illustrations are used to help our understanding of the church. One of the primary analogies found in the passage related it as being like a human body.

The members of the body are as diverse as toes from tonsils. The diversity within the church must be recognized. Age is only one factor in the diversity but it is significant because each age has different attitudes and interests. Consider:

ROCK THE AGES

SOCIETY CONSISTS PRIMARILY OF THREE CULTURAL GROUPS. THOUGH GROUPED BY AGE IT IS NOT THEIR AGE THAT DEFINES THEM. IT IS THE ERA AND CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY WERE REARED THAT DETERMINES THEIR OUTLOOK. EACH GROUP HAS ITS SHARED LIFE EXPERIENCE RESULTING IN THESE MARKERS.

MATURE: 68.3 MILLION BORN BETWEEN 1900 AND 1945
THEY BELIEVE IN HARD WORK, UNDERSTAND SACRIFICE, THEY LOOK UP TO AUTHORITY, THEY LOOK FOR LEADERSHIP, THEY ARE SKEPTICAL OF THE NEW: BETTY CROCKER CAKE MIXES IN EARLY 1950S DID NOT SELL. MATURE PERSONS FELT THEY WEREN’T DOING THEIR PART IF SOMEONE ELSE DID THE WORK AND THAT THEY WERE FAILING THEIR FAMILY. THEY DEVISED A NEW MIX REQUIRING THE ADDITION OF AN EGG AND A NEW ERA WAS BORN. THEY BELIEVE IN LIFELONG HARD WORK.

BOOMERS: 78 MILLION
THEY DESIRE INSTANT GRATIFICATION, THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH SELF, THEY LOOK INWARD, LOOK FOR STATUS, THEY WANT CONTROL AND RELIEF FROM STRESS, THEY GREW UP IN A STABLE ECONOMY WHEN GREED WAS GOOD. WATERGATE LEFT THEM WITH A TENDENCY TO BE CYNICAL. THEY ARE FREE SPENDING AND BELIEVE IN ENTITLEMENTS AND HAVE HIGH EXPECTATION. NO MATTER HOW THEY AGE THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS YOUNG.

XERS: 49.6 MILLION
THEY ARE PRAGMATIC, THEY KNOW THEY WILL HAVE A SERIES OF JOBS AND LACK LOYALTY. THEY LIVE FOR TODAY. THEY BELIEVE THEY MUST GET WHAT THEY WANT THEMSELVES. THIS RESULTS IN AN ENTERPRISING AND ADVENTUROUS NATURE. THEY ARE ENTREPRENEURIAL. THEY DON’T GET THEIR HOPES HIGH.

IN APPEALING TO THE VARIOUS AGE GROUPS THE APPROACH IS DIFFERENT
MATURE: YOU EARNED IT
BOOMERS: YOU DESERVE IT
XERS: YOU NEED IT = IT OFFERS A SOLUTION

EACH GROUP HAS A DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD “NEW”
MATURE: IT MEANS IT IS REVOLUTIONARY, WILL RESHAPE THEIR WORLD
BOOMERS: OUT OF THE ORDINARY, WILL CHANGE THE STATUS QUO
XERS: SUSPICIOUS OF ALL THINGS NEW, SURPRISES AREN’T NECESSARILY GOOD

FOUR TOP ELEMENTS IN THE MODERN AMERICAN DREAM (YOKOLOVICH)
WHEREAS IT WAS FORMERLY MATERIAL THINGS NOW IT IS —-
BEING SATISFIED
BEING IN CONTROL
HAVING RESPECT
HAVING A GOOD MARRIAGE

After age 40 we are slow to change. After 60 we tend to resist change. Believe it or not I am over I know I don’t like to change. I know things must and will change. In order not to retard progress I must ever search for what is working and use it. I must find what the Lord is blessing and align myself with it.

There is a tendency among those of us over 60 to want do things like they have always been done. Church Constitutions are the focal point of this type thinking in some churches. Some want a Constitution designed for the 50s by which to operate a 21st Century church. We can struggle and get out way but in doing so limit the churches capacity to minister in today’s world.

It is too much to ask a person who lives and works in a 21s Century world to come into a 1950s church and enjoy it.

For example, let me challenge you by this contemporary innovative thought. This church can reach the world with little investment. You have TV cameras and the Internet. This local church membership can develop a world wide “virtual” membership, by putting its live worship service in the Internet to be viewed by anyone in the world.

The church must EVALUATE OR STAGNATE.

In doing that in the next few moments I may at times appear like the Quaker who was awakened by a burglar in the house. He got his gun, went down stairs, and when he turned on the light he was face- to-face with the intruder. He said, “I would not hurt thee for the world, but thou art standing where I am about to shoot.” Observe:

I. THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH Vs. 15 “Him who is the head – Christ”

I like that. Christ is the control central of the church.

READ: Eph. 1: 20-23.

He is not only the Head “of” the church, He is the Head “over” the church. He is the Organic Head and the Authoritative Head.

II. THE HEART OF THE CHURCH Vss. 13, 14 & 11
The heart of Christ’s church is purity of doctrine and order.

A. Purity of Doctrine
For a multiplicity of diverse people to live together in harmony there must be accord in what is believed. The uncommon common denominator must be belief in the same Bible truths. This is a point of entry for Satan to work. Verse 14 describes tactics used by Satan’s ambassadors.

One is “trickery” or “slight of men.” The Greek word so translated is KUBLIA, literally meaning to play with dice. It is a reference to tricky words. One of Satan’s classic twist of words has to do with Christ Himself. There are cult groups if asked will say they believe Christ is the Son of God. But if pressed and asked if they believe Christ was God the Son, they must truthfully answer no. He was Immanuel, God with us.

Another deception is “cunning craftiness” and refers to ingenuity in inventing errors. In a crafty manner Satan did it in Eden. He added to and took away from the Word spoken by God. He still confuses congregations with doctrinal errors.

At this point I must bring in a detail that is a bit personal. Therefore, I am speaking of a principle and not a person. This principle is one of the most humbling in a pastor’s life.

B. Dedication of a Person
In verse 11 it is said “He Himself,” the reference is to Christ, “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.”

Ideally, the pastor is Christ’s gift to the church. The church that receives the gift receives the Giver. The church that rejects the gift rejects the Giver. I praise the Lord for this beloved church that nearly 35 years ago received the person sent by the Lord to serve Him as pastor.

The last two titles used here are a reference to one person. There is a rule in Greek known as Granville Sharp’s rule. It states: “When two nouns in the same case are connected by the Greek word “and,” and the first noun is preceded by the article “the,” and the second noun is not preceded by the article, the second noun refers to the same person or thing to which the first noun refers, and is a further description of it.”

That means the expression “pastors and teachers” refers to one person fulfilling two functions.

This is the only time in Scripture the under shepherd of Christ is called “pastor.” The Greek word for it is POIMENAS and means shepherd. The root meaning is to protect, tend, and feed the flock. Bible teaching is one area of protecting and feeding.

The other term describing this person’s role is “teacher.”

One way purity of doctrine is to be preserved is by a pastor consistently working as a pastor/teacher. Thus he protects the flock from false doctrine and teaches them true doctrine.

Order is essential for unity in the church. The pastor must be under Christ’s authority and fully surrendered to it. The members of the flock must wilfully put themselves under the authority of the pastor/teacher and learn from him.

You had a wonderful Godly loving pastor who was highly productive. He was admirably led of the Lord. His era as pastor should always be revered. Few have served as well as he. Your new pastor will be different. Who he is and what the difference will be I have no idea. I do know he won’t be a clone. He must be accepted for his gifts and ministry.

CHURCH GOVERNANCE
There are many forms of church governance that work. The important thing is to arrive at a form suited to the pastors gifts and abilities and the needs of the church.

When I came to Georgia there were those in the church I came to pastor who wanted me to wear the king’s armor. That analogy is based on David going out to battle Goliath. They wanted little David to wear the armor of the king which didn’t fit him. He had his own battle strategy.

Don’t try to make your new pastor wear armor that doesn’t fit him.

Let’s play the game of WHAT IF?

What if the new pastor comes in and says I believe our Lord would have us change our Constitution to provide a different form of governance? Would you be open to his ideas and changes?

What if he comes in and says you have had a wonderful missions ministry in meeting needs in other areas of the world but the local need has grow to where it demands a more extensive ministry? To do this I want us to maintain our foreign missions budget at its current level and increase our local outreach. In doing it we can give even more in the future to foreign missions as a result of the growth of the home base.

What will you do if your new pastor says he wants to build his own staff? Or, suppose he evaluates the gifts of the current staff and feels some have the gifts to provide the ministry he feels compelled to initiate and others, though significantly gifted, don’t have the specific gifts needed to accomplish the mission. He then asks certain ones to stay and others to seek the will of the Lord in another ministry where they can more fully exercise their gifts. What do you do?

The humbling aspect for the pastor is to know some day he must give account to the Good Shepherd. That keeps the under shepherd from any ego trips.

III. THE HARMONY OF THE CHURCH Vs. 16
A dad who had been away on a trip returned with a gift for his little girl. After visiting together for a while dad settled into reading the paper and the child to playing with her new game. Soon dad’s subconscious began to pick up on sounds of frustration coming from his little daughter. He put down his paper and got down with the child to show her how the game worked. Later at bed-time the child said, “It was a lot better game than I thought dad.”

If you get involved in a vibrant fellowship that teaches the Bible and is Christ-centered, one that is growth oriented, you will have cause to say, “Church is a lot better experience than I thought.”

The church is described as being like a human body with many functioning body parts. Body parts differ but each contributes in its own way. Imagine having two noses; one each where your ears are. Think about having one oval ear where your nose is. Each in its place fulfilling its function makes for a better body.

Observe in verse 8 that every member is given a gift by Christ. That is, a measure of grace that enables them to fulfill some function in the church. This is further defined in vs. 16.
The body is – – –

A. UNIFYING – “joined and knit together”
When one member of the body hurts, all hurt. Another wedding lives in my memory as an illustration of this.

Those fingers hurt so bad that my body sat up much of the night to keep them company. That is the way the body of Christ works.

There is no excuse for persons involved in one ministry to criticize another. They are part of ONE body.

Be an exhorter, and encourager, and edifier.

Like breeds like. Negativism produces negativism.

A dad who was a doctor was on a wilderness outing with his son. The some was badly injured in an accident. The dad knew what to do and that it would hurt his son said, “Son, dad is going to hurt you, but he won’t injure you.” The dad knew the pain must be identified and dealt with. I am going to make a statement that is going to hurt some, but like the dad who did because he loved his son I am doing it out of loving concern. One statement I have heard here from a number of sources is “Our group doesn’t feel like we are getting enough attention.”

If you are doing what you are doing to get attention you have the wrong motive. Live by Colossians 3:23: “Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, not unto man.”

In 1588 the small and greatly out maned British fleet encountered the vast Spanish armada off the coast of Gravelines, France. Outnumbered by more than two ships to one the British faced a formidable force. The commander of the British fleet walked out on deck to find two officers quarreling with each other. He caught them both by the nap of the neck and forcing their gaze toward the Spanish armada said, “Gentlemen, there is your enemy.”

The church faces formidable opposition. We dare not quarrel and bicker among ourselves.

B. SUPPLYING – “every joint supplies”
Christ has given you Spiritual gifts that enable you to contribute to His cause. No one need feel left out.

Reputedly there once was a church with four members whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

The church had financial needs and Everybody was asked to help. Everybody thought Somebody would do it. Anybody could have. Amid this confusion you know who did it? Nobody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Then the church needed a work day, and Somebody was asked to help. Somebody got upset because Anybody could have done the job just as well and, after all, it really was Everybody’s job. In the end Nobody did it. Nobody did a good job.

Thereafter, when there was work to be done Nobody could be counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave generously. Nobody shared his faith.

Finally the day came that Somebody left the church and Everybody and Anybody decided to follow. Guess who was left! Nobody.

C. EDIFYING – “effective working by which every part does its share”

In the word “edification” you can hear the word edifice which means a building. To edify means to build up. In this instance it means to build up spiritually. We are to do that.

If the average car has as many parts that don’t work as the typical church, it wouldn’t run down hill. Are you doing your part?

“I’ve been a weight for long enough on the church’s back.
From now on I’m going to take a completely different track.
I’ll work and pay and pray and carry my load instead.
And not have others carry me like people do their dead.”

D. MULTIPLYING – “causes growth of the body”
Dawson Trotman in “Born to Reproduce” gives this illustration of multiplication. If one Christian won one person to Christ and spent six months helping to mature that one before each of them won someone else, the world could be won in 16 years. At the end of six months, the two would become four. At the end of one year the four would be eight. Multiplying this conversion, maturing, conversion cycle every six months the total in seven years would 33,000 converts. If that process continued for sixteen years, the total would be nearly three billion converts. To win our community it is not enough to add members, we must multiply.