Ephesians 4

• v.1-3
  • Paul has just been talking about what Christ has done for them on the cross
  • Is this a guilt trip? “Earn it!” ?
    • no, it could also be translated “as appropriately”
    • If prince William gets drunk, it is unworthy of his position as heir to the throne
    • But he doesn’t lose that position by getting drunk,
    • it is just inappropriate
  • what kind of lifestyle is appropriate to our new position in Christ?
    • v.2 love and kindness
    • v.3 unity
      • A Spirit filled church is not just about power
      • We have three things as our foundation, what are they?
      • Spirit of power, love as here, truth as Jesus promised
• v.4
  • This is an expansion of the unity in v.3
    • one body: “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.” (1 Cor 12:15)
    • one Spirit: notice trinity
    • one hope: we all have the same destiny, we’ll be together for eternity!
    • one Lord (Jesus)
    • one faith: The truth we believe.
    • one baptism: We all died to the power of the old life and rose again as part of the New Creation
    • one God and Father: brothers and sisters
• v.7-10
  • the key word here is measure, (lit metron in Greek from which we get metre)
  • The idea is that Jesus has given a measure of gift to each of us
    • image of a king in ancient times who is returning from victory
    • irony here is it is the captives who are getting the gifts
• v.11-13
  • five fold?
  • They don’t do the ministry of building up, but equip every person to do it
  • saints...
  • have we arrived?
    • this is one of the passages that convinced me that prophecy is still for today
    • get someone to stand against the wall and “draw round them”
• v.14-16
  • This is the climax to the whole passage
  • v.14 & 15 are opposites
    • Growth and maturity or wave-tossed and wind-blown
    • deceitfullness or love (truth is not just words, but actions as well)
  • So we can grow up to match the measure of Jesus
    • There seems to be a progress in time through the years and centuries
  • v.16 take clause by clause
    • note the word measure again—we each have our role, our assignment
    • the body grows by gifts excercised in love
  • Do you think they are all supernatural gifts?
    • are any gifts “natural” ?
    • no, but some not spectacular or supernatural in a “laws of physics” sense
  • two examples:

Conclusions

• Gifts of the Spirit do not have to be supernatural
• Is is exciting, God is doing something
  • How much do you want to be part of it?
• We need every single Christian to do this!