What Makes a Good Walk?

or so of the church we preach through the gospel of John. We'll be continuing that sometime in

October, Lord willing, and we'll pick up in John 14. So we'll probably finish John around December.

We paused over the summer and we did one Sunday in each Psalm. So we started at Psalm 1 and we

finished on Psalm 8. Lord willing, we'll start next summer in Psalm 9 and do about eight weeks

of Psalms again. So now for these six weeks, we're doing a little series, as Jeremy mentioned,

on the biblical church. The series is called Life in the Father's House, and that's a phrase Jesus used

in John 17. He said, I'm going and I'm going to prepare a place for you in my Father's house.

There are many rooms. And he said, I will not leave you orphans. I will send my spirit to be with you

and to prepare you for my Father's house. And so that's what we're looking at today, Life in the

Father's House. And for this series, we've been using different passages. So we'll be preaching

through these first 16 verses of Ephesians chapter 4 today. As I read this, you can follow along

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

for yourself. Keep in mind that this is God's very own word for you, his people. We believe,

we confess that this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient word for you.

So when I'm done with our scripture reading, we'll say, this is the word of the Lord. We'll respond

as a congregation. Thanks be to God. Ephesians 1. I'm sorry, Ephesians chapter 4, starting

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

at verse 1.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith

ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit,

even as you are called in one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. But unto every one of

us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Verse 8, wherefore he saith,

when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he

ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? Verse 10,

he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things.

Verse 11, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors

and some teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of

the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God

unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more

children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning

craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Verse 15, but speaking the truth in love, may we grow up

unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fit, joined together

and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of

every part, maketh increase of the body into the edifying of it, itself in love.

Verse, that's verse 16.

And this is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. You may be seated.

The Bible says that the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Would you pray with me?

Amen.

Speak, O Lord, until your church is built and until the whole world is filled with your glory, we pray once again today.

Amen.

Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

what makes a good walk?

When you go for a walk and you get back and you sit down and look at each other, you say,

that was a good walk.

Well, what made it good?

Someone said that a good walk,

when you come back, everything now has twice its value somehow.

One blogger wrote about this of family walks.

She said that a walk offers the family the chance to de-stress,

to breathe fresh air,

to not feel rushed from here to there,

and to revel in the joy of spending time together.

There's an old man who walked every day, four miles every day,

until his body could no longer do it.

And they asked him,

what's his trick to walking so consistently for so long?

And he says,

you don't stop walking because you lose your health.

It's the other way around.

You lose your health when you stop walking.

A good walk, do you agree?

A good walk is good for your soul.

Think about it.

God made us physical beings on this earth,

and he breathed his spirit into us,

so we're spiritual beings that long to worship him.

And he could have made us fast like leopards or cheetahs.

He could have made us huge,

so we just take a few steps and we're there.

But he made humans with small legs that walk from here to there,

standing upright.

So it's very fitting that consistently in all of the Bible,

your life as a child of God on this earth is described as a walk.

Isn't that so fitting?

Look at what Paul writes to the church in Ephesus in verse 1.

He says,

Church, walk in a manner worthy of the calling for which you were called.

What is it that you need to do if Christ called you?

Now you need to walk as a church.

You walk together.

So walking with Christ in this life,

that means that you're cherishing his presence with you.

It means that he is with you.

While you are in this body, on this earth,

you are walking day by day, step by step with Jesus Christ.

And as you walk with Christ,

he teaches you to enjoy his presence walking this earth.

What's more,

he teaches you to enjoy walking with Christ and his family.

So I'm going to try to persuade you this morning from Scripture

that the best thing for your soul,

the very best thing for your soul,

as long as you are on earth,

is a long walk with the family of God.

Isn't that what church is?

That's what church is.

It's a long walk with the family of God on this earth,

the best preparation for your soul and my soul,

for heaven, for eternity.

So I've got a few observations as we walk through this passage.

Number one,

Paul preaches to the church in Ephesus

that a good walk is a walk that is worth it.

Look at what he says in verse one.

I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling

to which you have been called.

A good walk is a walk that is worthy.

It's worth it.

Now, Paul's writing, he says, as a prisoner.

Man, maybe you've had an injury or something

that put you cooped up.

You couldn't get outside and go for a walk anymore.

And it's the worst, isn't it?

There's nothing you would give to be able to just get outside

and go walk half a mile,

especially if you got to do it with someone you enjoy being with.

Paul had traveled everywhere,

traveled all over the known world,

all over the Roman Empire.

And he had walked these international highways

from one city to the other.

Now he's arrested for preaching the gospel.

In other letters, Paul highlights his apostolic authority.

He says, you need to obey what I'm writing you

because I write with the authority of Christ.

But that's not what he appeals to here, is it?

He appeals to his joyful weakness.

Look at what he says.

I am a prisoner for the Lord.

That's why I urge you to walk.

This shows the depth of Paul's care.

His love for Christ, it overflows into caring for the church

that belongs to Christ,

which he obtained with his very own blood.

We saw in Sunday school in Acts 20

how Paul's last time to see this congregation

was when he said goodbye to them

before he got arrested.

In Acts 20, we're told that Paul knelt down

and he prayed with them all.

That's how they said their goodbye.

They spent time praying together.

And there was much weeping by all.

And they embraced Paul.

And they were sorrowful

that they would not see his face again.

And then they accompanied Paul to his ship.

And so Paul sails away.

And that's what they would have remembered of Paul

as they read this letter.

I want to pause for a quick point of application here.

The first three chapters of this letter to this church in Ephesians,

it tells them who they are in Christ.

We looked at the first, you know,

the ending of chapter 1 into chapter 2.

He says,

You were dead in your sins.

That's who you were.

But you were chosen in Christ before time began.

You are united to him by the power of the Spirit

who breathed life into you.

So then after laying the foundation of three chapters

of who Christians are in Christ,

by grace and faith alone,

not by good works so that no man should boast,

now he begins chapter 4

with what this means now.

If this is who you are in Christ,

here's what it means is you walk with him.

And I urge you to walk in a manner

worthy of Christ who called you.

It's worth it.

If you don't know what this means,

to be dead in sin but made alive by the grace of Christ,

then I want to urge you not to try to walk this way.

Don't try to fake it.

Because what you'll be doing is piling up your pride,

your own self-righteousness,

righteousness, trying to make yourself worthy.

So if you don't know this joy of belonging to Christ

and being freed from the bondage of sin

and now being a joyful prisoner for the Lord Jesus

because he rules over you,

then don't try to imitate this pattern.

If you do belong to Christ, it will be inevitable.

You will walk with him.

He calls this the calling for which you were called.

In John 10, our Lord Jesus says,

My sheep know my voice, and I call each one by name.

And when I call my sheep to me, they follow me.

So if you know Christ and he calls you to follow him,

you will walk with your shepherd.

You will continue following him through your life.

And you will see more and more with each step.

He is worthy to be followed.

He is worth it.

This walk with him, if it lands me in prison like Paul,

it's so worth it.

How could I not follow my Lord Jesus wherever he takes me?

Paul preached to them in Ephesians 1, verse 7,

Ephesians 1:7

In Christ alone you have redemption

through his very own blood

for the forgiveness of our trespasses

according to the riches of his grace

which he lavished upon us.

A good walk is a walk that's worth it.

Think of something that is worth it to you

even if you had to walk 100 miles with no brakes.

You would do it.

It's worth it.

Now there's things that are not worth

walking across the living room for as well, right?

Paul's telling them,

walk in a manner worthy of Jesus Christ.

He is the one who redeemed you by his very own blood

according to the riches of his grace

which he lavished upon you.

If you belong to him,

you will see he is worth following.

He is worthy of your best thought,

like our hymn says,

by day or by night,

waking or sleeping.

It's his presence with you on this walk

that is your light and your delight.

So the best thing for your soul

is to walk with the one who calls you,

Jesus Christ,

and who purchased you with his very own blood.

Number two, a good walk

is a walk where you're enjoying a peaceful path.

One time we went for a walk

where we used to live.

There was a pasture with some cattle on it

and we thought it'd be fun.

It looks beautiful today.

Let's go out.

Well, when the cows started taking some steps

towards our family,

it was not fun and peaceful anymore

and that path was one

we probably shouldn't have been on.

But Paul says to them,

verses one and two,

walk in a manner worthy of the calling

to which you were called.

And what is that peaceful path?

I love how clear and specific it is.

Look at verse two.

It's a path marked by all humility,

gentleness, and patience.

Bearing with one another in love.

Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

Paul just stacks up five key words here.

You could call these like the five footsteps

of that peaceful path.

And it's a contrast with the way that's broad

that leads to death.

This is the narrow path of Christ himself.

And it goes the opposite direction

of the pattern of the world.

Do you remember Psalm 1?

There's two ways to live.

Well, James also describes the broad way

that leads to death.

He says it's a way or a path of bitter jealousy

and selfish ambition.

And James says to the church,

if that's what marks your unity,

then it's a demonic influence.

He says if you have bitter jealousy

and selfish ambition,

that is from Satan working in your lives.

That is not from the Lord.

And it always leads to disorder.

But God is a God of order.

Look at what he did in the first creation.

He brought all things into perfect,

harmonious order.

Why would he not do that

with his new creation,

with his church?

James wrote them in James 3

that God gives wisdom and power

to obey what he says

is pure, peaceable, and gentle.

Do you hear these same Christian virtues

coming to layer onto the church

what it means to walk with Christ?

So let's take these five

that he gives us here

and let's make sure we get

the correct meaning of each one.

He says humility, gentleness,

patience, bearing in love,

eager, and peaceful.

So first, humility.

Paul is writing to them

that we have every gift

in the church

because Christ is the one

who stooped down to give it.

That's his whole argument

in this passage.

So do you see gifts

that God is using within the church?

Well then give glory to God

for those gifts.

He had told them earlier

in Ephesians,

he had said that

God has foreordained good works

that you should walk in them.

So if you see

those in the congregation

doing good works,

it's because God already prepared

that needed to happen

for my church at that time

and this would be the person

I would bring

to do it for them.

So who gets all the glory

as those gifts are used

in the church?

All glory be to God alone.

That's humility.

What about gentleness?

The word gentleness

is meekness.

Gentleness.

A wonderful way

to paraphrase it

as one commentator put it

is gentleness is power

under control.

Power under control.

And sometimes this was used

in the ancient Greek language

to describe a colt

like a young horse

that was being trained.

It has a lot of power

but it's under control now.

It could also be used

to describe soothing medicine.

So if you take too much

of this medicine,

it's powerful

and it'll kill you.

It'll be poison.

But if you take the doctor

prescribed amount,

this will help you.

Or a soft wind.

Too much wind

and it's going to wreck your ship.

It's going to tip you over.

But a soft wind

is powerful

but it's restrained

and it gets you right

where you need to go.

What does that look like

if the church

is to treat one another

with God's gentleness?

It means that we handle

every single one

that God brings

into His church

with extreme care.

with great tenderness

and fragility.

That's how we treat

one another.

Every believer

is Christ's

precious vessel

consecrated

and set apart

for God's

sacred purposes.

That's how the church

will treat one another

with gentleness.

The next word

is really a phrase.

It's patience

connected to

bearing in love.

So patience

to bear together

in love.

And these

many Greek words

could have been chosen

here by Paul

to describe patience

but the one he chooses

it's really talking

about length

like long suffering

bearing for the long haul.

It means long sold

like a magnanimous soul

that's not going to run out

of patience.

It's long suffering

together.

You're bearing

under the weight

of the burden together.

And you do this

by taking a long term view.

That's patience.

What does this look like

in the church?

Well

when things go wrong

between a relationship

or in the life

of a congregation

we continue to labor on

in weakness

and gentleness

and humility

toward one another

and we rejoice

that God

is the one

who heals.

You know

he's talking about

the unity

of the congregation.

And after Sunday school

someone brought up

a really good point

of clarification.

This means what

kind of unity?

Well it means

that we are united

under Christ the head

with his Holy Spirit

we share one faith.

Okay that's great

but what about

when there's a wrong teaching?

Should everybody

try to have unity

under this one

wrong teaching?

Because you've probably

heard that be used that way.

In fact that's how

the Roman Catholic Church

used it in the Reformation.

The reformers said

those bringing

a wrong teaching

to the people of God

are the ones

causing division.

And that's what

Paul was writing

in Acts 20

to the church of Ephesus.

He pulled the elders in

and said

there will be those

that will bring

a twisted teaching.

Guard against that.

They're the ones

destroying unity.

The true unity

in a church

needs to be united

around Christ the head

by the ministry

of his word.

And if anyone

brings something

against that

that's the person

causing division.

So the Holy Spirit

inside of each

true believer

knows the truth

from the word

by the help

of the Holy Spirit.

That's the type

of unity

that the church

needs to be characterized

by.

So we bear

with one another

toward that type

of spiritual

doctrinal unity.

Okay well this

sounds like very

maybe soft words

right?

Humble

gentle

patient.

Does this mean

it's a church

of really laid back

hippies

where it's all

just love

you know

rainbows?

Well look at the

next word

is eager.

He says

the church

of God

full of the

Holy Spirit

following King

Jesus

is a church

that's eager.

Now it's not

eager to compromise

all those other

things

but it is eager

for what?

Eager to work

together

to work at it

for unity.

Picture this

you know

in Ephesians 5

he describes

the relationship

between a husband

and a wife

that's a picture

of the relationship

between Christ

and his bride.

If you saw

a young couple

having some

troubles

is it right

for the man

just to say

I'm just gonna

be you know

be laissez-faire

just go along

go with the flow

whatever you want

goes

and I mean

there's no

there's no

drive

there's no

eagerness

for unity.

So yeah

maybe it's patient

but it's not eager.

So Christ

he wants his church

to be eager

he wants his church

to have a fire

in the belly

and to be willing

to fight

for the unity

around his truth.

It's so much easier

to just lower

the bar of truth

and doctrine

and pretend like

we have a superficial unity

but if it's not unity

on Christ's word

then it's no unity

at all.

We might as well

just go join a golf club

or something else

you prefer.

If there's unity

in the church

it's unity around

the teaching

of Jesus Christ.

A zeal to fight

for what we enjoy

together in Christ

which is his gospel

and his mission

in this world

that we get

to be part of that.

That's the type

of unity

we need to be eager

to fight for.

And the last one

is peace.

If a person

is not at peace

with God

he will never

be at peace

within the church.

If you see

a troubled soul

and they're taking it out

they're kicking the cat

yelling at their kids

those are all symptoms.

That soul

is not at peace

with God.

They need the gospel.

You and I

need the gospel.

We need God

to bring

his peace

to our soul

and to settle us.

It's only possible

to have peace

if it's the Holy Spirit

bearing the fruit

of the Spirit

in your life.

So this can be

a point of encouragement

for you

in your sanctification

even maybe

your assurance

of salvation.

Are you

more peaceful

more at peace

with God

now

than you were

six months ago?

Three years ago?

Then praise the Lord.

That's his Holy Spirit

who's growing

your peace

in Christ

and it's overflowing

onto your life.

I think we can agree

these five virtues

are pretty clear.

What they mean

is no secret.

There's no hidden mystery

or special explanation

needed.

That's what the church

looks like.

Just because

it's common sense

does not make it

common practice though.

Isn't that true?

Mark Twain said

it is not

the things

which I don't understand

in the Bible

that trouble me

but it's the things

I do understand.

So I think

Paul's message

to us is this

that the best thing

for our souls

is to walk

the clear

peaceful path

in the footsteps

of Jesus Christ

by his Spirit

together.

The path is clear

but the way

is narrow

and he calls us

by his Spirit

to follow him

one step at a time.

Third point.

We do this walk

not as individuals

and not according

to our own fancies

of where we want

to walk

and where we want

to go.

We walk in step

with Jesus Christ

in step with

his Holy Spirit

in us individually

and with us

as a body.

There will be times

in the life

of a congregation

where even collectively

we don't know

what the right thing

is to do.

We don't know

but we need to pray.

We need to fast

as a congregation.

We need to get

on our knees together

and ask for the Lord

to show us.

We need to be

walking in step.

And it is true

also individually.

The closer we walk

with Christ individually,

picture the Lord Jesus

as the shepherd.

The closer that each

of his sheep

follow his voice,

the closer we get

to him,

the closer we are

to one another.

I know that even

preaching this series

on the church

is painful

or maybe

it's just not something

you really want

right now.

I'm just trusting

that in God's providence

what the needs

of this congregation

were and when God

brought you,

this is what he has

for you.

Even if I don't

understand it

or you don't see

right away

why is this

what we're focused on.

And I was thinking

that to walk

in step with Christ

it can be beautiful

when a church

is doing it together.

It can be so lonely

when it feels like

you're being obedient

to Christ

but you look around

or you look at

where a congregation

is going

and that's not the path.

Isn't that one

of the hardest things

Christ calls us to do?

So I don't know

each of your circumstances

but I do know

what that feels like

and I pray for you

that whatever God

has for you

and your family

he will show you

what it looks like

to walk in step

with him.

I think I also

to bring you

the full counsel

and not be guilty

of holding anything

back from you

without knowing

I also want you

to reflect

and ask God

to search you

if some of your pain

in previous conversations

I'm sorry

some of the pain

that you've had

in previous congregations

was maybe because

you came up short

on your own

sanctification as well.

You brought your own

sins into it.

In verse 2

I just invite you

to confess

to the Lord

today

even if you can't

settle other relationships

confess to the Lord

times when you've

lacked humility

times when you

and I have lacked

gentleness

with other Christians

when we have

lacked patience

and have not

bared

through it together

with other believers

confess to God

if there have been

times where you

were not eager

to maintain

true unity

as much as it

was possible

to be at peace

with others.

Now there are

others here as well

and maybe the same

people in the same

situation

who were truly

hurt by

legitimate wolves

and I don't know

their motives

or hearts

or words even

I also want to

comfort you

if you're a true

sheep who's been

wounded deeply

this was what was

on Paul's mind

in Acts chapter 20

Acts 20 · chapter mention

which we saw in

Sunday school

which was goodbye

to the same church

and he said

fierce wolves

will come in

among you

not sparing

the flock

and I ask

you then

to

ask the Lord

to heal you

then

if you truly

had those claws

or those teeth

of wolves

who brought in

twisted teachings

and it was

it was a hurt

to your soul

that you would

ask God

the good shepherd

to comfort you

once again

with his words

for him to

pick you up

to care for you

to make the

bleeding stop

put the balm

of the gospel

inside those wounds

again today

restore you

and set you

on that path

taking those

little lamb

steps

one at a time

following your

good shepherd

because he

will never

hurt you

he is the

chief shepherd

of your souls

this church

in Ephesus

had division

they had been

hurt by one

another

they had

issues of

pride

they needed

to bear

one another's

burdens

better than

they had

and how

does Paul

minister to

them with

all these

needs

look at what

he says in

verses 4

5 and 6

he says

church

you who are

hurting and

broken and

wounded

there is

one body

and one

spirit

just as you

were called

to the one

hope that

belongs to

your call

one Lord

one faith

one baptism

one God

and Father

of all

who is

over all

and through

all

and in

all

he says

you all

if you're a

true Christian

you stand

on the same

foundation

this foundation

is seven

layers deep

you see what

he says

we have

one body

one spirit

one hope

one call

one Lord

one faith

one baptism

one God

that's what

we all have

in common

Sinclair Ferguson

pointed this

out that

reconciliation

to God

will come

to expression

in the

quality of

our reconciliation

with one

another

why is the

church to

live as

one

it's because

we are one

in Christ

the visible

church

throughout the

world is

made up of

you

you and I

are just

regular people

but we share

a faith in

one God

Jesus Christ

who came to

set his

captives free

so that we

would follow

him

and he doesn't

leave those

captives he set

free

he doesn't

leave those

lambs to

fend for

themselves and

to stumble

around in

darkness

he doesn't

leave Christians

out there

to be devoured

as individuals

he gathers

his people

around him

he protects

them

he feeds

them

if you belong

to Christ

he is your

shepherd

and you are

one with his

flock

no matter what

your tribe

race

ethnicity

no matter what

what you came

from what family

he saved you out

of what churches

he's you've heard

the shepherd's

voice he will

care for your

soul and he

will unite you

to his

people

we share

one spirit

think of that

there is one

holy spirit

the third person

of the trinity

and we share

one spirit

it's the holy

spirit that

dwells in the

believer

it's that same

spirit

in every single

true Christian

one of our

dear brothers

here

had a

loss

he told me

this story

of his

friend who

was born

on the streets

in a different

country

and the

lord saved

him

the lord put

his holy

spirit inside

of him

and then his

ministry was to

take other

boys off the

street to

show them

christ's love

and when our

brother visited

him coming

from a totally

different part

of the world

different context

that spirit

that holy

spirit inside

of him

from here

knew with

these boys

with this

brother who

now passed

we share

one spirit

have you ever

gotten to

experience what

that's like

that's a

foretaste of

heaven

and the

great cloud

of witnesses

that will

join at the

throne of

god

our shepherd

has one

flock

satan wants

to divide

and conquer

peel you

away

and tear

you to

shreds

our lord

wants to

keep you

with his

flock

feeding you

and caring

for you

why do we

need to have

church unity

around truth

and doctrine

and the love

and the spirit

that we share

well here's

another reason

is we are

stuck with

one another

for eternity

if christ

purchased you

with his

own blood

you are

his

why would

we bicker

now when

we're going

to be together

for eternity

around the

throne of

christ

he will tell

us what's

important

what we need

to care about

what we think

about at that

time

we do ask

the lord

with this

be thou

my wisdom

and thou

my true

word

i ever

with thee

and thou

with me

lord

thou

my great

father

and i

thy true

son

thou

in me

dwelling

and i

with thee

one

we're about

to sing this

hymn at the

end

when you hear

a voice

around you

singing that

we are

one in

christ

it's the

same spirit

dwelling

in each

one of

us

and that's

why the

best thing

for your

soul

is to

walk

closely

with christ

realizing

that as

we grow

in him

we have

unity

as his

one

body

next

observation

paul calls

us with

a difficult

reference to

psalms here

to walk

i'm going to

put it in my

own words

walk like

your family

owns it

andrea and i

went on an

anniversary trip

this past

summer and

we got there

too late to

this one

place but we

really wanted

to walk

through a

little trail

in the

woods

but when we

got there

the guy

said

we're

closing

in 30

minutes

but we

had just

gotten there

so we

went ahead

and walked

but the

whole time

we're watching

the clock

we're thinking

about it

and man

wouldn't it

just be

different if

we could

say go

ahead

you are

the prince

of you

know

whatever

i mean

your dad

is the king

he owns

all these

forests

so go out

and enjoy

it

you stay

out there

as late

as you

would like

it's such

a difference

now paul

says walk

like what you

really are

the reason he

says that is

because this

reference from

psalm 68

paints this

glorious picture

and paul's

applying this

now to the

church

so that

glorious image

that the

old testament

believers

couldn't quite

understand

it's speaking

about you

church

look at what

he says

in verse 7

through 10

paul says

grace was given

to each one

of us

according to

the measure

of christ's

gift

so he's

saying that

christ holds

the gift

of grace

and he's

going to

give his

gift

to every

true

believer

but it's

christ

so it

opens up

some

questions

how does

christ

have this

as his

to give

it out

to dispense

it

and he

answers this

with something

we would have

never come

up with

but the

holy spirit

causing paul

to meditate

on the

psalms

and now

apply it

in the

light of

christ's

work

through the

church

he says

this in

verse 8

quoting psalm

68

which we

read

when he

ascended

on high

he led

a host of

captives

and he

gave gifts

to men

now that's

the quote

from psalm

8

psalm

9 and

10

he clarifies

a bit

he says

in saying

he ascended

what does

it mean

but that

he had

also

descended

into the

lower

regions

on earth

verse 10

he who

descended

is the

one

who also

ascended

far above

the heavens

that he

might fill

all things

well the

imagery

in psalm

68

is of

a king

who just

came back

from battle

and he's

got this

triumphal

procession

behind him

paul loves

to use

this image

to the

church

and in

psalm 8

we heard

that the

enemy

vanquishes

like smoke

and melts

like wax

and all the

other mountains

surrounding it

even bashan

which has

the highest

peaks

a mountain

represents

a kingdom

all these

other kingdoms

look and

they say

why this

little hill

of zion

why through

jerusalem

would the

king come

that all

the other

empires

would run

away from

in fear

and paul's

saying he

ascended

and he

gives gifts

that's because

god himself

descended

he took on

the form

of a man

he became

man

being fully

god

and he did

that to

ransom

all those

described in

psalm 68

they were

described as

captives

as weak

as fatherless

as lowly

and he ransoms

his people

and now he

leads this

procession

and he's

writing to

ephesus

a city

in rome

the romans

would do

this triumphal

procession

as well

they would

have a

servant

be in the

chariot

with the

general

who came

back from

war

and that

servant's

job was

to tell

the general

repeating

over and

over

omo est

omo est

that means

you are

but a

man

because as

he would

parade

through the

cities

the praise

was so

great

he would

think he

was a

god

he had

to be

reminded

you're

not a

god

and so

paul is

tapping

into

this

roman

imagery

he's

taking

this

fulfillment

of

psalm

68

and he's

showing

this

great

general

who comes

back

victorious

it is

jesus

christ

he

descended

he

accomplished

his

work

through

his

active

and

passive

obedience

now he

rules

from on

high

and he's

giving

gifts

out to

his

church

the

victory

of christ

death

and

resurrection

gave

christ

all the

great

spoils

of the

war

against

satan

and christ

sets

the fruit

of his

victory

on display

in his

church

so he

says

every gift

that you

see being

used in

the church

we can

say

when we're

serving

when we're

setting up

chairs

sweeping

preparing

a meal

teaching

the kids

these are

gifts

of christ

conquering

he is

giving

this

to display

his glory

in his

church

like a

great

general

sinclair

ferguson

helped me

with this

as well

he pointed

out how

pentecost

was the

triumph

day

of christ

his victory

was publicly

celebrated

by an

outpouring

of gifts

on the

citizens

of his

kingdom

and the

soldiers

of his

army

that he

has conquered

and he

now reigns

and he

gives

the signs

of the

victory

through his

church

to the

whole

world

that all

could see

his glory

through a

widespread

distribution

of gifts

everything

a church

will need

it is

christ's

glory

his work

being put

on display

in a

simple

gathering

of simple

people

all glory

be to

christ

christ

already

possesses

the fullness

of grace

with which

he will

fill his

church

as you

walk

with him

so think

about that

there are

more graces

more gifts

god will

bring about

in you

and through

you

for his

church

that he's

already

prepared in

advance

don't you

want to be

part of

that

don't you

want to

grow into

that which

he's already

ordained

you would

do

how do

you do

that

then

will you

walk

one step

at a

time

with christ

with his

church

and you

watch him

do that

in your

life

maybe you

have a

desire

but you

feel like

the gifts

are lacking

walk

one step

at a

time

with christ

with his

church

and just

let him

put those

gifts in

your hand

they come

from him

and him

alone

like the

hymn says

he is the

high king

of heaven

he has won

our victory

and our

prayer as we

walk with

him is to

reach

heaven's

joys

following our

bright

heaven

sun

well i had set

out to go all

the way through

verse 16 but i

did not plan this as

well as i should

have but i just

want to summarize

he talks

he talks from

verses 11

through 15

about the

ministry of

the word

through the

apostles and

prophets he

gave the

word

prophets of

the old

testament the

apostles through

the new

testament

through the

evangelists who

at the time

worked to

help the

apostles he

ministered the

word he

ministers the

word now to

do the work

of an

evangelist

cast the

seed of the

gospel through

his word

teach the

church build

up the

church equip

the church

through the

ministry of

the word

and everybody

has a part in

that it

anchors us so

that we're not

tossed back and

forth so we do

know the truth

from the word

every single one

of us and look

at the part that

we all have

every day

verse 15

we are to speak

the truth in

love as we

grow up in

every way into

him who is the

head Jesus

Christ we

minister the

word to one

another and we