Why I will minister in this Church

Good morning everyone. We're going to read the Bible together now. Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 16.

Ephesians 4:1–16

So it's Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 16.

Ephesians 4:1–16

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.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

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.

What does he ascended mean, except that he also descended to the lower earthly regions?

He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe.

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, 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.

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 people in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.

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.

So now I'll turn with you to the Word of God, which Martin has really well introduced for me this morning.

The idea that recognizing that something's true doesn't necessarily mean that we'll be motivated to change our behavior,

so that it aligns with the truth.

And this is particularly true, it's true of lots of areas, as Martin highlighted,

but it's particularly true of Christians and ministry, I think.

Last week, Dave began the series on every person ministry, focusing particularly on verses 7 and 11 and 12,

and just that confronting fact that every Christian is a minister in Christ's church, in this local church.

Put it in a very proactive way, if you're a Christian here this morning,

then you should be saying to yourself on a regular basis, as Martin did with the kids,

I am a minister of Christ in this local church family.

I am a minister of Christ in this church family.

Now, there's no opting out on the basis of inability,

because we're told also, verse 7, that Christ has actually called us into this ministry,

but actually equipped us for it.

He's gifted us specifically for the ministry he's called us to.

So there can be no opting out on the basis of inability.

He intends you to be a minister of his in this church family.

He's equipped you to be a minister of his in this church family.

He's gifted you and intends you to nurture and develop those gifts,

so that they might be nurtured and developed.

So the question then shifts.

Not is it a fact that you're a minister, but to the more practical question,

are you ministering?

Are you ministering or serving?

The two words can be used interchangeably.

Are you actually ministering or serving in this local church?

And what makes the difference?

What makes the difference in your mind between knowing something to be true,

and perhaps feeling guilty if you're not doing it,

and actually doing something because you're glad to do it?

Now, it's not rocket science to say that none of us find trouble.

None of us have trouble finding time or effort or money

to pursue the things that are important to us,

the things that we would say are valuable,

things that we would say desirable.

We do that without even blinking our eyes, don't we?

Whether it's work or a sport or doing renovations at home

or pursuing a particular hobby or leisure pursuit, holidays,

or perhaps it's time to chase a girlfriend or a boyfriend,

and the cost of that.

Perhaps there's activities with your spouse, your children,

catching up with friends, and so the list could go on and on and on.

All those things are sort of a regular part of our lives,

and we don't even think twice.

We just find time, we find money, we find energy to do them.

Why?

Because they're desirable.

They're valuable.

They're important to us.

So, what of helping one another to grow in Christ?

Is this something that you would put right up there

with things in your life that are really important,

something that's really valuable and desirable?

So, friends, the real issue is not one of knowledge,

but one of motivation, priority.

Motivation to minister or serve in our church family

will simply be the overflow of what you think should happen in church

or what you want to happen in church

or what you demand to happen in church.

Again, that which you believe to be important, valuable, and desirable

when you think about church and your involvement in it.

Now, at that point, you see, I think I have to say,

and I have to include myself here,

that the sad reality is that all too often

our thinking and desires for church is far too small.

Worse than that, sometimes our thinking and desires for church

are actually contrary to Christ's intentions

for his church and his say of people within the church.

So, it works a bit like this.

So, if you think of church just as a weekly box-taking activity,

something that you know in the back of your mind is required for Christians,

then you think, well, okay, I need to, as a Christian,

I need to meet with other Christians,

I need to read, I need to pray, I need to hear a sermon,

then you'll actually be motivated to turn up to church,

to take the boxes.

Well, mostly motivated to turn up to church,

because there might be some weeks you see

there'll be another box-taking opportunity

that's more appealing.

And so, you find yourself easily being distracted into that.

If you think of church,

if you think of church like a club,

where you hang out with people you like,

a place where you have fun,

it's meant to be a place of fun,

a place where your children have other nice children to play with,

a place where you can just relax,

chat about your week, debrief,

generally be happy and feel settled.

It's my port in a week of stormy weather.

A place where you can feel secure.

A place where you can feel secure.

A place where you can be accepted without any questions asked.

No challenges.

Then, I suspect,

you'll be highly motivated

to get involved

in a church like ours,

a local church family like ours.

But I also suspect

that your involvement

will be very much as a selective consumer.

That is,

you'll almost,

without thinking,

invest in those people

and serving those people

and invest in those programs

that you've already worked out

will deliver the thing

that you think you should get

when you come to church.

So, you will orientate yourself

to those people

or those programs

on a very selective,

consumerist basis.

Friends,

as lovely as these things are,

and all the things I mentioned there

are terrific things

in relationship.

Of course they are.

As lovely as these things are,

here's the rub.

They can actually represent

a redefinition

of what serving ministry is.

a redefinition

from what Jesus defines us

to something

that you're comfortable with

or something

that you think it should be.

You'll know that I'm back from holidays.

Eeyore's back.

Let me say something

even more confronting.

These sorts of things

can even be the things

that keep us from being

what Christ wants us to be.

Imagine that.

the good things

that you look forward to

in our church family here

might be the things

that severely damage us

as a church family.

Now, that's almost

counterintuitive

to say that we could be damaged

by niceness

and happiness.

We could be kept

in a state

of continual dysfunction

by these sorts of things.

A state of ill health,

continuing ill health.

A continual state

of immaturity.

It's not beyond

the realms of possibility.

And all the while

thinking,

wow, this is a good church.

It's exactly what I want.

So,

the big question then is

what does Christ

expect to see

as a pattern

of your engagement

in this church?

Well, Dave opened

the verse up

with us last week.

Verse 12,

equipping the saints

for the work of ministry,

for building up

the body of Christ

until we all attend

to the unity of the faith

and of the knowledge

of the Son of God

to mature manhood

to the measure

of the stature

of the fullness of Christ.

What's that saying

in summary terms?

Jesus expects you,

you individually,

to do everything

you can,

humanly speaking,

to make this church family

look and sound

and speak

and feel,

dare I say smell,

I'm going through

all the other senses,

and smell like Jesus.

Now, make no mistake,

and we'll cover this

in a couple of weeks' time,

make no mistake,

this sort of ministry

will always involve

huge cost.

It will draw on your time,

your money,

your energy,

your creative investment,

and it will always

have huge risks

attached to it,

being hurt,

being worn out,

being rejected,

but it is what

Christ himself

calls us to.

And should I also add,

he calls us to

has known

all of those things

in a way

that we'll never know them.

So this morning,

I want to suggest

that the best

motivation to ministry,

as Martin's already

opened up before us,

the best motivation

to ministry

is longing to see

the beauty of Christ

displayed and developed

in one another.

Longing to see

the beauty of Christ

displayed and developed

in one another.

I would suspect,

and venture to say

to you this morning,

anything less than that,

and we will find

ministry

just too hard.

to do consistently.

Anything less than that,

and we'll find ministry

too costly

to hang in with.

Anything less than that,

and the likelihood is

that we'll just

settle into the church

as a consumer.

Perhaps a really active

consumer,

but a selective consumer.

sporadic,

selective,

getting involved

in ways,

and perhaps only

in ways,

where we think

we will get

the personal returns

that we want

or demand

or need.

Now,

a couple of headings

and we'll move

through this.

And by the way,

the introduction

is going to be

the longest part today,

so don't despair.

First major heading

is ministry

is the primary

expression

of your identity

in Christ.

Dave helpfully

separated out

last week

identity and calling,

and that division

remains very clear.

But ministry

is a primary

expression

of identity

as well

by the same token.

And in this,

there's a great

motivation there

for it to ministry.

In other words,

the primary

expression

of ministry

for me

is a deep

desire

to show

everyone

who I now

am at heart

as one

renewed

by Christ.

I want

to be

like Christ

and I want

others to see

me being like

Christ

and I want

others to benefit

from me being

like Christ

that they might

also become

more like Christ.

Again,

look at verses

12 and 13,

those verses.

We all

attend to the

unity of

the faith

and of the

knowledge

of the Son

of God

to mature

manhood

to the measure

of the stature

of the fullness

of Christ

so that we

may no longer

be children

but mature.

put simply

again,

Jesus expects

us to grow

up.

We start

as children

but Jesus

expects us

to grow up

into mature

Christian

adults.

Becoming

ever more

like him

in the way

we speak,

in the way

we think,

in the way

we present

ourselves,

and the way

we behave.

When people

look into

our church

individually

and together,

when they look

at us

individually

and together,

when they look

into our church,

what should

they see?

They should

see you

individually

being focused

on being

like Jesus

in every way

possible.

and they

should see

you

totally

focused

on helping

every other

person in

this church

family

to do

the same.

Paul

himself,

Paul describes

himself

as a

prisoner

for the

Lord.

I do

apologize

for this

cough

which has

already

been outed.

I'm not

sure whether

that was a

good way

of doing

it or

not,

but I'm

just going

to return

evil.

No,

hang on

take,

I got

that

wrong.

Darn,

I've been

working on

that line

all through.

I was going

to return

evil for

good and

I got

it back

to

front.

No,

I still

got it

back to

front.

Oh,

shut up

and move

on.

Paul

describes

himself

as a

prisoner

or slave

of Christ.

He's

already

used this

picture of

a prisoner

in chapter

3,

verses 1

to 7.

So that

tells us

I think

it's a

really

important

picture

for

Paul.

Now,

when he

writes this

letter,

he actually

literally

is a

prisoner

of the

Roman

Empire

because of

his witness

to Christ.

But I

don't think

that's what

he's referring

to here.

He's referring

to a form

of being a

prisoner that's

much,

much more

significant to

him than

that.

That's just

a circumstance.

So when

he says

I'm a

prisoner of

Christ,

I've actually

got one,

thank you,

thank you very

much.

I just

tried to

avoid,

thanks Alex.

Sorry for

drawing attention

to myself

guys.

It's

working,

it's

working.

Paul's

speaking of

something far

more significant

for him.

He's speaking

of being

Christ's

prisoner by

right of

purchase.

He's

speaking of

a deep

sense of

indebtedness

for everything

that he

now is.

He's been

renewed.

He's been

forgiven.

He's been

freed from

his sin.

He's had

the spirit

put within

him.

He's been

rebuilt from

the inside

out.

And he

knows

therefore his

life, his

freedom, his

future are

all at

Christ's

disposal.

That's what

he has in

mind with

this sense of

being a

prisoner,

being a

captive,

being a

slave.

He knows,

go back to

chapter one,

he knows his

indebtedness to

Christ for

every spiritual

and physical

blessing.

Each one

an evidence

of God's

goodness to

him.

And so

Paul's

saying,

look, I

am now

happily,

completely

defined and

shaped by my

relationship to

the Lord

Jesus Christ.

And that

is to be

the defining

shape of

my life

going forward,

says Paul.

Even more

than that,

he knows he

is a prisoner

or slave

given as a

gift by

Christ to

his church.

Paul

understands

the

outcomes of

Christ's

investment in

him.

That this

new self,

that his

new service

gifts,

that his

sense of

indebtedness to

God's grace,

all of that

was pushing

Paul to

the time

and the

place and

the context

in which he

would express

all of that

in the

community of

the church.

And knowing

all of that,

Paul threw

himself into

serving others.

And it

cost him

dearly.

The idea of

being God's

gift to the

church was

anything but a

burden to

Paul.

Indeed, it was a

delight.

because with

the sense of

indebtedness

came the

sense of

privilege.

That

me, the

worst of

sinners, says

Paul, should

be used in

such a

formative way

to build

the church.

Whoa, how

does that get

to be?

Well, my

friends, it's

exactly the

same for you

and me in

this church

family.

You have

been taken

captive by

Jesus.

You have

been given

every blessing

of salvation

and family

membership.

You have

been given

service gift

ministries,

service ministry

gifts.

And you've

been gifted

back into

this local

church family

where you

are now.

Why?

That you

might expend

your time,

your money,

your energy,

your creativity,

creativity,

expressing that

sense of

indebtedness

and that

sense of

privilege,

helping us

all become

more like

Jesus.

Now, by

definition, a

gift, once

it's given,

belongs to

the one it's

given to.

So, here's

perhaps a

challenge for

you in the

way you think

about yourself

in this

church family.

You are a

gift given

to this

local church

by the

Lord Jesus

Christ, which

means, in a

very real sense,

that you belong

to this church

family.

And that

should be

reflected in

the way you

serve.

Not concerned

for your own

identity,

not consumed

by building

your own

reputation,

not content

just to have

a nice,

comfortable

club people

want to

join that's

popular in

the community,

not engaging

only when you

see opportunity

for personal

reward or

return,

not just

serving when

there are no

other alternative

demands on your

time and energy.

ministry.

What a

wonderful

motivation to

ministry.

I don't know

about you, but

it's always nice

to receive a

gift.

It's even

nicer when

you get a

gift that's

useful.

Isn't that

right?

So here's a

question for

you.

Have a

think.

Do you

reckon

others in

this local

church family

would look at

you and think,

yeah, man,

they're a

useful gift.

I'm so glad

the Lord

Jesus has

given them

to us.

Now, let me

apply this in

one really

specific way.

And there's

the danger

now of

sort of

moving into

something you'll

take as

guilt.

I can't

stop you

doing that,

but it's

certainly not

intended.

Since

resuming

physical

churching,

just one

application,

but it

sort of

speaks across

everything we

do as a

church family.

Since

resuming

physical

churching,

we've had

real

difficulties

with the

serving

teams

rostered

for

cleaning.

On

quite a few

weeks,

out of

teams of

nine and

ten that

have been

rostered,

sometimes

only one

or two

turn up.

Now,

why is

that,

do you

think?

Why is

that,

do you

thinking?

What

thinking

allows us

to say

so easily?

Well,

yeah,

somebody else

can do

that,

that famous

person who's

overworked in

every congregation,

somebody else.

Because to

say that

assumes that

their time is

less important

than your

time,

time.

And that

somehow or

other,

others have

this quantity

of non-allocated

time that

they can

then take

for cleaning.

Or perhaps

it means that

you have a

sense of

yourself being

gifted in a

way that

your gifts

are far too

significant to

be involved in

cleaning toilets

or vacuuming

a floor.

or perhaps

you just don't

see cleaning

as part of

what's important

in making

this church

family a

good place,

a comfortable

place where

we can learn

together on a

Sunday morning

because we

come in here

and the

building's

nicely set out,

the toilets

don't stink,

and the

whole thing

combines to

the best

context for

us to hear

the word of

God and

fellowship

together.

See,

there's

something missing

in the way

we think

about our

opportunity

and privilege

and responsibility

in serving.

Now that one

illustration,

it's only one

of umpteen

ministries in

the congregation,

and I have to

qualify that by

saying we as

elders are so

thankful that

so many people

minister in so

many ways on

any given week.

We understand

that and we're

deeply appreciative

of that.

But here's an

issue, and

perhaps it

reflects something

of our

thinking generally

about how we

engage in

ministry in

the church.

Let me move

on.

So ministry

is a primary

expression of

our identity,

and it's

totally focused

on forming

the mind

of Christ

in his

people.

Last week

Dave Bott

took us

through the

early chapters

of Ephesians

which underpinned

Paul's argument

in this whole

regard.

Paul's,

sorry,

God's purpose

was never

simply to save

us in isolation

or as

individuals.

His intention

was always to

save us into

a community,

a serving,

other person

centered community.

Now here's where

we've got to

qualify that

and spell it

out.

Never happy

just to be in

a community

of nice

people,

but always

aiming to

be a community

of holy

people

in which

family likeness

is everywhere.

I had

Christian Dooley

and his

sister

hanging out

the other

morning at our

place and I

was just

looking for

them.

One's a boy,

one's a girl

obviously,

and I was

just looking

back and

forth and

thinking,

these are

two peas

in a pod.

Well,

mind you,

people say

that,

me and my

brother as

well.

But you

see,

there's

something

really nice

about that.

People should

look at our

church and

say,

whoa,

everywhere I

look,

I'm seeing

family likeness.

I'm seeing

the likeness

of Jesus.

I'm hearing

the likeness

of Jesus.

And it's

expressed in

two very

practical

characteristics,

unity

and maturity.

how will

we most

demonstrate

the changing

power of

the gospel?

How will

we most

demonstrate

the changing

power of

the gospel?

Answer,

very simple,

the first few

verses of

chapter four.

When our

practical unity

aligns with

the spiritual

unity we

already enjoy

in Christ.

When those

two overlay

are

the changing

power of

the gospel

in a big

way.

That can

only happen,

as we see in

those early

verses,

when we've

got Christ's

attitudes to

each other.

When we're as

generous and

excusing of

others as we

are of

ourselves.

When we're

determined to

expend all our

resources for

others in the

church family.

When we're

quick to

identify relational

difficulties and

equally quick to

move to mend

fences that are

broken relationally.

And proper

unity is

actually

inseparable from

maturity,

which is the

other practical

expression of the

changing power of

the gospel.

If you look at

verses 14 and

15,

so that we may

no longer be

children,

and goes on to

describe a few

more things.

things.

There's no room

in Christ's

church for

ongoing

childish

behavior,

childish

tantrums,

selfish

indulgence.

Yet, my

friends, it's so

common to see

just these

sorts of

childish

reactions in

relationships and

to the failures

of others.

it's common

to see what's

known as a

syndrome of

perpetual

adolescence.

Now, that's a

syndrome in

itself, but it

applies well in

the church.

A syndrome of

perpetual

adolescence among

Christians, and

especially young

Christians, not

exclusively young

Christians, but it's

especially true

among young

Christians.

What is

perpetual

adolescence?

Well, essentially,

it's a refusal to

grow up.

It's a refusal to

see church, as we're

applying it here

now, as something

that's more than

fun.

It's a refusal to

step up and take

responsibility and

say, look, I'm not

just here to have a

good old time and

cruise.

I need to work with

these people and for

these people to become

mature, to become more

like Christ.

Now, perpetual

adolescence is bad

enough when you see it

in young people.

When you see it in

people in their 40s and

50s and 60s, then

you think, man, this is a

chronic condition.

Refusing to nurture

gifts, refusing to

grow up, refusing to

step up into

serving roles.

Maturity will only

come when we dig into

God's word and have

it change us from the

inside out.

We know the truth of

God's word.

That's all in those

verses 13 and 14.

We know the truth of

God's word and are

prepared to speak the

truth in love into the

lives of those around

us.

I'll be saying more

about that in a couple

of weeks' time.

That's a big one, to

speak the truth in love.

To have the hard

conversations because we

want to grow up in

Christ and want that for

everyone around us.

friends, the point's very

obvious.

If we're not doing that,

if we're not

demonstrating the

changing power of the

gospel, then I would

suggest to you today that

we're actually making the

gospel a bit of a joke.

I mean, what is the

point of the gospel if

there's no changing power

attached to it?

So once again, let me

apply it in a very raw

way.

What difference do you

think being motivated to

form the mind of Christ in

yourself and the lives of

others in this church

family, what difference do

you think that might make

today?

If that was your primary

concern, if that was your

passionate concern, if that's

what you saw as valuable

above all else today, how

might that change who you

might seek out and speak

to today?

And why you might seek

them out and speak to

them?

And how you might seek

them out and speak to

them?

What might that say about

your commitment to small

groups or growth groups as

we call them, both

attending regularly so that

you're a support to the

rest of the crew rather than

send yourself, well, look,

there's a half a dozen

there.

They won't miss me.

Or engaging thoroughly.

You can be there and warm

a seat, but not much more.

Or praying for others in

the group when you're not

there.

Engaging with others at their

points of need and

difficulty.

How might that make a

difference when, to your

priority, when you know a

relationship with someone

else in the church is under

pressure or seriously

broken?

Is it a childish, well, it's

their fault.

They've hurt me.

And they'll have to come and

speak to me.

Or a mature adult Christian

response of, hey, we can't

allow this to happen.

We need to get this sorted.

We need to talk.

We need to get this fixed.

And that ultimately displays

God's manifold wisdom.

And brings him honor.

Chapter 3, verse 10.

So, today I'm offering you two

sort of major motivations.

One's more immediate.

The more immediate motivation

to selfless serving ministry is

to see the changing power of the

gospel.

as the mind and heart of Christ

is formed in each of us

individually and in us

collectively.

As that's the immediate

motivation.

So, the ultimate motivation

then is that God's wisdom in

salvation will be seen by all.

And God will be honored as he

should be.

Dave took us through chapter 3,

verse 10 last week.

You can refer back to it.

So, I want you to imagine this.

Remember back in Romans chapter 1

Romans 1 · chapter mention

Paul launches into the argument

of how when we look at the

physical creation

we're overwhelmed.

Because we see in the physical

creation a display of the

character and power of God.

What Paul wants us to see here

is that the glory that ought to

come to the Lord

through this local church,

community of renewed

sinners

is something that ought to

dwarf anything

that we see in creation.

And it will show the wisdom of

God, chapter 3, verse 10,

the wisdom of God in salvation

and cause people to fall down in

amazement and wonder before.

There can be no better motivation

to throw yourself into ministry

than a desire for God's glory.

Again, make it just very simple

and practical.

If you want to see God's name

glorified in Newcastle and beyond,

it starts with selfless,

committed,

serving ministry

in this local church.

Nothing else will motivate you

to happily

and totally expend yourself

and your resources.

Nothing else will motivate you

to set good priorities

for you

and your family

in terms of engaging

in this local church family.

Nothing else will motivate you

to give the best of your time,

your money and your energy

to serving this church family

over sport or work

or a dozen other things

that claim your attention

and your time and your money.

Nothing else will motivate you

to steady, persevering ministry

when you hit the wall

of tiredness,

disappointment

or hurt

or injustice

or so many other challenges

that come with ministry.

Risks and costs,

all of them associated with ministry.

As I say,

we'll address those things

in two weeks' time.

ministry will always be costly.

There's no alternative.

Not ministering

to your brothers and sisters

will be far more costly

in terms of

leaving the gospel

without any claim

to changing power

and robbing God of his glory.

Pray with me, please.

Lord, we thank you

for your word.

We thank you for

the fact that your word

never just allows us

to slide over it easily.

Lord, it calls us out.

It exposes us.

It challenges us.

But Lord, it also renews us

and equips us

and gives us

great confidence

and comfort

to move forward

into new

displays

of your character

as we grow

and mature.

Help us, Lord,

to do that

individually and together.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

so