This sermon focuses on Ephesians 4, explaining that after Jesus descended to Earth and ascended to heaven, He gave gifts to the church to empower its work. The central idea is the priesthood of all believers, meaning every Christian has direct, confident access to God through Jesus’s sacrifice, as supported by passages in 1 Peter and Hebrews.
The sermon then unpacks Ephesians 4:11, which lists the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. It stresses that the purpose of these roles is not to perform all ministry tasks themselves, but to equip every believer (the “saints”) to do the work of ministry.
The ultimate goal of this equipping is to build up the body of Christ. This growth leads to unity, maturity, and stability, preventing believers from being swayed by false doctrines. The method for this growth is speaking the truth in love, allowing the entire church, with Christ as the head, to build itself up in His overpowering and ever-present love.
I. Introduction: The All-Knowing, Ever-Present Christ (Ephesians 4:10)
A. Jesus descended to earth to live among us.
1. He experienced human life, so He understands our struggles.
2. He can no longer be accused of not knowing what it’s like to be human.
B. Jesus ascended far above all heavens.
1. He now fills all things and is everywhere.
2. He is not a distant, forgetful God but is present with us through the Holy Spirit.
II. The Priesthood of All Believers
A. We are all priests with direct access to God.
1. 1 Peter 2:5: Believers are “living stones” being built into a “spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood.”
2. 1 Peter 2:9: We are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” meant to proclaim His excellencies.
3. Our qualification is not our own worthiness, but the mercy we have received through Jesus.
B. We have confidence to enter God’s presence.
1. Hebrews 10:19: We can enter the holy place “by the blood of Jesus.”
2. Jesus is our great high priest, and His sacrifice was once and for all.
3. We don’t need other mediators, rituals, or superstitions (like knocking on wood).
III. The Gifts for Equipping the Church (Ephesians 4:11)
A. God gave specific roles to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers.
B. The purpose of these roles is not to do all the ministry work, but to equip the saints (all believers) for the work of the ministry.
C. Hand Analogy for the Five Roles:
1. Apostle (Thumb): The “sent ones” who travel and spread the good news.
2. Prophet (Index Finger): The ones who “point” to God’s truth and call people to righteousness.
3. Evangelist (Middle Finger): The ones who reach out the furthest to proclaim the good news of peace and salvation.
4. Shepherd (Ring Finger): Devoted to the care and nurturing of the church, like a marriage commitment.
5. Teacher (Pinky Finger): Seemingly small, but fundamentally important for the health of the body.
IV. The Goal: Building Up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-16)
A. The ultimate purpose of equipping the saints is to build up the body of Christ.
B. We build up the body until we all attain:
1. Unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.
2. Maturity (“to mature manhood”).
3. The fullness of Christ, standing up straight and confidently representing Him.
C. A mature body is no longer like children:
1. Not “tossed to and fro by the waves.”
2. Not carried about by “every wind of doctrine” or human cunning.
3. Grounded in the truth of Christ crucified and resurrected.
D. How we grow:
1. Speaking the truth in love.
2. Growing up into the Head, who is Christ.
3. Recognizing that every part of the body, when working properly, contributes to the growth.
4. The final result is the body building itself up in love.