Purpose

April 18, 2021 Speaker: Matt Reed Series: Authentic Needs

Passage: Ephesians 4:7, Ephesians 4:11–13, Ephesians 4:15–16

April 18, 2010 Speaker: Matt Reed

Passage: Ephesians 4:7,

Ephesians 4:7, 11-13, 15-16 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it… 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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… we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 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.

I.   Common Misperceptions about the Church

    1. Church is where I go on Sunday morning- it’s a place and event
    2. Church is just a pick-me-up time to help me get through the week
    3. Church should entertain me
    4. Church is my duty, or the time I put in to get right with God (earthly purgatory)

II.  We Were Created to Have Purpose

    1. 3 Basic Needs of humans (Kary Oberbrunner, The Fine Line): Community, Purpose, and Transcendence
    2. It’s within the Church- the community of God’s people, where we find purpose

III.    Ephesians 4:11-13— Distinguishing Christian Leaders

    1. Apostles and Prophets—built the foundation upon which our faith rests—they revealed the Word of God
    2. Evangelists—declare the Word of God—large focus on outreach
    3. Pastors and Teachers—teach the Word of God—help in applying to peoples’ lives; build depth

 

IV.   Roles

    1. Leaders: Equip God’s People for the work of ministry
      1. God’s People—reference to all who follow Christ
      2. Equip (preprare)—prepare; sense of restoration: restoring a person to the purposes for which God created them
    2. Roles of ALL Christians: the work of ministry
      1. Minister to each other: building up the body of Christ
      2. According to the gifts and talents God has given us
      3. Ministry to the world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20)
        1. Churches must have ministries that are outward focused
        2. We are ministers in the contexts God places us: work, family, neighborhoods, school, etc.

V.   Goal: both corporate unity and personal growth

    1. United in Christ; maturity of faith
    2. Doing what God has purposed you to do (vs. 16)

VI.    Are you living according to God’s purposes?

    1. How has God gifted you? Where has God placed you? Are you using your gifts and passions to help build the kingdom of God?
    2. Consider the gifts: teaching, leading, administration, encouragement, giving, hospitality, evangelism, music, etc.
    3. Consider the needs: helping with children and youth, supporting new ministries and outreach financially, leading on teams and committees, leading and teaching new small groups, hosting a small group, welcoming people

 

VII.  Are we helping others to live in God’s purposes?

    1. We have something to offer those not at church
    2. Goal: not to plug them in to our perceived needs, but help them to discover what God is calling them to

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