Church and Ministry

Ephesians 4:11-16

If you remember we started this series on discipleship with a question: What is God doing in your life? You’ve had several weeks to think about that. Have you been able to come up with a list? Remember, the gospel is the power of God for salvation at work in you. So let me ask you another important question. 

What do you need to reach full maturity? 

If we were talking about your physical maturity, you might answer that in a variety of ways. Some of you might need better nutrition. Maybe you don’t have very good eating habits and your bodies are unhealthy as a result. Others of you might need better exercise routines. You might eat well but your lack of exercise leaves you weak and lethargic. Others might be sick or have something broken and need intervention to get on the right track. 

Do you know where we find good spiritual food? In the church. 

Do you know where we find good exercise? In the church

Do you know where we find good corrective help to get on the right track? In the church.

To reach maturity in Christ, which means to grow into Christlike character, we have been knit together as a church. Spiritual maturity for you, as an individual, is tied together with the spiritual maturity of the Church body as a whole. 

This is why Paul writes in verse 15-16,

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Let that sink in. Your spiritual maturity and my spiritual maturity are not mutually exclusive. They are tied together. What does that mean? It means that if you want to grow toward spiritual maturity, then you have a vested interest in me and I have a vested interest in you.

Spiritual maturity, therefore, is only found in the Church. You must find your place in it.