Grow With Pastor Joe

We could spend weeks on the gifts of grace for the growth of the body of Christ. Certainly, we see that they have been delivered by Christ but must continue to be developed and deployed for the good of the Church and the glory of Christ. Now, we will see the goals that God has for us in giving us these gifts. Eph. 4:13-16 says, “¹³ 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 fulness of Christ:¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly 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 unto the edifying of itself in love.” Looking at the passage, God has a main goal of an individual and corporate worthy walk of faith. God wants us to practically walk in our positional wealth in Christ. Simply, the goal of His grace is that we would be equipped to edify. However, this will only happen through growing in maturity and unity together. Both depend one upon the other. The goal of a worthy walk in Christ is growth in maturity and unity. Notice before we go much further, that both maturity and unity are in Christ but take time to be developed. It is a choice of faith. It is a work of grace. It is gradual but it is continual. God is always seeking our maturity and unity in Christ. It is how His glory is displayed and the way that He works in and through us by His grace. God wants to grow you to grow the Body. It is useful unity that builds up the body of Christ. The worthy walk that God desires for us has the goal of us growing up (maturity) to grow together (unity) to grow outwardly (effectiveness).

Much could be said about Eph. 4:13-16. However, the brief synopsis is one word. Grow. As Christian’s we are constantly growing but our growth is not for our individual stature or strength but for the stature and strength of the Church to grow. God grows you and me to help grow others. The growth of the local Church is dependent upon your growth. We’ll never grow wider if we don’t first grow deeper in doctrine and higher in doxology. This is all by grace. He has given us gifts to accomplish the goal of growth in useful unity for a worthy walk. There are two different things that must be addressed with these verses in mind.

One, we need to address how we hinder growth. We hinder our personal and corporate growth through immaturity. Notice Eph. 4:13-14. We aren’t to remain immature babies, but we are designed and equipped to grow. We stunt our growth when we grow stale or stagnant in our walk. The greater impact of our stunted growth is that the local church suffers from our immaturity. Immature people don’t walk in humility or truth that a worthy walk requires (Eph. 4:1-6). Immature believers are unsettled in doctrine and unengaged in the life of the local church. Their anchor is drifting and as the winds blow, they are tossed about in whatever direction the wind blows. We must be anchored to the truth, but we must also be anchored to togetherness. It is not only immaturity that acts as a hinderance of our growth, but it is also individualization of our Christian life. Yes, your individual walk is personal because no one can walk your walk for you. But your walk is done with impact and influence on others. Your walk is either helping or hurting your family, neighbors, and local church. We must see that the goal of growth in maturity is not just so that we grow as individuals, but that we grow as a local Body. Paul spent nearly two chapters showing us our union to Christ and His Church. It is not time now to make it all about you. Your growth is about the edifying of the body of Christ and the expression of Christ’s glory in the Church.

Two, we need to address how we help our personal and corporate growth. The very same verses show us that we help by growing up and growing together in maturity and unity. How can we grow up in maturity? One, we need to be teachable. You may sit under a pastor, but do you let Him shepherd you? Two we need to be transformed from the inside out. This only happens as we submit to the work of the Spirit and Word of God. This will transform our attitudes and actions as we affirm and apply the doctrine that has been presented. The gifts of grace have the goal of teaching and transforming us so that we would walk worthy in useful unity to the glory of God. As we are taught and transformed, it will show up through operating in truth and love for the edification of others. We are to learn, love, and live in truth. As we do we will be transformed through maturity and unity. God has gifted us for the goal of whole body being fitly joined together to create a useful united masterpiece of God. All of this is by His grace and for His glory.

            The Church of Jesus Christ is God’s master plan and masterpiece. You are a tool in the Master Carpenter’s workshop. You have value and a variety of gifts to accomplish the goal of growing the Body of Christ. Is there anything more wonderful than being a partner with God? I wonder, have you been a tool that thinks you are too important? Perhaps you’ve thought you’re unimportant or unusable. The only unusable tools are believers who make themselves unavailable and therefore, unusable. Let God pick you up and use you to build the Church. Go read 1 Cor. 3 and you tell me what God wants for your life. Go read it. That’s what God wants for you. He wants you to mature. He wants you live in union with Christ and the Church. He wants you to grow to gain the reward of being a laborer with and for God. We need to ask ourselves a few things. Are we being who we should? Am I exercising the gifts that God gave me? Is my walk helping or hurting the Church? Am I engaged and edifying the life of the Church? Am I maturing and ministering? May we stop and ask God to grow us so that He would grow His Church. As we mature in useful unity, we will live with a walk that is worth of our wealth in Christ. Live in your relationship, riches, and resources of His grace. Let the Master Carpenter use you.

Grow with me as we study the believer’s wealth and walk in Christ.

Grow deeper.

Grow higher.

Grow wider.