Jun 25, 2012
Treasuring Christ: Engaging In Ministry
Ephesians 4:11-16
Truth Statement: I treasure Christ when I engage in expressing the fullness of Christ by ministering to the body of Christ for the fame and renown of Christ.
· The church is to be the expression of the fullness of Christ.
o Sacrificial love (Hebrews 10:10-14)
o Compassion
o Grace
o Reconciliation/Unity
o Power of His Spirit
· As we do, we proclaim the fame and renown of Christ to the nations.
Ministry is the Expression . . .
Every Christ-follower should be equipped for ministry and engaged in ministry for the purpose of edifying the church so that the nations might be reached. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
· What explicitly resonates in Ephesians 4:11-16 is what we should expressly live out as the body of Christ.
Expressly Lived Out . . .
1. The responsibility of leadership is to equip the saints. (Ephesians 4:11-12)
2. The responsibility of the saints is to do the work of ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-12)
3. The purpose of ministry is for the building up of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12)
4. The goal off ministry in the church is to become spiritually mature believers who experience and express the fullness of Christ.
· Unity of the faith
· Knowledge of the Son of God
· Speaking truth in love
· Spiritual growth
· Expressive of His love
Two Observations . . .
· The body of Christ is loosely connected when its members are ill equipped.
· Equipped saints, working properly, results in a growing, Christ-exalting, and Christ-reflecting church.
My Response . . .