Ephesians 4:11-14

Big Question: What do you ?

Ephesians 4:11

Other Spiritual Gifts

  • 1 Corinthains 12-14
  • Romans 12
  • 1 Peter 4

Ephesians 12

  • To
    • 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • The saints = those who are in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:1)
  • Work of ministry (Marks of a Disciple) =
    • Worship – living a surrendered life
    • Fellowship – in life-giving relationships
    • Discipleship – growing in grace and living in obedience to Christ
    • Evangelism – moved with compassion and reaching one more
  • Building up (edify) = , encourage, and empower

Ephesians 4:13

Success for the church is:

  • Unity of the
    • Ephesians 4:4-6
  • Knowledge of the Son of God
  • manhood
    • Hebrews 5:11-14
  • Measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
    • 2 Peter 1:3-4

A Successful Church Has:

  • being equipped and doing the work of ministry
  • Saints attaining unity of the faith
  • Saints attaining knowledge of the Son of God
  • Saints attaining mature manhood
  • Saints the measure of stature of the fullness of Christ

Our Mission as Christ Followers

  • Love God
  • Love People
  • As you are going, make more Christ followers

Our Mission as the Church

  • Equip, enlist, encourage, and empower Christ followers to do what Jesus has called them to do
  • We will know we are successful when the saints look like Jesus

Takeaway – We are One people, with One purpose, following One person!

 

Big Question – What do you want?

ONENESS IS NOT SAMENESS!

Ephesians 4:7-11

Grace is:

  1. God’s unmerited
  2. God’s activity in your life
  3. God revealing to you and through you

Ephesians 2:8-10

Psalm 68:18

Matthew 28:18-20

Acts 1:8-11

  • = messenger. One sent out; in the nt, especially those sent out by Jesus to preach the gospel.
  • = A person inspired by God to reveal God’s purpose or will.
  • = Someone who proclaims the gospel.
  • = a person who herds sheep; can refer by extension to various kinds of leaders, including a church leader who protects church members from danger, feeds their souls, and keeps them within the safekeeping of Christ’s dominion and reign.
  • = a person who teaches others; in church leadership, a person who teaches the doctrine and way of life of Christianity.
    • *** Scripture combines the roles of Shepherd and Teacher in this context. ***

Big Idea: A fully functional church body has evidence of role.

Big Question: Why are you here?

ONENESS IS NOT SAMENESS!

Ephesians 4:1-6

Our Stepping Stones to Unity

  4. with one another in

 

Ephesians 4:3

We should be eager to the unity of the Spirit

 

Ephesians 4:4-6

4 There is one and one —just as you were called to the one  that belongs to your call— 5 one , one , one , 6 one God and of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Takeaway: We are called to a life of unity with the Father, Son, and Spirit, and with one another!

ONENESS IS NOT SAMENESS!

Ephesians 4:1

“A for the Lord”

 

Fill in the blanks: I , a for the Lord

 

…urge you to in a manner of the calling to which you have been called.

Big? Question: What is the to which we have been called?

  1. It is a calling to (Ephesians 1)
  2. It is a calling to (Ephesians 2)
  3. It is a calling to (Ephesians 3)

Takeaway: All of this is only possible because of the of the Father, displayed in the sacrifice of the Son and the giving of the power of the Holy Spirit!

Reflection Question:

  1. Who are you?

Recap:

  1. Meaning Defined:
  • of important or worthwhile quality; purpose.
  1. Big Ideas:
  • God is love and His love changes everything for you!
  • True meaning is found in a person, the person of Jesus!

The Great

  • Mark 12:28-31

= praise and worship (the words of my mouth)

Soul = , the inward aligning of my will with His

= filling my thoughts with His word

Strength = using my for His glory

A meaningful life is a life of God and loving people!

The Great

  • Matthew 28:18-20

A meaningful life is a life of people with the good news about Jesus!

Takeaway: A meaningful life is by the Great Commandment to the Great Commission.

Reflection Question:

  1. Is my meaningful?
    • Am I living in obedience?
    • Does my life reflect the life of Jesus?
    • Am I fueled by the Great Commandment to fulfill the Great Commission?

Meaning Defined:

  • of important or worthwhile quality; purpose.

Last week’s Big Idea: True meaning is found in a person, the person of Jesus!

Ecclesiastes 12:1

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most thing about us. 

A.W. Tozer

1 John 4:7-8

 

Agape = love but it can also denote ideas such as benevolence or .

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

1 John 4:9-10

 

Big Question: How do I find by knowing that God is love?

 

1 John 4:11-12

 

Big Idea: GOD IS LOVE AND HIS LOVE EVERYTHING FOR YOU!

Reflection Questions:

  1. Who is God to me?
  2. What do I think about when I think about God?
  3. Have I experienced God’s love personally?

Meaning Defined:

  1.  What is meant by a word, text, concept, or action.
  2. of important or worthwhile quality; .
  3. intended to communicate something that is not directly expressed.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

Vanity Defined:

  1. the quality of being worthless or .
  2. excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievement.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Things Solomon looked to for meaning:

  1. drank wine = substances
  2. great works = status
  3. built homes, planted gardens, swimming pools, slaves, silver and gold = possessions
  4. singers = entertainment
  5. concubines = sex / relationships
  6. became great / surpassed all = vanity (2nd definition)
  7. turned back to wisdom = knowledge / academics
  8. worked hard =

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Big Idea: True meaning is found in a , the person of !

Reflection Questions:

  1. Where am I looking for meaning?
  2. What are the secret things my heart is longing for?
  3. How is that working out for me?

Ephesians 3:14-19

Hope defined:

  • Hebrew: tohelet –
  • Greek: elpis –
  • English – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen

Proverbs 13:12

Hebrews 11:1

FOLLOWS EXPECTATION

What do we tend to hope for?

  1. A better
  2. More
  3. Higher
  4. relationships
  5. possessions
  6. Altruistic things

Big Question: What should I be hoping for?

Ephesians 3:14-19

What should I hope for?

  1. To be strengthened
  2. To be rooted and grounded in l
  3. To comprehend and the love of Christ
  4. To be with the fullness of God
  5. To be like

Big Idea: When we hope to be like Jesus, our faith follows, and our desire is fulfilled.

Call to Action:

  • Read Hebrews 11:1-6 each day
  • Ask God to give you faith like Jesus
  • Practice being more like Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, waiting patiently in hope regardless of the circumstances.

Romans 8:29-30

“For those whom he , he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” 

 

1 Corinthians 11:11-12 

“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not of man, nor is man independent of woman.” 

 

Presence and Compassion in the Face of  

·      “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”  Isaiah 43:2 

·      “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”  Luke 15:20 

 

Presence and in the Face of Fear

·      Have I not commanded you? Be strong and . Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 

·      “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all

.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

 

Presence and Compassion in the Face of Adversity 

·      “Not only that, but we in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3-4 

·      “In love he predestined us for to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Ephesians 1:5 

 

The of Fatherhood 

·      “ one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 

·      “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9 

 

Psalm 127:3-4 

“Behold, children are a from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” 

My mind is:

  • Place of conscious
  • Place of thinking, knowing, and
  • Place of , apprehension, cognition
  • Where the takes place

The battle in my mind:

  • Involves fears, worries, anxieties
  • May come from experiences & outcomes
  • May lead to feeling , , or

“To be in control, I must lose control.”

Philippians 4:4-7

– talking with God

– bringing your situations to God

– showing your gratitude for God’s grace

“Tame the Brain”

Philippians 4:8

Setting your mind on the flesh is , but setting your mind on the Spirit is and . (Romans 8:6)

Renewing my mind involves thinking about the right things.

“Perfect practice makes perfect.”

Philippians 4:9

  • You are a student
  • Practicing correctly is important
  • the battle to God
  • Replace your cares with His
  • Persevere towards in Christ, knowing that He for you

  • What battle am I struggling with?
  • How can I surrender it to God?
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