Tuesday 29 September 2015

Ephesians 4:1-16 Directives for unity in the church.

This passage was the inspiration for our  Elders prayer meeting. Paul encouraged the church to walk as Christians worthy of our calling. Our church has gone through very difficult times and needs us as elders to be much in prayer for them. We need to set the right example as Godly leaders. We prayed through the passage and was blessed beyond compare. We give thanks to our Lord for His grace and mercy. 

MUSTARD SEED EVANGELICAL CHURCH

Elders prayer meeting 29th September 2015

Ephesians 4:1-16English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Unity in the Body of Christ

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith,one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says,
When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

(In saying, “He ascended”, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Verses 11-13:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 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.”
God's gift to the church:
  • Those who are able to teach (elders today)

The purpose of the gift:
  • To equip the church for the work of ministry.
  • For the building up of the body. Body building is a long and arduous task. It cannot be achieved overnight but comes with much training, sweat and toil. We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling. Before the body can grow healthily ALL of the bad needs to be dealt with.

Our role as elders is to equip the church for acts of service. We are called to nourish the church with the pure food of the Word of God at the level which our members are capable of taking. Encouraging them to become united as one body under the headship of Christ alone. This can only be accomplished on our behalf by prayer and faithfulness. Our example is seen by all and so we must love each other as Christ has loved us. We must love the fellowship and protect all equally.



The goal:

  • Unity of faith.
  • Knowledge of the Son of God.
  • Maturity in faith. Jesus is our role model.

The result:

  • No longer children.
  • No longer blown around by the wind of doctrinal fortune.
  • No longer beguiled by those with cunning, crafty and deceptive schemes.
  • Truthful, loving and Christlike.
  • Belonging to each other as each part of our human body does. Bound together by Christ.

These are what we must be aiming for recognising that our church is a hurting group of people who have been through a torrid time. We are God's appointed men to help them to get from where we are to where we should be. We need to pray that God by His Spirit will work wonderfully in our own hearts and that He will work in the hearts of the whole church building us up into a people who will not only be a worshipping community but also a shining light for the gospel wherever we are.

Exodus 28:28-30English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

And they shall bind the breast-piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skilfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breast-piece shall not come loose from the ephod. So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breast-piece of judgement on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord. And in the breast-piece of judgement you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgement of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

We must pray that we have our people on our hearts and pray for their eternal security.

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