Maturity and Unity

This the sermon I gave at the 9am Communion Service on 5th August on Ephesians 4, 1-16.

Big idea: To be truly united in Christ we all need to become mature in our faith
SHOW holiness, KNOW yourself, GROW others.

1: SHOW holiness: Our call is to live ‘worthy lives’-fruit of spirit-humble, gentle, patient, seeking after unity at all times.
“Make every effort”. It’s not easy to treat each other well within the church. We know the ideal, that we all cosy up nicely and agree with each other, but the truth is that for many people it is more accurate to say that church would be much better if only the other people who went were nicer or behaved better. But listen to what Paul commands here-he urges us to live a life worthy of the call we have received. He knew then as he wrote to the church in Ephesus what is just as true now, that the best way to measure any community, any grouping, is to look at how they are towards each other. How we treat each other within the church is crucial to our mission and ministry, because if we don’t display holiness in our internal dealings then we have not earned any right to proclaim the gospel into anyone else’s life. So Paul exhorts us to make every effort. It is true that we will have differences, but how we work through them is crucial. We need to keep checking as we engage with each other, asking ourselves not “am I in the right?” but “am I being gentle, humble etc?”

2: KNOW yourself: We are given different roles within the body-5 fold ministry-to build up the church.
Many people are called into leadership in the church-many more than necessarily get formally recognised within the current structures of the c of e. And they are called to do it differently, using different gifts. One of the things anyone called to leadership needs to be able to do is to recognise and draw upon the spiritual gifts given to them by God in order to be able to properly develop their ministry. What is your primary focus? Apostolic ministry, that is going to where the gospel isn’t in order to share it? I know that this is a significant part of my calling, which is why I will always be somewhat frustrated as a vicar. My heart is with the 4 or 5 thousand people in this district who aren’t here today. Or is it to be prophetic, speaking God’s word into situations around us? I know this isn’t really me, but I do recognise this pattern very strongly in Alison with her mental health work. Or to be an evangelist, bringing people into God’s kingdom? Again, I’d love to say that this is me, but actually I rarely close the deal. I’m more of a planter and waterer than a reaper. Or perhaps a pastor, a shepherd, one who looks after the flock. Traditionally this has been the role of the vicar and it is a responsibility I take seriously, but although I have gifts in this area as shown in my nursing career I know it isn’t my primary strength and I rely on others to help me. Or finally is your focus on teaching, on communicating the truths of the gospel to those within the church? About myself I would say that this is my second main area of ministry. You might not agree. But what about yourself? How do you order what you do for others? And how do you deal with others who do it differently? Well, Paul tells us here that the reason we do it is to build others up. So one important way we work out what our focus is is that we look for where we see fruit from our actions. We look for feedback. And when we see others doing something different we look for the same, for people being built up. That’s what I had tested as I went through discernment. None of it can be about us. Ministry isn’t cool. It isn’t an accolade. It isn’t something to boast in. It doesn’t give us power or worth, it doesn’t earn us a place in heaven. It is a responsibility, a burden, an effort, but one that we undertake in response to our call to live in the freedom of Christ.

3: GROW others: Aim is to become mature in faith, no longer infants. Then we are truly united.
And we do it all in order to keep the church alive. Living things grow, and growth requires change. Our main responsibility in leadership is to ensure that the church is always changing, always growing in love, always moving towards the heart of Christ so that we can speak the truth about God. To stay alive the church needs to help every member to move from infancy to maturity, helping them to find what their gifts may be. We need to encourage new apostles who will go where the church isn’t, new prophets, new evangelists, new pastors and new teachers so that we can remain united in purpose.