Ephesians 4:11-16

Beloved readers of the Reformed Herald, what is the job of a pastor? The leaders of our government and businessmen know what they are trying to achieve. What should your preachers or pastors be trying to achieve? Our sermon text defines the job of RCUS pastors. It also defines the work of elders and the goals of RCUS congregations. Here we have the Mission Statement for RCUS congregations. Here we shall see what Jesus Christ, the Head of our Church, wants the churches of the RCUS to be and to do. In verses 7-11 of Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul demonstrates that the Church of Jesus Christ is one body, with many gifts. In 11-16 he states that pastors must help Christ's body; then in 17-24, he commands the Christians at Ephesus to refrain from living like the Gentiles by putting off the old, and putting on the new. The Apostle, in 11-16, shows us that pastors must help Christ's body in three ways: 1. Training and building up Christ's body; 2. Helping Christ's body grow up in Him, and 3. Helping Christ's body depend on Him.

Training and Building Up Christ's Body

When Jesus Christ ascended on high, He gave four special gifts to His church to help her carry on, and to shape and guide her.

Paul first shows us two foundational offices Christ established. Verse 11 tells us that Christ Himself, who ascended and sits at the right hand of His Father, gave His sheep these four officers. He Himself assigned each of these officers with specific tasks.

First of all, He appointed apostles and prophets for the fledgling New Testament Church. First, Christ established two foundational and temporary offices until the completion of the New Testament around AD 100. Contrary to the opinion of some Christians, once the New Testament was completed, those two special foundational offices of prophet and apostle ceased to exist.

Secondly, Christ established two permanent offices for the building up of the people of God: some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers (11b). Evangelists were proclaimers of the good news of Christ's gospel. Evangelists like Apollos, Silas, and Timothy moved from place to place planting churches. Still today, evangelists, such as our missions' pastors, sow the gospel seed, waiting on the Lord to see true conversions which transform the lives of God's elect.

The fourth office Jesus Christ established is the office of pastors and teachers, or literally, shepherds and teachers. We often refer to them as under-shepherds, under the authority of Christ, the Good Shepherd; the Shepherd par excellence. Timothy, Titus, and others were among the first pastor/teachers permanently attached to a congregation. Shepherds and teachers are coupled together by Paul as one office with a twofold task: to shepherd the flock, and teach Christ's disciples to observe all things that He has commanded.

Shepherds and teachers work to disciple Christians who serve Christ and His church.

Why did Christ give His church these permanent offices? Paul explains in verse 12. He gave shepherds and teachers for the equipping of the saints. The idea here in the Greek is not really purpose, but movement toward a goal. Christ gave pastors/teachers to move the saints toward the goal of complete preparation for a work of service. The NKJV says, for the work of ministry. Literally, Paul is saying, unto a work of service. The word translated ministry in the NKJV is the Greek word diakonias, which has the same root as the English word "deacon."

The Apostle's point is that every Christian is called to a work of service, using his or her God-given talents to serve and build up the local body of Christ to which he or she belongs. Christ wants pastors to prepare church members to help His Church function throughout the week. Jesus Christ wants Christians to work in and to serve His Church. Beloved, do not set your expectations too high for either the pastor, the elders, or the deacons. These officers need you to help them carry out the work of service and edification of the body of Christ. Faithful shepherds and teachers motivate God's people to use the gifts Christ has given you in your homes, community, work, and in service to your congregation. Faithful shepherds and teachers labor to bring out the best in God's people.

Pastors must edify or build up the body of Christ.

We have seen that pastors and teachers must train, or prepare the congregation for works of service. According to verse 12, pastors must also edify or build up the body of Christ. The words, for the edifying of, could also be translated unto a strengthening of the body of the Christ. This is another top priority of shepherds and teachers; to strengthen the body of Christ through complete preparation and training. These works of service performed by the saints strengthen, build up, or edify the body of Christ.

Faithful shepherds and teachers help Christians come to spiritual completion and maturity.

Christ calls pastors and teachers to help you as disciples of Christ reach the goals Paul sets forth in verses 13-16. According to verse 13, faithful shepherds and teachers aim to help Christians attain completion and maturity until we all should attain to the unity of the faith. Many kinds of people come through the doors of your church building. They often have theological or experiential baggage they carry with them. So, pastors must try to unify church members in faith and knowledge of Christ-till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

The Apostle Paul says, as it were, show me your unity in your relationships with other Christians-live and labor together. This is a tall order for any congregation, classis, or denomination, isn't it? The RCUS statistics in our Abstracts reported that, by God's grace we hit a high of 4,369 baptized members seven years ago, in 2003. Since then, we have steadily declined to a low of 3,870 in 2009, a decrease of 499 baptized members, or 11 percent in seven years. Many factors influence this number-church discipline, deaths, members relocating beyond the proximity of RCUS congregations, and the impact of the evangelical culture on RCUS youth. But let me ask a question: Does the unity of the faith have anything to do with these declining numbers? Is there anything pastors and elders can do to promote unity which will encourage members to stay, and encourage other Christians to join us? Are RCUS pastors and elders in general overemphasizing the disunity of the body of Christ, and underemphasizing the unity we have with other Reformed and Presbyterian Christians? We do believe in the catholicity and unity of the Church of Jesus Christ. We do not believe in unity at all costs. But must we not avoid spiritual elitism which considers non-RCUS Christians as beneath us? Christians in less conservative Reformed and Presbyterian churches need a lifeboat to jump into as they see their congregations or denominations becoming RINO's: reformed in name only. Is there anything we can do to look more like a lifeboat for Reformed and Presbyterian brothers and sisters who have lost their way? Can promotion of the unity of the faith by RCUS pastors help us to stop shrinking as a denomination?

But the Apostle has another goal in mind. Salvation in Christ leads His people to spiritual maturity which results in attaining to the clear knowledge of the Son of God (13a). RCUS shepherds and teachers must help the sheep understand clearly and biblically the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The study of the Catechism is one great way to accomplish this in our youth. A second Lord's Day worship service or Bible study is another way to help RCUS adults better understand the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ursinus and Olevianus had this in mind when they wrote the catechism. On fifty-two Lord's Day afternoons each year, congregations in Germany and Holland heard an exposition and application of a section of the catechism at an adult level.

The unity of the faith and a clear understanding of God's Son lead the Christian to become "a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, or a full grown man, unto a measure of maturity of the fullness of the Christ" (13b). Just as you help your children grow into mature young men and women, so pastors and teachers help their spiritual children in Christ grow up in the Reformed faith. One goal of your training as a parent is the development of independent, well grounded men and women with a Reformed Christian worldview. You know that their worldview affects their marriage, parenting, church life, social life, understanding of the world, and interaction with the government. The pastor's goal is the spiritual development of men and women who are slowly moving toward a measure of spiritual maturity, which eventually results in their being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Jesus said, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." The sanctifying grace of God in Christ enables you to move little by little toward the goal of maturity and completion under the care of a faithful pastor. Too many Reformed and Presbyterian Christians look for satisfaction by moving from congregation to congregation. Faithful pastors are called to feed God's people spiritually, to address and help satisfy their deepest spiritual needs.

Before we move on to the next section of our text, let me make some further applications, beloved. Christ is training you for the work of building up His body. He is uniting His body through you. He is making you a more mature Christian-making you more like Himself, little by little; "slowly by slowly," as they say in East Africa. He is using your pastor and teacher to satisfy your deepest spiritual needs. So, how will you respond when a pastor asks you to serve and build up others through the use of your God-given gifts? We have seen that pastors help Christ's body by training and building it up. Secondly, the Apostle shows us how pastors and teachers are helping Christ's body grow up in Him.

Helping Christ's Body Grow Up in Him

Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, shows us three ways in which shepherds and teachers help Christ's body grow up in Him. Christ gives shepherds: (1) to help the sheep stand firm in the circumstances they face, (2) to grow up in the doctrines they believe and, (3) to grow up in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

First, Christ gives shepherds to help the sheep stand firm in the circumstances they face.

The goal of this spiritual maturity is now stated in the negative. The shepherd's goal is that the sheep not remain toddlers-that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro, or in order that we should no longer be toddlers, tossed about by waves. Toddlers get thrown around by waves when they go into the surf at the beach, don't they? They also get blown off their intended destination by strong winds. That's why they need parents to hang on tightly to them in those circumstances, until they grow strong enough to stand firm. In the same way, according to this verse, one main goal of pastors and teachers is the spiritual development of spiritually full-grown men and women. Pastors work to help Christians move year by year toward spiritual maturity, slowly but surely being conformed to the image of the Christ.

Faithful pastors work to help church members set their minds and hearts on things above, not on things of the earth. Christ, through pastors, can change spiritual toddlers into strong spiritual adults in a visible church full of spiritual babies. Christ uses faithful pastors to build mature Christian families in a country where families everywhere are falling apart.

Second, Christ gives shepherds to help the sheep grow up in the doctrines they believe.

Spiritual maturity prevents instability caused by false teaching. Today, Christ's sheep are being tossed about with all kinds of winds and waves of false teaching, even in the Reformed and Presbyterian community. On top of that, many Christians in your community are being thrown around ... carried around by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, or in the trickery of men by treachery, in the interests of scheming deception.

The Apostle has in mind not false teaching which is a result of ignorance, but rather false teaching which arises out of trickery, treachery, scheming and deception. Shepherds must help the sheep to resist being naïve. Shepherds and teachers must help them understand that there are men of treachery in the covenant community whose teaching is motivated by trickery, in the interests of scheming deception. If the sheep don't know what to believe, then they won't know how to behave in difficult circumstances. So, the Apostle reminds you and me that doctrinal preaching is so important to the people of God. The Holy Spirit will use doctrinal preaching, if applied to the sheep.

Third, Christ gives shepherds to help the sheep grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Paul gives two exhortations in verse 15: let's grow up in Him, our Head, and let's grow up speaking truth in love. The Apostle says, (15b) ...may (we) grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ. Today, Protestant churches are full of young men who refuse to grow up, leave home, and support themselves. Hollywood made a movie about it named Failure to Launch. Part of the problem lies with loving parents who can't stand the thought of letting their children go. Similarly, too many Christians fail to progress from babes in Christ to mature Christian adults. As you depend on your head for physical maturity, so you and I must depend on Christ, our Head, to grow up spiritually. There is no other way for Christians to grow up spiritually. You can't do it on your own initiative and by trying harder, without depending on Christ for your growth.

Seventy-five years after the E&R merger, the people of the RCUS still have some growing to do. Pastors and elders must continually remind themselves and the sheep that this part of Christ's body can only grow up in Christ, our Head. Have you, like the Ephesus congregation decades later, let your relationship with Jesus Christ grow cold? Christ your Head wants you, a part of His body, to grow up spiritually, depending on Him to do so. As a Christian, you have no greater concern than to keep the Lord Jesus Christ as the focus of your love and the center of your life. The Christians in your community need a church family which will help them grow up in all things into Christ.

The second exhortation from the Apostle in verse 15 is, speaking truth in love, let us grow up in every way. The Holy Spirit gives the preaching of biblical truth the power to do what no other form of communication can do. The truth of God comes from the pastor in the pulpit, to the people and into every part of what they are, and what they do as Christ's sheep. Jesus prays for His disciples in John 17, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." Additionally, as church members speak biblical truths in love to one another, you will grow up spiritually, as the body of Christ. Every day these next 30 days, depending on Christ your Head to help you, will you strive to speak truth lovingly to one another? We have seen that pastors help Christ's body by training and building it up. The Apostle has shown us how pastors and teachers are helping Christ's body grow up in Him. Lastly, Paul states that pastors and teachers are helping Christ's body depend on Him.

Helping Christ's Body Depend on Him

Depending on Christ to unite your congregation and denomination.

Having exhorted us to speak truth in love and grow up spiritually, the Apostle concludes with the source of all spiritual strength and growth. Speaking of Christ, our Head, he says, Out of Whom the whole body, being fitted together, and being held together (16a). Jesus Christ is the one who fits His body, the church, together. He is the one who holds it together. Are you depending on Christ to tie your congregation together as a spiritual community?

Paul goes on in 16b-Christ does this unifying work through the help of every ligament. Just as your body is held together by muscles, joints, and ligaments, so Christ is the spiritual muscle, tendons, and ligaments of the church. A key to the spiritual growth of your congregation is your connectedness to one another in Christ. Each part of the body has at least one task to perform.

Depending on Christ for every part to do its share.

Paul writes in 16c-according to the effective working by which every part does its share or according to energy in measure for each part, makes the growth of the body. Just as your body has powerful muscles, like the quadriceps, and weak muscles, like those which move your eyelids, so it is with the body of Christ. Some members of the church are given amazing spiritual strength. On the other hand, the lambs of the flock are pretty weak, spiritually. But Christ is the source of strength, both for weak lambs and powerful rams in His flock. Through the energy supplied by Christ, each member of His body does its part to help the body grow strong and mature. The whole body of Christ reaps the benefit of the functions performed by the other parts. This means that church members should not look to the pastor, elders, and deacons to do all the work. Every member of your congregation reaps the benefit of the functions performed by the other parts. You need your congregation, your Classis, and the Synod, because they will move you away from focusing on yourself. They will move you toward focusing on the larger body of Christ. Dear elders, the body of Christ needs you. You are invaluable to your congregation, to your Classis and to the Synod.

Depending on Christ to build up His body in love.

In the last part of vs. 16, the Apostle compares the growth of Christ's body to the physical growth of a child from baby to full grown adult: every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

What makes up the building blocks of a strong and healthy congregation? The body is built up by love for Christ and love for one another. Where love for Christ abounds, so will love of the members for each another. Where love for Christ and one another abounds, so will the spiritual growth and strength of the congregation. The more you fellowship with Christ, the more you will enjoy communion with the members of His body. Your church will grow spiritually and probably numerically, if you depend completely on Christ to make it grow. Will you lovingly build up your part of the body of Christ where He has placed you?

Conclusion

What should your pastor be trying to achieve? Pastors must help Christ's body.

1. Training and building up Christ's body

2. Helping Christ's body grow up in Him

3. Helping Christ's body depend on Him

Fellow Pastors, our work is not mission impossible. Christ has given the RCUS shepherds and teachers, therefore He will use us to accomplish the purposes we see in this passage. He will prepare His body for works of service and strengthen them through us. Brothers and sisters, Christ is conforming you and your pastor to His own image, slowly but surely. Christ is enabling you to stand firm against the wind and waves of false teaching through your pastor. Christ will bless the RCUS as her people speak truth in love, as we depend on Him to hold our churches together, as we depend on Him to bring about the growth and development of the members of His body. "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen" (Heb. 13:20-21).