Ephesians 4:11–16
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors 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.
This is a popular text. It shows up in the appointed readings for no less than two apostles, Proper 13B, and parts are read for ordinations and installations. It has also taken on a life of its own in controversy over the emphasis. Is the work of those so mentioned to equip the saints AND do the work of ministry or is it to equip the saints so that THEY may do the work of ministry. That debate will have to wait. The thing in this text that seems to be over looked most of all is the unity spoken of by St. Paul.
Some may remember the 80s and Wendy’s “Where’s the beef” commercials. I think of “Parts is parts” when Wendy’s poked fun at McDonalds mashed chicken formed into nuggets. That was the byword of the 80s. Parts. It is still fashionable for us to divide things up into parts. The ministry is one but parts of it are doled out to different offices and different folks. The body may be one but the real issue seems to be giving the parts the dignity and recognition they think they deserve. Parts have become more important than the whole, perhaps reflecting the divisions and polarizations within our culture. We want our share of the pie, our fifteen minutes of fame, our measure of respect. Jesus refuses to go there and so does St. Paul. It is not about parts or functions of the office or the different people in that office. It is about Christ and the whole body of Christ.
The text is not concerned with honoring individual parts but the unity of the whole. The parts have honor and purpose because they are part of the whole. It is not about me and Jesus but about our lives knit together within the body of Christ, the Church. It is not about me but about the whole. Divided we fall, united we stand. Abe Lincoln said it, learning it from Scripture. Lone ranger Christians and lone ranger pastors are equally vulnerable. One does not prosper while another falls without the whole of the body being wounded. One does not suffer alone while the rest of the body goes its own way without the whole being weakened, divided, and lost. One does not succeed but the whole prospers. We are in this together, brothers.
The goal is not for me to shine or you but for us all to attain to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God. The goal is not for me to succeed to all to attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The goal is not for me to grow up but for none of us to be children any longer.
The greater danger to the faith is not from the enemies without but from within – our concern for self alone and our isolation from others. We live in dangerous times and in these times when we ought to be pulling together, we are falling apart. It is no wonder that we are tossed to and fro by the waves our doubt and fear, carried about by every wind of doctrine, more enamored by our own ingenuity, creativity, and novelty than the truth of the Word that endures forever, and caught up in schemes instead of living holy, upright, and godly lives around the Word and Table of the Lord. We are not mature but children. Brothers, it is killing us. Even worse, it is crippling the Church. Parts is parts – just parts. Together they are more. They are the body of Christ.
We have learned to sidestep the controversial parts of Scripture out of fear of offending anyone and everyone and so we have offended the Lord. We have allowed it to become normal that you can belong without actually being together where the Word is preached and the Sacraments administered. Whether it is online church or people who just don’t go, we have allowed this to develop into the norm for every congregation and every pastor. We have plush membership rolls but empty pews. We have defined our success by everything except faithfulness and find our comfort in numbers instead of doing Christ’s bidding as He directs us.
Do you think we are not growing because we are too much like Christ or are we not growing because we have become too much like the world? That is the question that ought to plague us. The truth of which St. Paul speaks is not a weapon but a bridge. We get no joy from those who go away in a huff or those who hide away until they are forgotten by the congregation. Our joy is over every sinner who repents. Or is it? We are to grow up but not in the ways of worldly wisdom or marketplace expertise. We are to grow up in every way into Christ who is the head. Christ is the head who gives life to the whole body. Joined together until its individual parts are hard to identify or separate and working together in unity for the same purpose, the body grows and grows up in love.
Sadly, in Charlie Kirk one so eloquent in his Christian witness was recently taken from us. There should be countless voices to replace him. This body should be mass producing such faithful Christian witnesses to speak the truth in love and then the lost and wandering will be brought home into the life of Christ. It should start with you and me. We are the pastors who teach, to whom has been given the office of Word and Sacrament to build up the body the Church. We are those who by word and work exemplify the words of St. Paul about the blessing of unity, of the knowledge of Jesus, the Son of God, of grace that forgives and food that grows us together, and to a life worthy of our calling as His people by baptism and faith.
We need to stop acting like children, like individual parts, and instead grow together and grow up together to manifest the stature of the fullness of Christ, mature men of reasoned judgment, honor, character, and love. We need to stop putting our hope in programs and trust in the Word that effects what it speaks and the Sacraments of life and worship that deliver what they sign. We need to stop tearing things down and focus on building up in love by the Word of Truth and the means of grace. We delight in doing our own thing as if the thing the Church lacks is creativity or individuality and instead become together the servants of the Word and of the liturgy we say we are. We are gravely tempted to be warriors against a secularized world so at odds with Christ when what He needs and those whom He calls are marked by love and zeal for Him, for His Word, for His House, and for His neighbors.
Right now it seems like there is no body at all. Only bits and pieces and parts fighting for glory and flopping around until the life in them fades away. Christ is calling and St. Paul urging us to be one in Christ – not in the unity of compromise but in the strong unity of conviction and truth. I believe that the body may seem hidden for now, now a time of discernment and winnowing, until a body stronger than today rises up to speak Christ to the nations and wash them clean in living water, to absolve the sinner and remind them of Christ’s righteousness they wear, and to feed them so that they may grow up in righteousness and holiness. And where we take heed to Christ our head, tune into His voice and follow where He leads, the body will no more be hidden nor held captive to fear or what people think. It will be only about what Christ thinks.
Pray with me today then that His words be the mark of this new day, doing the work of ministry, fostering our unity in Christ, and living in love toward one another and those not yet of the Kingdom. Steadfast as mature adults with a renewed sense of awe and wonder at the power of His love and mercy, growing up and growing as the body of Christ, the head and our life. In the holy name of Jesus.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our common supplications for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. So guide and govern her by Your Holy Spirit that all who profess themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace that they may please You in all things. Behold in mercy all in authority over us. Supply them with Your blessing that they may be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your commandments. We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make known Your ways among us building up the body by the proclamation of Your Word. Preserve the traveler and all in any need, according to Your mercy and gracious will; through Christ Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing. A good sermon indeed. Preach, convict, admonish, teach, and encourage, all these elements in one message.
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