Note to the
visitor: These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday
Morning. They probably won’t make
much sense if you weren’t in the service. Feel free to contact
Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
For past sermons, please visit the
Sermon Archive
CULTURE:
“the
customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a group”
(Customary Beliefs: What do we believe, Social forms: How are we
organized, and, Material traits: What makes us unique?)
AN EPHESIANS 4 CULTURE
…
Principle #1: …is a group thing
– a “community.”
“…beliefs, forms, and traits of
a group”
-called, formed, and gifted by Christ
(vss. 3, 4) Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is
one body and one Spirit—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in
all.
Principle #2: …is made up of
interdependent parts
(Vs. 16)…speaking the truth in
love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head,
that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held
together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself
up in love, as each part does its work.
Body without a head is
AIMLESS
Illnesses that disconnect the
parts from the brain
Christopher Reeve – “Superman” with
a disconnect!
Head without a body is
HELPLESS (Plan A – no plan B)
All the parts need to do their
work (“body parts” function to support each other)
All the parts need to be
healthy
(Tim’s carpel tunnel)
LEADERS equip and enable: Heart?
Lungs? Digestive system? NOT THE HEAD!
Principle #3: … is constantly
growing
(vs. 13) …so that the body of
Christ may be built up UNTIL we all reach unity in
the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ. Are we there yet?
“Are we creating the green house that
makes it possible for people to grow?”
An Ephesians 4 culture consists of
a unified “Body” under a divine “Head” made up of interdependent
“members” who are helping each other become more like Christ.
“And the Lord added to their number
daily such as were being saved.”
(Acts 2:47)
VIDEO
1) An Acts 2 church is
“uncivilized” (Dr.
John Jackson, Fresno) Counter-cultural, “peculiar”,
“beliefs, forms, and traits that are “undeniably
recognizable”
Wayne Gretsky: “I skate to
where the puck is going.”
Tim: K Soccer
2) An Acts 2 Church has a clear
and compeling focus
(“If I’ve failed it has been
my inability to cast that kind of clear and compelling vision)
COME-LOVE-MAKE DISCIPLES
3) An Acts 2 Church is willing
to take great risks
Acts 8:4 (Following the death of
Stephen)
“a great persecution broke out and
all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and
Samaria.
Those who had been scattered
preached the word wherever they went.”
“involuntary “go”! VCC building
miracle
Acts
9:27-28 Barnarbas takes a risk with Saul/Paul
Cliff: “Make friends of God’s children”
Acts 10:33-36 (Peter takes a risk
with Cornelius)
CORNELIUS: “Now
we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything
the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
Then PETER began to speak: "I
now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what
is right.”
We’ve learned to hear from God and discern His
voice from other voices
John
Jackson: “If we haven’t got a word from God we haven’t got
anything to offer the world!”
4) An
Acts 2 Church has a high tolerance for pain
“Beatitudes”: Mourn, persecuted,
“great is your reward…”
“Take up your cross – follow me – not
worthy of me
Phil 1:29
“For it has been granted to you on
behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer
for him…”
Pain, change, disappointment, Rejection
DAVID CARR: Skip anger, denial – straight to healing
Phil 2:1-2
“If you have any encouragement from
being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any
fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same
love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
2:5-7 -
Let this mind be in you…
(STAY FOR FAMILY MATTERS)
