Grace for Española
 
We’ve been looking at Ephesians 4 for many weeks now in this blog. Is the divine plan for the growth of the church clear enough? Understanding it is the easy part. Living it out is the more difficult part. Growing into maturity as a church and individual believers requires effort, patience, love, and sacrifice. It will cost you to be part of the church, but it is worth it. What is it costing you?

I’m reminded of the time when King David was making provisions for the building of the temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to build it himself, but God wouldn’t let him since he was a man of war. Rather, God said Solomon, David’s son, would build the temple. But God allowed David to provide all the materials. David wanted to buy the land for the temple but Araunah, the land owner offered to give it to King David. Notice David’s response:

Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Sam 24:24, emphasis added).

True worship is costly worship. It will cost you to obey God and serve Him in His church. There will be responsibilities to meet, people to forgive, erring brothers to confront, as well as money, time, and sweat to give. As we do what is required of us by God’s Word, we will notice changes take place over time. We will grow into Christlikeness. The church will become healthy and strong. New believers will be added to the church. Significant ministry will take place. Lives will be forever changed. God will be glorified. Doesn’t that sound exciting? People who work out say, "No pain, no gain." In ministry, we can say, "No sacrifice, no joy."

Seven Dangers to Guard Against:
* Politics without principle
* Knowledge without character
* Wealth without work
* Pleasure without conscience
* Business without morality
* Science without humanity
* Worship without sacrifice

Let’s review where we’ve been in our study so far. We saw that (1) God has given us participation in His eternal purpose; (2) God has given us the structure for fulfilling His eternal purpose; (3) God has given us a calling to contribute to His eternal purpose. We are to continue in this process, "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13, NKJV). So the goal is spiritual maturity defined by likeness to Jesus Christ.

How do we achieve spiritual maturity? "The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph 4:16). Did you catch it? "Every part does its share." Are you growing in your faith and knowledge of Christ? Are you doing your part to build up the body of Christ?

If the book of Acts were still being written, what would it say about you? "So and so lived out his life in comfort and ease?" "He kept to himself and kept his nose clean?" Or, "She lovingly and faithfully served the Lord through His church all her life. The lives she touched by her personal ministry were encouraged and blessed. She found Jesus’ words true, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35)."

We are the body of Christ. Jesus wants our hands, that’s how He works. He wants our feet, that’s how He goes. He wants our voices, that’s how He talks. He wants our hearts, that’s how He loves. True worship is costly. It means denying self to be used by God in the lives of others. Have you come to a point in your Christian walk that you have consciously yielded your life to God to serve Him in whatever way He calls you? If you do, it will cost you. But the reward is out of this world!

To know, to do; the Head’s commands, For this the body lives and grows;
All speed of feet and skill of hands, Is for Him spent, and from Him flows.
-author unknown
 


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