Introduction:
We may have visited a tennis or golf club to learn these sports, but then found that the standard of the teaching and coaching there was very low. Some churches also have a low standard of teaching and those who attend learn very little.
Paul was involved in the beginning of the church at Ephesus and was there for about two years teaching and discussing the Christian faith (Acts 19). Paul (and others) believed that ordinary people could understand the faith. He wrote the letter of Ephesians to explain more to them.
In Ephesians 4:11, Paul points out that “ Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers”.
These are all people who teach or speak the Word of God. Teaching God’s Word is part of church life.
Whenever the church has prospered there have been teachers who explained the Christian faith believing that the ordinary person can understand it.
Why should we seek to understand the Christian faith in the church?
In Ephesians 4:11-16 there is a picture of the church as the body and Christ is the head. Teaching and preaching etc builds up the body of Christ (the church) (Ephesians 4:13).
In our services there is then“body building”.
There are three parts of this “body building”
1. Understanding the Christian faith with the mind so that we “reach unity in the faith” (Ephesians 4:13) and speak “the truth in love” (15).
2. Knowing and experiencing Christ in the heart (“knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:13)).
Note in Ephesians 1:17 Paul prays “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him (Christ) better.”
3.Serving each other in love (Ephesians 4:12 and 16)
We are to grow and not remain children (Ephesians 1:14). Children are easily distracted. We must not be easily distracted by false teaching, but rather understand the faith so that we can speak with love (Ephesians 1:15)
Conclusion
We may come to church for various reasons but we should also come to do “bodybuilding”!
Text: Ephesians 4:11-16
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 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.