The Upside-Down Kingdom PT 2

Ephesians 4 ESV

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)  11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 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, 14 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. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 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.

“We” being many, are ONE BODY

1 Corinthians 12 ESV

26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Philippians 2 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

1. Each one of us has been given the gift of God's Grace. 

Ephesians 4 ESV

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 

Romans 12 ESV says the SAME 

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  6 Having GIFTS that differ according to the GRACE given to us, let us use them:

EACH OF US HAVE RECEIVED A GIFT OF GODS GRACE.

HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN 

“AND”

HE GAVE THE APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS, PASTORS, TEACHERS 

Ephesians 4 ESV

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 

2. God himself determined your gift.

Ephesians 4 ESV

8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

God needed something.

3. God himself determined your strategic placement in the body.  

1 Corinthians 12 ESV

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?

4. You have a gift that the rest of the body of Christ needs.

Ephesians 4 ESV

15 we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, 

into Christ, 16 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.

Without your body part… The body will not function appropriately.

Rescue the critical and move the comfortable. 

WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE GIFT I GAVE YOU?

5. Don’t compare your gift. 

1 Corinthians 12 

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 

6. Stop trying to be a Lone Ranger. 

Stop trying to be a Christian while refusing to connect with the rest of the body.