Salvation Leads to Service
By Pastor Matt Black
16
September 2007
Lord's Day morning
Ephesians 4:7-12
Introduction: What good is a 750 horsepower turbo charged engine if it sits idle under the hood of a car that is never driven? What good is a computer with the latest software if you never turn it on? What good is a Christian who sits and soaks and never serves? Open your Bibles and stand with me as we turn to Ephesians 4. There’s one main message that springs from these few verses: Salvation ALWAYS leads to service.
As we read this passage, I want you to be in a spirit of prayer and openness to God. I want you to be asking God to use you no matter what it takes. Beg God for that as we read this passage. Ephesians 4:7-12, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”.
[Prayer for guidance]
Somebody once said there are three types of people in the world: believers, unbelievers, and make believers[1]. This passage is written to believers. The truths in this passage were given to believers who would take God’s Word seriously and stand up and serve. Don’t get me wrong—it’s important for believers to sit and soak. We all need to drink in God’s Word. But we cannot simply sit and soak. Every one of us needs to hear the call and serve. The Lord Jesus has given us too much to remain idle and inactive.
Imagine going into a car lot that’s got cars from the late 1960s. It’s a full lot and the cars have all the latest features from that era. It would be strange to find a lot full of cars from that era. Why? Because those cars were stocked with the latest features not to be showcased, but to be used—to be driven!
God has given every one of us all the features we need. Let me put it the way verse 7 puts it. “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ”. God did not pour His grace out on us to make us show pieces. God does not pump us full of Bible knowledge so that we could be walking encyclopedias. We are all spiritually souped up for two reasons only: Worship and Work.
We’ve got everything we need to transform our lost friends and neighbors. Christ has given us so much. We are embarrassed with riches this morning. Let me show you how much Christ has given to us. We see at least 6 things in these 6 verses.
I. I want you to see our Supply for service. Look at what Christ has given you and me…
A. Grace. Verse 7, “But unto every one of us is given grace”. God has poured out His unmerited favor to every one of us who knows Christ. We are sometimes stopped from serving because we feel useless and broken, unloved and unwanted. You couldn’t be more loved and wanted. God wants to use you to transform your world. He’s given you infinite grace.
B. Himself. Christ gives us the ultimate gift—Himself. We are given “the gift of Christ”. Now stop and think about that. What more could you need to transform your world? Infinite grace. Christ Himself.
C. Freedom. Verse 8, Christ “led captivity captive”. That’s talking about the gift of our freedom! Christ gave us the gift of being free from sin!!! Halelujah! That’ll transform your world! Infinite grace. Christ Himself. Freedom from sin!
D. Spiritual Gifts. He freed us and “gave gifts unto men”. In other words, Christ has given you spiritual gifts—each one of us has a divine endowment of power to worship God and do His work! Infinite grace. Christ Himself. Freedom from sin! Spiritual Gifts.
E. His filling presence. Then fifthly, in verse 10 says that the resurrected Christ “ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things”. So we have His filling presence. Christ wants to use you to transform this world. He’s given you an infinite amount of grace. He’s given you Himself. Freedom from sin! His filling presence. And if you find you are still lacking, verse 12 tells us…
F. Christ’s Servants. He’s given us Christ’s servants further equip us. Then verse 12 tells us that we have a team of ministers that equip us. We have the apostles and prophets who gave us the word of God. Those offices have ceased. There are no apostles and prophets today, but we do have the Word of God that those prophets and apostles left us, and we do have three offices functioning in the church today: evangelists and pastors and teachers. We have all been souped up spiritually by Christ’s servants ministering the Word of God to us. Infinite grace. Christ Himself. Freedom from sin! His filling presence. Christ’s servants ministering to us the Word of God.
What’s it all for? Verse 12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”. God has souped you up spiritually. You are amazingly equipped for ministry. He’s equipped you all the latest features not so that you could be a show piece. Not so that you could be a walking encyclopedia of the Bible. But so that you could be used—so that you could be worn out for Christ.
Illustration: Do you remember the big blue Cadillac Gary Johnson used to drive? I affectionately call it “Big Blue”. Gary sold it several months ago. That car is getting to be an antique. But even though it’s worn out it still drives nice. It’s still going. But one day Gary’s Cadillac will drive no more. It was a decked out well equipped car. Better yet it’s a worn out well used car. The mileage is pretty high.
What’s your odometer reading? Are you being used of God? Have you used the gifts that He’s given you and seen God transform people before your eyes. What’s your spiritual mileage? Or are you just a show piece. God didn’t save you to sit. He saved you to serve.
Application: Ask God this morning as you are hearing this message, “God use me. I don’t care where. I don’t care how.” You tell God that you don’t want to be a showpiece. The Bible knows nothing of showpiece saints. All saints are serving saints and sacrificing saints. Salvation ALWAYS leads to service. Not just sitting and soaking. Not showing off. We are here to serve.
Now that we’ve seen what Christ has given to us, all that He’s supplied us with. I want us to turn our attention to Christ.
II. I want you to see that Christ is Source or Supplier of our Service. Christ is the Sovereign giver of all the gifts of service. That means He can direct you any way He wants to. He owns you. You don’t have a say in it. You are simply called to yield to His desire.
Illustration: If I give you five thousand dollars to buy a red 2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible, then I have the authority to tell you what to buy. You have no right to sit on the money.
Christ saved you, He owns you, you are His precious possession, and He has the sovereign right to guide your gifting and your service. He’s given you grace and gifting, and you have no right to sit and soak and not serve Him with the gifts He’s given you.
Saints of God today, Christ is the supplier! He is the source and fountainhead of your service.
Ø HE has given you grace.
Ø HE has given Himself.
Ø HE has led captivity captive and given you freedom from your old life.
Ø HE has gifted you and filled you with His presence.
Ø He’s got you here this morning under His Word to equip you.
All of this is Christ’s design. It’s not mine. Ultimately, I can’t help you this morning. But Christ can.
Christ is here this morning. Christ in you is your hope of glory! I hope you didn’t come today to get some more information. This is not simply a cognitive exercise. This sermon is not about packing your head with more information. It’s about you finding God again. Are you asking Him this morning that He Himself would enter this room and awaken your heart anew this morning? Are you asking Him to enter your life all over again? Do you really want Him at your kitchen table, in your car? Do you want Him moving your heart to real service, fruitful ministry? We don’t need more information. WE need the presence of God to help us. I want God’s presence this morning. He promises us: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
I hope right now he’s dealing with you and you are yielding to Him. I hope your heart crying out for Him to take your life and use you.
III. I want you to see your Potential for service. Ask yourself this question: Is my pattern of living strengthening the church or weakening it? God didn’t send His Son to suffer and bleed so that we could in turn be comfortable. If you are a Christian, you are to join a church: either this one or some other one that preaches the Bible. You are to become, not a consumer, but a provider there. You are not a consumer. We, as in the leadership, are not here in that sense to tailor the church to meet the needs of the consumer. We don’t do that. We will however, look to scripture to see what is there and assume that if we keep doing what is biblical, that all our needs will be met in the church.
A. What does the Consumer Christian look like?
· In the extreme—a church for consumer Christians would base its services on whatever every one wants—Willow Creek mentality—whatever we can offer to the consumer. We market the church. We as a church have recognized that this is not a reflection of true Biblical Christianity. This is an unbiblical and unhealthy way for church growth.
· A consumer Christian goes to church for what’s in it for him. I pray that none of us would be that kind of Christian.
B. What we want in our church are Provider Christians
1. One way is how we commit ourselves to attend regularly.
Ø What if everyone were to have the church hoppers attendance pattern?
Ø Would the church close down because half the time, it wouldn’t even be here? Would 2 out of 3 meetings vanish immediately? I mean what would happen if that were to be the case? So serving Christ means regular attendance.
2. What about being here punctually?
Do you slip in the morning service, at 11:10, because “Oh well, you got up late”? Isn’t it good that a lot of other people don’t do that? Isn’t it good that you can actually come and something is provided for you?
That’s because there are brothers and sisters that consider themselves providers who come early in order to get things ready, and to try to make it a welcoming place.
3. We need to see ourselves as providers, not just consumers.
As providers, we understand that we are committing ourselves to each other. One incredibly practical way we do this is by encouraging members to pray through the church directory for our brothers and sisters.
I feel too often, church attendees fool themselves about the fellowship they claim to have with God because they have nothing to do with other Christians. It brings accountability. The main thing in scripture that God has set up for us to deal with self deception, is the local church.
God would have you turn the world upside down! But you will not do it alone! One last thing, and then we’ll close.
IV. Finally I want you to see your Reward for service.
Christ is our portion. He is our exceeding great reward. Your reward at the end of it all is that you will have served and pleased Christ. If you are serving God for any other reward, you are serving God under false pretenses. You serve Christ and you gain Christ in the end!!
Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Conclusion: If you love the truth you will live the truth. If you scorn the truth you will sit on the truth.
Illustration: This morning I’m reminded of a story that I read while I was a missionary in Spain about an amazing find in the middle of the Peruvian jungle. Many years ago a journalist was reporting on the poverty of the villages in the jungle. As the reporter was writing his story, he was given a tip about a beautiful place of luxury amid the poverty stricken people. The reporter was guided to the place by a local villager.
What did the reporter find? It was a beautiful Catholic cathedral. Inside were gold statues and plump priests. Year after year, decade after decade the priests gladly took the money from the poor people. They didn’t use it to help them, but only to help themselves.
We are angry when we hear of this kind of extreme injustice. But if we sit and soak, we are no different than those priests. Let your anger for those priests be directed at your own ease and comfort. We comfort each other with Bible messages, which is all very good, but remember while we wax greater in wisdom, the world around us is starving of spiritual hunger. This afternoon while we eat a hearty meal, there is a family out there burying a dad or a mom.
Just before I left for church this morning I got this email.
Hello Tabernacle Family,
Friday morning Oscar's Aunt Carol went home to be with the Lord. And last night (Saturday) his Uncle Paul passed away, as well. They were brother and sister both fighting Cancer in two different places in the World.
Please pray for Oscar's Mom. Please pray for our family.
In Christ Alone,
Jacqueline Manjarez
Proverbs 3:5-6
I’m pretty sure that neither of these folk knew Christ. Christians—these people just met their eternity. We don’t have time to waste. That day is coming for each one of us.
Appeal: As we close, with our heads and hearts bowed, I’d like you to stand. I’m going to ask the pianist to come. We are going to have a time of response now. The purpose of this message was to bring you to God. God’s Word was preached. This message is in vain if you and I don’t cry out to God for His presence and power to serve. Don’t let this message just be another data file in your brain. Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.
This morning I’m asking you all to serve. I’m asking all of us to surrender. I don’t know what your next step should be, but God does. I’m asking you this morning, if you sense the leading of God in this message, to come and ask God here at the front of this church what He would have you to do. The front of the church is open. If you’re a man and you’d like someone to pray with you, Bro. Miles Crouse is at the front of the church. If you’re a lady, Bro. Miles wife Laura is here to pray with you and encourage you. Come now and surrender your time and talents and gifts to God.
We don’t need to bargain with God. We need to surrender without placing conditions on God.
v You can’t say, “God I’ll serve you if you let my job go ok”.
v “Lord, I’ll serve you, but I want that joy and peace and all the perks”.
No. You present yourself a living sacrifice to God unconditionally. No strings attached. It is your reasonable service. It’s nothing extraordinary.
Closing Hymn: Here am I, Lord Send Me