A Healthy Body — Dean Stump

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Amen. Not only covered, but blotted out. Removed from us. What was that song we sang this morning, The Church's One Foundation? I thought I knew it, but I'm not finding it here. What's that number? 379.

I just would like to call your attention to some beautiful words in this song, which seems to go well with the message this morning. The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord. She is His new creation by water and the Word.

From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride. With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died. Elect from every nation, yet one for all the earth. Her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth, one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food.

And to one hope she presses with every grace endued. I'll read the last verse, yet she on earth hath union with God the three in one. And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is one. Oh, happy ones and holy.

Lord, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee. And I'll probably refer back to that later. But I'd like for us to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4.

The Body of Christ and the Calling to Walk Worthily

And maybe we could call it a healthy body, a functioning body, the true body. I'm not sure. But I would like to look a little this morning at the body of Christ. And in particular, the local body of Christ.

Before we read this scripture, let's kneel together for prayer. Father, we bend our knees to You, the only true and living God. We thank You this morning, Father. For our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We thank You this morning that we can have a lively hope. We thank You this morning, Father, that You've not left us here alone. Wandering around as sheep without a shepherd. But You've given us a true shepherd.

One who has given his life for the sheep. How we praise You, Lord. That Your love has laid hold on us. How we praise You, Lord. For this opportunity this morning. You have revealed to us the mystery which in ages past was hid.

Here we are this morning as a body. One in Christ Jesus. With one hope, one faith, one God. And pressing for one holy place. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus. Father, we thank You for this blessed opportunity.

With ready feet, we love to appear this morning. Here in Your presence. Lord, make this time a precious time to us, Lord. Lord, as we open the Word, anoint my lips. Make me a channel. And give us all ears to hear this morning, Lord.

Your precious Word. Your Word of truth. Your Word of life. Father, we thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit. To guide us into all truth. I pray that You would guide and direct our thoughts this morning.

I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's read the first 16 verses of Ephesians chapter 4. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness.

With longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit. Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all. Who is above all and through all and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace. A very key phrase here this morning. But unto every one of us is given grace.

According to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore, he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.

Why? For the perfecting of the saints. For the work of the ministry. For the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith. And of the knowledge of the Son of God. Unto a perfect man.

Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. By the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things. Which is the head, even Christ. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth. According to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

What beautiful language we have here in Ephesians. I would like to draw our attention this morning to mainly verses 12 through verses 16. I would like us to see the importance of the body, of the local body.

Praise God for the worldwide body. For those who are redeemed out of every tribe and tongue and nation. Praise God we can send brother Tanner over to the Goanja people here very shortly. And we pray that God would make him fruitful over there among the Goanjas.

And that a people would be born there from his labors that will glorify God here upon the earth. And become a local body over there. So we want to take a look here this morning at what our part is here as part of the local body.

And brother Tanner I was thinking as you were sharing here with us in our time of worship. We will miss you. You are a part of the body and we will miss you. We will miss that part which you supplied.

I will miss it. And I believe each one of us will miss it. And yet we're happy to be able to send you. But I pray that through the word this morning that we'll see that each one of us have a part to play.

Maybe you can't fill Tanner's spot up here in leading songs. Maybe you can rise up to that. Maybe you can't stand up and expound the word of God like brother Rick can to us on Sunday mornings. But maybe you can rise up to that.

And maybe you can't all minister like my wife does, you sisters. But maybe you can rise up to that. And I guess the burden of my message is that you don't just sit there. That you don't just become a piece of the machinery so to speak.

With no purpose, with no drive, with no feelings. God wants each one of you to be a very meaningful part. He has given each one of you a gift. If you have been born again, it says here in verse 7,. But unto every one of us is given grace according to how he sees fit to measure it out.

He has gone, but he has given you gifts. He has given each one of us gifts. Are you using your gift this morning? I know very well the feeling. I speak to you out of weakness. It's very easy for me to let someone else do it.

It's very easy for me to let someone else take the responsibility. And I need to be reminded of this this morning. I need to be quickened in my spirit this morning. I do speak to you out of weakness. I would much rather let brother Rick come up here and preach this morning.

Or any of you for that matter. And yet, I want to be used of God. I want to use the gifts that God has given me. I want to be faithful in that which is least. And if God wants me to come up here and share the word of God, praise God, I get to.

I preached the word of God this morning. You pray for me that God would give me a voice. And would give me an understanding of his word. Well, in order for us to understand this beautiful picture here of the body.

That we have here in Ephesians chapter 4. And I guess in order for us to have a foundation in which to build this beautiful body. That is fitly joined together. And compacted by that which every joint supplies.

In order for us to grasp the possibilities that are there. The possibilities that are there for you to become a part of that body. And to be an integral part of that which every joint supplies. In order for you to be able to enter into that in the local body.

And understand your place and your abilities in Christ. I think it's important for us to just take a peek at the foundation that's laid here in the first three chapters. Notice that in verse 1 of chapter 4 here, he starts with therefore.

He's referring back to what was said before. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, beg of you, greatly desire of you. That you walk worthy of this vocation, this calling, this job that you are called to.

I beg you, he says, to walk worthy of this vocation, this occupation, if you will. This job that you are called to by God. There's a beautiful foundation that's laid here in these first three chapters.

And we can't go into it in any depth. But I just want to point you to it and encourage you to do a study of this amazing foundation that is laid here for us. To build this beautiful body upon. You think that, well, just yesterday I was talking to a man who was very passionate about what he believes.

And very passionate about many things. And was a professing Christian. And he said, I have fought more in the church than I have outside of the church. Well, I also have been told by an older sister when I first became a Christian.

That it's just, she sort of had the idea of, it's just not the way it should be. But you just sort of come to accept it and expect that church life is a life of arguing and fighting. And not being able to get along with one another.

But that didn't sit right in my heart. I knew because of what God did in my heart that it didn't have to be that way. And I would like to provoke you this morning to not settle for that. And that if you're having a struggle being a brother here in the church.

Or if you're having a struggle being a sister here in the church. That God has much more for you. He has an abundant life for you in the body. Not just you and God. You do need your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

And it does need to be sweet. But it doesn't stop there. You're stopping way short of what God has for you. And I want to convince you by the word of God this morning. That you are stopping way short of what God has for you.

If you are not receiving. If you are not giving and receiving. And being a part of the body this morning. I'm preaching to us here this morning. You know I know we could preach to a lot of people that are out there.

That are all alone. That maybe by themselves. And for one reason or another. I'm not here preaching to them this morning. I'm preaching to us. I think it's very possible for you to be sitting here this morning.

And coming here every Sunday. And not being a part of the body. Not being what it says here. In the conclusion here that we read. From whom the whole body fitly joined together. And compacted by that which every joint supplieth.

According to the effectual working in the measure of every part. Maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. And note that. Note those words. All. Every. The whole body. That which every joint supplieth.

So. Let's take a look at the foundation that was laid. Just take a peek at it. Paul. Paul starts here in Ephesians chapter one. The first half of the chapter. He's praying a prayer. And it's a prayer of praise.

He's lifting up a prayer of praise here. In the beginning of the chapter. And it's very important to note what he praises God for. He's praising God. That we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.

Brothers and sisters. We're not just an afterthought to God. We were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. We have been predestinated unto the adoption of children. God already adopted us into His family through Christ Jesus.

We have redemption. There's redemption here He's praising God for. Redemption through His blood. The forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. So, we have been chosen. We have been predestinated.

We have been redeemed. In verse nine. He's made known unto us the mystery of His will. According to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself. I was thinking that it said there that it was hid in ages past.

I guess it says that somewhere else. But He has made known to us the mystery of His will. And I'm not going to go into that now. But that would make a very interesting discussion. And I would love to hear some discussion on that a little later.

About the mystery of His will. But that's a beautiful mystery that's been made known. We have obtained an inheritance in verse 11. We have been sealed in verse 13. That's enough right there. Brothers and sisters.

We've been chosen, predestinated, redeemed. We've had God's revelation made known to us. We have obtained an inheritance in Him. And He has sealed us. He has given us of His Holy Spirit. What more do you need to become active in the body of Christ?

What more do you need to become a minister of the gospel? Well, there is much more. The foundation didn't stop right there. Now He prays. He continues to pray here. And the prayer changes from a prayer of praise to a prayer for perception that we may know.

Herein lies an important part of us becoming a fruitful part in the body. The reason we need to go and tell the lost about Christ is because they don't know. They need to have a knowledge of who Jesus is.

That's why we're sending Tanner over to the Gonja people. That they may know who is their Savior. That they may know that a Savior has come. That they may know they don't need to die in their sins. Well, here's Paul's prayer for us.

That we may know. That we may perceive and understand. First of all, what is the hope of His calling? I'll just read the whole prayer here and then we'll touch on it a bit. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints is and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.

So we have a prayer that we may know what is the hope of His calling. That we may know what the riches of the glory of His inheritance is in the saints and that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power.

The question is, do you know what is the hope of His calling? It's given there that we may know what is the hope of the riches, that we may know what the riches of the glory of His inheritance is in the saints.

Did you know that you are part of God's inheritance? And there's a beauty and a power just in understanding that point. God wants us to understand that. It's in His Word what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe.

That power that God had in raising up Christ from the dead, in giving Him a glorified body against all the powers of the enemy, against all the powers of darkness. He gave Jesus, He raised Him from the dead, gave Him a glorified body, and it didn't stop there.

A little while later, He raised Him up into the throne room, there to be with Him in heaven. Well, that same power is available to us, to those of us who know, who perceive and understand chapter 2, more of this foundation.

It speaks of our condition before Christ and over against that what God has done for us and what we are now in Christ and who we are now in Christ. We have in verse 1, spiritual death. We have in verse 2, subjection to Satan.

In verse 3, flesh bound affections and under condemnation. Not a pretty picture, but over against that we have in verses 4 -10, God quickening us, God making us alive, God giving us a new heart, taking that old man, taking that stony heart out and giving us a new heart, quickening us, making us alive again.

To quicken means to revive. It means to bring back to life that life that disappeared when Adam sinned can now be revived through the amazing grace of God. Even when we were dead in sins, He has quickened us.

He has raised us. In verse 6, He raised us up and He's made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I don't know. Are you building upon that solid foundation? This morning, verse 11 and 12, speaking of the first four verses, the death, the bondage to sin, being under Satan's rule, He says, at that time ye were without Christ.

But in verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. So you have the at that time, but now. You see the difference? And verse 19, now therefore.

You see, at that time ye were without Christ, but now you are made nigh through the blood of Christ. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens in the household of God.

And yes, I know, much more could be said and whole messages can be preached from each one of those. But I'd like to provoke you to read and study this in light of the message this morning that we have in chapter 4.

And then the foundation gets even stronger in chapter 3. We have in, and I guess that's where we have the revealing of the divine mystery. That it says here, Unto me who am less, in verse 8, than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

Now, I'm not going to go into that, but I've had some very interesting studying on that, and it's a beautiful revelation that God has revealed to us in Christ Jesus. And I believe we are speaking of it here in our message this morning.

And then we have a receiving of the divine fullness in verses 13 through 21. And Paul's prayer there is, I guess in my thinking, that he's going deeper, he's going higher, and he's taking us to even greater depth than in chapter 1 and chapter 2.

And he is preparing us for the practical part of the Christian life, which the church, the local body, is part of here and starts out with. And in chapter 4, it's a lofty prayer that is being prayed. And you may be tempted to throw up your hands, and God knows that temptation is there before you.

And God knows that you'll face many temptations. Therefore, we have verse 20. Unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above. There's not enough adjectives to describe exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

According to the power that worketh in us. And now we know what power worketh in us. It's the same power that God worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. Well, brothers and sisters, there's no need for us to be discouraged this morning.

It's okay to lift up a high standard, because He is able, the Lord Jesus is able, to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think. One of my neighbors told me this week that speaking in the natural sense, it's not, it's in what we will.

He said, my dad taught me it's on whether I will to do it or not. And, you know, in the Christian life, yes, there is the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and an empowering of the Holy Spirit, but there's also an engaging of our will.

Do you will to do the will of God this morning? Do you will to know what is this power that was wrought in Christ when God raised Him from the dead? Do you will to have a love, a compassion beating in your breast for your brothers and sisters?

Do you will it this morning? Do you will to know all that God has prepared for us in chapters 1 through 3 here? The beautiful foundation that He has laid for us in Christ. And, if you will get a hold of and grasp and understand the foundation that is laid for you, then you can build and you can become an effective part, that which every joint supplieth.

You can be a healthy limb in this body. You can be a healthy part of the body. I therefore beg you, beseech you, that you walk worthy. Why does He say that you walk worthy? Because there is the temptation for each one of us to, instead of building a beautiful building on this foundation, that we settle for just a little cottage.

You know, maybe in the natural it's okay for you to settle for a little cottage, but it's not okay in the spiritual, brothers and sisters. God wants you to build a palace. God has prepared a beautiful foundation for you to build upon.

He has given you all the resources to build. And, it's not possible for you to be the whole body yourself. You are a part of the body. You are only a part. And, you are not going to experience life as God has provided it for you in Christ Jesus, unless you are part of the body.

Unless you are an active part. Unless you are a giving part. Unless you are using your gifts. There's no other way to walk worthy of this vocation wherewith you are called. You are called to blend your hearts, brothers and sisters.

You are called to live that sacrificial, dying to self, forgiving one another, loving one another, blessing one another, forbearing with one another, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit with one another.

And, how many more are there? Seventeen of them, brother Rick? I think, are the one another's? Thirty-seven? Thirty-seven, brother Rick says, there are of the one another's in the Bible. And, don't be discouraged by that.

There's been a beautiful foundation laid for you. You can rise up and build. And, your house will stand if it's on this beautiful foundation of Christ Jesus. He has given each one of us gifts. Well, first of all, let's just point out that it is possible for this body to be fitly joined together because there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

So, there, again, is part of the foundation from which we build upon. There is a unity in Christ. And, there needs to be an endeavoring here, as it says in verse three, there needs to be a fighting spirit within each one of us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

That should be a passion in each one of our hearts. We should be passionately desiring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So, we have Christ ascending up on high, but in doing so, He gave gifts unto men.

He left us here to do the job, to finish the job. He left us here to become His ambassador. He left us here to be His image. And, how do we do that? Jesus said, by this shall all men know that ye are My disciples.

By how? How do we know? How does the world know that we are Jesus' disciples? If we love one another. If we blend our hearts with one another. And, He gave some apostles. Now, we're speaking of these different gifts.

And, some prophets. And, some pastors. And, teachers. I like the way that one song says here. It says in this song, Awake! Awake! O Earth! Lift up thy gates with praise, and robes of joy put on. The Lord of life and death hath risen to His throne.

He hath gone up on high, and giveth gifts to men. He lives no more to die. He lives. He lives again. He has gone up on high, and giveth gifts to men. And, here we have it in Ephesians chapter 4. He has gone up on high, and He has given gifts unto men.

And, He has not left anyone without giving you gifts. He has given you gifts. Everyone, it says, He's given these gifts. Some fulfill an apostle role. Some a prophet. Some evangelists. Some pastors. Some teachers.

But, it's all for one purpose. For the perfecting of the saints. For the work of the ministry. For the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith. And, that's what that endeavoring in verse 3 is all about.

And, of the knowledge of the Son of God. And, that knowledge is given to us in chapters 1 through 3. Unto a perfect man. Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Now, here's the crux of the whole matter.

The Local Body as God’s Means of Christian Maturity

Brothers and sisters. And, the reason I believe it's impossible for you to be a Christian by yourself. He says, for the perfecting of the saints. Now, I deduct from that, that this is how God perfects us.

This is how God disciples us. Yes, we do receive from God. And, the scripture even says that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. And yet, we need to balance that with what God has put in place. Which is His body.

Functioning together. And, meeting together. And, exhorting one another. And, caring for one another. Praying for one another. It says in Hebrews chapter 10 there. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is.

But, so much the more as you see the day approaching. For, if we sin willfully after that we have received of the goodness of God. Of the grace of God. There remaineth no more. What is it? There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.

Now, I don't claim to understand that in its fullest. But, one thing again there that I take from that. Is that, you are treading on dangerous ground. If you have the idea that. Yes, I'm a Christian. I was born again.

And, no I don't go to church. Or, if I do I don't really become a part. Or, I'm not really putting my heart into the body. Becoming a part. Well, the danger of that is. That, you just may fall away. According to Hebrews chapter 10 there.

And, we have here in verse 14. That we henceforth be no more children that are tossed to and fro. And, carried about with every wind of doctrine. According to this verse. There are men out there lying in wait for your soul.

They will devour you. As they have opportunity. They will deceive you. And, my understanding of this scripture. What I believe it's saying is that. If you do not plug in. If you don't become a part of what is going on.

And, if you don't exercise your gift. You are going to be caught off guard one day. You are going to be swept away. By some wind of some new doctrine that comes along. We need each other. It's just part of the humility of God.

That needs to be a part of us. Did you see how the chapter started? This walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. Is how? In humility. With all loneliness of mind. And, that's where it has to start.

If you are not humble. You can't blend your heart with a brother. You can't give the benefit of the doubt. You can't sit at someone else's seat. Become vulnerable to one another. Go minister. Go wash the saint's feet.

Pride doesn't do that. But, let me tell you. That pride goes before a fall. And, it's a must. I am so blessed. In reading through the martyr's mirror right now. I never did that. And, I am trying to do that right now.

Read through the martyr's mirror. And, the first thing that is so striking. Is how solid they are on the word of God. They were not carried about with every wind of doctrine. If it was in the word of God.

If it was part of the word of God. Then, they were willing to joyfully die for it. But, no matter what tyranny came against them. If it was just man's idea. The one interrogator asked the one brother.

What he thought of the sacrament.

And, he said.

I think nothing of your burnt God. And, they just had such a boldness. And, you know. These things infuriated these men. And, they knew that it's going to cost them their life. To be honest. To be truthful.

But, they were so frank. And, they loved the word of God. One man. Well, the reason I'm bringing this up. Is that. It has to do with the local body. They loved one another. They cared for one another.

And, one of the things. It seemed like one of the things. That the Catholics were always trying to get out of them. Is who baptized them. And, who taught them. They were always trying to lay hands on the next person.

But, I'm not saying it never happened. But, according to many of these reports. Those people were faithful. They would not budge in giving information out. To their interrogators. Even though. It cost them their life.

They loved their brothers and sisters. And, it cost them something. What is it costing you this morning. To be a part of the body. What are you giving up of yourself. To be a part of the body. What have you sacrificed lately.

To be a part of the body. Yeah. It's a dying to self. But, it's. It's the principle of the cross. Like Jesus said. The way up is down. The way to save your life is to lose it. There was a time when. There was twenty.

Of these brothers and sisters. Caught together and put in prison. And, the day was coming for their execution. And, it was. It was just around the corner. A couple of days away. There was these two brothers.

That were not Christians. But, they had a brother. Who was one of the ones in prison. And, they. They got together. They decided that. You know. Our brother. Has sacrificed so much. We saw his life. We know.

That. He is being unjustly. Tried. We know that he is unjustly losing his life. And, it's not right for us. To sit here and do nothing about it. And, they committed to each other. That they were going to.

Go at the expense of their life. And, try to rescue their brother. And, anyone else who. May be. Part of his group there. That were in the cell with him. And, even though. They knew that it would cost them.

Their life. They risked their lives. And. Went to the castle. Where these men were. Where their brother was. And, all twenty of these people. And, they rigged up a rope. With a fish hook. On the end. Slung it up to the window there.

And, broke in with a crowbar. And, rescued their brother out of there. And, a number of others. But. The point. That I. See there. Is that. We see that principle in action. Where Jesus said. By the love that you have one to another.

The world will see. That you are my disciples. And, that even though. These men. Were listening to teachers. That were saying. These men are heretics. They knew in their heart. By the life that they lived.

By the love that they showed. Towards one another. That. These men are for real. They just knew it. And, so they risked their lives for it. Well, we know. That a house. Has many different. Parts to it.

And, many different people. With different skills. To build the house. Especially today. You know we have the surveyor. We have the excavator. We have the mason. The lay up the foundation. We have the framer.

That comes in and frames the house. We have a roofer. That does the roofing. That does the roof. We have a siding guy. That does the siding. We have trim guys. That trim the inside of the house. And, even have deck builders.

To put the decks on the houses. And, the deck builder. Is not very skilled to. Lay up the walls. And, the trim guy doesn't do very well. Usually at doing the framing. And, we wouldn't let the roofer build our decks.

But, at the end. When everyone has worked together. We have a beautiful house. Ready for someone to live in. To feel secure in. That's, I guess what I'm trying to lift up to you all this morning. That you have a part to play.

If this is going to be a healthy body. You must plug in. You can't just sit here. You can't just take shots from the sideline. You can't just fuss. When a decision is made that didn't go your way. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit.

In the bond of peace. Are you endeavoring? Are you endeavoring to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called? Are you endeavoring to whatever you do. To make sure that it counts in the building?

If you have criticism. Are you sure that it's constructive? If you have a word to say to someone. Are you sure that it's for his salvation? If you're coming to me to tell me about your brother or your sister.

Here at church. With this fault or that fault. Do you have his best in mind? Or are you just trying to be destructive? Examine your heart. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. But that which is good.