1. Introduction
1. This morning = “God’s Perfect Plan for Imperfect People” (Last of three-part series)
1. Series based on the book of Ephesians.
1. (The idea and some material taken from the book of same name by Tom Jones, DPI.)
2. Review
1. We started this series by asking the question: “Why is there so much pain and suffering in the world?”
1. Q: If God is in control, then how can there be so much crime, relational pain and even natural disasters?
2. It’s a difficult question with no easy answers, but we tried to add a few pieces to the puzzle by talking about:
1. One: Free-will
1. (Genesis 1:17)
2. Two: Living in a cursed world
1. (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:20-24)
3. Three: Hardship being good for us
1. (Hebrews 12:7)
2. That God’s grace does not prevent pain and suffering, but:
1. comforts us through it (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)
2. sustains us through it (2 Corinthians 1:8-11)
3. and uses it for our good (Romans 8:28-29)
3. And that when we start viewing our hardships and sufferings in this way, we can not only endure them, but actually rejoice in them:
1. Romans 5:3-4 = “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
4. Four: Pain and suffering in this world gave God a chance to show us his love at the cross.
1. Isaiah 53:5 = “he [prophecy about Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
1. God entered into our suffering world and suffered with us and for us.
1. Q: Where is God when we’re suffering?
2. A: He’s right there, suffering with us!
3. All of this helps us to see that this world is not haphazard, random, or out of control, but actually a perfectly designed “soul-making factory” intended to turn people’s hearts to God.
1. M.P. = God is in control.
4. That prepared us to believe four important truths from Ephesians:
1. One: God has a plan for our lives
1. Ephesians 1:11 = “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him…”
2. Psalm 139:13-16 = “For you created me in my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
3. Jeremiah 29:11 = “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
1. Point = God’s got a plan for your life.
2. Two: God’s plan is a perfect plan
1. Ephesians 1:11 = “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…”
1. Because God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing), he’s able to make that plan happen.
1. Main Point = The plan for your life is perfect (flawless) because God is perfect (flawless).
3. Transition = Q: But how can I be a part of a perfect plan, since I am imperfect?
4. Three: It’s a perfect plan for imperfect people because grace is at the center of it.
1. Ephesians 1:7-8 = “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
1. Our sins and mistakes don’t mess up God’s plan.
2. It still works, because grace (love) is at the center of it.
1. (Like in a good marriage.)
5. Four: God not only has a perfect plan for us imperfect people individually, but he has a perfect plan for our imperfect church collectively.
1. Ephesians 1:15-18 says God’s plan is not only to save us, but also to transform us.
2. Ephesians 1:22-24 says we are the body of Christ.
3. Ephesians 2 shows the inter-relatedness of God and his church:
1. Alienated from God and the church
1. (according to vs. 11-13)
2. Reconciled to God and the church
1. (according to vs. 14-18)
3. Growing together with God and the church
1. (according to vs. 19-22).
4. So, God’s plan (destiny) for our lives:
1. salvation
2. transformation
3. glorification
1. (Perhaps a continual process in heaven.)
1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 = “…[Christians] are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory…”
5. And then, the crescendo truth about the church: that we are a mirror by which the angels and heavenly beings see God’s glory.
1. Ephesians 3:10-11 says: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold [‘many facetted, multi-splendored, iridescent with constantly unfolding beauty’] wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, ¹¹according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1. Point: The church is not a footnote at the end of God’s plan – it’s the fulfillment of it.
2. If you miss the church, then you miss the whole plan of God.
3. The imperfect church is central to God’s perfect plan for your life, this world, and even the entire universe of created beings.
2. Transition =) So, that takes us through chapter 3. Now, let’s see where Ephesians 4 takes us from here…
1. Outline:
1. One: A Call to Unity
2. Two: Gifted to Serve
3. Three: Transformation through Training
4. Four: Growth through Discipling Relationships and Small Groups
3. One: A Call to Unity
1. Ephesians 4:1-6
1. Verse 1 = the principal transition of the entire letter.
1. Paul transitions from doctrinal truths to practical applications.
1. If the church is a mirror by which the heavenly beings see God’s glory, then let’s get unified.
2. The practical keys to unity:
1. complete humility
2. gentleness
3. patience
4. bearing with one another in love
5. making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace
3. M.P. = Just remember: God, the entire heavenly host, and our children are watching us…
4. Two: Gifted to Serve
1. Ephesians 4:7-10
1. Vs. 7 = “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”
1. The word “grace” in this context does not mean “saving grace”, but “equipping grace”.
2. None of us can say our gifts are not important:
1. 1 Corinthians 12:22 = “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…”
2. Point = We need you!
1. You are indispensable!
2. This body of ours is hurting if you’re not using your gifts to help the rest of us out.
3. Q: Who benefits when you use your “grace-gifts” for the body:
1. One: You benefit
1. Nothing better than using your gifts and talents for God.
2. Two: The rest of us benefit
1. The whole church is better off when you’re participating.
3. Three: The world benefits
1. Jesus said, we are “the light of the world” - and that light shines brighter when we’re all on fire for God.
4. Four: The entire heavenly realm benefits
1. We saw that in Ephesians 3:10
1. God is somehow using the church to teach the heavenly realms about his manifold wisdom.
5. Five: God himself benefits
1. 1 Peter 4:10-11 = “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
1. The brighter we shine as a church, the more glory to God!
5. Three: Transformation through Training
1. Eph 4:11-12 = “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service…”
1. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, etc.…”
1. It was “he” (Jesus Christ) who came up with these offices in the church – not some man, or group of men.
2. Jesus himself designed leadership in the church.
3. Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 5:29-30, “After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body.”
1. Paul says: “Everyone takes care of their own body better than anything else.”
1. Body says, “Hungry”? We eat.
2. Body says, “Thirsty”? We drink.
3. Body says, “Tired”? We sleep.
4. Everyone takes care of their own bodies – and Jesus is no exception.
5. And we are “Christ’s body”.
6. So He feeds and cares for us as much as we would our own bodies.
4. Q: So, how is Jesus going to feed and care for his body, Paul?
5. A: By giving some of us “leadership gifts” to prepare the rest of us for works of service.
1. Whether it be: “Apostles and Prophets” who were essential to establishing the church in the first century, but are no longer needed today,
2. or “Evangelists and Pastor/Teachers” who lead large groups in the church today,
3. or leaders of smaller groups of “hundreds, fifties, and tens”, as Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro advised in Exodus 18:25 (ie. Deacons, Ministry Leaders, House Church Leaders, Kingdom Kids teachers, etc.)
1. Leadership is Jesus’ plan to feed and care for his body, the church.
1. Announce “Leadership Training Class” (LTC)
1. Open to all.
2. In place of HCLMs rest of year
2. We need to:
1. identify more leaders (esp. HCLs)
2. and better train the ones we’ve got
1. Please prayerfully consider coming…
2. Q: And how are God’s leaders to feed and care for his church?
1. verse 11 = “…to prepare God’s people for works of service”
1. God’s leaders are to prepare, get ready, groom, coach, teach, educate, instruct, guide and train God’s people for works of service.
1. God’s plan is “transformation through training”.
2. God’s leaders aren’t supposed to do all the work – they’re to train all of us to do it together.
1. Like any healthy organization:
1. family
2. team
3. business
2. Q: And what is the goal of all this preparing, teaching, coaching and training?
1. Read verses 12-13 = “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 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.”
1. The goal is maturity
1. And here, maturity refers to the perfectly balanced character of Christ (“the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”).
2. An imbalanced character causes spiritual instability:
1. compassion without conviction
2. zeal without wisdom
3. kindness without firmness
2. And spiritually unstable disciples are called “infants” in this passage…
1. Read verse 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 men in their deceitful scheming.”
1. Spiritual infants are like amateur sailors adrift in a storm at sea.
1. (falling around and getting sea sick!)
2. Q: And what’s causing the storm?
3. A: False doctrine and false teachers.
1. I want you to notice that according to this passage sometimes people who teach false doctrine are not just “misguided”, but actually “cunning”, “crafty” “deceitful” and “scheming”.
1. (Don’t be naïve about that.)
2. That’s another reason we need leadership.
6. Four: Growth through Discipling Relationships and Small Groups
1. Verse 15 gives us a key component to growing up spiritually:
1. Verse 15 = “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
1. “Speaking the truth in love” is the essence of true discipling.
1. In our “one another relationships”, we’ve got to:
1. “speak…”
1. Have regular “great talks”.
1. It’s not enough to just “hang out and be friends” –we’ve got to have deep, spiritual conversations.
2. “speak the truth…”
1. Overcome your fear; be honest with your friends.
3. “speak the truth in love…”
1. Speak the truth lovingly, not harshly.
1. Quote Luke 6:31 = “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
2. Point = Discipling relationships are an integral part of God’s perfect plan for his imperfect church.
2. Verse 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.”
1. This verse puts it all together:
1. “From him…”
1. Jesus is the head of his body, the church.
2. We must all, individually and collectively, be tied into Him.
2. “the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament…”
1. It’s our one another relationships that are the “supporting ligaments” of Christ’s body, the church.
2. Nobody can be best friends with 300 people – but we can all be best friends with a few…
1. (Example of Jesus…)
2. House Churches in the early church
1. Refer: Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 1:2;
3. The majority of “one another relationship” scriptures cannot even be implemented in a large group setting.
1. Only in a small, intimate group.
2. M.P. = That’s why (and example of early church) it’s clear that God’s plan is for growth to occur in small groups.
1. Vision for our House Churches…
1. (LTC is first step to revamping our small groups)
7. Close
1. God’s got a perfect plan for us imperfect people.
1. It’s a plan to:
1. save us
2. transform us in the church
3. and glorify us forever!
2. God’s vision for the Tampa Church, is:
1. A place where the unity of the Spirit reigns
1. (Because “God’s called us to unity”.)
2. A place where everyone uses the gifts Jesus gave them to build up his body.
1. (Because we’re “gifted to serve”.)
3. A place where those with leadership gifts seek further training so they can rise up and lead
1. (Because there’s “transformation through training”.)
4. And a place where growth occurs, both spiritually and numerically.
1. (Because there’s “growth through discipling relationships and small groups”.)

3. Read poem: “God’s Search”

I’m searching for a man

who is willing to believe

that greatness is given

to those who receive.

He must believe once again

that he can run with the horses

and call on God’s power

to summon his forces.

I want a man

with a gleam in his eye-

with his feet on the ground

and his head in the sky.

Where is the man

who will forsake all others

for the love of his God

and the sake of his brothers?

Find me the man

who counts everything a loss –

save the message of Jesus

and his death on the cross!

I’m searching for a man

who knows who he is –

who will drive out demons

because the power is his.

Now I’ve caught your eye –

Are you the one?

Tell me you’re willing

to follow my son.

Are you the man

who is willing to be great –

who will overcome fear

for destiny’s sake?

Remember who you are.

Remember where you’re from.

You’re a man of God.

You are God’s son!