God's Word for Me Today
Sunday, October 7, 2001
Focus: Our Mission: Equipping Christians in Western Pennsylvania
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Gracious God, as I come to another Sunday, another day when Christians around the world gather to worship and praise You, I, too, add my adoration and praise. Use this day to glorify Yourself in corporate worship services around the world, and in my time with You! Fill me anew with Your Holy Spirit that I may live out my commitment to Jesus with renewed power and grace. May all that I am and all that I do this day be an affirmation of my love for the One, true God over all creation! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Ephesians 4:11-16
11He [Jesus] is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Questions for Reflection
What is the best way You can prepare for worshiping God with other Christians today?
What one thing do you do well enough to equip others to do it?
What is the difference between unity and unanimity?
Questions for Exploration
What is Paul’s “image” of the church in 4:12?
What are Christians to be equipped to do? (4:12-13)
What is the identifying trait of Christians who are “no longer like children”? (4:14-16)
Questions for Understanding
What do each of the people listed in Ephesians 4:11—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers—do to equip God’s people? How are their roles different?
How can we avoid be fooled or lied to as Christians, when it comes to matters of Christian teaching?
Questions for Application
Where are you in the “growth” process as a Christian? Take a few moments to evaluate whether you are farther along the path of maturity as a follower of Jesus today than you were six months, a year, or five years ago. If you are, how do you ensure that you will continue to grow? If you aren’t, what do you need to do to see growth over the next six months, a year, or five years?
Who has helped you grow as a Christian? Take time to thank God for them right now!
Equipping Christians in Western Pennsylvania!
Is there anything different about equipping Christians in western Pennsylvania to change the world through irresistible lifestyles and influential works of service, than there would be in any other part of the world? The answer to that question is a definite, “Yes!” In some parts of the world Christianity is brand new. Folks are enthusiastic about Jesus, having only recently heard of Him and accepted Him as Lord and Savior. Here in western Pennsylvania Christianity has been around since the first white settlers came to the area. Christianity is well-established here, and long-established here. That has both its blessings and curses. The blessing is that most folks in western Pennsylvania have certainly heard of Jesus. They’re familiar with Judeo-Christian values and many seek to live them. The “curse” is that since Christianity has been around so long, sometimes our traditions related to being Christians have become more powerful than our connection to Jesus Christ!
It’s easy for us go to worship, maybe even to read the Bible and pray, but living irresistible lifestyles and carrying out influential works of service in Jesus’ name, isn’t always so easy. Here in western Pennsylvania most of us don’t want to be seen as fanatics (unless of course we’re discussing the Steelers or the Penguins!) We tend to be cool and collected in our approach to faith. The reality is that once Jesus Christ is the center of our lives, His Spirit immediately starts to equip us to live irresistible lifestyles and influential works of service! Jesus wants to equip us to GROW UP into Him. The goal isn’t to fulfill a certain set of religious tasks. The goal is to know Jesus and to serve Him with love and compassion. The ultimate goal is that every man, woman and child in western Pennsylvania (and eventually the world) have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior in this generation! With those kind of goals we have to approach our life differently. We need to take some risks—to go out into the community and share the love of Jesus Christ in practical ways. Volunteer at school. Pray for the children as you help them. (You can pray silently, of course!) Get involved in service organizations and let people know that you are involved because Jesus loves you and you love others through Him. Sometimes folks here in western Pennsylvania don’t think we have the right to speak to our neighbors, or school administrators, or co-workers, or classmates about Jesus, but Jesus has given us all authority on heaven and earth to do exactly that!
This is a great time in our life as a nation to tell folks about Jesus. The resistance has rolled back in many areas with the events of the past several weeks. Pray for our nation. Live the irresistible lifestyle! Carry out influential works of service in Jesus’ name! As we do these things doors will open and lost people will be found, and that, after all, is why we’re here in the first place!
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