Rev. Ted Ekholm
September 12, 2010 at Galilee Baptist Church

Building Up the Body
Ephesians 2:19-22
What we do affects the growth of the Church.

The purpose of God's gifts is:

1. To preserve Christian unity. (4:13a)

2. To promote Christian knowledge. (4:13b)

3. To persevere in Christian love. (4:15a)

"From Him the whole body...grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work," 4:16 NIV

"...When each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love." 4:16 RSV

The Bible Text

Ephesians 4:7-16 NIV

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
8 This is why it says:
    "When he ascended on high,
    he led captives in his train
    and gave gifts to men."
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 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.
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.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
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.