Key Truth: The purpose of the church is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and mature us further into the image of Christ for the life of the world.  

What does it look like to grow in maturity in the image of Christ?

“Christian maturity is not a matter of doing more for God; it is God doing more in and through us. Immaturity is noisy with anxiety-fueled self-importance. Maturity is quietly content to pursue a life of obedient humility. Christian worship is an intentional act of redressing the proportions, the priorities—from me working for God to God working in me, which is the Holy Spirit.”

Eugene H. Peterson, Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ

The Purpose of the Church: Equip and Mature the Saints in Christ:

Ephesians 4:11-16

“…the fellowship where the Word of God is expounded and applied in the power of the Spirit becomes a hospital for the sick and a gymnasium to build up spiritual strength and stamina. Here the ministry of the Word of God does its own healing, cleansing, transforming work on our sinful and broken lives. The result is that through its exposition the preached and received word strengthens  the fellowship of believers and builds it up in unity, knowledge of Christ, spiritual height, and balanced growth until it comes to spiritual maturity. This is the biblical understanding of the preaching of the Word of God. Its goal is not merely educational but transformational; it informs the mind in order to touch the conscience, mould the will, cleanse the affections and sanctify the whole life.”

Sinclair B. Ferguson, Let’s Study Ephesians 

Do you trust the means that Jesus has provided to help you grow in serving others and maturity in His image?

What are some ways in which you have grown in serving others through the means of grace in the last year?

What are some ways in which you have matured further into the image of Christ through the means of grace in the last year?

Application: 

Ephesians 4:11-16 teaches us that the purpose of the church is to:
-equip the saints for the work of the ministry and mature us further into the image of Christ  

Benediction:

Ephesians 6:23-24