The Guide for Maturity in Christ Jesus

A Practical Road-map

The Guide for Maturity in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 4:11-13 provides a practical solution to allow the Church to be matured and equipped to complete “The Mission” with a competent, confident “Message” to a world that is lost in sin and destined for an eternity apart from their Creator. But lets look at Ephesians 4:8 which sets the stage for verses 11-13.

Ephesians 4:8  “Therefore it says,
“When He ascended on high,
He led captive a host of captives,
And He gave gifts to men.”

This verse is a Messianic prophecy from Psalms 68:18. The reference to the ascension should not go unnoticed here in that it links this passage to the “Great Commission”. Before Jesus ascended into heaven he gave the “Great Commission”. 

 Acts 1:7-8 is a parallel passage for the “Great Commission” of Mathew 28:18-20 and a short time later, on Pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit as well as the gifts of the Spirit were given to the disciples and those with them in the upper room.

Acts 1:7-8 “He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”

You may wonder how the Ephesians passage could be related to the “Great Commission”. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus essentially commanded that we go, preach and teach. In Ephesians 4:8-16 the Apostle Paul begins with what happened on Pentecost and then expands on the second two commands of preaching and teaching in such a way that others would be inspired to do the same. This road-map is a clear nomenclature for church maturity and growth  By focusing on the maturing and growing we also facilitate the going. The natural process of growth should spur a natural movement outward. This is not prevalent in churches today which have become introverted to the point of selfish comfort rather than selfless concern for those around them who are perishing.