LPO Summer 2009 Pete Phillips St John's College Durham Ephesians - Food for the soul… Postcards at front: €1 each, €3 for pack of 5

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 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." 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.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Return to consequences - waves  Prisoner – but call to holiness  Holiness is a response to the rest...  Humility, gentleness, patience, love  unity, peace – reflect Gal 5 fruit Maturity and life in the Spirit Maturity and life in the Spirit 1 As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received...

Friday Morning Maturing in Christ Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16)

Maturing in Christ Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16)

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players, they have their exits and entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. At first the infant, mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school. And then the lover, sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel, seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice in fair round belly, with good capon lin'd, with eyes severe, and beard of formal cut, full of wise saws, and modern instances, and so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, with spectacles on nose, and pouch on side, his youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide, for his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, turning again towards childish treble, pipes and whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Maturing in Christ Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16)

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 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." 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.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Spiritual maturity – unity  Not a call to monolithic theology  One Lord, one faith, one baptism  One God and Father – all pretty easy  Questions arise with one body  Probably worse with one Spirit 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Over all, through all, in all  Nascent universalism?  Omnipresence of God  – general vs. particular grace/gifts  See vvs – gifts to prep people!  Becoming mature – fulness of Christ 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

What does this image say in terms of unity and gifting? Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16)

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Spiritual maturity – steadiness, calm  Mark 4 – calming of storm  Hebrew horror of the sea and Tiamat  Turmoil is de-creation  Ordering is re-creation  Maturity is conformity with creation 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.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  From sea to garden to body  cf. John 15 – image of vine  Branches need to be grafted in to become mature – take in Christ’s life  But maturity depends upon incorporation into the body of Christ  Paul's use of body imagery – all involved 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.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Christianity isn’t about individual holiness but social holiness – group holiness  Working together is what it is all about – we grow to maturity together 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.

Maturing in Christ Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16) How are others encouraging you to gain maturity?

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Holiness is not from us but from God  Preview of tomorrow...positional holiness  Old self – human, individual, corrupt, weak, works  New self – divine, incorporated, pure, strong, grace  And yours? 24...to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8,  Life of the Spirit a priority  Then comes gifting  Then follows fulness  Then follows maturity  Then follows stability  The continues growth 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.

Maturing in Christ: Ephesians 4:1-8, 14-16

Maturing in Christ Ephesians 4 (4:1-6, 14-16) Where are you in the cycle?

LPO Summer 2009 Pete Phillips St John's College Durham Ephesians - Food for the soul… Postcards at front: €1 each, €3 for pack of 5