Maturity; Ephesians 4

May the mumbling commence!

Let’s talk about maturity.  What does it mean to grow up in maturity in Christ – to grow mentally and spiritually?  And where does this maturity transform deep-seated and problematic attitudes with attitudes for our new life in Jesus.  Paul uses the metaphor of the human body for the church.  He named Christ Jesus as the Head of the body. 

I’ve stopped to think about this assignment for Jesus in terms of today’s understanding of the body (fully knowing that the understanding in Paul’s time was different).  In humanity’s study of the human body, much has been discovered.  However, the functioning of the human brain is still mainly a mystery.  We know in the complex of the brain we have the organ that controls all the other organs in the body.  We have that part down, but we know very little about how the human brain allows for memory and thoughts and emotions and attitudes and such.  The human brain is a beautiful mystery to us – just as the Lord is a beautiful mystery to us.  There is no coincidence here!

So reaching maturity means growing in our understanding of the Head of the church, Jesus Christ.  And the Head contains the brain.  We can look to the faith of science and/or we can look to faith in Christ.  For some people this faith choice is a both-and and for some it really is an either-or proposition.  Regardless of how your faith leads you, I believe it is essential to study Christ Jesus to reach maturity – your total fullness and total fulfillment.  So let’s read what Paul wrote to the Ephesian church in chapter four:

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  This is why it says:

"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train

and gave gifts to men." 

(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?  He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 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. 

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.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  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. (Verses 7-16)   

God has given each of us grace.  To some, Christ has given the grace of being apostles.  To some, Christ has given the grace of being prophets.  To some, Christ has given the grace of being evangelists.  To some, Christ had given the grace of being pastors.  To some, Christ has given the grace of being teachers.  And each of these graces is needed to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the entire body is built up in a unified faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus.  Only then can we reach full maturity and the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Notice the being nature of these graces.  We are not apostles or prophets or evangelists or pastors or teachers because of what we do.  These graces are woven into the very fabric of our beings.  Doing alone does not make one any of these things.  Christians do because they are.  And everything that we are is owed to the saving work of Christ, our Head.  Jesus is our love and truth.  It is this truth and love that we must speak to one another.  Then, we will grow up into him that is the Head – Christ Jesus.  He joins us and holds us together through the ligaments of love and patience and peace and hope and joy and kindness and goodness and generosity…

The beautiful mystery unfolds when each part does its work.  When I say “each part,” I mean each of the aforementioned ligaments and each of the members of the body.  Our job, as members of Christ’s body is to help each other discover who we are and whose we are.  Then our being will lead to our doing and maturing in Christ Jesus.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out