Growing Up
A Sermon on Ephesians 4:14-16
Originally preached Jan. 12, 1958
Scripture
14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, …
Sermon Description
Christians are designed by God to live in unity together. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:14–16 titled “Growing Up,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones makes this strong point as he shows the balance and community needed to live the Christian life. As believers become stronger and more firm in their faith, they also grow in the body of Christ. Paul says that all Christians have different and varying roles, but all are essential for the life of the church and one’s personal spiritual growth. It is simply impossible for a Christian to grow as they should when they are not part of a community of believers. This message is of increasing importance in the loneliness and isolation of today’s world. As Christ is the head of the church, so all Christians are connected to Him and to each other as a part of this living organism. All parts are connected to one another and serve a specific role in the life of the church. All believers ought to strive to live in such a way so that they are living in fellowship and harmony with all believers and Christ Jesus who is the head. This is the only way to grow fully in maturity for which all believers should be continually striving.
Sermon Breakdown
- The theme of the sermon is unity in the church. The apostle Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 4:3 by saying we should "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".
- Paul describes the church using the metaphor of a body. Christ is the head of the body (Ephesians 4:15-16).
- As members of the body of Christ, we are "fitly joined together" (Ephesians 4:16). This means we are closely connected and work together harmoniously.
- We are also "compacted" (Ephesians 4:16) which means we are closely knit together mentally and share a unity of understanding.
- The body is supplied and grows through the "joints" or "bands" that connect us (Ephesians 4:16). The joints are channels through which abundant life and energy flow to each part of the body.
- Each part of the body receives the supply it needs according to its capacity (Ephesians 4:16). Though we have different capacities and functions, we each receive what we need.
- The ultimate purpose of this structure is the growth and building up of the body in love (Ephesians 4:16). Love is the greatest virtue (1 Corinthians 13:13) and the body should reflect the love of the head which is Christ.
- For the body to fully grow, each individual part must be filled to capacity and functioning properly (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). If one part suffers, the whole body suffers. Each member is vital for maturity.
- We must no longer remain as children but grow up into Christ, the head, in all aspects of our lives (Ephesians 4:14-15). We must grow in knowledge, emotion, and behavior to properly reflect Christ.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.