Key Text: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly jointed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).
The theme of John Mark’s (his full name) book is the “Good News” about Jesus Christ who explains truth with the use of parables to effect believers who will disclose it and unbelievers who will try to hide it, a spiritual test. The unbelievers are those who are “outside” the kingdom of God, and some of the Pharisees must be counted in this condemnation Jesus said the truth is made clear to those who believe and follow Him. Christ explains the details about God’s kingdom in The Parable of the Sower, The Parable of the Candle, The Parable of New Standards, The Parable about Growth, and The Parable of the Mustard Seed.
While serving as parables in themselves, they also encourage those who will be sowing God’s word and view it in an eschatological (end times) sense. That is, the kingdom of God will come in its fullness when God reigns over the earth: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). And, although the Parable of the Mustard Seed did not spell out the mystery of plant growth which produces fruit, Jesus said that, “he should sleep by night and rise by day, for so the words are obviously to be understood…for the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself…” v 28. Christians may enjoy fruitful lives without thoroughly understanding the process. Then, the kingdom of God, which is generated in the soul by the world of life, though it starts small; is full of promise. The faith and love of the believing soul increases abundantly and is filled with all of the fullness of God. When the corn is ripe, it reapens for the benefit of the one who sowed it. So when a soul is saved from all sin, it is capable of being fully employed in the work of the Lord, fully fitted for the Master’s use, such is also the beginning of the church. Christ rebukes those who deprive the world and the Church of the manifestation of the glory of His grace. The Parable of the Mustard Seed speaks of what God can do with small beginnings and His assurance of harvest. The bush grew large and acted like a tree where “fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it” v 32. Perhaps the birds of the air may represent different nations (Daniel 4:12) or perhaps Jesus was telling the disciples to get ready – that many different people would become a part of his kingdom, a worldwide mission and growth.
In the progression of the church in growth and development, Paul writes to the Ephesians, “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3), a common hope in Christ. The church is the one body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentiles who have been reconciled to God through Christ. There is only One Body (His Church), One Spirit (The Holy Ghost), One Hope (everlasting glory), One Lord (the Governor of this Church), One faith (one system of religion), One baptism (administered in the name of the Holy Trinity), and One God (The Fountain of all being).
God has established several offices in His Church and He gives them “proper gifts for the perfecting of the saints” v12. They are God’s appointed means to equip His church for ministry and mission, to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith… growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness” v 14. Part of maturity is the ability to evaluate different truth claims in order to reject those that are unworthy of the gospel, and to embrace those that are from God. Christlikeness is the key to the growth and maturity of the church.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was to highlight the right motive for ministry in love, the whole system of doctrine of God’s eternal love to mankind, which must be preached. Scolding and abuse from the pulpit in matters of religion, are monstrous. Paul’s vision for the church was likened to understanding physical health and how one part of the body affects other parts: the articulation of the bones, the composition and action of the muscles, the circulation of the fluids, carrying nourishment to every part and depositing some in every place, the functions, being particularly introduced, and the whole terminating in the general process of nutrition, increasing the body, and supplying all the waste that had taken place in consequence of labor v 16.
We are called to holiness by the gospel. Every time a person fails to respond in faith to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, his or her heart becomes a little harder. The picture Paul painted serves to remind his listeners of how futile it was to live in bondage to sin. It should serve the same purpose for us today. AMEN!
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