Ephesians 4
August 4, 2022
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his 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…” (v11-14a)
Christ’s purpose for pastors is not that they “do the ministry” while the people spectate. The purpose of a pastor is to equip God’s people to do the “ministry” (v12) and become “mature” (v13). In this way, no one in the church will remain an “infant.” Rather, we’ll all grow up into spiritual adulthood, capable of spiritually feeding ourselves and feeding others.
Father, I praise You for Your design for the church and for pastors. Help me to see my pastoral role the way Your Word outlines it. Empower me to serve in a way that “equips” (v12) Your people to minister and mature. Thank You for the way I see You doing this through NT260, as hundreds are learning to daily get into Your Word, and share insights and lessons they’re learning with others. I pray that You would continue to grow the Trinity family to minister and mature. For Your glory, and our good!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
