READ
Ephesians 4:11-16
CONSIDER
This week, our new church wide sermon series, “The Glorious Church”, will come to an end. We will talk about the fullness of the glorious church with the scripture reading from Ephesians 4:11-16. In North America, we are living in the societies of individualism, as well as American Dreams of individual rights and freedoms. We are accustomed to these ideologies and as the matter of fact, most people pursue individual glory and honor unconsciously.
However, in the scripture we read this week, the fullness church is achieved by a body of people under the lordship of Christ who strive to mature in faith and in love, and at the same time to encourage one another to fulfill their roles in the body and exercise their gifts bestowed by God. How does this passage talk to our current generation who emphasizes the individual rights?
See you Sunday.
Pastor Julian Wong
PRAY
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for your love and giving me the church to grow in You. Whenever I am trying to pursue personal glory, may Your Spirit remind me what to pursue and give me the humility to discern and to listen. Your Word reminds me that I should not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. May the Spirit transform me to reflect God’s glory in the body of Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
DIVING DEEPER
What is your personal goal this year?
If you are in a community group, what is your contribution to the growth of the group? What is your community goal?
Reflect on this statement: “Build people to lead the church vs Build the church to let people lead”. Are they the same? What are the differences?