1. Called to Maturity in the Church

The pursuit of Christ is more than just starting a relationship with Jesus, there is an important element of spiritual growth.

Gifts given to the church to bring us to “be mature in the Lord measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” Ephesians 4: 13

2. Supernatural Gifts.

We forget that the church is called to be supernatural.

  1. People not changed with clever sounding arguments, but by the Holy Spirit changing hearts.
  2. Whenever a situation in society was beyond repair, God raised up a person and supernaturally worked through them to change the atmosphere.
    1. David and Goliath. (Sports have brought this down to an upset, but it was a death situation)
    2. Moses 80 year old with a one line sermon “Let my people go”
  3. We try to excuse anything beyond our comprehension.

EXAMPLE: man praying for a parking spot, never mind, I found one.

1 Corinthians 12: 7 Gifts given for the common good

3.The wild goose

Talked a few weeks ago about the Irish and peregrishino which is taking part of the great adventure.

St. Patrick described the Holy Spirit as a Wild Goose rather than a dove.

  1. Flying in a V gives the geese a 71% greater range in flying.  The flapping creates an updraft that the others can ride on.
  2. The lead goose does not experience this updraft so they tire.  They go to the back and another takes its place to lead.
  3. Flying alone, you feel the drag of doing it alone so they quickly come back in formation.
  4. If one falls out, others go down with it until it recovers or dies.  Then they take off in a new formation heading in the same direction as the others.
  5. They honk as they fly to encourage others to keep up the speed.

This is a picture of the church.  People leading others and encouraging growth, taking care of the wounded, and knowing that together, we can go farther.

Atrophy wasting away of a part of the body.  Poor circulation inadequate nourishment, broken bones, no fitness.

4. Ephesian Gifts

Ephesians 4: 11 – 13  Talking about how we are to pursue Jesus as a body then Context is Jesus coming out of hell in totally victory and he is giving gifts to his church.

  1. All of these oversee a flow in the church that is needed
    1. The evangelists oversees conversion
    2. The teacher disciples
    3. The pastor makes sure the body is healthy
    4. The Apostle plants new churches and moves out into the darkness
    5. The Prophet corrects and edifies the church.
  2. We have put a lot of stress on the pastoral without thinking what their role may be.
    1. Prophet mentioned 458 singular and plural forms
    2. Apostle 89
    3. Pastor 1
    4. Teacher 139
    5. Evangelist 3
  3. We give the wrong names to these gifts.
    1. Evangelist may come into town and nobody accepts the lord so he is a traveling teacher.
  4. Every time there is a revival, all five of the offices are working in the life of the church.

Jesus wants to supernaturally disciple his church so we would become mature attaining the full measure of what He has for us.  He is going to do this supernaturally through us.

Questions:

  1. What is the Holy Spirit and what is me.? At the start it may be hard to discern, but it is too important to ignore.
  2. So what am I? is really the wrong question.  it is not about titles.

People will follow followers as we follow Christ.  We are called to get out of the way so they can follow Christ. Perechoresis

Perechoresis is stepping aside so the others can have their place.

1 Corinthians 14: 30 if one is prophesying and another has a revelation the first person is suppose to stop and let the other person speak

5. Supernatural Church.

Wind is blowing and we are called to be a part of it.

Don’t know what this always looks like.  Jesus was the most supernatural man that ever lived, yet he was rejected in his home town because he just seemed so ordinary.

EXAMPLE: supernatural is not just in the service but as the church ministers in the community Paul and Apron.

To be part of the great choreography some are going to have to learn to speed up and others are going to have to learn to slow down.

Hard to lay hold of something new while holding onto the past.

Make us a supernatural church.