Eph 1:1+2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We will proceed this morning with more of the continuing aspects of the grace of God that we have been considering for the past number of Sundays. We are still in the initial stages of our introductory remarks concerning this Letter to the Ephesians. Today, we will take these introductory statements a bit deeper into chapters 3 and 4. This is with the heart to see an even more defined aspect of the active and powerful grace of God in and to His church. 
We are seeing that even a seemingly simple introductory greeting of the Apostle Paul is filled with tremendous truths and inherent spiritual value as it expresses some of the glorious characteristics of God Almighty. His grace can never be taken as just a simple statement of greeting. It holds far too much of the splendor of God vested in Jesus Christ. Every letter written by the Apostle Paul contains this type of greeting or blessing with the view of the saints being set apart with the grace and the peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, this should not be considered just a pattern of writing. The Apostle Paul fully knew what he was calling forth in this blessing. That greeting was precisely for the grace and the peace of God to be evident, to be active, to become the vital expression of the church, no matter what the vicinity, no matter what other reasons may have precipitated the writing. He loved the members of the church and he desired that all would come into this full relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
We saw a portion of this practiced Grace of God last week as we looked at the manner in which the Apostle Paul so loved his fellow Jews and so loved all the members of the early church. This in itself is a tremendous aspect of the grace of God seen in His people. For the Apostle Paul, for every minister to so shepherd the flock requires the over abundant Grace of God. It takes God’s Grace to make a caring and protective minister who seeks only the greatest of all blessings upon the people of God. As in the Apostle Paul’s case, that Grace worked to such an extent that his heart of love flowed forth even to those who had persecuted him.
This heart of the Apostle Paul is articulated in Rom 1:5+6 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;… Please consider that we have seen the gift of God’s Grace expressed in God giving forth His Son to redeem us unto Himself. We see the grace of God lavished upon us with the indwelling of the Holy Sprit to comfort, to guide, to admonish, and to strengthen us into conformity with Jesus Christ. We see the grace of God shed in all liberality upon us by the giving of the Living Word of God to open forth His heart into our lives. We know this grace by the ministry of the Holy Spirit breathing it actively into our heart, soul, and spirit. 
	In Eph 3:4-10, we read the following from the heart of the Apostle as he lays before us the full recognition of the mystery of the Church created by the Love of God. When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This mystery of the Church as the manifold wisdom of God is God’s expressed grace. It has been the heart of God from before eternity that in the Church, there would be a relationship between Creator and Creation that was fully established, built and maintained by His grace incarnate, Jesus Christ. It is a complete relationship of the love of God. That is why we are called the Body of Christ, the many members of a body that serve the entire body with Christ as the Head over all things. It is in Him, that each member becomes seen as being unto the fullness of the grace of God in action. 
Eph 4:11-16 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love. 
We must give God honor for the wondrous gift of the work of His grace evidenced in the ministers, the teachers, the bearers of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the musicians, all those who serve the needs of the church, of the Body. This is one of the most active aspects of God’s grace that is oft times overlooked or simply taken for granted. God has made every provision in His Grace, by His Grace, and through His Grace, to supply the church, the Body of Christ, with people who are indwelled by His heart of love. Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. 
It is the grace of God that creates a man or woman whose heart seeks earnestly only after the work of being the servants of the people of God. No personal credit desired. No focus after fame or any of man’s honors. The heart of these chosen ones is after that alone which will but serve to nourish, to uplift, to instruct, to admonish, and to love in fellowship those brought into their charge by the Lord. They are laden with a great responsibility that only can be fully met by the grace of God. 
Look into the lives of every man and woman of God and one will find a life that has been fully crucified to the work of God by His Grace. This does not mean they are perfect; please don’t think that of any person except Our Lord Jesus Christ. What it does mean is that their lives are not their own. They belong to the Lord to do with them as He ordains fit and proper. That takes the absolute Grace of God in training, trust, faith, prayer, and utter submission to bring forth only that which the Lord desires to use to edify, to build up His Body. These are those men and women of God who seek only to hear the Lord speak the words of Matt 25:21, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 
It is the joy of the Lord that keeps the heart focused on being that which is needed in the Body relationship which they tend with all the love and patience and endurance and encouragement and strength in the Lord. There is no question in these hearts about laying down their lives for any member of the Body. Again, they do so with no seeking after glory for themselves. They seek no earthly recognition. All they desire with all their hearts is simply the glory of God to reign preeminently. We read the entire focus of their lives in Gal 6:14 But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 
This is as it should be. As we read in Acts 6:1-7, this same grace was at work within the early church as it is in today’s church. Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch'orus, and Nica'nor, and Ti'mon, and Par'menas, and Nicola'us, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. 
As is evident then, a minister can not meet the every need of the Body. Some members were being neglected, mainly the widows. The body was called together to pick those of good repute to do the serving and the other tasks necessary for the maintaining of the Body. The criterion of this good repute is very telling in terms of the ones supplied by God’s grace for these tasks. They had to be full of the Spirit and of wisdom. This wisdom was not the wisdom of this world. It was and still is the very wisdom of God established as the lives of these servants. This relieved the ministers wholly to pray and to study the Word and to minister the Good News of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. A minister is but one of the servants chosen from among the Body to the prayer and the ministry of the Word, as our Acts passage indicates. The needs of the Body were and still are such that it requires the entire body of believers to give themselves unto the Lord for that which His grace produces in the gifts that are bestowed upon it. 
This charge of the care of the flock is placed upon many in the flock. It is set into the beings of those prayer warriors who constantly hold up the members of the church before God’s throne of grace. These are those members who have taken upon themselves the service of holding all the members of the rest of the Body constantly in prayer. They are the ones who take any of the decisions that need to be made before the Lord for His Aye or Nay, and then stand firmly and faithfully resolute in the answer that is received. 
God’s grace is seen in the tape ministry, constantly supplying the needs of those who cannot otherwise hear the Word of God preached and taught. It is in the ministry of the musicians who faithfully give themselves to the Lord for the gathering of songs and praise unto God Almighty. They teach the fellowship of believer’s joyful songs of praise and adoration and worship to all the more fully honor God in song and in deed from the very depths of our hearts. God’s grace is evidenced in the ministry of the communion service, dependably making certain that the communion table is ready for the joining of the Body together in commemoration of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a ministry of the love of God in the beauty of Christ represented by those who bring the flowers that adorn the communion table. It is a ministry of grace in those who weekly serve the rest of the body by being here to set up the chairs and the tables and then put them back after the worship is ended. God’s active grace is seen in those teachers who have taken the young into their hearts to bring forth the clarity of the Word unto these growing learners. It is seen in the manner in which the elderly are served as their needs are made known.
God’s ministry of grace is seen in every member of the body, great or small. There is joy that infuses the Body as the little ones sing and pray and ask questions. There is fellowship and unity as the older ones share the wisdom that has been given them by the Lord. There is service in the youth as they give themselves to study the Word together, pray together, and seek to honor God in their daily lives at school, at home, and within the fellowship of believers. We have received the grace of God in the ministry of those who faithfully and trustworthily maintain the necessary accounting and reporting aspects. I know that there are many more in the Body who have given themselves in various ways and manners for the sake of all the members of the Church. This is as it should be. This is a family relationship in action of purpose by the Grace of God. Every member of the Body works together for the sake of the entire body of the Church.
Eph 4:7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. And, as we read in verse 11, his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. And what is the reason for building up the Body of Christ? Again we have it given to us in Eph 3:10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. It is in the church that God’s tremendous plan and purpose for all creation will be seen to the glory of God for His perfect wisdom in the manner in which the church is brought into being. The heavenly hosts and powers are the witness of the wisdom of God’s Grace in building the church, fitting each living stone perfectly into place in Christ Jesus, making the many into one body to the utmost glory of His Son.
This was shown in the Old Testament, as we see the process of God equipping those for service who were needed for the temple, the type of the church, to be built. That is what is taking place, after all, the building together of all of us into the one Body of Christ. Ex 28:3 And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with an able mind, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. There were those whom God endowed with an able mind to make the garments of the priests for their ministry unto the people of Israel. There were very specific requirements established by God for the priest’s robes. Not just anyone could make them. They had to be woven and crafted with skill, with patience, with endurance, using only the finest of materials in order to be used to minister unto the Lord for the service of the Children of Israel. 
Ex 31:3-6 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oho'liab, the son of Ahis'amach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: The actual construction of the tent of meeting, the temple, the physical type of the church, was accomplished because God, in His expressed grace, filled Bez'alel with the ability, with the intelligence, with the knowledge, and with the skill necessary for the task. He endowed the craftsman with the wisdom required to do the work essential to such a fine degree of master craftsmanship that it would be to the specific demands of God. That takes place today. It is in the heart that God works to establish the ability, the workmanship, the patience, and the wisdom of Grace that causes the one so gifted with the talent required to serve the Body. This Old Testament type of craftsmanship is evident in the work done in service to the Lord for the Church. God raises up and trains those for whom such service is not a burden, but a fulfillment of what God’s grace has put into their hearts.
Ex 35:25+26 And all women who had ability spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; all the women whose hearts were moved with ability spun the goats' hair. All the women whose hearts were moved with ability. How true is that of the servants of the Body? Consider those duties that are daily and weekly performed for the sake of the Church. We will not catalogue them as we have already mentioned a few of them earlier in our consideration. What we need to do is thank the Lord for His Grace in establishing those men and women whose hearts are so moved with ability in the service of Love. We should thank God that in His infinite Grace, He has graced us, literally graced us with women and men who hold the Church together through their chosen hearts of capacity to meet the needs of the youth, the young, the aged, the sick, the joyful, the mourning, and the rest of the Body, no matter what the call for service requires. I especially thank the Lord for the fact that, in our fellowship, we have those stalwarts whose hearts are so graced with the ability of taking everything to the Lord in prayer and to stand with others in that prayer. They have established a prayer chain to get the prayer requests into the hearts of all who are able to take a stand for righteousness in each situation. That is just one aspect to this stand of prayer that is taken by these faithful servants by the Grace of God. 
On a personal note, there have been a number of the members within our fellowship that stood in prayer with me throughout my teenage years and early twenties, just as there are for all the youth of our fellowship today. These blessed ones refused to lose their heart of love and prayer, even when it seemed like it was all in vain. I remember, now ever so thankfully, how I knew that I was covered in love and prayer, no matter what. They never lost hope. They never lost heart. They never lost their love for the Lord in graciously lifting up one such as me. I so thank the Lord for each one of them today. It was the prayers of the saints, these hearts of love and grace that kept me covered in their ceaseless standing before the throne of God that has seen me through thus far. It is that grace of God that will see all of the members of the church through to the fulfillment of God’s heart set in the church.
Ex 35:31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,… What we have begun to see this morning is that the Grace of God, so called forth upon the church by the Apostle Paul, is set into service with a very specific heart of God to bring into being His fellowship. It is His Grace actively at work in us to establish that relationship for eternity, His Church in Christ. There are many needs within the church, from teaching, to prayer, to setting up chairs, and supplying food to the members. Each of these elements is a most practical aspect of the working of God’s grace. Each member of the church is a part of the Body, fit together into one, into Christ Jesus, and is to be of service to the entire body. It is a service of Love, equipped by the Holy Spirit, to express God’s Grace in most practical and applicable manners that meet the daily needs of the Church. This is the Grace of God bringing into being, into perfection, the bride of Christ in all purity, chasteness, and love unto Her Husband. This is the church triumphant, the church built by the Grace of God. Amen
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Amen

Our benediction this morning is found in Ps 25:4-10 Make me to know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; for thee I wait all the day long. Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord, and of thy steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions; according to thy steadfast love remember me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.  All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. Amen