エフェソの信徒への手紙4:11-13 Ephesians 4:11-13,

こうして、聖なる者たちは奉仕の業に適した者とされ、キリストの体を造り上げてゆき、ついには、わたしたちは皆、神の子に対する信仰と知識において一つのものとなり、成熟した人間になり、キリストの満ちあふれる豊かさになるまで成長するのです。（エフェソ4:12-13）

ここで「奉仕」と翻訳されているディアコニアというギリシア語は、「務め」とも翻訳される言葉です。たとえば、コリントの信徒への手紙一の12章4節と5節には次のように記されています。「賜物にはいろいろありますが、それをお与えになるのは同じ霊です。務めにはいろいろありますが、それをお与えになるのは同じ主です。」パウロはこの箇所で、信徒たちが賜物に応じて教会の「務め」をすることを述べています。この箇所で「務め」と翻訳されているのが、本日の聖書の箇所では「奉仕」と翻訳されているディアコニアという言葉です。また、このディアコニアという言葉は「奉仕する任務」と翻訳されることもあります。たとえば、コリントの信徒への手紙二の5章18節で、パウロが「神は、キリストを通してわたしたちを御自分と和解させ、また、和解のために奉仕する任務をわたしたちにお授けになりました」と述べています。「奉仕する任務」というのが、本日の聖書の箇所で「奉仕」と翻訳されているディアコニアという言葉です。つまり、本日の箇所の12節の「聖なる者たちは奉仕の業に適した者とされ」るというのは、信徒の人たちが賜物に応じてさまざまな「務め」「奉仕する任務」をキリストから与えられるということを意味しています。

信徒の人たちが賜物に応じてさまざまな「務め」「奉仕する任務」をキリストから与えられることによって、12節の後半にあるように「キリストの体を造り上げて」ゆくことができるのです。ですから、キリスト教会における奉仕は、キリストから委託された「務め」をするという原則に従ってなされます。一人一人がやりたいことをするというのではありません。日本キリスト教会では、さまざまな会議や打ち合わせを通して、教師や信徒それぞれが委託された個別の「務め」が何であるかということが決められ、その決められたことに従って教会の奉仕がなされるのがルールです。　　（6月15日の説教より）

When we talk about “growth,” many people think of a child becoming an adult. That is certainly true. But what does it mean for a child to become an adult? I think the answers to that question vary widely. The most obvious example is physical growth, where the body becomes larger and takes on the form of an adult. However, growth is not limited to the body; the growth of the mind into an adult mind is also an important aspect of growth. The growth of the mind cannot be seen directly. However, when the mind grows, it manifests itself in the way one speaks and acts. So, what are the characteristics of an adult’s speech and actions? The answers to this question are also likely to vary. One possible answer is the ability to share. In other words, having an adult mind means being able to engage in sharing through speech and actions in various situations in life.

Let’s consider this in more concrete terms. Simply stating what you believe to be correct without considering others’ perspectives is not sharing. And that is not the way an adult speaks. However, that does not mean you should just remain silent. Sharing means listening to the other person’s perspective, considering what you can agree on, and then expressing your own thoughts. That is what sharing is all about. Similarly, imposing your own beliefs on others by action is not sharing. That is what is often called immature action. However, simply observing the other person’s reaction is not enough either. Sharing is about acknowledging the other person’s response to your action, adjusting your action in a way that the other person can accept, and sharing what you believe is good. That is what sharing is, and isn’t that the way a mature adult acts?

Christian fellowship is “the communion of saints,” that is, the communion of holy people. In the Apostles’ Creed, which we read together every week at worship, it is stated that we believe in “the communion of saints.” When you hear the word “saints,” some of you may say, “I am not a holy person who can be called a saint.” However, “saint” refers to people who have been chosen and saved by the holy and true God. It is because they have been chosen and saved by the holy and true God that they have been set apart from others and called “saints.” It does not mean that they were originally pure in their hearts and righteous in their actions. Regarding “the communion of saints,” the Heidelberg Catechism, which was written in Germany in the 16th century and systematically explains Christian doctrine, teaches as follows.

Question 55: What do you understand by“the communion of saints”?

Answer: First, that believers one and all, as members of this community, share in Christ and in all his treasures and gifts. Second, that each member should consider it a duty to use these gifts readily and joyfully for the service and enrichment of the other members.

 

Christ’s “treasures and gifts” are, above all, forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ. In addition, they include all the good things given to us for the purpose of witnessing to Christ. These include the power to proclaim Christ’s salvation and the ability to care for and consider others. And “sharing in all his treasures and gifts” means receiving a share of those “treasures and gifts.” Each Christian has received a share of “treasures and gifts” from Christ. We are called to use these “treasures and gifts” not only for our own sake, but also “readily and joyfully for the service and enrichment of the other members.” In other words, “the communion of saints” means that Christians share forgiveness of sins and eternal life, teach one another, and care for one another. What distinguishes this fellowship from worldly fellowship is that we share with other Christians the portion of “treasures and gifts” we have received from Christ. It is not simply a matter of imposing on others what we think is right or good. When we share the “treasures and gifts” we have received from Christ in a way that allows us to share them with others, each individual believer grows, and the church as a community also grows.

In verses 11-13 of today’s Bible passage, Paul says as follows.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds 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 fullness of Christ.

Paul says in verse 11, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,” explaining how Christ is present in the church. This means that Christ gave the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church and raised up people filled with the Holy Spirit to perform various ministries within the church. “Apostles” are people like Paul and Peter who directly encountered the resurrected Christ and became witnesses of Christ.” “Prophets” are not the prophets of the Old Testament, but people in the New Testament era who preached by receiving the Holy Spirit. “Evangelists” are people who did not directly encounter the resurrected Christ like the apostles, but who proclaimed the gospel of Christ. “Shepherds” are those who care for the souls of believers in the Christian church like shepherds who care for sheep, and “teachers” are those who teach the Bible and Christian doctrine in the Christian church. The phrase “the shepherds and teachers” may indicate that a single person can be both a “shepherd” and a “teacher.”

In fact, even in modern churches, caring for the souls of believers and teaching the Bible and Christian doctrine are deeply connected ministries. In our denomination, i.e., Church of Christ in Japan, one first studies at a theological seminary to gain a proper understanding of the Bible and Christian teachings. After passing an examination at the presbytery to which one belongs, one receives the licence of “teacher candidate.” After serving as a “teacher candidate” for at least two years, one takes the teacher examination given by the committee of the General Assembly. Upon passing, one is appointed as a “teacher” by the presbytery. After being appointed as a “teacher,” one becomes a “pastor” of a church or mission station through a resolution of the presbytery. That is, pastors in our denomination are those who have been recognised by the presbytery as having been given both the gifts of “shepherd” and “teacher.” In modern churches, in addition to the “shepherd” and “teacher” mentioned in verse 11, the ministries of each local church are carried out by lay members who have been given various gifts. There are elders who govern the church, deacons who perform various caring ministries, those who play music during worship, those who collect offerings and pray, Sunday school teachers who teach the Bible to children, those who serve as leaders in groups such as the men’s association and women’s association, those who manage finances, those who clean the church building, those who beautify the church building with flowers, and above all, participating in worship itself is a gift from God.

Even though the ministries each local church are carried out by believers who have been given various gifts, it does not mean that each person simply do whatever one wants to do. In verse 12, it is said, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” The Greek word “diakonia” (διακονία), translated here as “ministry,” can also be translated as “service.” For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, Paul says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord.” Paul is stating here that believers should perform the “service” according to the gifts they have received. “Service” means not doing what one wants to do but doing what is entrusted to do as service. In 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul says, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” “The ministry of reconciliation” is not something which humans do voluntarily, but mission given by God to do. In other words, the phrase “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” in verse 12 of today’s passage means that believers are given various “ministries” from Christ according to their gifts.

By being given various “ministries” by Christ according to their gifts, believers can “build up the body of Christ,” as mentioned in the latter half of verse 12. Therefore, service in the Christian church is carried out according to the principle of performing the “ministries” entrusted by Christ. It is not a matter of each person doing what they want to do. In our denomination, through various meetings and discussions, it is decided what the individual “ministry” entrusted to each believer is, and the activities of church are carried out according to those decisions.

What happens when believers are given gifts and “ministries” from Christ and “build up the body of Christ”? This is what is described in verse 13: “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 fullness of Christ.” When believers are given gifts and “ministries” from Christ and “build up the body of Christ,” first they “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” In 4:5, Paul mentions, “one faith.” As I explained in my explanation of that passage, “one faith” refers to the correct faith in the triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Specifically, it refers to the faith confessed in the Apostles’ Creed.

When I say, “the faith confessed in the Apostles’ Creed,” some may say, “I already know that basic thing.” However, in the relatively short history of the Protestant Church in Japan, which has only existed for about 153 years, is this basic truth truly believed by Christians? For example, do Japanese Christians truly believe from the bottom of their hearts that Christ is alive today as the eternal King in heaven beyond this world, that Christ will return on the Last Day to judge the world, and that those who believe in Christ and follow him will be resurrected into the bodies of eternal life? Among those who have been baptised but disregard the church, are there not some who think, “I cannot believe such things that go beyond common sense”? By serving in the formation of the Christian church and “building up the body of Christ,” believers can come to sincerely believe these things that go beyond common sense and “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” And it is precisely because they “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,” that they can engage in various activities of the church with a united mind.

As believers receive gifts and “ministries” from Christ and “build up the body of Christ,” they secondly attain “mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” When we read the original Greek text of the Bible, we see that “mature manhood” is written in the singular form, not the plural. In other words, this passage is not saying that individual believers become mature human beings, but that the church, as the body of Christ, becomes a single person with “mature manhood.” Of course, this does not deny that individual believers grow as Christians by serving as members of the church. In verse 14 Paul says, “we may no longer be children.” In the original Greek text of the Bible, the word “children” is written in the plural form. Since it says that believers are no longer “children,” verse 14 is stating that each believer grows and becomes no longer immature.

Nevertheless, in verse 13, Paul states that the church, which is the body of Christ, becomes a community with a single personality of “mature manhood.” How should we understand this nuance? Within the Christian church, there are various kinds of people, and we sometimes encounter people who, through much learning and life experience, consider themselves to be “mature human beings.” Such people may look down on others or make definitive negations about others because of their self-confidence. However, if such people are truly “mature human beings,” they would not look down on others or make definitive negations about others. Looking down on others or making definitive negations about others is a sign of immaturity. In other words, even people who consider themselves to be “mature human beings” have immature aspects. To put it another way, it is impossible for each individual believer to become a completely “mature human being.” Rather, each individual believer, who is given growth but also has immature aspects, is united by the gifts and “ministries” given by Christ, and the church as a community becomes a single personality of “mature manhood.” The growth of each individual believer and the growth of the church as a community are inseparably connected, but what we ultimately aim for is for the church as a community to become one “mature manhood.” That is, as stated at the end of verse 14, it is for the church as a community to grow “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

We have been called to be members of this community, the Shiki Kita Presbyterian Church. Therefore, we wish to share the “treasures and gifts” we have received from Christ in a way that allows us to share them with other believers, so that this Shiki Kita Presbyterian Church may grow to become one “mature manhood.” And we wish to walk together toward the goal that this Shiki Kita Presbyterian Church becomes a community where “the fullness of Christ” overflows, and where we can share Christ’s grace with those around us.