Ephesians 4:11-13 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.

Last week, we had a guest speaker talk about "Everyone Gets to Play," and it was such a powerful reminder that in the Kingdom of God, all are invited to participate and have a role and function. And that's exactly what Paul is highlighting in this chapter in Ephesians.

Over the last couple of chapters, Paul has been driving home this point that God is in the business of reconciliation, and that He is wanting the Church to be all that Christ intended (upon this rock, I build my church!). Controversies and problems have a way of taking us off track, but God has given the Church all that it needs to survive and thrive.

Each of these roles and functions come together to build the Church up, and we need all of these in order to be what God calls us to be.

Just as he does in 1st Corinthians, Paul is highlighting the importance of the gifts being used not to puff anyone or anything up but to glorify Christ and be a part of God's ever expanding Kingdom.