THIS IS A SPECIAL "HOME CHURCH" MESSAGE FROM PASTOR KYLE DURING THIS TIME WITHOUT CHURCH SERVICES BEING HELD DUE TO COVID19.

FOR PRINTABLE PDF OF THIS MESSAGE, CLICK HERE.

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Hello Church Family,
Below is a Bible study for you to use for your “at home” church service this Sunday.

Missing you all,
- Pastor Kyle

“Home Church” Bible Study Guide

Topic: Speak the Truth in Love

♦ OPEN in prayer—you may include prayer requests and praises that have come down the prayer chain this week.

♦ SING some worship songs. Feel free to do this however you prefer, but at the bottom of this message are some options for you to sing acapella or with an instrument, if you can. Save the last song, “When We All Get to Heaven,” for the end of your Bible study time.

Read Ephesians 4:1-16

• In verses 1-3, Paul describes how we as believers are called to live. List as many of these as you can find (depending on how you break this down, there are at least 6).
• In verses 4-6, Paul describes the unity of the body of Christ (the church). List all the ways Paul describes how we are unified as one body.

Verse 7 states that Christ has given each of us a special spiritual gift. In verses 8-10, Paul explains that because of all that Christ did by fulfilling all prophecy, completing the redemptive work on the cross, and ascending on high, He has been given the right to rule the church and to give gifts accordingly to each of us.

• What commonality do the gifts listed in verse 11 have with each other?

Even though we don’t have apostles and prophets today in the form that they existed in the early church, we do have their writings in the books and letters that make up the inspired Word of God, as well as those today who have been called to be evangelists, pastor teachers, and teachers.

• According to verses 12-13, what is the purpose of these God-appointed ministries?
• If the purpose of these ministries is to equip and mature the body, then according to verse 14, what essential role does the body have?
• As the body matures the way we’re supposed to, verse 15 tells us we should be “speaking the truth in love” to one another. In this context, what does it mean to speak the truth in love?

To speak the truth means to “tell it as it is” and to not withhold vital information, or speak with an intent to deceive. To speak the truth in love, would mean to do so with the best interest of the other person in mind (e.g. 1 Corinthians 13). However, to speak the truth in love does not mean that we must sugar coat everything in order to avoid all conflict. I’m sure that we’ve all heard the phrase “tough love.” Often the truth hurts and is offensive in and of itself. To speak the truth in love is to do so in a way that the truth is what’s offensive, and not us or how we say it that’s offensive.

• According to the next part of verse 15, what role does speaking the truth in love to one another play in the growth and unity of the church?
• In the last part of verse 15 through verse 16, what role does Christ have in the church? Why is it vital that we remember this at all times?

Read Ephesians 4:25-32

Verse 25 addresses a different aspect of speaking truth to one another. The first one (verse 15) dealt with the aspect of teaching, encouraging, and challenging one another. This one (verse 25) deals with the aspect of being honest and truthful with one another. The types of falsehood referred to here come in the form of lying, deception, misleading, exaggerating, cheating, false excuses, making promises that we don’t keep, and things like these.

• In what ways can falsehood be destructive to the unity of the body?
• Verse 27 tells us to not give the devil a foothold. How can falsehood give the devil a “foothold” or an opportunity to undermine the church? Think of the examples of falsehood listed above.
• “Speak truth” to one another is just one of many things listed in this passage of things we should and should not be doing. As verse 32 sums this up, how should we ultimately be treating one another? How has Christ been our example?
• Considering both aspects of “speaking truth” to one another (comparing verse 15 and verse 25), how can we each grow in the area of truthfulness to one another?

♦ SING CLOSING SONG

♦ CLOSE IN PRAYER