Equipped to Grow: Christ’s Gifts for His Church

Ephesians 4:7–16 (CSB)

Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

For it says: When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people.

But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

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Sermon Title: "Christ’s Gifts: Equipping and Maturing the Body"

Main Point Summarized: Christ gives every believer a unique gift, intended to be used to minister to and grow the church. When used this gift unites and matures the whole body of Christ in faith, truth, and love.

Text: Ephesians 4:7-16

Introduction

Last week, we discussed that living the transformed life requires unity in the body of Christ, leading to harmony and accomplishing God’s plan. The body of Christ is a diverse, multi-gifted family where every believer is uniquely placed by Christ with a specific purpose.

Transition: Christ has uniquely gifted every believer, and these gifts are essential for the church's growth and maturity.

{All are Gifted, All Are Ministers, All United & Mature.}

Main Point 1: All Believers Are Uniquely Gifted (v. 7-10)

The Source of the Gift (v. 7):

Christ gives gifts according to His grace, perfectly measured out to each believer.

Gifts differ in function but are equally valuable; their value is determined by their use.

The Purposeful Giver (v. 8-10):

Christ’s descent (incarnation) and ascent (victory and reign) prove His authority to distribute gifts.

Purpose: To “fill all things”—extending His kingdom and conquering the enemy as believers use their gifts to further the kingdom internally and externally.

Main Point 2: All Believers Are Called To Minister (v. 11-13)

The Leadership of The Church Equip For Ministry (v. 11):

Equippers: Ministers of a church, gifted and called to invest their gifts in developing and preparing all believers to do ministry.

Apostles: Pioneer churches in unreached areas (church planters and missionaries)

Prophets: Edify, comfort, exhorts, and apply God’s Word to specific situations.

Evangelists: Proclaim salvation with clarity and conviction, Teach & equip others to share their faith.

Pastors: Lead by nurturing, protecting, and sacrificing for the flock.

Teachers: Equip the church with sound doctrine and practical application.

The Purpose of Ministry (v. 12-13):

Ministry: Using ones gift in and outside of the church as an act of service for others, so that all might grow in Christ.

Goal # 1 (Glorify Christ): All gifts ultimately glorify Christ by strengthening His body. As we use our gift to serve his people, his plan is accomplished.

Goal # 2 (Growth): To build up the church into the fullness of Christ’s stature.

Other Biblical Gifts:

LEADERSHIP - Leadership aids the body by leading and directing members to accomplish the goals and purposes of the church. Leadership motivates people to work together in unity toward common goals (Rom. 12:8).

ADMINISTRATION - Persons with the gift of administration lead the body by steering others to remain on task. Administration enables the body to organize according to God-given purposes and long-term goals (1 Cor. 12:28).

KNOWLEDGE - The gift of knowledge manifests itself in teaching and training in discipleship. It is the God-given ability to learn, know, and explain the precious truths of God’s Word. A word of knowledge is a Spirit-revealed truth (1 Cor. 12:28).

WISDOM - Wisdom is the gift that discerns the work of the Holy Spirit in the body and applies His teachings and actions to the needs of the body (1 Cor. 12:28).

DISCERNMENT - Discernment aids the body by recognizing the true intentions of those within or related to the body. Discernment tests the message and actions of others for the protection and well-being of the body (1 Cor. 12:10).

EXHORTATION - Possessors of this gift encourage members to be involved in and enthusiastic about the work of the Lord. Members with this gift are good counselors and motivate others to service. Exhortation Exhibits itself in preaching, teaching, and ministry (Rom. 12:8).

FAITH - Faith trusts God to work beyond the human capabilities of the people. Believers with this gift encourage others to trust in God in the face of apparently insurmountable odds (1 Cor. 12:9).

SERVICE/HELPS - Those with the gift of service/helps recognize practical needs in the body and joyfully give assistance to meeting those needs. Christians with this gift do not mind working behind the scenes (1 Cor. 12:28; Rom. 12:7).

MERCY - Cheerful acts of compassion characterize those with the gift of mercy. Persons with this gift aid the body by empathizing with hurting members. They keep the body healthy and unified by keeping others aware of the needs within the church (Rom. 12:8).

GIVING - Members with the gift of giving give freely and joyfully to the work and mission of the body. Cheerfulness and liberality are characteristics of individuals with this gift (Rom. 12:8).

HOSPITALITY - Those with this gift make visitors, guests, and strangers feel at ease. They often use their home to entertain guests. Persons with this gift integrate new members into the body (1 Pet. 4:9).

Main Point 3: All Believers are called to Maturity (v. 13b-16)

Growth Maturity: An immature church church consists of…

Biblical Vulnerability: Easily torn apart by false teaching, division, or outside influences.

Individualistic Believers: Members focus on themselves, neglecting the use of their spiritual gifts.

Lack of Growth: Selfishness and Immaturity prevent spiritual development.

Dormant Gifts: Gifts remain unused, leaving the church idle and ineffective.

Minimal Impact: Fails to shine the light of Christ in its community.

The Path To Maturity:

Grounded in Truth (v. 14): The church resists false teachings and grows together. As the leaders equip with sold doctrine, the body stands unshakeable in the face of tragedy, drama, culture, false teachers, etc.

United in Love (v. 16): Unity is found when everyone considers others in love, knowing their gifts are not for personal gain but are meant for the whole body. Unity is found when churches

Selflessly Serving Others: Using ones gifts to build up and encourage growth in other believers, meeting the needs of all believers.

Humbly Receiving Service: Accepting that Christ has gifted the whole body with unique gifts, and so we all need to rely on one another in order to fully mature as believers.

Illustration: Like a large glass being filled with many little cups, it takes all the cups to fully meet the stature of the glass. It takes every believer using their measure of Christ’s Gift to measure up to our head.

Application: Like a child grows in all parts together, the church grows in unity and love when everyone contributes their gifts.

Conclusion

Reiterate: All are Gifted, All Are Ministers, All are United & Mature.

Call to Action: Reflect on your role in the church. Are you contributing to a strong, unified, and mature church, or is your gift lying dormant? How is God calling you to serve? Is God calling you to Equip?