A Gifted Church
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Notes
Transcript
For our passage today I will be taking two weeks to cover this in its entirety. There is a wealth of vital information and some pertinent directives in this passage that I feel deserve our time and our focus. I do not want to rush our study through this wonderful letter to the Ephesians and I am sure and confident that as you have been reading through this letter now on a weekly bases for almost 2 1/2 months, you too are becoming very fond of these precious words God has given us.
I am truly confident that if the church were to grasp these truth in our passage today and apply the mandate given that we would see God work in such powerful ways in our lives, our homes, and in our community that we would have to fall back in amazement in AWE OF HIM! Ephesians 4:7-16
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
The background and premise for our passage today really is a continuing thought from last week with Ephesians 4:4-6
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.
These seven points of unity that are true for every believer, every Bible believing church. To not hold to any one of these is to NOT be a part of God’s Family. These are pillars that hold up what we believe.
This unity has been laid our in Paul’s letter, it is a bedrock of scriptures… we have seen as Paul writes that it is for this unity and peace that Jesus Christ died… BELIEF WILL CREATE BEHAVIOR
Ephesians 4:7 transitions with an interesting word… HOWEVER!
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.
However...
However...
Believe as I believe, no more no less
That I am right and no one else, confess;
Feel as I feel, think as I think,
Eat as I eat and drink as I drink;
Look as I look, do as I do
Then I’ll have fellowship with you.
Paul here in this concept of UNITY is not speaking to every one of you being just like him, or your pastor, or like each other!!! He is expressing something far more beautiful…
THE EPHASIS HERE IS:
UNITY not uniformity (uniqueness not all the same)
HARMONY not Monotone (all coming together in beauty)
EXCITING not Boring…
Union has an affiliation with others but no common bond that makes them one in heart. Uniformity has everyone looking and thinking alike. Unanimity is complete agreement across the board. Unity, however, refers to a oneness of heart, a similarity of purpose, and an agreement on major points of doctrine.
Paul in addressing the UNITY Christ died for also shows his readers that there is beauty of God’s gifting to His church. He stresses “Each one a special gift”…
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts
Evangelicals recognize several main biblical lists of spiritual gifts found in Romans 12:6–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and our passage today.
prophesying… serving… teaching… encouraging… giving… leadership… mercy… word of wisdom… word of knowledge… faith… healing… miraculous powers… prophecy… distinguishing between spirits… speaking in tongues… interpretation of tongues
NOTICE: there is a diversity of gifts that the Spirit of God gives the believer at salvation
More than talents, more than skills
These are gifts given by Christ Himself
These list are not meant to be exhaustive but rather a summation of how Christ has gifted His church for the work of ministry!!!
In our passage today we see the ultimate reason for Christ giving these gifts… Ephesians 4:13 “...we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”
Paul would also caution in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”
In almost 30 years of ministry and even longer participation in and with the church as a whole I have seen how people do several things around Spiritual gifts:
They use thier gift as a means to building themselves up (the body of Christ is then torn down)
They do not use or acknowledge their gift given by Christ (the body of Christ is in need or lacking)
I’ve seen churches obsessed with the gifts to the extent that there is no focus on each other or even the gift giver (the body of Christ is torn apart)
I’ve also seen where people are in tune with the Spirit, using thier gifts within the body of Christ and there is a healthy balance of awareness and practical healthy outpouring of the gifts being used (the body of Christ is united and built up!!!)
“a special gift” or another word used is “GRACE”… generous lavished Grace!
It is not us, it is His grace, it is His gift, it is to Him that goes the glory
To help take the focus off of ourselves Paul uses a scriptural illustration to help make his point realized… Psalm 68
Psalm 68
Psalm 68
As we read verse 8 of chapter 4 we recognize that Paul is quoting from or pulling from the old testament scriptures. The passage specifically is Psalm 68:18 but really he is alluding to the Psalm in its entirety with the emphasis in verse 18.
When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.
David here is declaring praise and glory to God for His victories
There is reference to God’s victory at Zion
God’s victory in Egypt, bringing the people out of slavery
In these victories David speaks of the gifts (Bounty) given by God in the victories
This Psalm also looks ahead:
God came as man John 1:14… “Word became flesh & He Dwelt among us”
Christ Victory at Calvary, death burial, & resurrection! (Gospel)
Then Christ ascension into Heaven VICTORIOUS, SEATED ON HIGH
Amazing that the One Victorious… the victor is the One who gives out the spoils of victory
The conqueror in His Grace gave gifts to His loyal subjects
We who believe in Christ Jesus receive!!!
There is NOTHING for us to brag about… He is the One who is victorious… Christ is our victory!
The gifts come from Him, the power comes from Him, the purpose for the gift comes from HIM!
Drawing his readers attention to these victories of God in the Old Testament scriptures they may have been reminded that the spoils from plundering Egypt were not the only gifts God gave His people…
Numbers 18:6 asserts that the spiritual leadership of Israel was also a gift to the people after leading them from captivity in Egypt!
I myself have chosen your fellow Levites from among the Israelites to be your special assistants. They are a gift to you, dedicated to the Lord for service in the Tabernacle.
Paul now with the focus on Christ as the One who in had victory when He came down (to our lowly world, even the lowest parts)… Now ascending to Heaven victorious… leaves for us gifts!
Paul now directs his readers to focus from each of thier gifts to a few gifts given to the church, specifically gifts of leadership
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastor/ Teachers
There is a purpose for the gifts that Christ gives to His church… and there is a purpose for the gifts of leadership given to the church...
Seeing Results
Seeing Results
As we read this letter Verses 11-13 sum up the results for us and then verses 14-16 give us detailed information of this practically working out in our lives.
It is to this we will look into further next week…
Let me summarize today for practical application and ask you to prepare your hearts for next week as we look further into this!
IF… those who are gifted to leadership use thier gift as Christ desires:
THEN… The church body will be equipped to do the work of ministry
THEN… The church will be built up as it should be
IF… The body of Christ, His Bride, who has recieved spiritual gifts is using thier gifts as Christ desires:
THEN… There will be unity among those who are of the faith, believers building up one another
THEN… Because of our unity there will be a mature knowledge and understanding of God’s Son
My prayer for you and for myself is that we will not be a church, comfortable with just receiving:
THE GIFT OF SALVATION (Saving Grace)
… But may we take hold of the GIFTS OF SANCTIFICATION (Enabling Grace)
(Christ’s gift) of salvation places us in His body… HOWEVER:
(Christ’s many gifts) enable and equip you and me to minister in and to the body of Christ!!!
