RTBS: 07/08 The Offices

New Series Intro

Todays lesson will be a little different from our regular format but overall following the same pattern.

Past lessons - more focused on OT foundational stories

Tonight = one OT office, but the primary point of the lesson will be observing and understanding the 4 offices mentioned in Ephesians 4:11

Lesson Intro - Past Sunday Lesson

This past Sunday we looked at how the church grows.

God tells us in Ephesians 4 that the church grows by the pastor equipping and edifying the members of the church to do the work of the ministry.

We also see this idea referenced heavily in Acts 6, which I will be going over in more detail during our vision night.

But what I want to focus on tonight are the other 3 offices mentioned

Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Remember pastors and teachers are combined, one office, two separate responsibilities

So this gives us 4 total offices

We are going to start with the office of the prophet

CONTEXT

A prophet is simply someone who relays revelation from God.

The greek word means...

"One who speaks forth."

It can be literally translated to one who speaks before

This doesn’t mean prophets are only future tellers, they can, but they are rather someone who speaks for another

And in the biblical sense this is God

Now Prophets are unique because they shared NEW information from God

There job was not to simply teach and share what was already known, although they did do that, but their role was to recieved new messages from God and share that with the people

Now when we think of the office of the prophet, we generally think of men like....

Isaiah

Elijah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Elisha

But did you know there are over 40 individuals in scripture who are called prophets

and over 15 more who acted in the capacity of a prophet

We must understand when looking at the Biblical offices, that they are not as rigid in designation as you might think.

Lets go back to our basketball team illustration we looked at Sunday.

EX: You could say of a team, we have 3 point shooters, we have rebounders, and we have defenders

Does that mean that only one person on the team shoots 3’s, and that is all they do? No

Does that mean that only one person on the team rebounds or plays defense, and that is all they do? No

Are there some who are designated in the team as the one who focuses on that responsibility? Yes

Reggie Miller and Steph Curry were known as 3 point shooters, but they obviously did more than that.

When Shaq was playing, a team would say we need a solid rebounder, so we need someone like Shaquille O Neal. That doesnt mean that is all he does even though that is one the titles he could be known by.

It is somewhat the same way with each of these offices.

Some men like Elijah or Isaiah were designated as prophets to the nations.

Their life consisted of hearing continuous messages from God, then sharing those messages with usually the same group of people

But others like Abraham, filled the role for a period of time.

In Genesis 20 we see Abraham directly called a prophet

But Abrahams purpose in his life was not in filling the office of a prophet in the way that Jeremiah or Elisha did.

Now most don’t realize that we have prophets in the NT as well.

In fact scripture is clear that prophecy was still continuing, and was prevalent throughout the NT.

One of the primary examples of a NT prophet was a man named Agabus.

Acts 11:28 NKJV

28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Acts 21:10–11 NKJV

10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

So Agabus served in what appears to be more of specified prophetic role

He is prophesying future events

He is relaying supernatural information from God

Now some believe that this office is still in effect today.

In fact out of the 4 offices mentioned in Ephesians 4, some believe all 4 are still prevalent today.

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The next office we would see arise in the timeline of scripture would be the apostle.

Now apostles are different from prophets primarily in their authority

Apostles had authority over the church, over the revelation given to relay it in a very specific and authoritative way

While prophets were more of just messengers

The term apostle means “sent one”

and like the office of the prophet, the term apostle was used in a variety of ways

We have the word used in scripture to describe generally those who are sent out

BUT - the distinction between a designated apostle and and designated prophet was far more specific

Who was actually considered a prophet by office appears more fluid in scripture, but who was considered by the title of an apostle, was very strict

This is a topic I could spend a lot of time on, but I will simplify the idea.

According to scripture, across many different applications and references, we can put together this list of requirements to be called an Apostle

Personally chosen and commissioned by Christ.

Eyewitness of the resurrected Christ.

Authenticated by miraculous signs.

Recipient of divine revelation.

Possessed foundational authority for the universal church.

So these are generally the 5 requirements that we see throughout scripture

We see other men like Barnabas, Epaphroditus, and general members of the church called apostles, but its commonly agreed that this is general use of the term “sent one” that they were sent out to spread the gospel rather than serve in the office of the apostle

So do these 2 offices still exists today?

I think scripture is clear that they do not.

Ephesians 2:19–20 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Apostles and prophets are separated here as being foundational - all leading to Christ as the cornerstone

The apostles and the prophets were building the foundation for the church

Christ is the cornerstone by which the foundation is aligned, but they were preparing the foundation of authority and revelation for the church to be constructed on top of

We see this pictured in Matthew 16:16-18

Matthew 16:16–18 NKJV

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Peter was an apostle, who would take the proclamation of the gospel, the cornerstone of Christ, and we will help build the foundation on that rock

But by the end of scripture, the cornerstone is in place, the foundation is laid, so now the offices are building on top of that foundation

All revelation has been given

There is no more need to prove the authority of the word of God through miraculous signs and prophecies

So now the offices of the evangelist and the pastor takes over to build on top of that foundation

Hebrews 1:1–2 NKJV

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,

Christ is the message we preach, and that message has been given fully, so there is no more revelation or proof of authority needed

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And this leads us to the evangelist and the pastor

Now the office of the evangelist is one of those topics that I consistently struggle with

I have been unable to find hardly any helpful resources, sermons, or really anything on what this office looks like biblically

What we get from scripture are primarily only three verses that even reference the office, and one person who is given the title of evangelist

And I think the reason why it is so complicated for us to understand is because of a cultural misunderstanding and misattribution of the term

Only one man is called an evangelists in scripture, and that was one of the early church deacons, Philip.

We see in Acts 21 Philip is called “Philip the Evangelist” but it would be in Acts 8 that we see his work as one

Acts 8:4–6 NKJV

4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

So Philip is going to the Samarians, preaching the gospel, and many are saved

But then we come to another passage of scripture you are likely more familiar with

I won’t read the story for sake of time but...

Philip is called by God to go to the desert to find an Ethiopian man and share the gospel with him

So he does and the man is saved and baptised

Philip is the only man in scripture given the title of an evangelists

and what do we see him do - he is reaching the lost

He is going away to other people, and other lands, to share the gospel

Now what modern day ministry position would you think this aligns most with? = Missionary

The office of evangelist today is someone who travels from church to church or conference to conference, and preaches to the congregation.

But that isn’t even what the work evangelist means

It comes from the word evangelism - which mean to herald or share good news

Evangelism is sharing a new message with a new group of people

A herald would go into a town and share a message with the people

(Now this may sound similar to a prophet, but the difference is they are not receiving this revelation directly, they are sharing known information with new groups of people)

Is it wrong for preacher to come to a church and organize a week long revival service? No not at all, that is a great thing and it can be very beneficial, but is that evangelism, or serving in the biblical role of an evangelists, no i don't think so

I think if we are being as biblical as possible, the biblical office of the evangelist matches most accurately our modern day missionary, and potentially church planters depending on the method of establishment.

And I think the modern day evangelist need to consider referencing themselves as simply preachers and their ministries as preaching ministries

This is one of those offices too that someone may operate in a certain capacity but not fill the office itself

You see the term or idea of evangelism is referenced 76 times throughout scripture, yet the office of the evangelist is only referenced 3 times

Once in Ephesians 4 - (the list of the 4 offices)

Once in reference to the person of Philip in Acts 21

And once in reference to someone who was not even an evangelist, but a pastor

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Paul writes to a young man named Timothy in the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy who is serving in a pastoral capacity at Ephesus

2 Timothy 4:2–5 NKJV

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

So we se the instructions given to Timothy regarding what is expected of a pastor

And again this aligns with what see in Ephesians 4

Timothy is to teach the congregation, equipping them with sound doctrine, and edify them in that teaching

But notice what he says at the end - he tells him to do the work of an evangelist

HE DOES NOT SAY TO BE AN EVANGELIST, THAT WASN’T HIS OFFICE TO FILL

But naturally his position would require him to reach the lost through the preaching of the gospel

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Now I want to point out one very interesting moment in time, where all of these offices collide

And I think it helps us see the shift in history to the focus of the new offices of evangelist and pastor over prophet and apostle

You could order the prominence of these offices as becoming prevalent in this order throughout time.

Prophet

Received new revelation

2. Apostles

Established new revelation

3. Evangelists

Spread revelation

4. Pastors

Explained revelation

Basically

Prophets recieved the message

Apostles established the message

Evangelists spread the message

Pastors explain the message

Again this not the entirety of the offices but hopefully it helps see the differences.

And there is one point in scripture, that we see all three of these offices, present not just at one time, but in one room

In Acts 21 we see Paul is traveling with a large group of men, Timothy, and Luke (the author of Acts) included in this group, and they come to the house of Philip the evangelist.

So now we have in the same room....

Philip - Evangelist

Paul - Apostle

Timothy - a training pastor

But what about the prophet?

Well Philip has 4 daughters that scripture says, prophesied.

They are women prophetesses mentioned throughout the OT and NT, but they were not given that title, just that they prophesied

And it seems to be something uncommon enough that it is specifically mentioned as unique that they prophesied

But there is a prophet in this room, that does fit the title

Acts 21:9–14 NKJV

9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

In this room we see to some extent the expression of all 4 of these offices at one time.

We have a prophet prophesying

An apostle enacting authority in the decision of how to advance the gospel

Paul acting in a shepherding role of teaching/pastoring role, helping to encourage this group of believers and realign them with their focus on christ

And the intent of all of it that the gospel would be shared as an evangelists would do throughout Jerusalem

And moving forward throughout scripture we would see in Paul’s letters, as revelation is completed through scripture, less and less miraculous works, less prophecies, and then the only qualifying requirements we see for the offices go to the pastors/deacons

We do not see an instituted office within the church, fit with qualifications for the prophet or apostle, because the foundation had been laid

And you may ask well if the office of the evangelist did not cease why are their not qualifications like the pastor

Well the offices are very different, the evangelist is not accountable for guarding doctrine like the pastor is, they are not accountable to shepherd a group of people long term

They simply need to proclaim the gospel and then move on to the next location, which doesn’t require the same level of spiritual qualification as the office of the pastor

But overall we see the only two of these still in effect are the office of the evangelist and the pastor

However we need to always be thankful when looking back at the foundation that was set by the prophets and the apostles, as their foundation, all pointing to christ, is what allows us to sit here today, look through scripture, and serve God adequately