Gifts to the Church
Ephesians 4:7-8, 11-13
Introduction: When we became Christians, God gave us many things. In our study for tonight, Paul calls them “gifts.” These were intended to help us grow spiritually. So if we are not growing, something is wrong, either with the gift or with us.
I. Grace vs. 7
A. χάρις - a kindness; gift; thanks; good will
B. To each
C. But each one of us has received a gift of grace, just as Christ wanted us to have it. New International Reader's Version. 1998 (1st ed.) (Eph 4:7). Zondervan.
II. He gave gifts vs. 8
A. in the Pauline writings “it says,” “Scripture says,” “God says,” and “David says” are only different ways of saying the same thing, that is, that the quoted words have divine authority.[1] Psalm 68:18
B. Paul seems to be using this Psalm to refer to Jesus ascending back into heaven and leaving what was necessary for the church
(Vs. 9-10 are parenthetical; we will not discuss them)
III. Gifts to the collective church vs. 11
A. Apostles
1. Chosen by Jesus Mark 3:13
2. Saw the resurrected Christ Acts 1:22
3. There is no evidence that the apostleship passed to others
4. We have the apostles today in written form
B. Prophets
1. They always spoke for God but did not always give a newly revealed message from God. [2]
2. the apostolic message was more general and doctrinal, whereas that of the prophets was more personal and practical.2
3. Our modern prophets are in written form.
C. Evangelists
1. Proclaimers of good news
2. Philip Acts 21:8
3. Timothy, tho not called an evangelist, is told to do the work 2 Timothy 4:5
4. Missionaries and church planters
I believe these last two groups are separate, but sometimes overlap. 1 Timothy 5:17
D. Pastors
1. Pastors are not distinct from bishops and elders; the terms are simply different ways of identifying the same people. … the Greek word for pastor (poimēn) has the basic meaning of shepherd. The Greek word for bishop is episkopos, from which we derive Episcopalian, and its basic meaning is “overseer.” The Greek word for eider is presbuteros, from which we get Presbyterian, and denotes an older person.
Textual evidence indicates that all three terms refer to the same office. In the qualifications for a bishop, listed in 1 Timothy 3:7, and those for an elder, in Titus, Paul uses both terms to refer to the same man (1:5, 7). First Peter 5:1–2 brings all three terms together. Peter instructs the elders to be good bishops as they pastor: “Therefore, I exhort the elders [presbuteros] among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd [poimainō] the flock of God among you, exercising oversight [episkopeo] not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God.”
Acts 20 also uses all three terms interchangeably. In verse 17, Paul assembles all the elders (presbuteros) of the church to give them his farewell message. In verse 28, he says, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [episkopos], to shepherd [poimainō] the church of God.”
Elder emphasizes who the man is, bishop speaks of what he does, and pastor deals with his attitude and character. All three terms are used of the same church leaders, and all three identify those who feed and lead the church; yet each term has a unique emphasis.[3]
2. Scott Waltman does not like the term “pastor” because of how it is mis-understood today, and prefers “shepherd.”
E. Teachers 1 Corinthians 12:28
1. Their function appears to have been preserving, transmitting, expound-ing, interpreting, and applying the apostolic gospel and tradition along with the Jewish Scripture. They were specialists in the inculcation (teaching by frequent repetitions or admonitions) of Christian norms and values and the conduct appropriate to them, and in this way became particularly associated with the qualities of wisdom and knowledge.[4]
2. Jesus was often called “Teacher.”
3. Hebrews 5:12 “by this time you ought to be teachers”
IV. The purpose of these gifts vs. 12-13
A. To train the church to serve
1. καταρτισμός: to make someone completely adequate or sufficient for something; to make adequate, to furnish completely, to cause to be fully qualified, adequacy.
2. Saints, holy ones, all saved people
3. There is a good argument for translating vs. 12, “for bringing the saints to completion, for the work of service, for the building up of the body of Christ.”[5] (See KJV & ASV)
B. To build up the body of Christ “a phrase that combines body and building imagery.”4
C. Unity of faith and knowledge of Son of God vs. 13
1. Back to his theme from vs. 1
2. Unity is to be “maintained” (vs. 3) and “attained”
3. In v 5 “one faith” was spoken of as a given, but now the writer’s thought appears to be that the full appropriation of that oneness of the faith lies in the future.[6]
4. The content of the one faith vs. 5
5. Full knowledge of the one Lord vs. 5
a. 1:17–19; 3:16–19
b. Especially concerning salvation
D. Bring to maturity vs. 13
1. Knowing about Jesus should cause us to be like Him
2. 1 John 2:6, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
3. 2 Corinthians 3:18, “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” New American Bible
Conclusion: If the gifts that God gave the church are not helping you grow, then you need to analyze why. Are you meditating on the written apostles and prophets? Are the pastors and teachers not doing their job? Are you co-operating with them? God expects growth until we die and go to be with Him!!
Central Church. Wichita, KS. March 16, 2008. PM.
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[1]Lincoln, A. T. (2002). Vol. 42: Word Biblical Commentary : Ephesians. Word Biblical Commentary (242). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[2]MacArthur, J. (1996, c1986). Ephesians. Includes indexes. (142). Chicago: Moody Press.
[3]MacArthur, J. (1996, c1986). Ephesians. Includes indexes. (143). Chicago: Moody Press.
[4]Lincoln, A. T. (2002). Vol. 42: Word Biblical Commentary : Ephesians. Word Biblical Commentary (251). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[5]Lincoln, A. T. (2002). Vol. 42: Word Biblical Commentary : Ephesians. Word Biblical Commentary (253). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[6]Lincoln, A. T. (2002). Vol. 42: Word Biblical Commentary : Ephesians. Word Biblical Commentary (255). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.