49-24 Christ's Gift to the Church

Ephesians 4:7-10

Reading book this week by Sinclair Ferguson “By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me”. One of the tenets of reformation Sola Gratia (man’s salvation is an act of pure grace, and grace alone on the part of God). He wrote the book having been introduced to a hymn that was written by an African pastor in Burundi by name of Emmanuel Sibomana. Very little is known about this pastor. He was saved in the 1930s and became a baptist pastor in Burundi. in 1946 he published a hymn translated “O How the Grace of God Amazes Me” (included on your notes). Ferguson began to unpackage the rich theology of that hymn in the book I read this week. Such precious and rich truths are espoused in this hymn (closely aligned with John Newton’s Amazing Grace; and Tomlin’s My Chains are Gone).

Ferguson “why a book on “How the grace of God amazes me”? For one reason: not all Christians find it so amazing.

Being amazed by God’s grace is a sign of spiritual vitality. It is a litmus test of how firm and real is our grasp of the Christian gospel and how close is our walk with Jesus Christ. The growing Christian finds that the grace of God astonishes and amazes...A chief reason for the weakness of the Christian church in the West, for the poverty of our witness and any lack of vitality in our worship, probably lies here: we sing about “amazing grace” and speak of “amazing grace,” but far too often it has ceased to amaze us. Sadly, we might more truthfully sing of “accustomed grace.” We have lost the joy and energy that are experienced when grace seems truly amazing.

If you have been saved—grace ought to amaze you. It is the summary of the gospel (Xty) in 1 word. It is typically defined as God’s unmerited favor (and it is indeed). The Xn life is about what God has done for you not what you do for God. And all God has done is unmerited, undeserved. God does not owe man anything but eternal condemnation on account of our sinful rebellion. So if we receive any favor/blessing from God it is b/c of His grace.

There is a great gulf that exists between what we deserve and what God gives.

Richard Baxter “Saints Everlasting Rest” “So then let DESERVED be written on the door of hell; but on the door of heaven and life, THE FREE GIFT.”

Lewis Sperry Chafer (DTS 1st president) wrote in his book “Grace”:

It may be concluded that the word grace, as used in the Bible in relation to divine salvation, represents the uncompromised, unrestricted, unrecompensed, loving favor of God toward sinners. It is an unearned blessing. It is a gratuity. God is absolutely untrammeled and unshackled in expressing His infinite love by His infinite grace...Grace is the limitless, unrestrained love of God for the lost, acting in full compliance with the exact and unchangeable demands of His own righteousness through the sacrificial death of Christ. Grace is more than love; it is love set absolutely free and made to be a triumphant victor over the righteous judgment of God against the sinner.

the three-fold divine ministry and undertaking in grace should be considered. It will be observed that:

I. God saves sinners by grace,

II. God keeps through grace those who are saved, and,

III. God teaches in grace those who are saved and kept how they should live, and how they may live, to His eternal glory.

The essence of God’s nature is to be gracious and giving:

Exodus 34:6 NASB95

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;

1 Peter 5:10 NASB95

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

God is the source of all grace b/c it is in his nature to give freely.

2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB95

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

Grace encompasses much more than salvation from sin & wrath.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 5:2 NASB95

through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

To stand in grace is to continually participate in the blessings of God thru Christ. It underscores another dimension of grace (not just salvation)—enabling grace. Grace that Chafer says keeps and teaches—even goes beyond this to enabling the believer to walk in a manner worthy of your calling (you don’t do that in your own strength, will power, abilities—but by grace).

1 Peter 5:12 NASB95

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!

2 Peter 3:18 NASB95

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Acts 20:32 NASB95

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

God’s grace saves, keeps, enables the believer to do all that God purposes for us. We could therefore broadly define grace as “All that God is free to do for us, in us and thru us.”

God’s grace saves; God’s grace sanctifies: “Tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” It is God’s grace by which you were redeemed and by which you continue to live the redeemed life.

It is God’s grace (with definite article describes specific enabling rather than saving) that becomes the focus of our next passage in our study of Eph. And this grace specifically relates to a gift given to the church—a gift that ultimately results in “the building up of the body of Christ” (vs 12).

This grace has to do with God’s divine enabling—the exercise of special gifts within the body of Christ—gifts for service, intended to build up the church so that it becomes all that God desires. They are described elsewhere as “spiritual gifts” (1 Cor 12:1; 14:1; Rom 1:11).

In the NT there are at least 3 other lists of spiritual gifts (some say as many as 8) and the passages are all very closely related: Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11; 1 Pt 4:10-11

In Eph, Paul picks up the theme having discussed the remarkable unity the exists within the body of Christ. He will detail 4 features of this gift: the donation, illustration, explanation and distribution.

1) The Donation

vs 7 highlights the truth that spiritual gifts (referred to by “the grace”) are just that. It is freely given. That’s what the term “gift” dorea emphasizes: not so much how undeserved it is but how it is freely given.

Matthew 10:8 NASB95

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

That is what a donation is—freely given. It is given without condition, without thought of reward, not as a payment of a debt or something that is owed. That is the very definition of a gift—you don’t earn it, pay for it.

Note that the term “gift” is singular. It is one gift thru which the entire church is called into service.

1 Peter 4:10 NASB95

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

I want to show you 3 particulars of this donation to the church:

A. Its Diversity

“but” not a simple conjunction but important transition…could be translated “on the other hand.” Paul is marking a contrast to the previous subject—there is unity, oneness of the church… “but” there is also great diversity (divinely initiated) among the members of the body.

“to each one of us” (grace is given). Having addressed the unity of the body the emphasis in now on the individual—Paul includes himself alongside of every believer (us). And in doing so he focuses on the distinctive part that every member of the body plays. Paul restates the same truth in 1 Cor 12:12,20 ; Rom 12:4-5

The Church is one unified body (centered around the common spiritual truths that we share) consisting of a great diversity of individuals—each related to one another.

As it relates to spiritual gifts, it becomes very obvious that everyone does not have the same gift. Every believer’s gift is unique—this is where the diversity is manifest.

1 Corinthians 12:4 NASB95

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

In Eph Paul is also saying that no believer has been excluded from the enabling gift to be used in serving the church (each).

B. Its Source

What is the source of the gift/divine enabling? Paul makes it clear that Christ is the giver of the gift. Sometimes these are called “gifts of the Spirit” but Eph makes it clear that this gift is from LJC and it is manifest in the church by the working of the Spirit. So the HS energizes/enables the gift (according to God’s grace) in the lives of each individual believer.

C. Its Measure

Each believer has been given this gift specifically and sovereignly measured by God—who alone determines what measure each believer is given. Grace is given “according to...”

That measure is determined by God alone—meaning that an individual believer’s gift is not a matter of his own preference or natural ability but God who is gracious and sovereign.

Rom 12:6 explains the same principle (as does 1 Cor 12:4-7). Now Christ’s gift is measured according to His infinite wisdom and purposed so that the church will be built according to His divine plan (Mt 16:18). In the sovereign measure of the gift He demonstrates His authority over His church, directing it to its appointed end to the glory of God.

We see very simply the donation of grace—the gift of Christ, given to each individual believer…to the building up of the body of Christ (Eph 4:12b-13). This so that we all would be everything that God has purposed for us in Christ.

2) The Illustration

Paul as a good teacher uses illustrations to help cement the truth into readers’ hearts.

This illustration is a quote from Ps 68:18. Ps 68 is written by David who rejoices that God is a mighty warrior being victorious over all his enemies—the psalm then invites the people to join him in praising God. The occasion was probably when he conquered the holy city of Jerusalem (2Sam 5:6-9). Traditionally, when a king was victorious in battle, he would bring home the spoils of war (mentioned in Ps 68:12). He would then parade the enemy prisoners before his own people. Then the king’s own soldiers who were taken captive by the enemy were released. They were often called “recaptured captives”—prisoners taken captive by their own king and given back their freedom.

Paul illustrates the triumphant victory of LJC quoting Ps 68:18 acknowledging that by His crucifixion and resurrection He led captive a host of captives. This is a great spiritual analogy and what Paul is saying is there were a great number of prisoners, held captive by Satan, sin and death; and thru His own death and resurrection He released, set free, redeemed sinners.

Christ is pictured as parading around the trophies of His achievement—those who once were enemies of the cross and are now being set free.

Now, there is a difficulty in Paul’s quotation of Ps 68—received gifts, gave gifts…Liberal scholars use this to attack the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. They say “see? here is a mistake.”

I like how Steven Lawson explains it “this psalm points prophetically to the enthronement of CJ at the Rt hand of God the Father. While God is represented in this psalm as receiving gifts from men, even rebellious men, in the NT he is revealed as giving gifts to tHis people, the church.” That’s preciously what would happen, the king would receive the spoils and share them with his people.

The accomplishments of the cross, resurrection and ascension brings about the promise of LJC that when He returned to the Father He would send the HS (Jn 16:17; Act 1:8) and with the HS would come His gift to the church.

3) The Explanation

1st of all: “He” refers to JC. He is the one who “fills all things”. Paul is explaining the prophetic meaning of Ps 68. the ascension of Christ is a crucial doctrine of the church (Act 1:9-11; Lk 24:51). Where Is Christ Today? That Christ is at the Rt hand of the Father mentioned 22x NT. The explanation is that He ascended (40 days after resurrection) from earth to heaven where His present ministry includes High Priest and intercession.

A) His Humiliation

The point is that if Christ ascended—it is obvious that He first descended to earth. This is a reference to the incarnation (1st coming). It was there that the 2nd person of the Trinity humbled Himself (Phil 2:5-11).

Paul expresses the depth of that humiliation “lower parts of the earth” and this forms a contrast to “far above all the heavens.” This is the extent of the Lord’s humiliation. While some think Paul is speaking about Sheol…I think it is simply a metaphor of the depths of humiliation—God became man. There is no greater degree of separation.

It is possible that Paul might be referring also to what took place following the death and burial of JC.

1 Peter 3:18–19 NASB95

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

B) His Exaltation

Following the incarnation—all that was accomplished during it (death, resurrection) was exaltation—ascended, exalted far above all the heavens (to the rt hand—to His throne) and by virtue of this exaltation He has the right to rule over His church including the right to give gifts that will accomplish His purpose building His church.

That essential gift (for the building up of the body) is distributed according to Christ’s infinite wisdom, according to His will and laid forth beginning in vs 11 (next time).

Application

Now, I should offer some thoughts regarding the application of this gracious gift (spiritual gifts).

1. Understand It

Know what spiritual gifts are, what they are not, how they are designed by God to build the church of Christ. It is also helpful for you to understand what you own spiritual gift is. Though there are many who serve in variety of ways without ever giving thought that they are exercising a spiritual gift, it is very helpful to know ho w God has gifted you for the edification of the church.

2. Cultivate it

When you know your gift, it is healthy to cultivate it. If you have the gift of teaching, then broaden your knowledge and hone your skills of teaching so as to be effective and clear in what you teach (just 1 example). There’s leadership and qualifications that go with it. Helps, mercy…learn people’s names those you worship alongside—service.

3) Use it

Over the years and centuries there has developed within the church a division, distinction b/t clergy and laity (pastors and all others). This is not a biblical or healthy distinction since it leads to the belief that the clergy are supposed to lead and do the work of the ministry while the others simply follow and of course give money to support the clergy and their work.

John Stott points to this division and illustrates it by quoting from 1906 Papal Encyclical (Pius X) Vehementer Nos: “As for the masses, they have no other right than of letting themselves be led, and of following their pastors as a docile flock.”

This is not the church Christ is building. To each one a gift is given and measured by Christ—designed by the Lord to function within the body. None of God’s children have been excluded from this gifting. And if you have developed the mindset that “well, I’m not the pastor…that’s what he is paid to do” then the whole church is suffering to the degree that you are not ministering the gift that Christ graciously has given to you for the benefit of the body. Every believer is called into service. Now that service will differ according to the measure of the gift (as it is distributed according to God’s will). No Xn is called to be a spectator but must be very active in serving the Lord. Don’t let your spiritual gift lay idle. B/c as you have received the gift by means of God’s grace, you are also Christ’s gift to the whole body. Don’t be the useless gift that gets put in a drawer and never put to use (sometimes we might get those kinds of gifts). Be useful—for every single believer is necessary for the church to be what God intends for it.