June 5, 2011
Morning Service

We have seen some great mysteries revealed to us so far in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians.

• Christ is the head of the church, His body, and we each are a living part of it.
• We are saved by God’s grace only; it is a gift of unmerited favor for each of us to accept.
• God’s true plan which was hidden by our Creator is now revealed to all of us.  It is that all mankind can now be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of the promises of God through the gospel.

 

In chapter 4 Paul explains to us some of the things we share together in this unified state.

• We all are striving to have a “walk worthy of our calling” by possessing and practicing the virtues of humility, gentleness, patience, love and peace.
• There is one body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism and God which we all share.

 

Today we will look at the gifts God has given to us in the church and the reason for them.

 

Eph 4:7-10  But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  (8)  Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men."  (9)  (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  (10)  He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)

 

• We are all unified into one body, but we all have different functions (gifts).
• Paul quotes Psalms 68:18 but changes one part. (OT vs NT)
• Each of us has been given a gift (talent), not unlimited but measured (perfect amount) purchased and given by Christ.  Our talents are not all the same but diversified for the profit of all.  The “gift” chapters are Romans 12 & I Corinthians 12. 
• Paul also explains how Christ descended (Bethlehem) and ascended (Heaven) fulfilling this scripture.  Our world is not “Christ deserted” but now “Christ filled”.  He is living and working through each of us.

 

Eph 4:11  And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

 

Paul now outlines specific gifts (5 fold ministry) given within the church and their purposes.

• Apostles-men who were directly called by the Lord to preach the gospel, plant churches and perform miracles that confirmed their ministry.
• Prophets-mouthpieces or spokesmen of God.  They did some “fore-telling” but mostly “forth- telling”, stating the revelation they received from God on such matters as consequences of sin.
• Evangelists-those who preach the good news of salvation.  They are divinely equipped to probe into the heart of the lost and encourage them to make a decision to accept Christ.  After the sinner’s conversion, he will then point them to a local church to be fed and encouraged.
•  Pastors-a Latin word meaning shepherd.  They are under-shepherds of the sheep of Christ.  Their ministry includes wise council, correction, encouragement, and consolation.
• Teachers-one who is divinely empowered to explain and interpret what the Bible says and means and how to apply it to our hearts and everyday lives.

 

 

Eph 4:12  for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

Now we see the purposes of this ministry.

• Equipping the saints-they are to provide the church with the teaching, tools, and leadership that allows them an opportunity to grow into the person God has chosen them to be.  The goal is to create a believer who “owns” his faith and is not dependent on others for that.
• Work of the ministry (serve)-to lead in establishing within the church a unified body that can and will serve each other and the community.
• Edifying the body (build up)-it is the job of the ministry to build up the church (construct) never to tear it down (destruct).  They are not to make trouble but prevent it.
• Rom 14:19  So then let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another.

How long will we need this ministry?  What do we need to strive for?

 

Eph 4:13  And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

 

Until we are:

• Unified in the faith-we all become one without conflict seeking to serve our Savior.
• Knowledge of Christ-we all believe and teach the same truths of Christ
• Reach maturity-we each should grow into the person God has planned us to be.
• Reach the measure of the stature of Christ-the church is to be filled with men and women who are a reflection of Jesus Christ Himself.

 

Eph 4:14  so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.

 

In reaching the goals of verse 13, the ministry creates believers who have a firm foundation of the faith through the Word and are not easily swayed by “new” revelations or deceived by men.

 

Eph 4:15-16  But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;  (16)  from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love.

 

As mature Christians, we must stick to the truth without compromise and do it in the right attitude-love.  We also need to set our sight on Christ to grow in “all things” more like Him.

 

We, as Christ’s body (the church), being “fitted together” each fulfilling his part creates a healthy church that will grow and build up (repair) itself.  We, on our journey toward God, will strengthen our relationship with our Savior and with each other.

 

1Co 12:12-14  For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.  (13)  For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit.  (14)  For the body is not one member, but many.

 

Christ has established the Church to be His avenue to work in this world.  He has established the ministry to lead it.  It now falls upon each of us to yield our lives to Him and to do the work He has created us for.