Alba 5-21-2023
GIFTS AND GROWTH
Ephesians 4:7-16
Last Sunday was Mother's Day and my wife, Janine, was given several gifts. One of the gifts was a pre-paid card for a restaurant where we sometimes go. Guess what, we went there this past week and she intended to share, but when I paid, I forgot to use the card!
Several years ago USA Today reported that one in five gift-card recipients never used their cards in 2005, representing about $972 million in un-redeemed cards. According to Consumer Reports National Research Center, the top reasons for not using gift cards were:
• Didn’t have time: 50 percent.
• Didn’t find anything they wanted: 37 percent.
• Lost the card: 14 percent.
• Card expired: 12 percent.
You have probably received a gift card at some time. In fact, you may have received several gift cards over the years. Have you ever not used a gift card? According to Consumer Reports, there is a high likelihood that you have not used a gift card that you have received. That's a waste!
Ephesians chapter four teaches us that each and every Christian has been given a gift from the Lord, and I think He would be disappointed if we didn't use it. And He has a purpose for every gift that has been given.
Turn to Ephesians 4:7-16 as we read. “7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:'When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.'
“9 (Now this, 'He ascended' what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
“11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
In these verses we learn that our Lord Jesus Christ has given spiritual gifts to each believer. And that there is a purpose for the gifts.
Too often many believers do not use the spiritual gifts that have been given to them. Surely our Lord does not want us to waste them.
In the first verses here in chapter four, we are encouraged to hold to the unity of the body of Christ and the oneness of our our faith in God. This is often stressed in scripture. In John chapter seventeen Jesus prayed that those who follow Him be one, even as He and the Heavenly Father are one.
And then verse seven begins with an interesting word. It says, “But to each...”
This term “but” could be translated “in spite of that” or “on the other hand,” contrasting the previous subject matter of the unity of believers, with what is about to be said of the individual diversity or distinctiveness of each believer.
Verses nine and ten use a vivid picture from Psalm 68 to say that the Lord Jesus Christ, having won the victory over sin and death, the grave and hell, ascended on high to the Father.
And as part of his victorious ascension, He gave spiritual gifts to the believers on earth so that they could continue His ministry in the church. What a glorious picture!
So, while there is unity in Christ, each believer has been gifted in ways particularly suited for that individual.
That means that you may have a gift that I do not have, and I may have a gift that you do not. Jesus doesn’t gift us with His grace just for our own personal benefit.
As the Head of His body, Jesus knows what is good for His body and so He bestow gifts on every single disciple based on what is good for both the individual and the body as a whole.
Romans 12:3-6 tells us, “3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
“4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.”
There is no problem when we have different gifts. In fact, it is a blessing because the body of Christ needs all its parts to function well.
There are just a few of the gifts that the Lord gives that are mentioned in these verses. And the list begins at the top of what was necessary for Jesus to establish His church.
It starts with apostles. The word apostle means “one who is sent”. They were specifically chosen by Jesus.
The Apostles were eyewitnesses to the resurrected Lord and commissioned by Him directly for the establishment of the church. They were sent with authority. The church having been established, the office of apostles went away.
We are told in Acts 2:42 that early church “…devoted themselves to (among other things) the apostles’ teaching…”
Those Apostles now are dead and gone, but their teaching lives on. They live on in the Bible. Every time you read from the New Testament, you’re reading from the teachings of the apostles, and those they endorsed.
Next on the list of gifts the Lord gave to the church is prophets. This term is used in reference to those who heard from God and communicated that message to the people. These are those whose focus was on the "thus saith the Lord" kind of communication.
Back in Ephesians 3:20a it says that Christ’s church is “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.”
Having laid the foundation with the apostles and prophets, our Lord continues to grow his church today with two kinds of gifted leaders: the evangelists, and the shepherds and teachers.
Although there are neither apostles nor prophets in the original sense today, there are evangelists to preach the gospel. And the pastors are to tend the flock, and teachers expound the word.
The evangelist is one whose primary focus is to win the lost by communicating the good news of Christ coming into the world to save sinners.
We are all to be engaged in the task of witnessing for Christ, but there are those specially gifted by God, appointed by God, that have the ability to communicate in such a way that the unenlightened see the light.
When it says pastors, it is referring to shepherds of the flock. The name applies to elders in the New Testament, not specifically to preachers.
The way the term “pastors and teachers” appears in the original Greek, it may refer to one person fulfilling that role. But “teaching” would be a function of both pastors and evangelists, and also of others. A good Sunday School teacher is a gift from God.
Other spiritual gifts were also given that are listed elsewhere in the Bible. If you want to know where, there is an easy way to remember. Think of the numbers 4 and 12. You will find them listed in Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4, and also in 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12.
Not everyone has the same gift, but every gift is given for a purpose. Verse 12 of our text says that purpose is three-fold. It is “(1) for the equipping of the saints (2) for the work of ministry, (3) for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Using our gifts we equip each other to do the work of ministry that is needed in the Lord's church, and in doing so, we edify each other.
The underlying Greek word for our word “equip” meant “to mend, repair, or make whole” and was originally used to describe putting broken bones back in place. The basic idea here is of putting something into the condition in which it ought to be.
And when everyone does their part, as verse 16 says it, “causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
As verse 14 says, “we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting”
We are not to stay babes in Christ. Yes, we are suppose to have a child like faith, but we are also called to grow. That is the importance of training. As we grow in knowledge, we won’t be swayed by the all the false teaching that the world throws at us.
Children can be gullible, as illustrated by a story told by a minister named Freddy Fritz. He said a friend of his posted on Facebook a photo of each of his young sons sitting in front of their washing machine playing video games.
The man wrote, “I told my kids that Wi-Fi comes from the washing machine. They looked at me sideways and then tried it and found a better signal. So now they sit here to play games.”
In a separate paragraph, he added, “Incidentally, our router is in the laundry room, but I’m going to see how long I can keep the ruse up.”
In a similar way, Christians can be gullible, especially young Christians. But Christ’s goal is for Christians in His church to grow to maturity.
I Corinthians 14:20 says, “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.” We are to study and know the Word of God.
And when you do that you won’t be reading horoscopes, because you’ll know they displease God. Or calling the psychic network, because you’ll know God hates that idea. Or getting your advice down at the local bar, because you’ll suspect a Christian shouldn’t be there.
Or having Bible studies with Jehovah Witnesses or Mormons, because you’ll know they are cults. You’ll know the truth isn’t found in those places, so you won’t go there.
Instead you’ll know what the Bible says about faith, repentance, confession and baptism. You’ll understand Jesus is the Son of God, and that the Holy Spirit dwells in your life as a life giving force. You’ll know the truth, because your understanding will be based on what God's Word says without apology or excuse.
When we grow in the faith, and as we grow together, we come to a more complete unity, so we can become all of what God has called us to be.
But I have to ask, has anyone here today reached their fullness in being like Christ? Not me either, but I’m growing with you. Together, we grow closer to Jesus.
We need to be careful to always be “speaking the truth in love…” as it says in verse 15. When we grow and are built up in love, our ultimate objective is for every part… every one of us… to do our part.
It is amazing to think that Jesus turned responsibility for the church over to… mortals. Human beings. Individuals in whose hands almost nothing ends up being totally efficient, logical or without error. Why would He do that?
Because He gave that privilege to us as a “gift”. That’s a great tribute to the Lord's love and trust of us. He has trusted us enough to place in our hands the day to day running of His eternal kingdom.
The purpose of our gifts is to do the work of ministry. Think about how Jesus ministered to others. Sometimes He met physical needs by healing people or feeding them.
Sometimes, He met emotional needs by teaching and comforting. But even when He did those things, his ultimate purpose was to serve the spiritual needs of people.
Jesus’ desire for His church is that it would continue to carry out that same kind of service on His behalf and in His name.
But there is one gift that is especially important. Our heavenly Father has purchased our salvation through Jesus. Back in Ephesians 1:7-8 it says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us.” The NIV has it, “that He lavished on us.”
That gift that Jesus purchased for us on the cross is extended to each one of us, but sadly for too many it remains unaccepted, unopened, un-received.
Jesus made this gift available to “whosoever will.” God is not wanting anyone to perish. He wants “everyone to come to repentance.” But, the gift isn’t a gift unless you and I receive it, open it, use it.
May we become more aware of the gifts the Lord has given us and grow as we use those gifts for His glory.
CLOSE:
In his book “Leadership That Works”, Leith Anderson, a minister, writes about the effective evangelistic ministry of a woman named Kathy:
She was a successful stockbroker in Minneapolis who easily made friends and had the gift of evangelism. She used to go to the pool at her apartment complex, settle on a chaise lounge, read a book, and eventually strike up a conversation with whoever sat next to her.
Soon the two would become friends, and Kathy would begin talking very comfortably about her Christian faith.
Bringing newcomers to church was her regular practice. She was so good at this that she was invited to serve on the church evangelism board.
When Kathy asked me what I thought about the idea, I said, "It seems ridiculous. Why would we put someone who is so good at evangelism in a room for hours with people who are already Christians? Let someone else serve on the evangelism board while you sit out by the pool."
(Leith Anderson, Leadership That Works (Bethany House, 1999), pp. 135-136;)
So, how well are we using our gifts?
