Gift Giver
Ephesians 4:7-12
"No local congregation will be what it should be, what Jesus prayed that it would be, what the Holy Spirit gifted it and empowered it to be, until it understands spiritual gifts." John Mac Arthur
Contributed by: Brian La Croix
1. The giving of spiritual gifts to the church (Vs 7-10)
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended"; what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)”
First of all “grace was given according to the measure of Jesus’ gift.”
This is the basis of God’s distribution of spiritual gifts through the church: grace, the free unmerited giving of God. No one deserves or has earned spiritual gifts.
Just as our salvation is by grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast.”
Twice, in Ephesians 3 Paul makes mention of God’s grace this way. 3:2, “Surely, you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you.” And 3:7, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.”
We sang about God’s Amazing Grace this morning.
The gifts were given by Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus made it plain, saying that when the Holy Spirit would come, He will testify of Me (John 15:26), and He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you (John 16:14). The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to promote Himself or any man, but to glorify and represent Jesus. We can therefore trust that the true ministry of the Holy Spirit will be according to the nature of Jesus.
Who will give the gifts?
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
That is backed up by what Paul says in Ephesians 4:4-6 when he says, “There is one body (which is the church), and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord (Jesus), one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all and in all.”
In 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul goes on to list nine spiritual gifts and goes on to explain the administration of those gifts in Romans 12:4-8. There is indeed a diversity of gifts! Yet, there is only one Giver, who works through the diverse gifts. Let’s look at them.
“To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, (which I believe to be languages),
And to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit. And he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” And they serve the purpose of edifying the body of Christ, the members, and bringing honor and glory to Him.
In our text today he mentions this. Ephesians 4 beginning with verse 11, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastor/teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ might be built up.” I just read from 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.
The gifts are diverse, the ministries are different, and the activities are diverse: but it all the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God doing the work through the gifts, the ministries, and the activities.
Ministries probably has in mind the different "gifted offices" in the church.
The Greek word for activities is energemata, where we get our words energy, energetic, and energize from. It is a word of active, miraculous power.
What is the difference between gifts, ministries, activities, and the manifestation of the Spirit (verse seven)? All of these are gifts. Some gifts are ministries, standing offices or positions in the church. Some gifts are activities, miraculous events or outpourings at a particular time and place (such as the manifestation of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:7).
2. The Offices of Spiritual Leadership in the church. (Vs 11)
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”
He Himself has established these offices. These are the work and appointment of Jesus, not men. The offices themselves are a Divine institution, not a human invention.
Paul describes four offices not 5, as in the commonly yet erroneously termed “five fold” ministry.
Apostles, who are special ambassadors of God’s work, though not in the same authoritative sense of the first century apostles. They were used to provide a foundation (preserved as the New Testament) as described in Ephesians 2:20.
“Built on the foundation of the apostles…”
Prophets, who speak forth words from God in total consistency with the foundation of the Old and New Testaments. Sometimes they speak in a predictive sense, but not necessarily so, and they are always subject to the discernment and judgment of the church leadership (1 Corinthians 14:29). As with the apostles, modern prophets do not speak in the same authoritative sense that the first century prophets brought God’s foundational word (Ephesians 2:20).
Evangelists, who are specifically gifted to preach the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Pastors and teachers (or, pastor-teachers; the ancient Greek clearly describes one office with two descriptive titles), who shepherd the flock of God, primarily (though not exclusively) through teaching the Word of God. "Teaching is an essential part of the pastoral ministry; it is appropriate, therefore, that the two terms, pastors and teachers, should be joined together to denote one order of ministry."
These gifts are given at the discretion of Jesus, working through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11). The importance of having "all four in operation" in any church body is up to Jesus who appoints the offices. The job of responsible church leadership is to not hinder or prevent such ministry, but to "promote it into existence."
J. Oswald Sanders, in his book “Spiritual Leadership” told that 85% of spiritual leaders are made through the influence of others. They became effective leaders because of the training and experience they gained from the past and improve in the present. The body of Christ is made up of great leaders that are gifted in every area of the ministry. The Holy Spirit had given them so much talents and gifts that every one will become useful and contributor to the growth and success in the body of Christ. In reality, leadership crisis in a strong organization is the product of leadership who carries the leadership whenever they leave. They never lay any foundation to build great leaders for the future, nothing more and nothing less. A legacy of a leader, according to Maxwell, is “created only when a person puts his organization into the position to do great things without him.”
Bill Hybels writes the following in his book, ‘Courageous Leadership,’
Ten years ago I sat in a little restaurant during my summer study break and wrote these words; The local church is the hope of the world and it’s future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders.
The question is this: Will the men & women who have been entrusted with leadership gifts take their gifts seriously, develop them fully, and deploy them courageously, so that the willing and gifted believers in their churches can work together to make difference in the world?
Romans 12:8 tells those of us who have the gift of leadership that we better sit up and take notice, we better lead with diligence. Why? Because the church, the bride of Christ, upon which the eternal destiny of the world depends, will flourish or falter largely on the basis of how we lead…. He goes on to say that leaders must;
Yield themselves fully to God. they must cast powerful, biblical, God honoring visions. They must build effective, loving, clearly focused teams. They must fire up Christ followers to give their absolute best for God. And they must insist with pit bull determination, that;
• The gospel be preached
• The lost be found
• The believers equipped
• The poor served
• The lonely enfold into community
• And God gets the credit for it all
Scripture tells us exactly what happens if leaders will do what God has called and gifted them to do. The forces of darkness will be pushed back. The Evil one, who has had his way in the world for far too long, will be forced to give ground. And the church will fulfill the redemptive purposes for which Christ called her into being.
Contributed by: Steve Malone
The purpose of these gifts of leadership is also clear: that saints (God’s people) might be equipped for the work of ministry (service), so that the body of Christ would be built up (expanded and strengthened).
Equipping also has the idea of "to put right." It was used for setting broken bones, and for mending nets.
The real work of ministry is done by God’s people; leaders in the church have the first responsibility to equip people to serve and to direct their service as God leads.
"The primary purpose of the Church isn’t to convert sinners to Christianity, but to perfect (complete and mature) the saints for the ministry and edification of the Body." (Smith)
And as the saints mature, the natural process will be for them to go out and evangelize the sinner.
For many years the Baptist church steered clear of the word “charismatic”. Well, that word come from the Greek word “charisma” which means “gifted”. So if our church is gifted, praise God then we are a charismatic church!
Too many Christians are not serving. When you ask them to do something they say, "Well, uh, sorry, but that is not my spiritual gift." Trouble is they seem to think they have no spiritual gift because they say that about everything. Brethren, I tell you the truth in Christ that are no such gifts as pew warming and sermon or music listenin’!! All of the spiritual gifts are proactive. You will be doing something. You are here this morning because God has something for you to do for Him yet. If we were just saved to go to heaven than God would take us the moment we get saved. Think about that! You are here this morning because somebody cared enough to share the gospel with you. Why don’t we do the same? You don’t have to know how to tell the gospel. If you know someone, take me with you and I’ll talk to them, but please whatever it takes, let’s get busy. Because it is way past time to be doing nothing. Paul says in Ephesians 5:15-18, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit.”
