Intro: I hold in my hand the greatest gift I have ever given. It is a gift that I gave to my wife before she was my wife. At the time I was a student and it cost me every penny I had (which wasn’t much) plus all the other funds I could muster up. It meant giving up a great deal in order to purchase it, but I have never regretted what I gave and often wish I had had more to give. It is worth far more than the money that I spent on it, for it is a tangible representation of the love that I have for my wife. It was with great hope and apprehension that I flew across the continent to offer my gift to the one I loved and it has been my joy ever since that she accepted my gift and wears it to this day.... How crushing it would have been if she had refused it, or if she had accepted it and then left it in it’s box.
Prop.: We should realize that we possess valuble gifts.
Passage: Read Ephesians 4:7-11. In this short passage Paul delivers a sermon on spiritual gifts to the people in Ephesus, let me re-preach this sermon.
T.S.: Because of the accomplishments of Jesus we should realize we possess valuble gifts.
I. Jesus Descended v. 9
1. John 1:1-2, 14 - Jesus took on human flesh and dwelt among us for a while.
2. The question is often raised as to what Paul is referring to when he says that Jesus descended into the depths of the earth? Is he teaching that Jesus descended to hell? Or is there another option.
3. It seems most likely that this passage is teaching that Jesus descended from heaven to earth, just as it says in Philippians 2:6-8. For indeed this descent was truly a terrible descent for Jesus. For in limiting himself to the experience of a man Jesus removed himself from the power, glory and safety that his deity allowed him and became vulnerable and despised. At no time did he cease to be God, but at no time did he raise himself above his human existence. All this was done to achieve the final purpose of his mission. Indeed the world has never known such power as it must have consumed for God to become one of us. But this was a portion of the cost required to secure salvation and to purchase gifts for mankind.
II. Jesus Conquered v.8
1. 1. This ‘sermon’ in Ephesians is drawn by Paul from Psalm 68. Let’s turn to that Psalm for a moment. This Psalm pictures a common scene in the ancient middle east, a great king returning from battle with captives in his train as he parades through the city to ascend to his throne. This is a Psalm that is looking forward to the Lord’s total conquest of his enemies:
- vs.1 - Let God arise and his enemies be scattered.
- vs. 12-14 - Kings and armies flee in haste.
- vs. 21 - Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies.
- This is a Psalm that speaks of salvation:
- vs. 5-6 - A father to the fatherless, defender of widows, family to the lonely.
- vs. 19-21 - God daily bears our burdens, God saves us from death.
2. This is a Psalm that pre-figures Christ! Christ has come to conquor and save, and in his conquest he has led captivity captive.
3. Illus.: Allies leading captivity captive at the end of the Second World War.
4. Whom did Jesus lead captive? Death, Sin and Satan. All the work Satan had done to separate man and God was undone as Jesus hung on the cross. Death was conquered in the resurrection, Satan was deposed and the power of sin broken.
Appl.: Do you know pain? Jesus knows pain! Do you know suffering? Jesus knows suffering! Do you know death? Jesus knows death! But here is the good news, Jesus has overcome it, he has conquored Satan and sin and death. We can now cry out with the apostle Paul: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Those things which once held us captive are now captive of Christ. But there is more; Paul tells us here that in his death Jesus Christ purchased gifts to give to men!!!
III. Jesus Ascended vs. 10
1. The ascension of Christ is the seq2uel to his descent, his humiliation. As much as he humbled himself, so much more has he now been exalted!
2. Philippians 2:9-11, Colossians 1:18
3. We often recognize the cross as a symbol for Christ, but we must never forget that he has gone beyond the cross, beyond the grave, beyond simply ascending to heaven, he has ascended to the highest place and will return in glory one day.
IV. Jesus Gave Gifts vs. 7
1. According to this passage it is appropriate then to see spiritual gifts as the ‘spoils of Calvary’. These are gifts bought by the shed blood of Jesus. Now we begin to see the true value of spiritual gifts. They are not some insignificant after-thought that we have been given, but a precious treasure purchased at a great price and give to each one of us personally for the edification and building up of the church. Now they begin to shine with the true glory they contain. PRECIOUS GIFTS FROM OUR KING.
2. Ephesians 4:7 makes it clear that we have all been given spiritual gifts.
3. So important and precious are spiritual gifts that the entire Godhead is involved in giving them to us. God in Romans 12:3, the Holy Spirit in I Corinthians 12:9, but it is Christ who has paid the price to purchase them.
Concl: Imagine for a moment that salvation came in a box you could see and touch. On the outside of this box are written the words: GRACE, SALVATION, GOSPEL. Each word describes what the box contains.
There is no price on the box, for it is more costly than all the money in the world... it’s not for sale. You can’t earn it, no amount of good works and church attendance can gain this box. You can’t make your own, the material required doesn’t exist here. The only way to get it is to ask, to acknowledge that salvation comes only through faith in Christ.
As you open this box you find on top a hand-written card, it reads: To you, from Jesus. The first thing you find in the box is a receipt titled SIN, but every entry is blotted out and over the list is stamped the words PAID IN FULL. Beneath that is an invitation to enter always and often into the presence of God, it too has been signed personally by Jesus. Beneath that is a certificate with a seal upon it stating that you have been indwelt by the Holy Spirt and that a work is in progress to make you like Jesus. Below that is a framed guarentee that your name is written in the Book of Life and that you have eternal life, carefully wedged in the corner of the frame is a ticket with your name on it, confirming your reservation in heaven.
At the very bottom of the box is a shining box wrapped carefully with a bow, attached is a card that reads: (Your name). A special gift chosen specifically for you and bought at great expense. For you to use until you get here - with love, Jesus.
This is the box of salvation. If you have received salvation all of these things are already yours, but I wonder...
I’m sure that many of us have our eternal life certificate displayed on the wall for all to see, our heaven ticket is carefully tucked into our pocket and we frequently use our invitation to enter into the Lord’s presence. But where is our gift? For many of us it is lying un-opened and un-used in the closet.
How it must grieve our Lord to see such a gift neglected. Why don’t you look into that box and see what it holds. For within you will find purpose, pleasure, fulfillment and joy. For Jesus sake, for your sake, for our sake - open your gift and begin to use it, that’s what it was given for.
