Read Ephesians 4:7-16

It is my prayer that in this two-part study of Ephesians 4:7-16, that you will not only discover your spiritual gifts but you will also share your gifts with the purpose of bringing glory to God.

How would you feel if someone had something you really needed, but they refused to share it with you?  Suppose you had locked yourself out of your home and your next-door neighbor had your spare key.  The scenario might go like this:

 "Hi there neighbor!  I need to use my key to get inside."

"No, I don't want to give it to you right now.  After all, your key is on my key ring."

"But, don't you understand?  If you do not give me my key, I cannot get into my house!"

Hopefully, this silly conversation will never happen to you.  But it might happen to you in regard to spiritual gifts.  I pray this study will challenge you to discover what your spiritual gifts are.  And that It will also challenge you to use your gifts.

Note the conjunction "but" at the beginning of verse 7.  It is strong. As studied in the previous passage, the church is one body, and every member is to strive to keep the oneness and unity of the Spirit. But believers are not only unified, they are also diversified. There are differences between believers. What are those differences? They are gifts, special abilities given by God which are to be used to strengthen believers and to reach the world and minister to it. Spiritual gifts given by God—are the subject of this passage. The believer is to live using the gifts God has given him.

Today we will focus upon verses 7-11, "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men.  9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."  

What do we learn in these verses?  

First, we learn that every believer is gifted in some manner - vs. 7.  Note the words, "But unto every one of us is given...the gift of Christ." There is not a single believer exempted or left out; Christ has given every believer some spiritual gift. It is important to note what is meant by spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift does not mean the natural ability or talent of a person. God, of course, keeps natural abilities and talents in mind when He gifts a person, but spiritual gifts are special gifts given to believers. They are highly specialized gifts—gifts that are given to build up believers in the church and in witnessing and ministering to the world. The point to note is that every genuine believer has received a spiritual gift, a highly specialized gift. He has received his gift to carry out the ministry of the Lord upon the earth.

Second, we learn every believer's gift has cost the greatest possible price - vs. 8-10. 

1.  Note the picture - vs. 8. The picture of Christ giving gifts to men is dramatic. It is the picture of an ancient king who has conquered his enemies. The king is sitting astride his white stallion, riding under the arch of triumph as he enters the city. Teeming thousands shout their adoration and praise. Following in his train is his army. And then following his army they come, the enemy stumbling along on foot in chains, looking like the defeated foe they are. They had initially come to fight to subject the people of the great king to their tyranny. But now they come to offer gifts to the great conqueror. The conqueror receives the gifts and in turn bestows the gifts upon his own people. (See Psalm 68:18)

There are great enemies of man—enemies that attack time and time again—enemies that try to make man aimless and meaningless. There is the great enemy of alienation and separation. Alienation is the energy and tendency that tries to shut God and others out of a person's life. Tragically, alienation results in a sense of emptiness, uselessness, and loneliness.

There are two great enemies that snap away all meaning for man—sin and death. 

However, Christ has gone to war on behalf of man. Christ has conquered all enemies that make life useless and meaningless. Now He gives the greatest gift of all—the gift of meaning, purpose, and significance in life. He fills life with all that a man could possibly desire and use. He gives the greatest gifts, gifts that keep a person busy with the most meaningful and purposeful life imaginable.

2.  Note the great cost Christ paid to gain the right to gift believers - vs. 9. He had to die and descend into the lower parts of the earth.  The point is this: Jesus Christ had to die and experience hell for men to gain the right to gift men. That is the enormous price our gifts cost. If He had not died, then we could not be saved or gifted with spiritual gifts. There would be no purpose or significance to life—not beyond a few short years upon this earth. All we would have to look forward to would be death. But Christ has died, and He has conquered all the enemies of man—conquered them in order to gain the right to save and gift us.

3.  The great value of what Christ did is glorious - vs. 10.  He died that He might ascend above the heavens and fill all things, that is, fill the whole universe with His presence.  Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Majesty of the universe. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, and He rules and reigns over all. He is now able to save and gift men. But remember it is because He paid the greatest price possible. He died for us—died to gain the right to pour His grace and gifts out upon us.

Thirdly, we learn every believer's gift is Christ-centered - vs. 11.  Note the words, "He gave." It is Christ and Christ alone who gives spiritual gifts to men. Men cannot work up the gifts, nor give the gifts to other men. Christ alone possesses the spiritual gifts to give to men. Five gifts are mentioned here.  "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."

The thought is that He gave to some the gift of apostleship, to others the gift of being a prophet, to others that of being an evangelist. To others still, He gave the gift of being a pastor. Finally, to others still, He gave the gift of teaching.  Though individual men were the recipients of these various ministerial gifts, the church was the object of the gifts. The greater thought is that Jesus Christ gave these varying gifts for the benefit of the church, which is the mystery of God.  Of the five ministerial offices noted, only three remain in this day. Let us briefly consider these five gifts. 

(1) Apostles were men directly called by Jesus Christ. The word literally means ‘a delegated messenger sent forth with orders.’ In its more narrow definition, apostles were men directly sent by Christ and who had witnessed His resurrection. In its broader sense, other spiritual leaders in the early church were also so noted such as Barnabas, Timothy, and Silvanus. However, the former definition seems to be what is in view here. In any event, the office of an apostle died with the apostles. That office ceased to exist after the first century.  

The office of (2) prophets evidently was similar in nature to that of the Old Testament office by that name. In both cases, God chose to foretell and forth-tell His Word through men so chosen. The gift of prophecy is thus noted in the gifts of the Spirit found in I Corinthians 12:10. However, this gift faded away and failed according to 1 Corinthians 13:8. The purpose of the gift of prophecy was for God to reveal New Testament truth verbally via prophets in the interim between Pentecost and the completion of the Word of God. Thus, when “that which is perfect” came—the completed New Testament—the gift of prophecy along with the other interim gifts of the Spirit ceased.  

The office of (3) evangelists refers to those whom God has called to a full-time or vocational ministry of assisting churches through specific ministries of evangelism. That office clearly remains to this day. 

The fourth gift noted is that of (4) pastors. It refers to the God-called and God-ordained leader of local churches. The word so translated literally means a ‘shepherd.’  Thus, the pastor is one who oversees the church. The thought implies not only the individual care of the sheep but also the oversight of the entire church.  The term is roughly synonymous with the terms ‘elder’ and ‘bishop.’ All three refer to the same individual, describing the various duties of a pastor. The latter two refer more to the organizational oversight of the church.  

Finally, God gave (5) teachers. Some have been called to specific ministries directed toward full or part-time teaching.  These may range from Bible college professors to Sunday School teachers in modern terms. (It should be noted that some have advanced the notion that the two offices of pastor and teacher are a combined or dual office. Though the grammar of the text might imply that, the greater context of the New Testament does not elsewhere refer to pastor-teachers. The two offices are otherwise always noted separately.)

Tomorrow we will focus upon verses 12-16.

Your Friend and HIS,

Pastor Abbott

MEDITATIONS

1.  Do you know what your primary spiritual gift is?

2.  What difference does knowledge of your gifts make as you fellowship with other believers?

3.  What did Jesus Christ have to do to give us spiritual gifts?

4.  Knowing how costly spiritual gifts were to Christ, how should a Christian care for their gifts?

5.  How do you think God feels when Christians refuse to share the gifts that He has given them?  How does God feel about you?
6.  According to Scripture, can men pass on spiritual gifts to other men?  Why or why not?

7.  What do you think a person can do in order to develop his spiritual gifts?