Ephesians 4:11-12To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Ephesians 4:11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ---------- This part of Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 16, is one of the most important passages for understanding what God's plan is for individuals and churches. Here the Lord provides communicators with spiritual gifts which enable them to teach us God's word with insight and accuracy. Here is the outline of a believer's growth from spiritual childhood to maturity, from being a victim of today's crisis to being a victory with Jesus Christ on the battlefield of spiritual warfare. Here the church, a body of learning, growing, functioning saints, enables its own edification by the coordinated functioning of mature individuals. Chester McCalley, the pastor of Beth Haven Church in North Kansas City, Missouri, says that personal growth in Christ, and the growth of a local church, is very much dependent on two activities, FEEDING and BEING FED. His lessons entitled "The Fed and the Feeder" describe how a pastor prepares substantial and nourishing "meals" of spiritual food, providing his congregation with the quantity and quality of teaching that are needed for growing in Christ. But, he says, to be fed one has to show up for meals and partake; and a Christian who will not receive teaching or who fails by faith to adapt doctrine to his life, will show ever-increasing signs of spiritual malnutrition. "The Christian who does not understand what God has done in the past, and does have faith in what God will do in the future, will be overwhelmed by today's crisis." Chester McCalley 1 Peter 5:12, "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: FEED THE FLOCK of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." Deuteronomy 8:3, "And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." We live by God's Word, that which proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus". And it is our pastors - our shepherds - who have the duty to provide us with this nourishment, lest we waste away in spiritual malnutrition! The spiritual gifts, which were given by the Lord Jesus Christ, include those mentioned here, that of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Here is an outline study of spiritual gifts provided by my pastor, Bob Bolender, of Austin Bible Church, in Austin, Texas. Spiritual Gifts I. Introduction and Definition. A. God has a purpose in life for each and every believer. 1. Life-long purpose (Jer. 1:5; Ps. 139:16; Matt. 6:27). 2. Short-term purposes (Acts 16:6 Paul is forbidden to go to Asia, cp. Acts 18:19-21; 19:1-41 where Paul bears some of his greatest fruit in Asia). B. To facilitate the believer's fulfillment of that purpose, God has provided spiritual gifts. 1. During this present dispensation, the distribution of spiritual gifts is universal. Every Church Age believer has (at least) one (Rom. 12:3,6 ; Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10). 2. During previous dispensations, each and every believer had a purpose in life, or a work-assignment, but the giving of spiritual gifts was not universal. The Spirit of God would come upon a person for a specific time or reason, and then depart just as suddenly (Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11: 29; 14:6,19; 15:14; Num. 11:17-30). Moses expresses his earnest desire (Num. 11:29) was for the universal indwelling of the Holy Spirit such as we enjoy in this present age! 3. Spiritual gifts (charisma) are given entirely by grace (charis), and the assignment of one gift versus another gift are not reflections of individual human merit or demerit. 4. Passages which speak of spiritual gifts, and "list" examples of such include Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31; 13:8-12; 1 Cor. 14 is the application of 1 Cor. 12-13 to the particular circumstances in Corinth, but we gain great principles there as well; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11). a. Peter (1 Pet. 4:10-11) gives the simplest breakdown of gifts when he devides them between communication gifts and service gifts. b. Paul gives more detailed distinctions of gifts. Eph. 4:11-13 should be taken in context with what Paul has already written in Romans and 1st Corinthians. In Eph. 4, Paul is describing what are often referred to as the leadership gifts: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Pastor- Teacher. I prefer to think of them as the equiping gifts, because they are designed for the equiping of the saints for the work of service (Eph. 4:12). 5. The purpose for spiritual gifts. a. For the common good (of the entire body of Christ) (1 Cor. 1:7). b. For the equiping of the saints for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12). c. For serving one another (1 Pet. 4:10). 6. Who gives these spiritual gifts? The Holy Spirit is referred to as the giver of these gifts (1 Cor. 12:11). The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the giver of the "leadership gifts" (Eph. 4:11). These are delegated responsibilities, of course, because ultimately everything is given by the Father (James 1:17). This is the Trinitarian perspective that is important to maintain. II. Development: The Calling to the Ministry. A. The example of Paul. 1. Paul was saved on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4-6). This is salvation calling. 2. Paul was called to the ministry on the street called Straight, in the house of Judas (Acts 9:11,15,16). This is lifelong-purpose calling. 3. Paul was called to the specific task of the first missionary journey while ministering in Antioch (Acts 13:3). This is short-term purpose calling. B. The example of Timothy. 1. Timothy was saved in his youth (2 Tim. 3:15). This is salvation calling. 2. Timothy was called to the ministry under the Apostle Paul's ministry (Acts 16:1-3). This is lifelong-purpose calling. Paul was the Apostle under whose ministry Timothy was trained for his gift of Pastor-Teacher. 3. Timothy was called to the specific ministry of Ephesus upon Paul's departure from that place (1 Tim. 1:3). This is short-term purpose calling. 4. Timothy had a problem with "neglect" of his spiritual gift (1 Tim. 4: 14; 2 Tim. 1:6). Others needed similar reminders, such as Archippus (Col. 4:17). Paul, the older man, was sensitive to Timothy's (and Archippus') gift and its use. C. The example of Samuel. 1. Samuel was saved as a small boy (1 Sam. 1:28). 2. Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest (1 Sam. 2:11,18, 21,26). This is short-term purpose calling. Samuel trained under Eli. Samuel served to be an encouragement to Eli, when his own sons were certainly a disappointment to him. 3. Samuel was called as a Prophet to the Lord (1 Sam. 3:1-21). This is lifelong-purpose calling. Eli, the older man, was the one who first recognized the calling of the Lord. III. Development: Training for spiritual gift operation. A. The spiritual gift is an entrusted treasure, which God intends to be used for its design and purpose (1 Cor. 9:17; 1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:14). B. The spiritual gift is not to be neglected, nor allowed to grow cold (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). The best training is use! Paul was constantly sending Timothy here and there for the use of his gift. Christ sent His disciples out on training ministries (Matt. 10:5-42). C. Believers need to be trained and equipped in the use of their spiritual gift. 1. The ministry of the Evangelist and the Pastor-Teacher, in the local church setting, is designed to train and equip all believers for the work of service (Eph. 4:12). 2. The curriculum for training in every spiritual gift is the Word of God in its full counsel (2 Tim. 3:16,17). 3. The training for every spiritual gift is in the realm of God the Father, and is therefore Paterological in scope (Heb. 13:20,21). 4. The Biblical model for a training institution is not the Pharisaical schools of learning (Acts 22:3), or any form of secular educational process (1 Cor. 1:20,21). It is illustrated both by Christ and His walking ministry with the twelve disciples (Acts 10:38-43), and by Paul and His working ministry with his associates/trainees (2 Tim. 3:10,11). The topical study (Files: Eph24a and Eph24b) has been provided by Jody Brown, President of Village Missions International, the organization with which Grace Notes is affiliated. Ephesians 4:12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; ---------- What is your greatest desire or goal for yourself and for your Christian community? I answer the question for myself by referring to two Bible passages: Acts 2:41-17 and Acts 16:4,5. Acts 2:41, "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls. "And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. "And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; "and they {began} selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. "And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, "praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 16:4,5, "Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees, which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. "So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily." These scriptures show that: 1. Apostles and teachers were teaching the Bible continually and people were soaking it up (positive to Bible teaching). 2. Christians were growing in grace and being strengthened. 3. The edification was producing great unity among believers so that they enjoyed wonderful fellowship together. 4. The Christians enjoyed a wonderful reputation and testimony for Christ in the community. 5. The local churches were enjoying a time of great productivity, both in the production of divine good and in reproduction of spiritual progeny. 6. This occurred in many locations, not just in Jerusalem, and not just as a spinoff of the miraculous events on the Day of Pentecost. Now - how were these wonderful conditions brought about? Answer: by the process described in Ephesians 4:11-16 !! What keeps a church from growing and prospering, from edifying itself as a local body? Answer: when individual Christians fail to be edified and equipped, either through their own neglect or the neglect of the "feeders", a group will fail to achieve unity and will not operate through the filling of the Holy Spirit in the sphere of love. This will result in a lack of "body" growth and effective functioning. When a church is not growing and functioning it may be because there is no effective teaching. Where there is good teaching, individuals may fail to grow, and many things can cause this, such as: o Failure to stay in fellowship and to be consistently filled with the Holy Spirit o Failure to believe and obey the doctrine being taught o Failure to exercise Faith-Rest and other victory principles o Failure to be occupied with Christ, to be Grace oriented, to live in the Word of God. Eph. 4:11-16 provide the keys to satisfying the commands of verses 1 to 3 and 17 to 32, SHOULD YOU SO DESIRE! How does a Christian "walk worthy of the vocation to which he is called?" Verses 11 to 16 make this concept very clear and give concrete steps to follow. YOU ARE CALLED! There is no point in approaching the Christian Life half-heartedly or on a part-time basis. YOU must identify with the "YOU" of this chapter! Read the following scriptures carefully, giving though to these ideas. Matt. 4:21; 1 Cor. 1:14; 2 Cor. 13:11; Gal. 6:1 This is the doctrine of Hebrews 6:1, the idea of perfection or "completeness of knowledge", "fulfillment", "realization". For the "word of the ministry", read: Topic: CHRISTIAN WORKER QUALIFICATIONS End of Lesson 24There is no charge for Grace Notes Materials. You can help further this work by your prayer and by sending a contribution to: Grace Notes 1705 Aggie Lane Austin, Texas 78757 wdoud@bga.com Grace Notes Web site: http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/ Anonymous FTP site: ftp://ftp.bga.com/vendors/wdoud/ Grace Notes is a ministry of Village Missions International. |
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