God amazingly designed the human body so that its trillions of cells form muscles, bones, organs, and other parts that work in harmony so the body can nourished and function properly.

Likewise, God planned that each member of a local church would do his or her part as God gifted them so that the local church, like a human body, would be built up and work in harmony.

Transition

This evening we are going to look at the distribution, function, and intention of God’s gifts to us.

The Distribution of Gifts (v.7-12)

  1. We first note that everyone receives a gift (v.7)
    1. The gift came from Christ.
      1. Salvation is a gift from God (Eph 2:8).
      2. The Bible lists numerous gifts that God gave to Christians (some were temporary sign gifts):
        1. Ephesians 4:11: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers
        2. Romans 12:6-8: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, showing mercy
        3. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues
        4. 1 Corinthians 12:28: apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
        5. 1 Peter 4:9-11: hospitality, speaking, minister.
    2. God gives grace to every one to use the gift that he received. God gives grace (divine help) to enable the gifts to be used. Without God’s grace every gift is powerless.
  2. God distributes gifts by His measure
    1. The word “measure” speaks of a scoop with lines on it or with other means of measuring the portion.
    2. God gives grace that is just right for the size of gift that he measured out to each of us. His grace is never lacking. He will never ask you to do something without supplying all the grace needed to do it.
  3. Christ gave us gifts (v.8-12)
    1. He descended to earth in His incarnation and after his resurrection, He ascended back to heaven.
    2. He led captivity captive. This probably means that Christ took the spirits of Old Testament saints who had been in Paradise to heaven with him.
    3. Now that Christ is back in heaven He gives gifts to Christians to use in their local church.
    4. The list in v.11 may be gifts of “gifted men” that God gave to local churches. Or it may be a list of various Christians who received gifts to use in local churches.
      1. Apostles: a man who had seen the resurrected Christ and been directly and personally commissioned by Him to be an apostle. (This gift ended)
      2. Prophets: given particular insight into the doctrines of the faith under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (This gift ended when the NT was completed.)
      3. Evangelists: travelling missionary church planters
      4. Pastors and teachers: shepherds and instructors of the flock

The Function of Gifts (v.12)

  1. Some are perfecting gifts
    1. God gave the gifted men (v.11) for the perfecting of the saints (v.12).
      1. The word “perfecting” means “to complete, furnish, or equip”.
      2. It comes from a word that means to mend, repair, fit, prepare, or strengthen.
    2. These men whom God gifted to preach, exhort, and teach have the job of taking baby saints and nurturing them into mature saints. They work to equip saints for action. They mentor and encourage to produce informed and strong Christians.
    3. Addressing preacher Timothy, Paul wrote,2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
    4. God gives the saints this instruction,Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
  2. Many are ministering gifts (v.12)
    1. The phrase “for the work of the ministry”, literally means “unto the work of the ministry”.
    2. Preachers are gifted to prepare saints to do the ministry. The various gifts God gives to saints are to enable them to do the ministry for which they are prepared.

The Intention of Gifts (v.13-16)

  1. Doctrinal edification (V.13-14)
    1. The saints are to edify (build up) the local church body of Christ with a double goal:
      1. To unite all the saints around the faith (doctrine)
      2. To unite all the saints around the knowledge of the Son of God. Paul goes on to describe the extent of this unity.
        1. Unto a perfect man – a mature Christian
        2. Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Here is that word “measure” again. God has a measure or standard that each Christian must reach to be fully all that Christ wants him to be.
        3. That we do not remain spiritual children (infants, babies) (v.14).(a) Babies are unstable: tossed to and fro

          (b) Babies are gullible: carried about with every wind of doctrine…

    2. Once again we see that the hub of local church unity is not love but doctrine and knowledge about Christ.
  2. Spiritual growth (v.15-16)
    1. The word “speaking” refers more to one’s profession and expression than to spoken words.
    2. Jesus is the truth and both preacher and saint must flesh out or live truth in love. This will produce spiritual growth in all areas in the Christian’s life of which Christ is the head.Expositor’s states that Christ “is also the object and goal to which our growth in its every stage must look and is to be directed.”
    3. Verse 16 is hard to chew. Let me reword it and then explain. The local church body is being fitted together and being fused together by every bond through Christ’s divine energy, in measure of every single part, causing the body to grow unto building itself up in love.
      1. Christ is putting the local church pieces together and fusing them by his divine energy.
      2. He works with the measure or portion that he gives each saint.
      3. The result is growth and edifying of the congregation in love.

Conclusion

In summary, God is showing us that He has gifted preachers to equip the saints, so they can do the work of the ministry, so the local body of Christ will be edified. My part as your pastor is to diligently pray and study the Word so that I can fully equip you. Your part as a saint is to use your gifts to minister to and through the local church. The only way we can have the power to use a spiritual gift is by walking in the Spirit through a close relationship with God. As we each walk in the Spirit and use our gifts in the local church, God will unite us and cause us to grow in love.

You need to be praying for and learning from your preacher. You need to develop a close relationship with God. Then you need to depend on God to use the gifts He has given you to edify our church.

Song: Take My Life and Let – 393
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God’s Gifts to Saints
30 March 2014 PM – Ephesians 4:7-16 – Eph 14 – Scott Childs