UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CHURCH —CHRIST’S GIFTS TO HIS CHURCH
Eph 4:1-3 spoke of how we are to live as believers individually and how we are to act and react with other believers in the church. Unity and love should be the stamp on the church.
Eph 4:4-6 discusses the unique unity that belongs only to the church of Jesus, and this should be found in any Bible-believing local church.
Today's text is Eph 4:7-12
[Vs 7. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.]
While we saw that the church has a unique unity, it also has individuality. Every individual has been gifted by the Lord.
[Vs 8-10. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.]
This is a direct quote from Psalm 68:18, along with an explanation, and this verse is talking about the Lord Jesus. He is the one who gives gifts to individuals. Every individual is important to the church and to God. The head of the church has given you a particular gift to play a particular role in the church.
The church is the body of Christ.
Eph 4:16 says: "from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
The head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ, and every member who has been added to that body has been added by the Holy Spirit and has been given a spiritual gift.
All who have been added have been given a gift.
1 Cor 12:4-7 says: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
Take your role within the life of the church very seriously. These verses apply to every assembly of His people, not just in the early New-Testament days but in EVERY true church till our day.
[Vs 11. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers]
THE GIFT OF APOSTLES AND PROPHETS: These are foundational gifts to every church.
Eph 2:19-20 speaks of how the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone. This is the way we must think about the universal church, and this is the way we must think of the local church as well. It becomes obvious that in that light, you cannot have modern-day apostles as some claim. On the Cornerstone, the Apostles and prophets laid the foundation. And we hold this in our hands, in the Bible. The church is built on this foundation. 'On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking stand.' That is why we say that the Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
THE GIFT OF EVANGELISTS: Evangelists are those who have been entrusted with the task of taking the good news. They do this from within the life of the local church. In other words, our evangelists go out as members of our local church. Evangelism includes sharing the gospel, and then it also includes teaching and instruction to be followed up in the local church. We pray that many will come to faith through the work of our evangelists and also that these people will come to our church or go to some other bible-believing faithful church, where they can be taught systematically.
THE GIFT OF PASTOR-TEACHERS: Pastor-teachers teach the people truths laid down in the Bible. Their role is vital. That is why the New Testament lays out very clear qualifications in 1 Tim 3 and Titus 1.
[Vs 12. to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ]
The Lord of the church has given pastor teachers the spiritual role of equipping the saints. They are to equip and shepherd the church so that the members may carry on their own ministries in the life of the church. In the KJV, 'Equip' is rendered as 'perfecting' and this is accurate. The pastor-teacher has to supply the necessary equipment to the members to fulfill their particular ministry. That is why you join your church so that you will be fed by the undershepherds to help you fulfill your ministry, so you can exercise your God-given gifts.
How are the pastor-teachers to equip the church? It must be by preaching and teaching. Paul writes to one of these pastor teachers, Timothy like this.
2Tim 4:1-2 "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
The ministry of the pastor-teacher is by preaching the word. We can see from this scripture that it involves reproved, rebuking, and exhorting, but with complete patience.
This is the Lord's order for the church.
Some look at the church like a pyramid with the pastor at the top. This is not how God intended it. Some see it like a bus, where the bus driver is the pastor who drives his passive passengers wherever He wants to take them. This too is not right.
The head is the Lord Jesus. The body is made up of born again believers. The pastor-teachers are not special people, but they have been entrusted with a special task, as can be seen from these scriptures.
1 Peter 5:4: "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory."
Acts 20:28 "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."
Heb 13:17 " Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."
Pastors know they have to give account to the Chief Shepherd. So it is a burden that they are called to bear. We see an example of the weight of this when Paul writes pastorally to the Galatians.
Gal 4:19 "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!"
No family in the whole world compares with the family of God. The church is heaven upon earth. It is the family He has bought with His blood.
It comprises men and women who have deliberately commited themselves to the local church to serve it.
It is a taste of what is to come, when the church universal will be gathered together to praise our God.