Ephesians: Lesson 7 - Day 2

For your reading today, read verse 7 then immediately go to verses 11 - 13.



In this scripture, Paul mentions four special gifts that Christ has graciously given to some individuals. There are other places in the New Testament where many other spiritual gifts are mentioned. (Those references are: Romans 12: 6 - 8; 1 Corinthians 12: 8 - 10; 1 Corinthians 12: 29 - 30)



The flow of thought seems to be: We, as Christ followers, are to strive for unity in His body, the church. This unity is based upon the 7 "ones" around which we can rally and agree. Christ gives specific spiritual gifts to individuals in His body so that the body can "attain to the unity of the faith" and can grow up. Let's consider this particular listing ... with our minds and eyes, as always, focused on application.



1. Apostles: These are given to the church universal. Apostles had seen Jesus and had witnessed the resurrection. These include the 12. We also find Barnabas called an apostle (Acts 14: 4, 14) James, the brother of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:7) Silvanus (1 Thessalonians 2:6) Also Andronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7). There may have been others but these are the names that we have. Listen to William Barclay on the subject: "In a sense the apostles were bound to die out, because before so very long those who had actually seen Jesus and who had actually witnessed the Resurrection, would pass from this world. But, in another and still greater sense, the qualification remains. He who would teach Christ must know Christ; and he who would bring the power of Christ to others must have experienced Christ's risen power." Do you know Him? Have you experienced Christ's risen power? I would love to be sitting with you right now and we could share times when we have indeed experienced that power in our own lives - and witnessed it in others!



2. Prophets: These also are given to the church universal. Do not hear the word "prophet" as a future - teller. They forth-tell. They were persons who were recognized as speaking with authority. Their words were particularly important before the New Testament writings were available to the churches. They spoke the word of God - sometimes to foretell, often to convict and often to encourage. Are you a "prophet" for anyone? Perhaps your children? All I mean by that is - are you willing to speak forth the things of God?



3. Evangelists: These gifted people were also given to the church universal. They were travelers - going from place to place to preach the word of God. They brought the good news to a variety of places. These were the missionaries of Paul's day. Are you one? To whom have you taken the "good news" of Jesus? To whom have you shared the "mystery of God" which is His church? Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5 saying, "Do the work of an evangelist." I think Paul might say the same thing to us. Is there anyone in your life, in your sphere of influence, that needs to hear about Jesus? That's the work of an evangelist.



4. Pastors and teachers: These people are not travelers. It seems that those with these gifts are to serve in one place, a local part of the body, individual congregations of believers. The way the two things are phrased together would seem to indicate one set of people. Pastor means shepherd - one who cares for a flock, a group. A teacher is one who shapes and molds people to the word of God, the great truths and doctrines of the one faith. I must ask ... whom are you teaching? For whom are you watching out?



As you consider each of these "gifts" ... keep your eye on the purpose of them ... you find it in verse 12 ... "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, and to build up the body of Christ." Remember that there is a goal ... and it is not just to be smarter or to feel important or to maintain any illusion of control! The purpose has everything to do with growing up.



Growing up will be our focus in Day 3 ... come back!