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Transcript
SUBJECT: READING: The right attitude Concerning spiritual gifts Eph 4:7-17 Introduction: Living a worthy life requires the right character, right theology, and... I. The right attitude toward our spiritual gifts Eph 4:7-10 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (8) Wherefore 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? (10) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) Paul has just finished telling us about the unity we have in Christ; Eph 4:3-6 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. a. He now sets up what is called an adversative by using the word But rather that a simple conjunction. i. It could be translated "in spite of that" or "on the other hand," contrasting the previous subject matter with what is about to be said. ii. This interpretation of but brings together the emphasis of unity that has been the theme of verses 3-6 with the parallel emphasis of diversity, which is where he is headed in verses 7-11. 1 iii. It sets the individual (every one of us) over against the " through all, and in you all. " (v. 6) in regard to unity in the Body of Christ. iv. Unity is not uniformity (cookie cutter) and is perfectly consistent with diversity of gifts. v. God's gracious relation to "every one of us " is also a personal relationship to each one and a personal ministry through each one. vi. Thus Paul moves from the unity of believers to the uniqueness of believers. b. Grace is a single-word definition of the gospel. The gospel is the good news of God's grace to sinful mankind. i. The nature of grace is giving, and the Bible tells us much more about giving than getting, because God's nature is to give. ii. God is a God of grace because He is a God who freely gives. Rom 8:31-33 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. iii. It has nothing to do with anything we have done or have failed to do; it can only be received. 2 c. God is gracious because of who He is, not because of who or what we are. i. His grace is therefore unmerited, unearned, undeserved. ii. It depends entirely on the One who gives it, not on those who receive it. iii. Grace is God's self-motivated, selfgenerated, sovereign act of giving. d. God's grace has another dimension that places it still further above every other kind of giving. The greatest gift of grace is Self. i. Grace is therefore God's Self donation, His Self-giving. ii. He not only gives blessings to men, He gives Himself. iii. Infinitely more important and precious than any blessing God gives us is that gift of Himself. iv. The incomprehensible and staggering truth of the gospel is that the holy God of the universe has given Himself to sinful mankind! v. God grants us His salvation, His kingdom, His inheritance, His Spirit, His throne, His wisdom, His love, His power, His peace, His glory, and every other "spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). 3 vi. But far more than all of those blessings, He blesses us with His personal presence. God is here in my heart of hearts, He put Himself there by Grace! vii. God owes nothing to sinful men except judgment for their sin. viii. He does not owe men the smallest blessing or favor. Yet in His grace He has given us the blessing of all blessings, the immeasurable blessing of intimate shared life (cf. 2Pe 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. e. When we choose a partner with whom we plan to spend the rest of our life in marriage, we are careful to pick someone who is worthy of the selfgiving that marriage demands. i. That person is the one above all others to whom we will give our love, our time, our thoughts, our devotion, our loyalty, and our resources—in short, all that we have. ii. Yet when God "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4), He did so out of pure grace and not for anything He saw in us that made us worthy of His 4 care. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). f. The definite article (hē) is used in the original text, indicating that this is the grace, that is, the grace unique to Christ. i. The term for grace is charis and “the” grace signifies that what is given is not the charismata (the special gifts indicated by this word in Rom. 12:6-8 and 1 Cor. 12:410) but the subjective grace that works in and shows itself through our lives as Christians. ii. This grace is the enabling power that makes the special gifts function to the glory of God. g. This distinction is clear for the rest of Paul's statement, according to the measure of Christ's gift. i. Enabling grace is measured out to be consistent with what is necessary for the operation of Christ's gift. ii. The term dōrea (gift) does not focus on the undeservedness of the gift as does charismata (the special "gifts"; nor on the spiritual source of the gift as does "spiritual gifts," but on the freeness of the gift! h. And each believer's gift is unique. The measure or specific portion given is by sovereign design from the Head of the church, Jesus Christ. i. The Lord has measured out the exact proportion of each believer's gift (Just as He does "the measure of faith" in Rom. 12:3). 5 ii. The exact proportion of enabling grace on the part of God is linked with the exact proportion of enacting faith on the part of each believer; and God is the source of both. iii. The sum of this is that God gives both the grace and the faith to energize whatever gift He gives to the full intent of His purpose. i. In light of all this it is clear that since they are sovereignly given, no gifts should be sought; that since they are essential elements in God's plan, no gifts should be unused; and that since they come from the Lord, no gifts should be exalted above another. i. We each have a gift that is measured out to us—with certain distinct capabilities, parameters, and purposes. ii. Each of us is given a specific gift (singular) through which we are to minister in Christ's name. "As each one has received a special gift," iii. Peter says, "employ it; us it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet. 4:10) II. Next, Paul quotes from Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. a. This Psalm prophesies about Christ's ascension into heaven after His resurrection. 6 b. In ancient times, when a king won a victory, he would bring home captured enemy kings and prisoners in chains, parading them through the most populated streets of the city as evidence of his victory. c. He also would bring back spoils taken from the defeated enemy to distribute among his subjects. d. Therefore, when Jesus led captivity captive, He made captive all those things that formerly made us captive—namely sin and death. e. When Jesus ascended, And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Col 2:15) In freeing us from our captivity of sin He in turn made us the victor over that which once enslaved us! f. When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, in front of all heaven He publicly disgraced Satan and all the powers of evil. g. After returning to heaven victorious, He gave gifts unto men. i. Like a victorious conqueror distributing the spoils of war to his subjects, Christ gives spiritual gifts to His subjects. ii. This is because the right to measure out spiritual gifts belongs exclusively to the ascended, victorious Christ. h. Before Christ ascended to heaven, (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (4:9). 7 i. This probably refers to Christ's death and burial in the grave. ii. It is the same Jesus who descended and ascended higher than all heavens, that he might fill all things (4:10). iii. Because of His descent and ascension, all things are under His power and control. There is nothing sweeter that know that God is in us and through us and as we have seen this Evening He has given us whatever grace we will ever need to anything He asks. We are unique people with unique abilities that God has brought into His family to do His work through His Church! Paul will the next time tell us of the special people He has gifted to be the leaders in the Church. 8