The Risen, Victorious Christ’s Gifting of His People that They May Dwell in Unity
Ephesians 4:7-16
Remember: We are to pursue a worthy walk that evidences our Eternal Calling (4:1). The “characteristic evidence” of our walk will be “all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love (4:2), which is according to the “character” of our Lord Jesus as Paul states in II Cor. 10:1, where he pleads with his readers “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ”. This is nothing less than being “Christ minded” as in Phil. 2:1-11. (Note esp. Phil 2:1-4)
“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26
Our Lord Christ’s Gifting for this purpose.
Vs. 7 #1 “To each one of us...” If you are a child of God, a member of Christ’s Body, you have a gracious measure of Christ’s Gift! NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Christ Jesus made no provision for “pew sitters.” It seems to me that we should be spending more of our time on “cultivating” our Gracious Gifting than building our little earthly kingdoms that will very soon pass away!
#2 “Grace was given...” (KJV ‘ is grace given”) This seems to imply that this grace accompanied our calling, our “predestining to the adoption as children”. And of course, this is as it has to be, for all is of Grace. By grace we are saved (Eph 2:8), we are kept by this Gracious Power of God (I Pet. 1:3-5), and we grow by the Spirit only through His Grace (II Pet 3:18). As the hymn says, “ I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus Name.” That’s Grace!!! John 6:29
#3 “According to the measure of Christ’s Gift.” It is all of grace, Christ Jesus does the giving, and it’s description and operation is from Him alone. Remember the measurement in Eph 3:18? If all of this is rooted in the Love of Christ (vs 17), this beyond knowledge measurement has little to do with “size”, but rather with function and pupose.
Vs. 8 #1 “Therefore He says...” This verse quoted from Ps. 68:18, an incredibly beautiful prophetic Psalm of the coming of our Redeemer and Victor, and His establishing of the Mountain of His Dwelling (Vs 16), which becomes Mount Zion, the City of our God, (Ps 48:1-2) which is this Holy Temple in the Lord in Paul’s mystery. (Eph 2:19-22; also Rev. 21:9-10)
#2 “When He ascended...” Everything in True Christianity, our faith, culminates in the Ascension of our Risen Jesus, His ascension to the Father’s Right Hand of Power. Peter makes this clear in the first “Gospel presentation” after our Lord’s Ascension. (Acts 2:22-35)
#3 “He led captivity captive...” This is the captivity, the bondage of which Hebrews 2:14-15 speaks. He released His people from the fear of death! Perfect Love, His Love as our Sacrificial Savior, casts out the fear of death. Notice, He led that which was captivating us, death and it’s fear that pervades every second of our existence on this earth, captive. In our Christ Jesus, death can never “break out” and attack us again!!! It has not yet been destroyed (I Cor 15:20-26), for we will all die in this “mortal body”, this death receptacle, unless we hear that Glorious Shout!!! This is why we must “Learn Christ”, for in Him alone is the Fulness of the Godhead and we are only complete in Him. To spend our time in the “worminess” of our flesh, bemoaning what goes on still in this body of death, is to “give place to the devil” (Eph 4:27), and He will surely steal our joy and confidence! We must heed the exhortation of Col. 3:1, Seek those things which are above, where Christ is!!! Our affection must be there, not on things of this earth.
Vs 9-10 “He Who ascended (in power and victory) first descended” (in lowliness and humility, in the form of a servent.
This is a Divine Summary of our Lord’s incarnation and Victory, He emptied Himself (made Himself of no reputation Phil 2:7), that He might “fill all things”. (Col. 1:19, 2:9-10) His ascension to the throne of David was via a cattle feeding trough, a carpenters shop (not one filled with Makita and Dewalt tools), the scorn of his own people, and finally, the cross! And He didn’t Ascend to the Fathers’ Right Hand empty handed.
Vs 11 “And HE HIMSELF GAVE.......” Much time has been spent through the centuries on the various gift ministries listed here. But not enough time has been spent grasping these four little words. If we simply walk through Scripture, looking at God’s “vessels of gifting” to His people, most, if not all, were called out, chosen out of their own path, often “against their own will”. God’s calling to these men interrupted their lives, radically transforming who they were and what they did. It was not their career choice!!! He GAVE, they didn’t choose!
Vs 12 #1“For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry”.
These ones given as gifts to the church are not the ministers!!! Their purpose is to “equip” the “living stones” for the work of ministry”. Also, they don’t get to choose their job description! They have a Divinely appointed task, a single task, no matter the “title” of their calling.
#2 “For the edifying (building up, a construction term) of the body of Christ.”
This “job” of equipping, this edifying of the body of Christ, isn’t so that these given gifts can have a place of prestige or separateness. This is no “men of the cloth” thing. They are governed by vs. 1&2, the Lowliness of their Lord Who descended into the lower parts of the earth. Often times, they must be demolition experts before they can build. (4:20-22, Col. 3:8-9). And if they are faithful to their “gifting”, they will be about as popular as the OT prophets!
Vs 13 “Till we all come to the unity of the faith & the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man”.
#1 Here’s the Blueprint–One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father of all... These gifts that Christ has given to the church, His body, have only one Subject. They are to present the Word, Who is the Christ, by the enablement of the Spirit of Christ alone, and as they minister their gift, the body is to move toward the One True God, Loving Him with all their hearts, souls and minds!
#2 “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. Here is the measurement of “:success” of their “ministry”. Are their hearers looking more like Jesus? Are their hearers embodying and walking out Eph. 4:2-3?
Vs 14-16 Here is the clear evidence that they are operating as Christ’s “gifting”.
#1 Vs 14 The foundation isn’t shaky. This Building isn’t on some vacation beach, but is in the midst of gale force winds of the lies of the evil one, constantly buffeting it. Satan has his “gifted ones”, dressed in sheep’s clothing, continually storming the walls of Christ’s Building of Worship. But if Christ’s “gifts” are doing their job, the church matures, no longer children, tossed about by these lies! They know the Truth and the Truth sets them free!!!
#2 Vs 15 a. “but speaking the truth in love.....” These lively stones become “truth bearers”, but the truth they bear is clothed in the garment of their Loving Jesus. The truth is not an axe to destroy but a salve for wounded souls! A good example of this is Acts 8:1&4.
b. “May grow up IN ALL THINGS into HIM WHO IS THE HEAD–CHRIST!” In other words, the Mind of Christ (Phil 2:1-11) is the Operating Core out of which all choices, desires, and behavior originates. Everything flows out of a firm attachment to the Head!!!
#3 Vs 16 “From Whom (Christ the Head) the whole body...” If Christ’s gifts to the church are doing His appointed job, the “service of worship” (Romans 12:1&2) will not be a spectator sport! Every “joint”–joints are moving parts, will be active in the joining and knitting of this Body. This focus on the Love of Christ, His Incredible Love for us while we were yet sinners, is the cohesive glue that unites this Body of Christ, and causes the growth of the body , the building up of itself in love. This is the fulfillment of our Great High Priest’s prayer in John 17:20-26!!!
Ephesians 4:7-16
Remember: We are to pursue a worthy walk that evidences our Eternal Calling (4:1). The “characteristic evidence” of our walk will be “all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love (4:2), which is according to the “character” of our Lord Jesus as Paul states in II Cor. 10:1, where he pleads with his readers “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ”. This is nothing less than being “Christ minded” as in Phil. 2:1-11. (Note esp. Phil 2:1-4)
“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26
Our Lord Christ’s Gifting for this purpose.
Vs. 7 #1 “To each one of us...” If you are a child of God, a member of Christ’s Body, you have a gracious measure of Christ’s Gift! NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Christ Jesus made no provision for “pew sitters.” It seems to me that we should be spending more of our time on “cultivating” our Gracious Gifting than building our little earthly kingdoms that will very soon pass away!
#2 “Grace was given...” (KJV ‘ is grace given”) This seems to imply that this grace accompanied our calling, our “predestining to the adoption as children”. And of course, this is as it has to be, for all is of Grace. By grace we are saved (Eph 2:8), we are kept by this Gracious Power of God (I Pet. 1:3-5), and we grow by the Spirit only through His Grace (II Pet 3:18). As the hymn says, “ I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus Name.” That’s Grace!!! John 6:29
#3 “According to the measure of Christ’s Gift.” It is all of grace, Christ Jesus does the giving, and it’s description and operation is from Him alone. Remember the measurement in Eph 3:18? If all of this is rooted in the Love of Christ (vs 17), this beyond knowledge measurement has little to do with “size”, but rather with function and pupose.
Vs. 8 #1 “Therefore He says...” This verse quoted from Ps. 68:18, an incredibly beautiful prophetic Psalm of the coming of our Redeemer and Victor, and His establishing of the Mountain of His Dwelling (Vs 16), which becomes Mount Zion, the City of our God, (Ps 48:1-2) which is this Holy Temple in the Lord in Paul’s mystery. (Eph 2:19-22; also Rev. 21:9-10)
#2 “When He ascended...” Everything in True Christianity, our faith, culminates in the Ascension of our Risen Jesus, His ascension to the Father’s Right Hand of Power. Peter makes this clear in the first “Gospel presentation” after our Lord’s Ascension. (Acts 2:22-35)
#3 “He led captivity captive...” This is the captivity, the bondage of which Hebrews 2:14-15 speaks. He released His people from the fear of death! Perfect Love, His Love as our Sacrificial Savior, casts out the fear of death. Notice, He led that which was captivating us, death and it’s fear that pervades every second of our existence on this earth, captive. In our Christ Jesus, death can never “break out” and attack us again!!! It has not yet been destroyed (I Cor 15:20-26), for we will all die in this “mortal body”, this death receptacle, unless we hear that Glorious Shout!!! This is why we must “Learn Christ”, for in Him alone is the Fulness of the Godhead and we are only complete in Him. To spend our time in the “worminess” of our flesh, bemoaning what goes on still in this body of death, is to “give place to the devil” (Eph 4:27), and He will surely steal our joy and confidence! We must heed the exhortation of Col. 3:1, Seek those things which are above, where Christ is!!! Our affection must be there, not on things of this earth.
Vs 9-10 “He Who ascended (in power and victory) first descended” (in lowliness and humility, in the form of a servent.
This is a Divine Summary of our Lord’s incarnation and Victory, He emptied Himself (made Himself of no reputation Phil 2:7), that He might “fill all things”. (Col. 1:19, 2:9-10) His ascension to the throne of David was via a cattle feeding trough, a carpenters shop (not one filled with Makita and Dewalt tools), the scorn of his own people, and finally, the cross! And He didn’t Ascend to the Fathers’ Right Hand empty handed.
Vs 11 “And HE HIMSELF GAVE.......” Much time has been spent through the centuries on the various gift ministries listed here. But not enough time has been spent grasping these four little words. If we simply walk through Scripture, looking at God’s “vessels of gifting” to His people, most, if not all, were called out, chosen out of their own path, often “against their own will”. God’s calling to these men interrupted their lives, radically transforming who they were and what they did. It was not their career choice!!! He GAVE, they didn’t choose!
Vs 12 #1“For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry”.
These ones given as gifts to the church are not the ministers!!! Their purpose is to “equip” the “living stones” for the work of ministry”. Also, they don’t get to choose their job description! They have a Divinely appointed task, a single task, no matter the “title” of their calling.
#2 “For the edifying (building up, a construction term) of the body of Christ.”
This “job” of equipping, this edifying of the body of Christ, isn’t so that these given gifts can have a place of prestige or separateness. This is no “men of the cloth” thing. They are governed by vs. 1&2, the Lowliness of their Lord Who descended into the lower parts of the earth. Often times, they must be demolition experts before they can build. (4:20-22, Col. 3:8-9). And if they are faithful to their “gifting”, they will be about as popular as the OT prophets!
Vs 13 “Till we all come to the unity of the faith & the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man”.
#1 Here’s the Blueprint–One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father of all... These gifts that Christ has given to the church, His body, have only one Subject. They are to present the Word, Who is the Christ, by the enablement of the Spirit of Christ alone, and as they minister their gift, the body is to move toward the One True God, Loving Him with all their hearts, souls and minds!
#2 “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. Here is the measurement of “:success” of their “ministry”. Are their hearers looking more like Jesus? Are their hearers embodying and walking out Eph. 4:2-3?
Vs 14-16 Here is the clear evidence that they are operating as Christ’s “gifting”.
#1 Vs 14 The foundation isn’t shaky. This Building isn’t on some vacation beach, but is in the midst of gale force winds of the lies of the evil one, constantly buffeting it. Satan has his “gifted ones”, dressed in sheep’s clothing, continually storming the walls of Christ’s Building of Worship. But if Christ’s “gifts” are doing their job, the church matures, no longer children, tossed about by these lies! They know the Truth and the Truth sets them free!!!
#2 Vs 15 a. “but speaking the truth in love.....” These lively stones become “truth bearers”, but the truth they bear is clothed in the garment of their Loving Jesus. The truth is not an axe to destroy but a salve for wounded souls! A good example of this is Acts 8:1&4.
b. “May grow up IN ALL THINGS into HIM WHO IS THE HEAD–CHRIST!” In other words, the Mind of Christ (Phil 2:1-11) is the Operating Core out of which all choices, desires, and behavior originates. Everything flows out of a firm attachment to the Head!!!
#3 Vs 16 “From Whom (Christ the Head) the whole body...” If Christ’s gifts to the church are doing His appointed job, the “service of worship” (Romans 12:1&2) will not be a spectator sport! Every “joint”–joints are moving parts, will be active in the joining and knitting of this Body. This focus on the Love of Christ, His Incredible Love for us while we were yet sinners, is the cohesive glue that unites this Body of Christ, and causes the growth of the body , the building up of itself in love. This is the fulfillment of our Great High Priest’s prayer in John 17:20-26!!!