Ephesians 4:7-16

Paul tells us in this passage of Scripture that the body of Christ is wired to serve! The Holy Spirit has gifted and equipped each one of us to serve in the local church and carry out the Lord's ministry. Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. After you pray, take time to read through the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: grace, gifts, equipping, body of Christ.

Passage for the week: Ephesians 4:7-16 (NASB)

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.”
9 (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

DIGGING DEEPER

Monday:

List all of the characteristics of God that you find in this passage (what God is like, His attributes).




List all of the promises of God that you can find in this passage.




Read verse seven again and explain it in your own words.



Wednesday:

In verses 8-10, Christ is compared to a conquering hero whose victory march fills the whole universe, from the highest heaven to the lowest earth! He then generously gives out gifts to His loyal followers. What is the nature and purpose of these gifts? See verses 11-13 for help.

List all of the gifts that you find in verse 11. What spiritual gifts do you believe that God has given you?

While Ephesians 4:1-6 sets forth the unity we have as believers, Ephesians 4:7-11 describes our uniqueness through the individual gifts we have received by the Spirit of God. According to verses 12 and 13, what is the purpose and goal of these gifts? In other words, why did God give them to the church?



Friday:

How does spiritual immaturity differ from spiritual maturity? See verses 14-16 for help?

What winds and waves are blowing and tossing the church today?

In verse 16, Paul says that the body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” What steps do you need to take in order to work toward this goal?

CHEW ON THIS: (This one is long, but keep reading!)

These verses speak of that which Christians individually possess uniquely, which is another contributing factor to Christian unity. So, maybe you are wondering, "How can diversity contribute to unity?" God has purposed unity for His body, the church. We share in common all of the things mentioned in verses 4-6. Nevertheless, we also are distinct in that God has given each one of us different spiritual gifts and different spheres of service. But when each believer finds his place of service and plays out his or her part, the whole body grows and fulfills its mission and ministry (4:16).

There are other texts which also teach us about spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11). Our text in Ephesians 4 has some unique areas of emphasis. Let me identity these for your consideration...

The emphasis in our text is on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the giver of these gifts. Spiritual gifts are gifts “of the Spirit,” but they are also gifts “from Christ.” It is as a result of our Lord’s victory, climaxing in His ascension (see 1:20-21), that spiritual gifts are bestowed upon believers. The gifts which are named are a small and distinct group. This list of spiritual gifts is very different from any other list. These gifts are those which are necessary and essential for all other gifts and ministries. The apostles and prophets have laid the foundation for the church and ministry and evangelists proclaim the gospel defined by the apostles and prophets. They are the obstetricians of the faith. And pastor-teachers are the pediatricians. All Christian ministry is dependent upon the operation of these gifts. The first two gifts of apostles and prophets I would understand to have been fulfilled by the apostles and prophets of the Old and New Testament eras. The latter two gifts continue to function in the church today.

The emphasis is also not on knowing your gift, but on finding your place of service. From Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Peter 4:10-11, it seems impossible for one to be a good steward of the grace of God without knowing what his or her spiritual gift is. Having said this, many Christians are waiting to serve because they have not "discovered" their gift. This text in Ephesians chapter 4 provides us with a happy solution. In this text Paul does not urge the saints to "discover their gift," but rather to find their place of service in the body of Christ. Finding our place of service is not really that difficult, as I understand the Scriptures. We know that we are to minister to the orphans and the widows (James 1:27). We are to "contribute to the needs of the saints" and "practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13). We are to "admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, and help the weak" (1 Thessalonians 5:14). All we need to do is to look around us for those things which need to be done, which our Lord has commanded us to do. In so doing, we will discover not only our place of service, but those gifts which God has given us to enable us to serve.

The focus here is not on the individual, but on the contribution which the individual makes to the body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are not given to us for our benefit as much as they are given for the building up of the body of Christ. They are for the building up of the body of Christ, and for carrying out the ministry of the church as the body of Christ. Christ indwells the church corporately (2:21-22) and the church corporately ministers on Christ’s behalf. The church is the visible manifestation of Christ on the earth. Christ not only dwells in it, it visibly manifests Christ to the world. So often, when the saints go to church, the go to be ministered to, not to minister. They go in order to be blessed, not in order to be a blessing. They leave, not asking whether Christ was exalted and whether others were edified, but whether or not they were blessed. Our text tells us that we are given gifts so that we may contribute something to the body of Christ, so that we may fulfill our mission to the church and become more like Christ.

In this plan, there is no room for self-serving religious people who sit and do nothing. The goal is that due to the active involvement and ministry of every member, the church will grow up to maturity. It will be marked by doctrinal purity and stability where people will stand firm for the truth of God's Word. It will discern those who hold to a different doctrine and refuse to be turned away from the truth. The mature church will be growing in Christ-likeness, never arriving at it in this life and never being content with how far it has grown. The mature church is committed to the truth of God’s revealed Word and ever seeking to be more closely conformed to Christ, its Head. The mature church, Paul says, is "growing up into Him who is the head" (verse 15). On the face of it, this statement seems difficult to understand. How can the body grow up into its head? We are not growing up into the Head, we are growing up to be more and more like the Head, Jesus Christ. Let me try to illustrate what I think Paul means. Christ is the "Head" of the body in several ways. He is also the one who provides for the needs of the body, and He also guides and directs the body. He is the One who is to be preeminent in the church, to receive the glory and honor. He is also the one who created the church, who brought it into existence by His incarnation, death, burial, and resurrection.

In conclusion, the Christian's conduct is to be based upon and consistent with his calling in Christ. He has been called to become an active, functioning member of the body of Christ. He has been called to obedience. The church is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit, and the instrument by which God demonstrates the glory of His wisdom, power, and grace. As we obey Him and manifest His likeness, we fulfill our calling. Christian unity is not an option, it is a command! It is both that which we possess and must preserve, and that for which we continue to strive. It is rooted in the origin and the life of the church. It is to be preserved by those who possess a servant’s spirit, and who respond to the grace of God by being gracious to their brothers and sisters in Christ who, like them, are not yet perfected.

Are you an active and vital part of a local church? The Bible never conceives of anyone coming to faith in Christ apart from becoming associated with a local church and then finding your place of service to the body of Christ. Every true believer and follower of Christ should be associated and involved in a local church and should actively pursue a place of service. May God help us to build up the body of Christ and serve one another!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

Ephesians 4:1-6

While Ephesians 1-3 gives us a solid foundation of doctrinal truth, Ephesians 4-6 shows how we can practically apply this truth to our lives and give glory to God in the church. In these verses, we will discover the life of unity and peace that is demanded of all believers!


Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. After you pray, take time to read through the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: walk, calling, humility, diligent, peace, one.

Passage for the week: Ephesians 4:1-6 (NASB)

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

DIGGING DEEPER

Monday:

List all of the characteristics of God that you find in this passage (what God is like, His attributes).





List all of the promises of God that you can find in this passage.





“To have unity we all must be the same.” Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.



Wednesday:

Paul is so concerned for us as Christians that he pleads with us to live a life that is worthy of our calling. What have we been called to? See Ephesians 1-3 for some clues.



According to verses 1-3, what are the characteristics of a life that is worthy of our calling? Explain each characteristic in your own words.

Why are these virtues so important for maintaining unity?




Which of the qualities that Paul mentions will help you cultivate unity with others in your life? Which of these do you need to work on by God’s grace? Write them down and note the reason that is stopping you from living out each characteristic.

Friday:

How many times in these six verses does Paul use the word “one?” Do you think that is significant to the unity that should exist in the church? Explain.


We are commanded in this passage to keep the unity of the Spirit. What does this mean?


Paul also tells us that we have one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. How do these truths contribute to actually living out true unity in our church?


CHEW ON THIS:

Here Paul speaks of our calling as one to live together in a way that displays the unity God has intended for His church. This passage thus sets the tone for the remainder of the letter, and provides the link with what has gone before. That link is made not only in the summarizing theme of unity in these verses but specifically in the ‘therefore’ grounds the appeal in the earlier teaching. The passage consists of two parts: the appeal to unity (verses 1–3) and a seven-fold confession emphasizing it (verses 4–6).

By introducing himself here, again, as a prisoner for the Lord, Paul points to the level of commitment he expects of himself and of others. His readers will not have failed to note that he was a prisoner precisely because of his zeal for the sort of unity he now requests of them. But first his appeal is the more general one to live in a way that is worthy of God’s calling (see 1 Thess. 2:12; Rom. 12:1; Col. 1:10). It is a call to the mutual humility, gentleness and patient, forgiving love that exemplifies reconciliation, and then clarifies this as the appeal to a life that promotes unity. This is a call for men and women to keep and hold the line on the unity God has already begun in Christ and into which we are brought by the Spirit who brings us Christ and his benefits (verse 3). The Spirit brings us the peace of God-given harmony as a uniting bond. However, this bond can be put in harm’s way when there is arrogance, deceit, pride, and selfish ambition.

In verses 4–6, Paul reminds us of how important this call to unity is with a sevenfold repetition of the word “one.” We are first given the first three components: One body, one spirit, and one hope. These “ones” point to the universal body of Christ (in other words, there are more people outside of our city that belong to Christ!), the invisible Spirit who gives our church body harmony and peace in Christ, and the hope of our calling in Christ. The second group of three (verse 5) unpack this calling we have in Christ. We have faith in Jesus as one Lord, whom we are identified with in one baptism. For a Jew in this culture to confess Jesus as the one Lord was equal to confessing Him as one with the Father.

In this passage do you see the “oneness” of your relationship with God and your unity with fellow believers? What are you doing to contribute to this kind of unity? Let’s be people who are solely committed to God and one another!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

Ephesians 3:14-21

What is your view of prayer? Is it something that is an add-on to your busy day, or is it an essential component of your life that you cannot live without? As we look into our next passage of Scripture, I am challenged by this prayer that Paul prays for his readers and how it is a prayer for their inner spiritual growth and knowledge of God. In light of this, I wanted to share with you an e-mail I recently received from Pastor Tim. Consider these words….

“Suppose you get up tomorrow morning and open your Bible for devotions. But much to your surprise, you discover all the references to prayer and the Holy Spirit have been removed, leaving lots of empty spaces. Here’s the question we must all face: What difference would it make in my life if there were no such thing as prayer? What if there was no Holy Spirit? Would your lifestyle be affected? How much would your heart, your home, and your church be affected? In some cases, it would make little or no difference, for much of the activity is being carried on in the energy of the flesh. The Christian Life and ministry is dependent on the inner work of Christ in you. Prayer is our declaration of dependence upon God” (Vaughan).


Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. After you pray, take time to read through the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: bow my knees, strengthened with power, dwell in your hearts, rooted and grounded in love, love of Christ, fullness of God, more abundantly.

Passage for the week: Ephesians 3:14-21 (NASB)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

DIGGING DEEPER

Monday:

List all of the characteristics of God that you find in this passage (what God is like, His attributes).






List all of the promises of God that you can find in this passage.






Paul now turns from instruction to prayer. What was the reason for Paul’s prayer in this passage?



Wednesday:

In verse 17, Paul prays that Christ would “dwell in their hearts through faith.” What is this statement referring to?




Three times in verses 14-21, Paul mentions “love” and “power.” What do we learn about power and love in these verses?




Try to comprehend the love Christ has for you – how He created you, came to earth for you, suffered for you, died for you, and rose again for you. Think about how deep His love is for you and then write down what comes to your mind.




Friday:

How do verses 20-21 apply to what Paul has been praying for his readers? How does it apply to your life?

As you look at all of the things you are going through and struggling with, explain the ways in which Paul’s prayer can encourage you.

Take these verses and make it into a prayer of your own. Pray this passage back to God for a family member, a friend, and for yourself.

CHEW ON THIS:

I hope that your view of prayer has been shaped by the example of Paul in this passage. Paul begins his prayer by showing his submission to his Father. Here we see Paul falling down before God, on his knees with his head bowed to the ground. Paul then reminds us that this Heavenly Father is over all of heaven and earth, which includes the angels and all of mankind (v.15). From verses 16–19, Paul’s prayer is made up of two main requests. These requests are not the typical prayer requests that you hear in our churches today. We tend to focus on the physical prayer requests (sickness, pain, travel, finances, etc.) – which is not necessarily wrong. However, we tend to overlook the spiritual requests that Paul mentions in his prayer. The first request that Paul prays is for God’s mighty empowering by the Spirit in their hearts (also known as the inner man). God has an unlimited supply of power and He delights in enabling and empowering us to fulfill the purpose he has given us. But notice that Paul does not pray for more physical strength or ability, but "heart strength." This is really where we need to be strengthened and God is able to do it! The reason for this is so that "Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith." This does not refer to salvation, but rather that Christ would be at home in our hearts. In other words, Christ should not be an unwanted guest whom we tolerate, but the ruler of our heart and life. As we say no to the flesh we can truly become an unclogged channel and vessel for God to use.

Paul’s second request is for deep spiritual comprehension and a real knowledge of the love of Christ. It seems like a contradiction, however, since Paul is praying for his fellow believers to know something that beyond any human knowledge. However, Paul is seeking to highlight the awesome height and depth of the love of God. The dimensions of God’s love are boundless and Paul desires for us to experience this in our hearts! And, once this love is active in our lives there is no limit to what God can do in us and through us. In fact, He can do above and beyond what we could ever ask of Him or think in our minds, and we will be able to glorify Him as a result of His working! Let’s pray this for one another this week and seek to live out these truths like we truly believed them!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

Ephesians 3:1-13

What do you think of when you hear the word church? A building on the corner? A stuffy group of religious hypocrites? A vibrant fellowship of people who love God and one another? In this passage, the Apostle Paul gives us the right perspective of the church and exalts its place in God’s plan.

Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. After you pray, take time to read through the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: revelation, mystery, gospel, minister, power, grace, wisdom, and boldness.

Passage for the week: Ephesians 3:1-13 (NASB)

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

DIGGING DEEPER

Monday:

List all of the characteristics of God that you find in this passage (what God is like, His attributes).



List all of the promises of God that you can find in this passage.



Think of two or three adjectives which summarize your attitude and experience in the church and youth group. Explain.



Wednesday:


What gifts of God’s grace does Paul say he has received in verses 2, 3, and 8?


Explain the meaning of the mystery revealed to Paul in verses 2-6. How is it connected with the ministry that was given to him?


According to verses 10-11, what purpose does God have for the church?


How does this mesh with God’s overall purpose in Christ that is described in Ephesians 1:9-10?



Friday:

Paul says that he was in prison “for the sake of you Gentiles.” The Jews who arrested him reacted against the kind of teaching Paul has just expressed in Ephesians 2. Namely, Jesus has put an end to the divisive elements of the law and is creating a new people and building a new temple. How then was Paul’s imprisonment to the glory of his readers in verse 13?

CHEW ON THIS:

I know that in this passage we are given a great deal to chew on! In fact, if we are not careful, we could easily become overwhelmed with a passage like this since it is stocked with so much truth. So, let’s stick together and walk through these verses one step at a time. Paul continues his conversation about the church and the gospel as he begin chapter 3. Paul claimed to be a prisoner of Christ Jesus, knowing that Christ (not the Roman government) was sovereign over his current situation. His statement, “for the sake of you Gentiles” is what needs more explanation. Paul had devoted his ministry to traveling extensively to most of the known world to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. In verses 2-4, Paul emphasizes to us that God entrusted him with the grace of the gospel for the Gentiles by revealing the mystery to him (which he has already written in chapters 1 and 2), and that the we can begin to grasp the significance of the heart of the gospel from what he says. Then, in verses 5-6, Paul calls our attention to this mystery being revealed to the prophets in the Old Testament, but was not made known in previous generations. Now, God is revealing the gospel to the Gentiles and making them co-heirs, co-body members, and co-sharers of the promise of becoming a new creation in Christ. Unless you are of Jewish descent, this applies to you and me! This is an unbelievable privilege that we have because of what Christ accomplished through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead! We now have access to being a part of the family of God, the promises of God, and the blessings of God!

In verses 8-12, Paul tells us that grace was given to him to preach the incomprehensible riches of Christ to these Gentiles. And not only that, but that the eternal purpose of God was that the church would be the way that God’s manifold wisdom would be seen and heard throughout the physical and spiritual realm! This is an awesome thought that we could chew on for some time.

The Apostle Paul had devoted his life to bringing the Gentiles the gospel, and desired for there to be unity within the church. This is why his bonds and chains were their glory. In fact, Paul pled for unity over and over again in his letters to the body of Christ. There is a deep challenge here for our churches today, who so easily split, and redivide again, over issues of “the truth,” often without realizing that in doing so we are compromising the central truth of the gospel of reconciliation and restoration of unity in Christ!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen