Ephesians 4:11-13
Wasted Gifts
1. Why is the Church ineffective? Let’s look at the manual.
2. Ephesians 4:11-13 God give His manual for an effective ministry.
Why is the Church ineffective? Let’s look at God's manual.
I. MEN DESIGNATED 4:11 The Provision from God
A. The Source And He gave “some”
1. And goes back to v. 8 He gave gifts to men… He not only gave a gift to each
believer, but He gave gifted men. It is a continuation of what He started on the
cross, and a continuation through the ascended Lord.
2. He (Jesus Christ)…He himself gave. It is emphatic of the One giving the gift.
3. Gave the Greek word is edoken. It is the same word as John 3:16 For God so loved
the world that He gave (edoken). As God gave His Son, Jesus Christ gave these men
as “gifts” to the Church. Once again, you don’t pick and choose, this is God’s
business!
B. The Supply
Four or five positions may be given. As with the list of gifts in other parts of the New
Testament, some are not in operation. Two offices (apostles and prophets) no longer
function because they fulfilled their purpose. Those listed seem to be gifted men who
handled God’s Word.
1. Apostles (some) are sent ones. In a restricted sense, the 12 plus Mathias and Paul. He had seen the risen Christ, but he also had been directly and personally commissioned by Him to be an apostle. These no longer exist in the narrow sense. Also, others were New Testament apostles. In (Eph. 2:20) they were foundational material and now are no longer needed. In (Eph. 3:5) New Testament apostles received revelations from God. With the completion of the New Testament these were no longer needed.
2. Prophets (some) A prophet’s primary purpose was to tell forth God’s Word. The Old Testament prophets ended at the end of Malachi, and was 400 years before the New Testament. John the Baptist was a prophet. Prophets received their spiritual knowledge first hand from the Holy Spirit. God’s final Word came in the Book of Revelation. Let no man add to this Book (Rev. 22:18, 19). (Hebrews 2:3, 4) God confirmed their ministry by signs, wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t necessary today. We have God’s completed revelation, the Bible!
3. Evangelists (some) to proclaim good news. These were men who traveled from place to place to preach the good news and win the lost. They were primarily church planters in pioneer works. All ministers should do the work of an evangelist (II Tim 4:5), but ministers are not evangelists. These men are uniquely designed and given to the church to reach the lost with the saving gospel, and teach and mobilize others to fulfill the commission to reach the lost.
4. Pastors and teachers Since some is not repeated it would suggest that we have one office and two ministries. Pastor speaks of shepherds who care, protect and lead. Teachers do the feeding and leading through the Word.
Gifted men will work through the visible local church. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. (Heb. 13:7)
Why is the Church ineffective? Let’s look at God’s manual.
II. MINISTRY DETERMINED 4:12 The Purpose of God
In the KJV the evangelists, pastor/teachers had 3 functions. That was the belief in 1611.
How many ministers are there in Pennsville Baptist Church? There are as many ministers
as there are believers. Every believer is a minister! In the beginning of the church all
there were was laos these were God’s people. Then came the kleros which means, lot or
appointment. In the beginning there was no kleros. Then in 95 a.d. Clement introduced the
laikos which means, uneducated. So the division kleros…clergy, and laikos…laity and
laos...God’s people were now divided.
A. Equipping… For the perfecting of the saints
For…means, for the purpose or in order to. Perfecting is katartismos (equipping) and refers to that which is fit or restored to its original condition or made complete. It is a medical term that was used to set a bone. (Mk. 1:19) The disciples were mending their nets. The ministry of equipping is the work of leading Christians from sin to obedience. This will be through the word. The Church is an equipping station!
B. Energizing…equipping leads to energizing…for the work of the ministry. For is the Greek word eis which means, unto or to. It is not the gifted men who have the most direct responsibility for ministry. No pastor can do everything a church needs to do! A pastor is not paid to do the work of the church. Through the Word, God’s people are equipped. You have a ministry! If you are a Christian, you are a minister. Equipping is done so the members might do the work, using the gifts God has given them. This is the Church’s biggest failure!
How should a believer approach every service? “God wants to use me.” “I am being equipped to minister this week with the gift God has given to me.”… (teaching, comforting, encouraging, leading, giving, inviting, sharing my faith…taking the way I am wired up and using it for God’s glory). Become a prayer: “Dear God, I am available.” “Use me.” Get busy!!
C. Edifying…For (eis) unto the edifying of the body of Christ…To build up this is the purpose of for the work of the ministry. Unless everyone is involved, some will be left out. One person can only minister to 53 people. It literally means, to build a house or any sort of construction. The Church is a bunch of people under construction. As we minister with our gift, someone else is built up. This is what unites all the members of the Body!
Why is the Church ineffective? Let’s look at God’s manual.
III. MATURITY DESIRED 4:13 The Perfection from God
A. The Goal til we all come There is a two-fold ultimate goal:
1. The unity of the faith as in v. 5, this does not refer to the act of belief, but the Christian body of Truth…fellowship based on the Truth of God’s Word.
2. The knowledge of the Son of God This is not a saving knowledge, but to really know Him by experience. We make Him part of our lives. This isn’t religion, but a relationship.
B. The Growth unto a complete man…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
1. God’s desire is for you to be complete…you need nothing!
2. God’s desire is for you to be Christ-like…to reach a degree of maturity that pleases and glorifies the Lord. You are the only Bible that some people will read. You are the only Jesus that some people will see. Paul wants us to grow until Jesus is seen. When a bit of Jesus is seen, the world will take notice!
God wants to use you!
OPEN YOUR EYES!
Quit expecting someone else to do what God wants you to do!