SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 29

TITLE: THE GIFTS FOR UNITY

TEXT: EPHESIANS 4:7-10

INTRODUCTION: (1) UNITY DEMANDS DIVERSITY. NOW LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN: UNITY DEMANDS DIVERSITY AND LET ME ILLUSTRATE WHAT I MEAN.

* SUPPOSE THAT ALL OF THE WORKERS AT THE LORDSTOWN G.M. ASSEMBLY PLANT GOT TOGETHER AND HAD A BIG LABOR MEETING AND ANNOUNCED TO THE MANAGEMENT, “WE ARE UNITED.”

* “WE HAVE SOLVED ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS, WE ARE OF ONE MIND, AND THERE IS SUCH GREAT UNITY IN THIS PLANT, THAT WE HAVE ALL DECIDED, WITHOUT ANY DISSENT THAT WE ARE ALL GOING TO SCREW ON REAR TAILLIGHTS.”

(2) NOW THAT WOULD LEAD TO A PROBLEM. AND THE PROBLEM WOULD BE THERE WOULD BE NO CARS TO SCREW REAR TAILLIGHTS ON TO.

* IN ORDER FOR ONE CAR TO COME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE, THERE HAS TO BE DIVERSITY, THERE HAS TO BE A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET OUT THE FINISHED PRODUCT. SO UNITY DEMANDS DIVERSITY.

(3) NOW LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION, LET’S SAY THAT ALL THE CLEVELAND BROWNS AT TRAINING CAMP GO TO COACH BUTCH DAVIS AND SAY, “COACH, WE HAD A TEAM MEETING AND WE ARE UNITED, WE ARE ONE, WE ARE LIKEMINDED AND ALL OF US ARE SAYING THE SAME THINGS, AND THAT IS WE HAVE ALL DECIDED TO PLAY QUARTERBACK, WE ALL WANT TO BE LIKE THE NEW QUARTERBACK JEFF GARCIA (BIG PROBLEM).

* THAT WOULD CREATE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, BUT MOST OF ALL THEY WOULDN’T HAVE A TEAM.

** AND MY POINT IS UNITY DEMANDS DIVERSITY. AND IN GOD’S WORK CHRISTIANS ARE NOT ASSEMBLY-LINE PRODUCTIONS, WITH EVERY UNIT BEING EXACTLY LIKE EVERY OTHER UNIT.

(4) CONSEQUENTLY, NO CHRISTIAN CAN REPLACE ANOTHER IN GOD’S PLAN. HE HAS HIS OWN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN FOR EACH OF US AND HAS INDIVIDUALLY GIFTED US.

* WE ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS IN CHRIST’S BODY, BUT “INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.”

** AND WHEN A BELIEVER DOES NOT USE HIS SPIRITUAL GIFT OR GIFTS PROPERLY AS GOD’S STEWARD, GOD’S WORK SUFFERS TO THAT DEGREE, BECAUSE GOD HAS NOT CALLED OR GIFTED ANOTHER CHRISTIAN IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY OR FOR EXACTLY THE SAME WORK.

(5) AND THAT IS WHY NO CHRISTIAN IS TO BE A SPECTATOR. EVERY BELIEVER IS ON THE TEAM AND IS STRATEGIC IN GOD’S PLAN, WITH HIS OWN UNIQUE SKILLS, POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

* AND SPECIFICALLY IN EPHESIANS 4, AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT UNITY IN CHRIST’S CHURCH, WE’LL START TO SEE SPECIFICALLY TODAY THAT THERE IS UNITY IN THE BODY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS. WE’LL SEE IN A DIFFERENT WAY HOW THERE SHOULD BE UNITY IN THE BODY.

** AND WE’LL SEE THAT WE DID NOT DETERMINE OUR GIFTS, DESERVE THEM OR EARN THEM, FOR THEY ARE GIVEN ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S SOVEREIGN CHOICE AND PURPOSE.

(6) BUT WE WILL SEE THAT EVERY TRUE BELIEVER IS GRACE GIFTED WITH A SUPERNATURAL ENABLEMENT TO SERVE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

* AND THE INTENT OF OUR TEXT TODAY IS TO REVEAL THE BALANCED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ONENESS OF BELIEVERS AND THEIR INDIVIDUALITY WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THAT ONENESS.

** AGAIN THERE IS UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS SO WE SHOULD NOT BE INDEPENDENT BUT INTERDEPENDENT. WE NEED EACH OTHER.

(7) SO I’VE TITLED MY MESSAGE THIS MORNING, THE GIFTS FOR UNITY. AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT TWO THINGS:

* NO. 1 THE GIFTS GIVEN, V. 7, AND THEY ARE GIVEN BY GRACE; AND NO. 2 THE GIFTS GAINED OR HOW CHRIST WON THE RIGHT TO GIVE GIFTS, VV. 8-10.

** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 7 OF EPHESIANS 4, WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE GIFTS GIVEN.

I. THE GIFTS GIVEN, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW IN V. 7 WE SEE THAT EACH ONE OF US, EVERY BELIEVER, RECEIVES GRACE OR ENABLEMENT AS CHRIST APPORTIONED IT, LIT. ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE GIFT OF CHRIST, THE GIFT HE IS PLEASED TO GIVE.

* AND THE FIRST THOUGHT I WANT TO CONVEY TO YOU HERE IS THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN IS GRACE GIFTED, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BELIEVER WHO DOES NOT HAVE A SPIRITUAL GIFT.

** AND WHEN I USE THE TERM SPIRITUAL GIFT, I’M TALKING ABOUT A GOD-GIVEN CAPACITY THROUGH WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT SUPERNATURALLY MINISTERS TO THE BODY.

*** THEY ARE SPIRITUAL BODY BUILDERS GIVEN AT SALVATION TO EDIFY ONE ANOTHER AND ARE DIFFERENT FROM TALENTS. ILLUST.

1. NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, BELIEVERS ARE INTENDED TO PERFORM TWO KINDS OF MINISTRY UNDER OUR ULTIMATE PRIORITY, WHICH IS WORSHIP – GLORIFYING OUR GREAT GOD.

* AND ONE MINISTRY IS EVANGELISM, OUR MISSIONARY MINISTRY TO THE WORLD, WE ARE TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, THAT IS A COMMAND, AN IMPERATIVE, AND A PRIVILEGE AS WE SCATTER AS A CHURCH.

** NOW THE SECOND MINISTRY IS OUR EDIFYING MINISTRY WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST, SPECIFICALLY THE LOCAL CHURCH AS WE GATHER.

*** AND EACH BELIEVER IS TO DO HIS PART IN THE BUILDING UP OF THAT LOCAL BODY OF CHRIST. EACH BELIEVER HAS A FUNCTION.

2. NOW THE LORD HAS GIVEN EACH BELIEVER DIVINE ENABLEMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT PURPOSE WHICH IS TALKED ABOUT IN V. 7.

* AND SPECIFICALLY THE WORD GRACE IN V. 7 IS TALKING ABOUT THE ENABLING POWER THAT MAKES THE GIFTS FUNCTION TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

** AND THIS GRACE WHICH IS IN THE FORM OF THE ENABLING AND EMPOWERING BY THE LORD IS GIVEN TO EVERY SAINT “ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF CHRIST’S GIFT.”

3. AND THAT MEANS THAT EACH BELIEVER GETS THE GRACE WHICH CHRIST HAS TO GIVE, AND EACH BELIEVER GETS IT IN THE PROPORTION IN WHICH CHRIST IS PLEASED TO GIVE IT.

* IN OTHER WORDS, THE MEASURE OR SPECIFIC PORTION GIVEN IS BY SOVEREIGN DESIGN FROM THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, AS CHRIST HAS APPORTIONED IT.

** OUR EXALTED LORD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF GIFTS. CHARLES HODGE SAID: “THE RULE IS NOT OUR PREVIOUS CAPACITY, NOR OUR ASKING, BUT HIS OWN GOOD PLEASURE.”

4. AND BELOVED, WE EACH HAVE A GIFT THAT IS MEASURED OUT TO US WITH CERTAIN DISTINCT CAPABILITIES, PARAMETER AND PURPOSES ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S WILL, AND WE ARE TO BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF THOSE GIFTS, I PETER 4:10.

* NOW IN SUMMARY, WHAT IS V. 7 SAYING? WELL, IT IS SAYING BY DEFINITION, GIFTS ARE SOMETHING WE RECEIVE, AND WE RECEIVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS THROUGH THE WORKINGS OF GOD’S GRACE – FREELY, BY CHRIST’S DESIGN AND CHOICE.

** SO BELIEVER’S GIFTS ARE NOT DETERMINED BY THEIR PREFERENCES, INCLINATIONS, NATURAL ABILITIES, MERIT, OR ANY OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATION, BUT SOLELY BY CHRIST’S WILL.

5. WE ARE GIFTED ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN, HIS PURPOSE AND HIS MEASURE. AND WE HAVE NO MORE TO DO WITH DETERMINING OUR GIFT THAN WE DID WITH DETERMINING WHAT COLOR OF SKIN, HAIR OR EYES WE WOULD BE BORN WITH.

* GOD IS THE SOURCE OF SAVING GRACE, EQUIPPING GRACE AND ENABLING GRACE.

** SO HOW DOES THAT LEAD TO UNITY IN THE BODY? WELL TURN TO ROMANS 12 AND WE’LL LOOK AT VV. 3-8 TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT I MEAN.

*** V. 3 – FOR THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN TO ME I SAY TO EVERYONE AMONG YOU NOT TO THINK MORE HIGHLY OF HIMSELF THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK; BUT TO THINK SO AS TO HAVE SOUND JUDGMENT, AS GOD HAS ALLOTTED TO EACH A MEASURE OF FAITH.

V. 4 – “FOR JUST AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY AND ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION,

V. 5 – SO WE, WHO ARE MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.

V. 6 – SINCE WE HAVE GIFTS THAT DIFFER ACCORDING TO THE GRACE GIVEN TO US, EACH OF US IS TO EXERCISE THEM ACCORDINGLY; IF PROPHECY, ACCORDING TO THE PROPORTION OF HIS FAITH;

V. 7 – IF SERVICE, IN HIS SERVING OR HE WHO TEACHES, IN HIS TEACHING;

V. 8 – OR HE WHO EXHORTS, IN HIS EXHORTATION; HE WHO GIVES, WITH LIBERALITY; HE WHO LEADS, WITH DILIGENCE; HE WHO SHOWS MERCY, WITH CHEERFULNESS.

6. NOW THE POINT HERE IS, SINCE WE ARE GRACE GIFTED, DON’T THINK MORE HIGHLY OF YOURSELF THAN YOU OUGHT TO. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY BY GRACE.

* AND WHAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR SINS THAT LEADS TO DISUNITY AND CONTENTION IN A BODY? THE ANSWER IS PRIDE, PROVERBS 13:10.

** BUT ALSO SINCE EACH GIFT IS GIVEN BY CHRIST’S OWN GOOD PLEASURE, EACH BELIEVER SHOULD BE CONTENT WITH HIS GIFT OR GIFTS, NOT ENVYING THOSE GIFTS THAT ARE MORE PUBLIC OR VISIBLE, NOR LOOKING DOWN ON THOSE THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENES.

*** AND ULTIMATELY ALL OF US ARE BUILT UP BY THE DIVERSITY OF OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, WE MATURE IN THE FAITH, WE MATURE IN DOCTRINE, WE MATURE IN PRACTICE AND ATTITUDES SO THAT WE HAVE UNITY IN THE BODY. THERE IS UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY IN USING OUR DIFFERENT GIFTS.

- SO WE SEE IN V. 7 THAT THE GIFTS ARE GIVEN BY CHRIST’S CHOICE AND ARE DIVINE ENABLEMENTS, AND ALL OF US HAVE THEM, SO LET’S USE THEM.

- AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 8, WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR SECOND POINT TODAY, THE GIFTS GAINED BY CHRIST, HOW CHRIST WON THE RIGHT TO GIVE GIFTS.

II. THE GIFTS GAINED, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW BEFORE PAUL TALKS ABOUT A FEW OF THE GIFTS CHRIST HAS GIVEN TO HIS CHURCH, WHICH IN THE CONTEXT OF EPHESIANS 4 IS GIFTED MEN THAT ARE GIVEN TO THE CHURCH.

* BEFORE HE DOES THIS, HE GOES BACK TO THE O.T. TO PSALM 68:18 AS A COMPARISON PASSAGE TO SHOW HOW CHRIST RECEIVED THE RIGHT TO BESTOW THOSE GIFTS.

** SO V. 8 BEGINS BY SAYING IN THE NIV AND NASB “THEREFORE IT SAYS” OR “THIS IS WHY IT SAYS”, REFERRING BACK TO PSALM 68 AND THE ANALOGY PAUL WILL MAKE FROM IT. PAUL IS QUOTING SCRIPTURE.

1. NOW PSALM 68 IS A VICTORY HYMN BY DAVID TO CELEBRATE GOD’S CONQUEST OF THE JEBUSITE CITY AND THE TRIUMPHANT ASCENT OF GOD (REPRESENTED BY THE ARK OF THE COVENANT) UP MOUNT ZION.

* IT SAYS: THOU HAST ASCENDED ON HIGH, THOU HAST LED CAPTIVE THY CAPTIVES, THOU HAST RECEIVED GIFTS AMONG MEN, EVEN AMONG THE REBELLIOUS ALSO THAT THE LORD THY GOD MAY DWELL THERE.

** NOW THE IDEA BEHIND PSALM 68 IS THAT OF A MILITARY CONQUEROR LEADING CAPTIVES IN TRIUMPH AND LOADED WITH SPOILS, WHICH HE DISTRIBUTES TO HIS FOLLOWERS, A VICTORIOUS CONQUEROR WHO IS EXALTED FOR HIS TRIUMPH.

*** AND AGAIN IN THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT OF PSALM 68 IT IS JEHOVAH GOD WHO IS ENVISIONED AS THE CONQUEROR, BUT PAUL MAKES A MESSIANIC APPLICATION TO CHRIST.

2. FOR PAUL WAS THINKING OF THE VICTORY THAT WAS ACHIEVED AT THE CROSS, SO HE APPLIED THE PASSAGE TO THE ASCENDED CHRIST.

* CHRIST, THEN, IS REPRESENTED AS A CONQUEROR ENRICHED BY HIS VICTORIES AND GIVING GIFTS TO HIS PEOPLE.

** AND SPECIFICALLY IN V. 8, THE PHRASE WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH PICTURES A TRIUMPHANT CHRIST RETURNING FROM BATTLE ON THE EARTH AND WINNING THE BATTLE THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION AND THEN RETURNS HOME TO HEAVEN.

*** THROUGH HIS ASCENSION TO HEAVEN, BACK TO GLORY, HE ASCENDS WITH THE TROPHIES OF HIS GREAT VICTORY.

3. AND IN CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION, HE CONQUERED SATAN, SIN, AND DEATH, AND BY THAT GREAT VICTORY HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, WHO WERE ONCE PRISONERS OF THE ENEMY, BUT NOW BELONG TO HIM.

* THEY ARE HIS BOOTY, HIS SPOILS, HIS PEOPLE – US THAT KNOW HIM.

** BELOVED CHRIST PURCHASED REDEMPTION FOR HIS PEOPLE ON THE CROSS, A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE CAPTIVES TO SIN AND SATAN, BUT THAT ARE NOW HIS CAPTIVES, LED INTO THE CAPTIVITY OF HIS KINGDOM, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SAVED, AND WILL BE SAVED, CHRIST’S ELECT.

* HE IS THE CONQUERING SAVIOR WHO CONQUERS HIS ENEMY AND SETS MANY FREE.

** BUT GET THIS, AS CHRIST ASCENDS IN VICTORY TO HEAVEN, UPON ARRIVING IN HEAVEN HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.

*** AND AFTER HIS ASCENSION CAME ALL THE GIFTS EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT. FOR YOU SEE WHEN THE SAVIOR WAS EXALTED ON HIGH, HE SENT THE SPIRIT 10 DAYS LATER ON PENTECOST AND WITH THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ALSO CAME HIS GIFTS TO THE CHURCH.

**** SO CHRIST GAVE GIFTS TO MEN THROUGH THE SPIRIT HE WOULD SEND, JOHN 14:16, JOHN 7:38&39,

I COR. 12:11 – THE ONE CALLED ALONGSIDE, PERFORMING CHRIST’S WORK, GLORIFYING HIM – JOHN 16:14.

- NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO V. 9 WHERE PAUL GIVES A BRIEF PARENTHETICAL EXPLANATION OF THE ANALOGY HE HAS JUST USED. SO LOOK AT V. 9.

B. READ V. 9. NOW AGAIN VERSES 9 & 10 ARE INSERTED AS A PARENTHESIS TO EXPLAIN V. 8 AND TO SHOW THAT THE PASSAGE QUOTED REFERS TO CHRIST.

* AND THE EXPLANATION IS, WHAT DOES CHRIST’S ASCENSION TO HEAVEN IMPLY? WELL, IT IMPLIES THAT BEFORE HE COULD ASCEND TO HEAVEN AS A VICTOR, HE HAD TO DESCEND TO EARTH AS A SERVANT, AS A SACRIFICE.

** FOR YOU SEE BEFORE THE CROWN THERE WAS THE CROSS. THE WORD DESCENDED REFERS TO CHRIST’S COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH.

*** AND JOHN MACARTHUR SAYS OF THIS: “THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION WAS FIRST ABASED AND THEN EXALTED. DIVESTITURE CAME BEFORE INVESTITURE, INCARNATION BEFORE GLORIFICATION.” (END QUOTE)

1. AND LET ME POINT OUT TO YOU THAT THIS IS CLEARLY POINTED OUT IN PHIL. 2:5-11.

* NOW THE IDEA OF PHIL. 2:5-11 IS THE SOVEREIGN HAD TO DESCEND AND BECOME A SERVANT BEFORE HE WOULD BE EXALTED. THE CROSS WAS BEFORE THE CROWN, HEBREWS 12:2.

** AND GET THIS! THE DEPTH OF CHRIST’S DESCENT IN HIS INCARNATION IS SAID TO BE INTO THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH.

*** AND I BELIEVE THIS PHRASE MAKES REFERENCE TO THE DEPTH OF THE INCARNATION. IT IS A STRIKING CONTRAST IN TERMS OF HIS ASCENT FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS, EMPHASIZING THE EXTREME RANGE OF OUR LORD’S CONDESCENSION AND EXALTATION.

**** THE HEIGHT OF HEAVEN AND THE LOW EARTH.

2. FOR YOU SEE IN HIS CONDESCENSION OUR LORD IN COMING TO EARTH HUMBLED HIMSELF TO THE LOWEST STATES OF HUMILIATION, HEAVEN STANDS OPPOSED TO EARTH.

* NOW BEFORE I MOVE ON TO V. 10, LET ME SAY THAT SOME BELIEVE THAT THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH MAKE REFERENCE TO I PETER 3:18&19, WHERE IT REFERS TO CHRIST MAKING PROCLAMATION TO THE DEMONS IN THEIR PRISON HOUSE, TO CHRIST’S DESCENT TO THE UNDER-WORLD, TO CHRIST’S DESCENT TO HADES BETWEEN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, AND THAT IS A POSSIBILITY HERE.

** ALSO – THE GRAVE – INSIDE THE EARTH REFERRING TO HIS BURIAL.

*** BUT I DON’T THINK THESE INTERPRETATIONS ARE THE MEANING. RATHER THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH ARE MENTIONED AS THE PARTS LOWER THAN HEAVEN, THAT IS THE EARTH, A GENERAL PHRASE, AND THE GREAT CONTRAST BETWEEN CHRIST’S DESCENT AND HIS ASCENSION IS THE ISSUE HERE. NOW LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 10. NOW IN V. 10 AGAIN WE SEE THAT CHRIST WHO DESCENDED TO THE EARTH IN HIS INCARNATION AND SUFFERING IS ALSO THE ONE WHO ASCENDED FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS, THE ABODE OF HIS FATHER, WHAT PAUL CALLS THE THIRD HEAVEN IN II CORINTHIANS 12:2.

* FIRST HEAVEN BEING THE CLOSER – THE ATMOSPHERE, THE SECOND BEING THE STARS AND THE THIRD GOD’S ABODE ABOVE ALL THINGS.

** AND CHRIST ASCENDED FAR ABOVE ALL THE HEAVENS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING ALL THINGS.

*** AND THAT MEANS HE IS SUPREME OVER ALL, THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO HIM, AND NO PLACE OR ORDER OF EXISTENCE WHERE HIS PRESENCE MAY NOT BE KNOWN.

**** WILLIAM BARCLAY SAID: “THE ASCENSION OF JESUS MEANT NOT A CHRIST-DESERTED, BUT A CHRIST-FILLED WORLD.” (END QUOTE)

1. AND BELOVED CHRIST FILLS THE UNIVERSE AND HE IS HEAD OVER IT, AND OF COURSE HE IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH AND GIVES OUT THE GIFTS THROUGH HIS SPIRIT TO EQUIP HIS CHURCH AS WE’LL SEE NEXT WEEK LORD WILLING.

* BUT CHRIST IS THE EXALTED ONE WHO IS ABOVE ALL, THE UNIVERSE’S SOVEREIGN. HE IS THE KING!!

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) LET ME SAY THAT WE HAVE A GREAT EXALTED SAVIOR WHO HAS GIVEN GREAT GIFTS TO HIS CHURCH THAT HIS BODY MIGHT BE BUILT UP.

(2) AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT UNDER THIS IDEA IN APPLICATION: USE AND UNITY.

* NO. 1 WE MUST USE OUR GIFTS THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH IF THIS BODY IS TO BE BUILT UP. AGAIN ALL OF YOU HAVE THEM, ALL OF YOU THAT ARE BELIEVERS. AND THEY ARE SPIRITUAL BODY BUILDERS.

** MAKE SURE YOU’RE PLUGGED IN AND NOT A SPECTATOR, GET INVOLVED – LOOK FOR OPEN DOORS. ILLUST. DESIRE, BLESSING, JOY, CONFIRMATION, A FUNCTION.

(3) NO. 2 THERE IS SPIRITUAL UNITY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS AS WE USE THEM AND GROW.

* OUR GIFTS ARE DIFFERENT, OUR PERSONALITIES ARE DIFFERENT AND OUR MINISTRIES IN USING OUR GIFTS ARE DIFFERENT.

** BUT GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM HAS ORDAINED EACH OF US TO BE DEPENDENT ON EACH OTHER. GOD HAS ORDAINED NOT UNIFORMITY BUT A VARIETY OF GIFTS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY. WE NEED EACH OTHER.

(4) AS CALVIN PUTS IT, “NO MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST IS ENDOWED WITH SUCH PERFECTION AS TO BE ABLE, WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHERS, TO SUPPLY HIS OWN NECESSITIES.” (END QUOTE)

* AND UNTO EVERY ONE OF US IS GIVEN DIFFERENT GIFTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. AND THERE IS GROWTH AND SPIRITUAL UNITY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF OUR GIFTS. LET’S BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF THEM.

** I CLOSE WITH I PETER 4:10&11 – AS EACH ONE HAS RECEIVED A SPECIAL GIFT, EMPLOY IT IN SERVING ONE ANOTHER AS GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD.

V. 11 – WHOEVER SPEAKS, IS TO DO SO AS ONE WHO IS SPEAKING THE UTTERANCES OF GOD; WHOEVER SERVES IS TO DO SO AS ONE WHO IS SERVING BY THE STRENGTH WHICH GOD SUPPLIES; SO THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, TO WHOM BELONGS THE GLORY AND DOMINION FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.