The Gifting of the Church - Part 5

The Gifting of the Church Part 5

This is the fifth and final part of this series. This week we will follow up last week’s article on verse 15. Those verses gave us some thoughts on growing up in the Lord. This week we will review verse 16 and conclude this brief study about the gifting of the church.

Ephesians 4:11-16 – 11 It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The gifting of the church is essential to mature us and to draw folks together. It is also part of what unifies the Body. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Recently I began to work out at the gym and started playing basketball once again – I hadn’t played much at all since a friend of mine died 5-6 feet from me playing. I must admit that there are lots of sore muscles and aches and pains. Hot showers and I are good friends. My muscles and ligaments and joints are being taxed and I hope, growing and getting stronger. It has not been easy, and we won’t even speak about the knees. But as I lose weight and start to get in better shape (I know round is a shape – I said so in a message – but not a desired shape) the aches and pains are getting less and sleep has returned – lol.

The gifting of the church is to build the church up. In the 16^th verse we are told the gifting is to build up the Body in love. We are built up so that every part may do its task. That is why I am working out in the gym, so that every part will continue to be able to do what it is supposed to do. Our spiritual workouts, our daily journey will be enhanced by the gifting of the church.

I want to return to the first verse of this study. 11 It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

These leaders in the church are supposed to be building us up in our faith journey so that we might be held together in love and faithfulness. If we get out of order and begin to glorify the gifted rather than the gift giver, we have it out of balance. As a pastor, I want respect as Dione will write about this week, but I do not want to be placed on a high place and glorified. Pastors, Apostles, Teachers, Evangelists, Prophets and others are supposed to be used as servants of the people, of the Body of Christ.

There are other gifts and other blessings for the church body. It is a gift of God to be hospitable, to be a person of mercy, to have a deep abiding faith. It is a gift from God, a Spiritual gift, to be able to discern spirits, to be used of God to heal, to perform miracles, to speak a Word from the Lord.

All of these and more are to be used to build the church in unity and strength. Too many times they are used to divide and separate. Pray about the gifting of the church and see what God tells you.