Ephesians 4:7-16 The Gifts of the Spirit

• Main Theme.
• We are all given different gifts for the work of ministry in the church, the Body of Christ.
• We all have a unique gift through Christ
• The different gifts we have makes diversity into unity as we all work together in Christ through Christ.

• We all are born into the fullness of Christ when we become Christians.
• We need to become involved to discover our gift(s).
• By using our gift(s) we are meeting needs of others that are not being met.
• We are learning to carry others even though we may need to be carried sometimes as well.
• It takes all kinds of nuts to make a Fruit Cake.
• The Spiritual Gifts came with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost..
• Overview.
• Spiritual Gifts.
• They are an act of God that brings us together so that we do not have to walk alone.   
• When we are walking in the Spirit, we are not walking alone.
• They are not a natural talent that we may have. (mechanical, artistic, athletic)
• It is the spiritual capability to do the work of God.  It can be an interface between the talent and the gift.    

• Voice and Encouragement.
• Visionary and Faith.
• Speaking and Evangelism.
• Moses stuttered but was still a great leader.
• God gives us a spiritual gift, and God gives his gifted people to the church.
• Unity brings about diversity amongst Christians.
• Building up the Body of Christ requires:
• Unity - to function smoothly.   The brain controls 10 million units within our body to make everything work in unity.   Jesus is the head of the Church Body.
• Maturity - become perfect, growing up.  Until we become like Christ, we have much growing up to do.
• Stability - to grow in maturity so that we do not become gullible or susceptible.   The average age of a person attending church is 55 years old while the average age of a human is 25 years old.
• Verse 4:7 (The One and Only Replaceable You).
• Spiritual Gifts are a gift from God, who is the creator of the universe.  They are custom made as God has measured it and tailor made it for us as well.   The wisdom of God has gifted us with what we are to be gifted in.  We need to discover that gift.
• Paul has emphasized Spiritual Gifts 3 times in his letters.
• Ephesians 4, Romans 12, and I Corinthians 12 - 14.
• Some people may possess the same spiritual gift but be effective in using it in different ways than others.   (I Corinthians 12:7-11).
• They can differ in style, ability, emphasis, and area of expertise.  Some can excel in teaching adults and others in adolescents, and yet other children.  Some, like Billy Graham was an effective Evangelist in a large group setting, while there are others who are more effective in a One on One situation.
• Notice in Verse 7 it says ‘Each one of us’, instead of some of us.
• Jesus has taken into account our personality, intellect, temperament, education, life experiences, and the people who surround us.
• Every Christian is irreplaceable.   God could choose others to fulfill our tasks.   If we do not use or gift, what does God think?  Do we do harm to the Body of Christ?   God’s work can be hindered if we do not use our gifts.   A healthy body needs all its members to be working together.
• Verse 4:8-10   (The Spoils of the Victory)
• Quoted from Psalm 68:18: David’s victory over the Jebusites.
• David had just conquered the Jebusites in a valiant battle and he has just returned home with the spoils of the victory.   David led the procession with a host of captives (officers and soldiers of David who were taken captive by the enemy in previous battles by the enemy).   He also paraded the valuables and plunder taken from the enemy.  David then distributed the plunder to his victorious soldiers as a reward for their faithful service.
• Since Adam and Eve, Satan has held us captives and enemies to sin.  We had been in slavery and bondage to Satan.
• Jesus is our King and Victor, who has conquered the Kingdom of Satan and the dominion of his strongholds over us.  Jesus came to earth, he lived with us, he died here, and then he was raised from the dead.
• Descended:   (I Peter 3:18)
• Jesus came to earth and was born here.
• Physically died on the cross and he became alive in the Spirit, where he went to Hades to the Demons where he made a proclamation that the demons no longer had reign and hold on mankind and that the Sacrifice had been completed.  Jesus then let the Old Testament Saints free from Sheol.
• Verse 4:11-13   (Purposeful Gifts)
• Jesus came from the heights of heaven to earth so that we could receive a Spiritual Gift.   God is then able to use our gifts to bless other people and to carry out his eternal plan.
• The principle of tithing.    God uses the 10% and puts it to good use, the other 90% he uses to bless us and to meet our needs.   God can also use the 90% to bless us in his own ways.
• God will bless us if we use our gifts.   He will multiply our efforts and abilities.  God can bless us abundantly beyond what we can imagine.  
• Paul uses Ephesians to explain the leadership gifts which are the foundation of the Church.   We can possess some of these gifts in different varying degrees.   Even though God’s word commands us to evangelize, some people are better than others in these areas.
• The ability to Prophesy means to apply God’s word to specific situations.  We can say from the Bible, ‘Thus says the Lord’.
• God has given us these foundational spiritual gifts to equip us (‘help make us whole’) for the taking of the Gospel of Wholeness to a broken and fallen world.
• God gave us gifts for the work of service to God, the church, and to others.   They are not given to us so that we can build our ego.   They are intended to be used in a humble way and committed to Christian service.
• God gave us gifts to edify (Build up) others, to encourage others, and to lift up one another.   In order to edify others, we need to be involved with others and with the church.
• Verse 4:14-16   (Running After every Religious Circus)
• God gave us spiritual gifts so that we would not remain spiritually immature.   By exercising our spiritual gifts we become more mature and acquire discernment.
• Paul warns us not to chase the latest fads to grow in our maturity and fulfillment, but to turn to the Word of God instead.
• We should ask God ‘How can we us our gifts to serve and edify other Christians’.
• By not using our gifts we hamper the effectiveness of the body of Christ, we slow its progress.
• By using our gifts we help the body of Christ grow and complete the body of Christ by building up God’s people in Christian Love..
• Conclusion.
• Does our walk reflect a Christ like life?   Are we worthy in our walk and are we accountable?   Do we help each other?   What is our role in our local church?  Do we walk by faith instead of sight?
• It is not wise to isolate ourselves and not use our gifts.  We need to walk together with the body of Christ (Church).
• Makes us accountable to others.
• If you love God you will love people.
• We all have a mix of gifts that God wants us to use.  If we do not use them, we could be robbing others of what they need if we are not involved.
• Not using your gifts can be compared to:
• A soldier with no Army to serve.
• A football player with no team to play for.
• A tuba player without a band to play in.
• The receiving of Spiritual Gifts can be compared to receiving a Christmas Gift and what we do with it.
• Open the Gift and place it on a shelf, to never use it.   
• Throw the Gift in the trash.   
• Exchange the Gift for something else we may find useful.   
• Refuse the Gift entirely.

• fts that God wants us to use.  If we do not use them, we could be robbing others of what they need if we are not involved.
• Not using your gifts can be compared to:
• A soldier with no Army to serve.
• A football player with no team to play for.
• A tuba player without a band to play in.
• The receiving of Spiritual Gifts can be compared to receiving a Christmas Gift and what we do with it.
• Open the Gift and place it on a shelf, to never use it.   
• Throw the Gift in the trash.   
• Exchange the Gift for something else we may find useful.   
• Refuse the Gift entirely.

Ephesians 4:1-6 Unity of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:1-6     Unity of the Holy Spirit

• Overview of this lesson.
• A worthy walk is displayed by:
• Humility.
• The Greeks despised lowliness.   They believed that lowliness was for the slaves, not the citizens of Greece.
• Matthew 11:29
• Gentleness
• Meekness
• Long Suffering
• Letting your motor idle while you feel like spinning your gears.
• Bearing with one another in LOve.
• Putting up with each other (I Corinthians 13:4)
• Main Theme.
• The value of walking in the Spirit, with the Lord.   The walk of the believer should be worthy to God, our Father.
• To use the word of GOD to transform us and to feed us spiritually to help in our daily walk here on earth.
• The phrase ‘Wealth in Jesus’ is used 27 times in the New Testament.
• Jesus set an example by washing the Apostle’s feet before the Last Supper and gave them command.   (John 13:12-17)
• Our walk is defined by our consistency - Is it Genuine or True.

• (Luke 10:7)  Jesus is telling us that wages does require work, just as being a Christian we will be rewarded for our good works.  We can see that we are asked to perform as a Christian, we are to seek integrity and consistency.  We are also being asked to dispense of hypocrisy.
• What a person does compared to what he says.   (I John 1:6-7, I John 2:3-6).
• Dwelling together in Unity.
• Examples:  2 roommates can dwell together in the same apartment but not live in unity.   A husband and wife can dwell together under one roof but lack unity.   2 church members may sit side by side but lack unity.   (Psalm 133:1)
• Dwelling together in unity is spoken of as an experience of goodness and unity.   (Matthew 18:19, 1 Peter 3:7)
• God is always present when there is unity.

• When Christians are in harmony with one another, God blesses them and brings glory to his name.   Unity is found when we accept one another or when we forgive one another in spite of our differences.
• Christian unity can also be found amid our differences of opinions and ideas.
• The Unity of the Spirit   (v4:1-6).
• Paul’s main statement can be found in verse 3, that we should make every effort to be in unity of the Spirit.   The verses before and the after can be considered bookends.
• First bookend: to walk in humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.
• These are the ingredients to our spiritual maturity.
• We are to bring reconciliation out of division, harmony out of strife, and trust out of suspicion.
• Second bookend: to be of one body, one Spirit, one hope, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
• If we meditate upon this we will be motivated and convicted to maintain our unity with fellow Christians.
• Division is very common in the world, America, homes and families, and even churches.

• Caused by selfishness, ambition, impatience, bitterness and hostility.

• Losing our site of our unity.
• Mindset of thinking ‘It’s all about me’.
• What about my rights?
• What about what I want?
• Paul opens his statement by saying that he is a prisoner.   Paul is essentially saying he has surrendered his ego, feelings, rights, and freedom for the sake of serving Christ.
• Paul does not see himself as a prisoner of the Roman Government even though he was being held in a Roman prison.
• Paul does not consider himself to be a prisoner of the Jewish religious leaders who bought false accusations against him.
• Paul did not feel sorry for himself nor was he looking for sympathy.
• Paul was urging the people by his actions to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   Paul was not focused upon himself but spreading the Gospel at all costs.
• The Greek word for ‘worthy’ translates to ‘balancing of the scales’.
• We need to balance  our lives between ourselves and Jesus.
• We need to balance our lives between savior and our obedience.
• Paul speaks of 4 virtues.
• Humility.
• Opposite of pride.
• Pride cost Satan his failure.
• Means serving others, putting aside our brilliance, ideas, and point of view.   (Romans 12:10, 16)
• Our culture tends to glorify prideful people.
• The ancient Greeks considered pride a virtue.
• God’s humility - The creator leaves his home in glory to be born in a manger, lived in poverty, owned nothing but his clothes, he had no where to lay his head, he died a criminal’s death, and he was buried in a tomb.
• Gentleness.
• Living in meekness.  (A character of strength and spiritual value).
• It should not be confused with living in weakness.
• Taming of an animal would be a sign of meekness.   A tamed horse is still every bit strong as a wild horse.  They are taught to control, channel, and discipline its strength so that it can put to good use.
• Choosing forgiveness and love instead of revenge.   Instead of striking back we heal/submit instead.  Instead of using power to destroy we use it to build up and edify each other.
• Patience.
• Person who does not quit and does not give up on God’s promises.
• Abraham waited 25 years for a son to born to Sarah and himself.
• Noah waited 125 years for the Flood.
• Jeremiah was told to prophesy to people who did not believe him, insulted him, mocked him,  and reviled him.
• The above people never gave up but continued to persevere.
• God will use us if we are patient in our dealings with fellow Christians, family, and dealings with difficult people.
• Forbearing love.
• Eros - Selfish love that refers to an appreciation of beauty, pleasure, and sensual experiences.
• Storge - The natural and cherishing affection of a parent for a child or a child for a parent.
• Phileo - Reciprocal love and fondness between friends, a love that gives as long as it receives.
• Agape - A love that is totally unselfish.
• This is the type of love that Paul was describing in this letter.   This is the type of love that encompasses all of the virtues.
• If we truly love God, we will be humble, patient, gentle, and forbearing.   We will become a powerful force for maintaining the Unity of the Spirit.
• This type of love will help us through tough times.   Even though we are forbearing in our love for God, it does not mean that we will not have conflicts or problems.
• There will be people who exist who are hostile and difficult to deal with even though we use these 4 virtues with them,   We can not control someone else behavior.   (Romans 12:18)   These 4 virtues however can act as an agent of peace towards others.
• One God, One Faith, One Hope.
• (v4-6)   Paul explains that unity is the essence of faith.
• If we do anything that causes division, or separation of factions of our church and family, we have neglected the essence of our faith.
• We are not like Hindus who have many Gods.  We have a triune God, a trinity, that is in unity at all times.   Each person in the Trinity has a role.   We do not have individual Holy Spirit's dwelling within us but the one Holy Spirit of God.
• One Faith - one doctrine, one Gospel message, one way to salvation, one way to heaven.
• In the early church, Christians were baptized after they came to Christ.   They stepped into the waters of Baptism for one reason only, to publicly identify themselves with Christ.  This was often punishable by death at that time.
• Our one hope is Jesus Christ.   All who are in Jesus Christ will be going to one heaven.
• Our Christian Family - the church of Christ.
• Different churches may have different matters of form, but there is only one substance in Jesus Christ, our LORD and savior.
• Different types of Baptism, types of worship, and the elements used for communion.
• Conclusion.
• In heaven, we will all be one with Christ.   We will see our heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and our unity in the Spirit will be completed at last.
• Does my behavior benefit the work of God?   Do my words bless the Kingdom of God?   Does the example of my life bring honor and praise to God?  Would we be willing to persevere like Paul, to suffer the same hardships and to continue to have faith in God and to do all things according to God’s will?

Encouragement

Encouragement

Marh 12^th , 2014

·         Background

o   Comes from the Greek word ‘Parakaleo’ which translates to our word ‘implore’.

§  Appears 105 times in the New Testament.

§  One of the Spiritual Gifts.

o   Can be confused with complimenting or praising others.

§  Praise is part of Encouragement but it does not cover the full meaning of the word.

§  A compliment is saying nice things to others to make them feel good about themselves.

§  Encouragement involves giving someone support or confidence.  It also helps to develop something in another person.

o   Biblical use of the word Encouragement.

§  A person is calling someone to their side in order to teach, comfort, strengthen, or push them to act in a certain way.

§  Very similar to the way exhort, warn, or admonish another.

§  Paul’s letters often offered encouragement to his listeners.

·         People who encourage others do so in a love for what a person needs to hear, even if it is something the person does not want to hear.

·         Paul’s Letter’s to the Ephesian Church in Ephesus.

o   Ephesus was a major cult center that worshiped the Goddess Artemus (Diana).  This was the main attraction of the city during Paul’s time.

o   It was considered a dark place for the followers of Jesus.

o   Paul prayed and encouraged them to remain strong in the faith and that they would not struggle alone in their new faith.   Paul was concerned that disunity might creep into the fellowship of believers.   (Ephesians 4: 1 – 3)

§  Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

o   Encouragement to others.

§  Telling people what they need to hear in order to bring about a change in action, feeling or belief.

§  Should be done with love, grace, and wisdom.

§  Sometimes it is best done in private.

§  Encouragement can make a difference.   (I Thessalonians 5:11)

·         So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

·         Bible verses for our Encouragement.

o   Proverbs 3:5-6

o   Proverbs 18:10

o   Isaiah 41:10

o   John 14:27

o   John 16:33

o   Psalm 46:1-3

o   2 Timothy 1:7

o   Psalm 16:8

o   Psalm 55:22

o   I Peter 5:7

o   Isaiah 26:3

o   Psalm 118:14-16

o   Psalm 119:114-114

o   Psalm 119:25

o   Psalm 119:50

o   Psalm 119:71

o   Psalm 120:1

Ephesians 3: God's Perspective on Life.

Ephesians 3:     God’s Perspective on Life

• Overview of this lesson.
• The mystery has now been revealed to us through Jesus.  We as Christians and Christ’s church are now part of that mystery through God’s new covenant with his people.  Salvation is now open to both Jew and Gentile alike.   People of different backgrounds are now heirs at the same level.  We all can be saved.
• None of the Old Testament prophets knew of this mystery but they were able to prophesy about the birth and death of Jesus.
• The Jews were a chosen people of God during the Old Testament.   They did not see the Gentiles as fitting into God’s plan.  They struggled with the New Testament teachings of the Gentiles, which eventually led to Paul being a prisoner, a prisoner of Christ.
• (Deuteronomy 7:6-10)  The Jews were a Holy people that God has chosen.
• (Isaiah 49:8-13)          God would provide comfort to the Jews.
• (Genesis 22:18)           All nations of Abraham’s descendants would be blessed.  
• (John 3:16)                 For God so loved the world (Jews and Gentiles)
• (John 10:14-19)           Jesus is the shepherd of one flock, some of which are not of this world (Gentiles)..   
• (Acts 10:34-46)           Peter eating at Cornelius’s home with the uncircumcised.
• (Acts 15:1-21)              The Law of Circumcision.
• The cost of unity (between Jews and Gentiles) is expensive.
• Paul lost his freedom and became a prisoner.

• Paul’s message included the unity between Jews and Gentiles, which caused Paul to be arrested.  He appealed his case to Ceasar since he was also considered a Roman citizen.  Paul was not a prisoner to Rome, but a prisoner to Christ, under the sovereign protection of God.  
• Paul realized he was living under a new covenant of Grace.  He knew God had sent him to the Gentiles to share the Gospel with them.
• Paul was the only Apostle preaching at this time - Grace for all.
• Paul spent 3 years in the desert where God revealed his mystery/plan to Paul.
• Paul was imprisoned and sentenced 7 times.
• Peter’s Gospel message was made mostly to the Jews.
• God’s plan of salvation caught the angles attention.   
• God let the Angels see his plan of salvation unfold to educate them.  Salvation is not for the angels.  The angels have seen it all.  Angels can be helpers of our salvation and they have the opportunity to study us. (I Peter 1:10-12)
• We shall one day judge the Angels.   (I Corinthians 6:3).
• Accepting Jesus as a Christian costs our pride.
• If all of the message of unity is true from the apostle Paul, we must like everyone regardless of who and what they are.
• We are not to lose heart because of all the tribulations Paul suffered to share the Gospel message.  (Paul's encouragment to the Ephesians).
• During Jesus’s time, Jews and Gentiles did not like each other.
• The plan of Salvation cost Jesus his life.
• Jesus paid the greatest price for God’s mystery by dying on the cross for us.
• Jesus’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  (John 17:1-5)
• Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders (Acts 10:25-28).
• Main Theme
• God’s Mystery - That the Jews and Gentiles share the same inheritance through Christ Jesus.
• The Sacred Mystery, something that was not revealed in the Old Testament but the New testament.  Christ is that Mystery  and we are stewards of that mystery - to spread the Good News.   Christ is now risen and head of the Jews and Gentiles.
• Dispensation - The economy of the Grace of God.
• Old Testament - Law and sacrifices.
• Sacrifices eventually point to Jesus.
• New Testament - Grace through Faith.
• The Mystery of Christ (v3:1-13)
• Notice the dash after the word Gentile in verse 1.  Paul interrupts himself and returns back to his prayer in verse 14.   Paul was ready to pray, but instead he gives his credentials.  He was specifically chosen by Jesus to deliver the Gospel to the Gentiles.
• Paul explains the great mystery that was revealed to him that both Gentile and Jew have equal standing with God.   (Isaiah 49:6).  God sent his Son so that salvation may reach all the ends of the earth.
• Paul’s Second Prayer (v3:4-19).
• Paul prays that the Ephesians will claim the blessings and utilize them from his first prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23.
• Comparison - Having a Million Dollars in the bank does us no good if we do not use it.
• Paul prays that they would not only know God’s truth but also livr according to them as well.   Paul prays that the Ephesians know that God blessed through Jesus Christ with every spiritual blessing and that they would put those blessing to goods use.
• If we are growing spiritually, we are using the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.
• As we feed upon God’s word, we grow in faith, Godliness, and good works.   Our sin nature starves, becomes stunted, and dies a slow death.  We need to starve our sin and feed our new nature in Christ.
• Letting Jesus Love Others Through Us. (v3:17-19).
• The process of Sanctification involves us becoming more like Christ. This is a slow process and we must die daily to self in order to live for Jesus.   The Holy Spirit prepares our hearts for the indwelling of Christ.   Jesus come to take ownership of our heart.
• The more room we give Jesus, the more he reveals to us about his incomprehensible love.   The more we welcome Jesus, the more love we experience.
• Genuine Christian love is unselfishness.   Love is an act of the will to do good to everyone.
• If we have the true love of Christ, we can love our enemies.
• God helps us to love others we could not typically love.   This type of love helps us to seek the vastness of God’s love.   We see that God’s love lasts  for an eternity.
• The more we give over ourselves to God, the more he occupies and fills us.
• Far More Than We Ask. (v3:20-21)
• God is able to do far more than we ask for.   There is no way we can fully understand God’s truths.
• Conclusion.
• The church is important to God, is the church important to us?
• Jesus Christ came to build the church.
• Have we become independent and not looking at sharing the Gospel with others?  Is our first love Christ?   Has communion become a ritual?   Have we lost the love for the Churches owner?
• Paul does mention prayer in this Chapter.
• What is the depth of our prayer?  Does it include praise, adoration, intercession (praying for other people), and benediction (blessing)?
• Notice how Paul starts this chapter, he begins to pray and all the sudden his prayer is interrupted by a thought.  Paul then returns to his prayer in Verse 14.
• What is the position of your heart?  Do we pray according to God’s will or our will?
• Is our prayer in reverence to God?  (Example is the LORD’s Prayer).
• Understanding the full love of God.
• Stability - Our inner being.
• Intimacy - Knowing and Seeking God.
• Charity - Love (Is it rooted and on firm ground?)
• Spiritual needs - Inner/Main focus of our prayers.
• Matthew 6:33 - Seeking the kingdom of God first
• Romans 8:37-39  Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
• The key to answered prayer is to pray according to God’s word.
• NLT Translation for verses 1-7
• 1 I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles. 2 As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. 3As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus.7 By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.