Gave Gifts to Us All – The Lord gave gifts to all of us who have the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the gifts is we are to grow in them and do what Jesus did and does.
…AND GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN
Gave Gifts to Us All
Ephesians 4:7-8 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers;
I. EVERY ONE OF US
Over the years, I’ve experienced difficulty understanding the most given teaching on Ephesians chapter four. It wasn’t with the entire chapter I struggled. I primarily struggled with verse eleven which says, “And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers.” The aspect of the teaching I struggle with is there are a few very special folks selected to govern the Lord’s church. The teaching teaches these folks have a little more on the ball than the rest of us. It is taught in a way seeming to make the remainder of the body of Christ inferior to these special ones. A fancy name is attached to these special ones which further separated them from us common ones. They are called the “five-fold ministry” and I could never find this term in the Scriptures. Nonetheless, they’re taught as the “Super Heroes” of the church.
The teaching goes on projecting how even within the extraordinary “five-fold ministry” there is a vertical order making one of its members more important than the others leaving the poor teacher the least. The apostle was at the top of the vertical order. He is the boss. The teacher is at the bottom of the vertical order and is the least in importance.
Have you ever heard this teaching?
Well, I have come to the conclusion this teaching is not accurate. The reason I say this is because this teaching would mean Paul contradicted himself. In other places, Paul taught everyone was equal. It was Paul who taught how every member is equally necessary. Paul said, “For the body is not one member, but many” (1Co 12:14). Paul’s statement would mean no one member is more important than any other member in the body of Christ. The body must use all its members to perform properly. Paul said, “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (1Co 12:17).
Paul said no member is superior. “The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (1Co 12:21). In fact, Paul said, “Those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness” (1Co 12:23). Sometimes we need members who do not seem as prominent as other members.
What Paul said in Ephesians 4:7 he said “unto every one of us.” Paul did not write his letter to the Ephesians to a pastor or an apostle, or an evangelist. He wrote it to “every one of us.” Let’s read the passage and exegete it somewhat.
II. GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
The letter was written to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. The Lord gave every one of the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus in Ephesus the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. This is the correct context. I mean, the Lord gave the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher to every one of us if He gave them to every saint who lived in Ephesus. I’m attempting to get us to see and realize every one of us has an apostolic gift, a prophetic gift, a pastoral gift, an evangelistic gift, and a teaching gift.
Ephesians chapter four begins with Paul pleading with the saints at Ephesus to walk in their calling.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
The Greek word translated vocation is klesis and means “a calling.” It is actually translated calling in other translated versions. The apostle Paul is pleading with the believers at Ephesus to walk in the gifts they were called to express. I cannot find a place where the five gifts are speaking about special individuals in the church. Rather, what I find is Paul says is the Lord gave every one of us these gifts.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
The Greek word translated men in Ephesians 4:8 is anthropos meaning a human being whether male or female. The gifts are not gender specific. I know this because Peter quoted from Joel on the day of Pentecost saying,
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Acts 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit came upon all flesh. The Spirit came upon sons and daughters. The terms sons and daughters cover all of us. They could all hear God speak and all are to speak for God. Isn’t this what prophesying would be? The Spirit came upon the servants and on handmaidens. Paul said there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28). Again, Paul shared the thought of “all” with us.
Philip the evangelist (Act 21:8) had four daughters who were prophetesses (Act 21:9). Anna, the prophetess, ministered to the Lord Himself, Joseph, and Mary when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus and presented Him at the temple (Luk 2:36). Women functioning in gifts wasn’t an issue in the Old Testament. Paul had no trouble with Priscilla, the wife of Aquila, helping instruct Apollos (Act 18:24-26). Also, Priscilla and Aquila led a church in their home (Rom 16:5). Interestingly, as Paul tells the Romans about Priscilla and Aquila, Paul mentioned Priscilla, the woman, first (Rom 16:3). This first mention tends to suggest Priscilla was the primary church leader.
Very anointed women have taught me much. Obviously, the gifts are not gender specific.
A. AND HE GAVE
Verse eight of Ephesians chapter four says, “And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers.” At Ascension, the Lord gave these gifts. The Lord gave five gifts, i.e. apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, yet there are some twenty to thirty gifts listed in the New Testament. Following is a list:[i]
I list thirty gifts. However, the Lord only gave five gifts – apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. From where did the other twenty-seven gifts come? As I pondered this question, I began to see all other gifts spring from the five gifts Jesus gave listed in Ephesians 4:11. All other gifts find their root or foundation in the five the Lord gave. All gifts find their root in the apostolic, the prophetic, the evangelistic, the pastoral, or in teaching.
In the book of 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, Paul gave a list of spiritual gifts. This list includes tongues, interpretation, prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment of spirits, faith, healing, and miracles. Later, in 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen, Paul said things like he wished every one prophesied instead of speaking in tongues unless the person also gave the interpretation. He even said, “Covet to prophesy.”
Have you seen a true prophet minister?
If a person saw a true prophetic ministry operate, they know all nine of the spiritual gifts can be in operation when the prophet/prophetess ministers. Not only prophetic insight is given, tongues may accompany the prophetic. Gifts of healing, words of wisdom and knowledge, discernment of spirits, and even miracles take place during the prophetic ministry. The point is all nine of the spiritual gifts can be seen springing from the ascension gift of the prophet.
The gift of mercy comes when the Ascension gift of pastor operates ministering in a pastoral way to hurting people. Government or leadership gifts are released as the apostle establishes the foundation of a church. It’s not difficult to know where the gift of teaching is rooted. Of course, it’s rooted in the Ascension gift of teacher. The missionary gift would be rooted in the evangelist. The point is Jesus gave the five gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. From these five Ascension gifts, we can easily see all the other gifts spring forth.
B. Grow Up
When we continue reading the context of Ephesians chapter four, we see the Lord gave Ascension gifts to help ourselves and others to grow in the Lord.
Ephesians 4:12-16 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Why did the Lord give the Ascension gifts and why did he give them to you and me? The apostle explains clearly why the Lord gave those gifts. The preceding passage says phrases like, for the perfecting of the saints, the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, That we henceforth be no more children, and that we may grow up into him in all things. The Lord gave these gifts so we can all grow and do what Jesus did for people.
Growing in the natural is as simple as eating and breathing. If raised in a home where meals are well balanced, we grow strong and healthy physically. It’s normal. However, if a child were to stop growing at age two, it would be abnormal. The parents would make every effort to discover why the child experienced stunted growth. The parents would spend money, contact specialists, and expect tests ran. We expect children to grow.
It should be the same in the spiritual. Growth should be normal and automatic. Today we should make an issue of the person who does not grow spiritually. We need to find specialists and run tests. We need to find why people do not grow and do what Jesus did. Could it be the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher (spiritual gifts and grace gifts) are not functioning in their life?
No matter who you are, if you received the Holy Spirit then you have gifts and abilities necessary for the church and you to become what the church and you are intended to become. Without your gifts, the church will never be all it should be.
C. Growth, Stagnation or Transplanting
I remember years ago when my wife, our children, and I built our house. I wanted to landscape our yard and plant some nice shrubbery, but I didn’t know anything about shrubbery. We went to the local greenhouse nursery and purchased Azaleas and Boxwoods. I dug nice deep and wide holes, added vermiculite and fertilizer to the soil. After preparing everything, I took the plants out of their constraining containers and placed them into their nice new homes covering the roots with perfect soil. I placed mulch around them and watered them regularly expecting them to prosper and be in good health. However, a year later, they were the same size as when I planted them and didn’t appear exceptionally healthy. They were alive, but not growing and prospering.
I was certain something was wrong with the plants. I contacted the nursery and explained what happened. They asked me on which side of the house I planted the Azaleas and Boxwoods. When I explained, the owner described how this was the problem. The plants were not getting sufficient sunlight in the location I placed them. I was told the plants would never grow and prosper in their present location. The problem was not the plants. The problem was the location. I’d placed them in an area where they would never grow. They needed transplanting to grow.
I am satisfied this principle is a problem in local churches today.
I was in the church where I served as lead pastor and attempting to serve the Lord and be a good pastor. The Lord sent people. I placed them in good soil by giving them good sermons and fellowship and fertilizing them with good teachings. I made certain they were washed and watered regularly through baptism and communion. Of course, I prayed for them, prayed with them, and did all I knew to do. However, some did not grow and prosper and I blamed the people. I was certain there was something wrong with the them.
I called upon the Lord and told Him these people have something wrong with them. The Lord asked, “Where have you planted My plants?” The problem was not the plants. The problem was I had not planted them where they could grow. I needed to transplant them where they could flourish by placing them in areas for their gifts to grow.
Another truth is we find people transplanting themselves to different churches. Often people go through this changing-churches transplanting process many times. Usually, they do not know exactly why they keep moving. They say it is the pastor or the music or they don’t feel loved, etc. The reason may well be they are not planted in a local church where their gifts can flourish. Nonetheless, our job is to place the plants in the best location. If we don’t, they will either dwarf in growth or transplant themselves. In the proper location, they will blossom, grow, and become productive.
III. Our Study
Our study is about what I’ve previously said. We want to identify the location each of us finds ourselves planted in the Lord’s house, His church. If we understand our gifts, we will better understand our purpose in the kingdom of God. How horrible it is for people to go through life never knowing their gift and purpose! I don’t what this for you.
A. Evaluation
First, we want to provide an evaluation for you. An evaluation will help determine our gifts and gift mix. We will remove as much guesswork as possible concerning which specific gifts the Lord’s given us then you will have confidence pertaining to your gifts. Are you primarily apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, or are you primarily gifted in teaching? Only after leaning this can we determine where each person should plant themselves around the Lord’s house. An evaluation will help each of us become rooted in a location where we can produce and blossom.
B. Teach
Next, we want to teach on the gifts the Lord gave. We will learn scripturally exactly how the gift works. This will fertilize and water us giving us the necessary nutrition to grow and prosper. We will blossom and become productive. To some, this will only confirm what you already know. However, you will have new confidence. Plus, you will better understand your gift mix. To others, it will be a welcomed revelation. You will finally know what you are gifted to do in the Lord’s kingdom. Also, we will see we all have strong primary and secondary gifts and not limited to one gift.
C. Teams
We need to team up with those gifted with the same gifts. We want to draw and learn from each other. Creating teams is like placing plants of the same kind together to pollinate. We want to team apostles with apostles, prophets with prophets, evangelists working with evangelists, pastors working with pastors, and teachers with teachers. Doing this will challenge, stir, and provoke us to better operate in our gifts.
There is an interesting passage of Scripture found in 1 Samuel. Do you remember the story about King Saul when he first appeared in the Scriptures? Though a very tall and imposing man (1Sa 9:2), he was extremely insecure (1Sa 10:22). Still, the Lord placed gifts within Saul to bring forth. Samuel anointed Saul as king of the Lord’s people (1Sa 10:1). Then Samuel told Saul how Saul would come to a place where he would meet a company of prophets (1Sa 10:5). Samuel told Saul how in this place he came the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man (1Sa 10:6).
Saul followed Samuel’s instructions
Exactly as Samuel said, Saul met the company of prophets. The Bible says as Saul traveled to the place, God gave Saul another heart (1Sa 10:9). Isn’t this interesting? Because Saul desired to meet with the company God moved upon Saul’s heart. When Saul placed himself in the company of prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them (1Sa 10:10). Saul had no idea he had a gift of prophecy until he placed himself around a company of prophets.
When we get into a group of gifted people, the Spirit of God will move upon us and cause us to be different. We become confident as we move into our ministry. Saul stirred in his heart, perhaps we could say he pollinated, when he entered the company of people gifted in the gift the Lord gifted Saul. When we place ourselves among people gifted as we are, the sun is just right, and the water is just right. Our insecurities move away, and our hearts change.
This is what I want for each of you. Are you apostolic? Perhaps you are prophetic, or maybe evangelistic. It could be you are pastoral, or possess a teaching gift. Let’s discover what gifts the Lord gave you.
Also see:
Life Gate Church (sermons by Pastor Delbert Young)
Gave Gifts to Us All
Apostles Gift – Apostolic Gift
Evangelist Gift – Evangelistic Gift
[i] Charles V. Bryant, Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 1997, page 176
