This morning I am reflecting on some famous verses from Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. He is talking about the five-fold gifts that Christ has distributed and why they are given. I have included both the preceding directive verses as well as they are the verses that provide the reason for the gifts.
Ephesians 4:7-8,11-16 NIV:
[7] "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”
[11] "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his 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 people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of 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."
When I read these verses, I am so encouraged by the Body-building strategy of the Lord for it seems quite straght forward and includes roles for everyone. At the same time, I am discouraged at the church's general inability to grasp the strategy of the Lord here, and the general misunderstanding of these verses as evident in the structure and day-to-day life of much of the church. I think Paul lays out a vision for the church that is quite clear:
1) Jesus gave gifts of grace to us all, some with very specific roles and responsibilities.
2) These specific roles - apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher are meant to equip all HIS people for works of service
3) The works of service are meant to build up the body
4) The body is built up so that we can reach unity in faith and knowledge and become mature.
5) Maturity enables the body of Christ, the church, to stand strong in the face of deceit and wrong teaching, as being tossed around is a sign of immaturity.
6) Maturity allows us to speak the truth, in love, in the face of deceit and wrong teaching.
7) This maturity and truth allows us to build the church in Love!
8) This is only possible if every part does its work.
When I break it down like this, it is helpful in understanding the effects of misunderstanding God's strategy and purpose. For example, if we remove some of the specific roles listed in point two above, we lose the ability to fully equip the people for their works of service. If that happens the body is not built up correctly, and that keeps us from maturing correctly, which enables us to either be deceived by wrong teaching, or not understand how to respond when we do recognize wrong teaching. Overall, it keeps us from unity and maturity and building the church in love, as not every part is able to do its work.
I think that as we review this list and the present state of much of the church, at least the church in the west, we see that we are missing some of the key roles listed by Paul. If that is the case, then the church becomes weak and immature, and I think that is an accurate assessment of the church overall. There are pockets of the church that are embracing these grace gifts of Apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher in their fullness, and that is awesome! My prayer is that the rest of the Body of Christ awakens to our short-sightedness and misunderstanding of God's strategy.
We desperately need very person enabled, trained and released to their works of service that will build up the church! Too many people have no idea that they have anything to offer the church other than their money! We need people built up in their gifts, releasing the fruit of their gifts, walking in a maturity that only comes through growth and identity in the Body! We are supposed to walk in the power and authority of Jesus Christ, our Head, exercising the full measure of His fullness in the earth. We are supposed to exhibit to the world greater love, power and authority than they have ever seen!
We are called to be greater than we are, and it is my prayer that all in the Body of Christ recognize this call, recognize the strategy and gifts provided by the Lord and embraces it fully! It is time for the church to rise up in maturity so that we can speak the truth in love to a deceived world! We are called to be connected to one another in love and relationship, and demonstrating power and authority! God has given us His Body-building strategy, and it's time for us to embrace it!
Amen! Help Us Lord Jesus!
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