August 8, 2024 • 18 mins
Ever wondered what gifts Jesus bestowed upon the church and their significance for believers today? Join us as we journey through Ephesians 4:8-16, uncovering how the apostles and other spiritual leaders play a pivotal role in our faith journey. With a vivid analogy of a moving boat, we highlight why active participation and openness to God's guidance are essential for spiritual growth. We'll reflect on Jesus's humility in descending to Earth and his ultimate victory over death, illustrating how his ascension led to the distribution of gifts to nurture the church.
We also tackle the relevance of titles like apostle or prophet in contemporary Christianity, suggesting that pride and control often drive these designations. Instead, pastors and evangelists are now seen as key figures in equipping believers for ministry. Emphasizing the need for spiritual maturity, we urge listeners to be proactive in their faith, moving beyond merely listening to embodying Christ’s teachings. Drawing insights from Ephesians 4, Matthew 6, and Romans 8, we underscore the importance of unity, service, and unwavering trust in God amidst uncertainties. Tune in to explore how we can live out our faith with truth and love.
Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, pastor HarryBehrens, and in this episode
we're going to discuss Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 8-16.
Who, or what, are the gifts tothe church?
Now, before we dive in, I wantto invite you to share any
questions or feedback you mayhave by using the Text Us link
in the episode description, asyour input is invaluable in
(00:22):
shaping future episodes.
Here at the Takeaway, we arecommitted to creating content
that supports your spiritualgrowth, and we can only do that
with your feedback, so pleaselet us know your thoughts, as we
would love to hear from you Nowas we get started.
In our previous episode, wediscussed the unity we are to
have in the body of Christ andthe unique part we all play
(00:45):
within that.
There is no excuse for anyoneto be sitting on the sidelines
as we are called to action.
The only question is what isthat specifically for you?
That could take longer for somethan others to figure out, as
it requires doing something.
Start with basic service withinyour fellowship, go from there
and allow the Holy Spirit toguide your steps as you move.
(01:07):
In a conversation I once hadwith my pastor, he shared a
powerful analogy about theimportance of being in motion in
the Christian journey.
He likened a person who is opento change to a boat moving in
the water, ready to be steeredin the right direction.
On the other hand, someoneresistant to change is like a
boat anchored in place no amountof steering will lead to
(01:27):
movement.
He underscored the importanceof actively seeking guidance
from those who are living outtheir faith.
He urged people to movealongside individuals firmly
rooted in their callings, astheir experiences and actions
would guide those seeking todiscern their path.
He pointed out that a commonmisconception among Christians
is that an explicit invitationfrom God is necessary before
(01:50):
they can begin serving.
He challenged this mindset,encouraging active participation
and learning through hands-onexperience.
He reiterated the concept thatthe Christian journey is about
continual growth and service,rather than waiting for a grand
(02:12):
revelation about one specificrole.
He stressed Now that presentsus with a thought-provoking
notion that those who are solelyseeking personal fulfillment or
entertainment in their faithmay need to reevaluate their
commitment.
The Christian life is not justa passive pursuit, but about
embracing every opportunity toserve and learn.
(02:33):
Matthew 12, verse 30, whoever isnot with me is against me, and
whoever does not gather with mescatters.
Now, in this world, we are notto be passive Christians who
simply warm the bench.
If you find yourself in thatcategory, it's likely that you
are not truly for Christ, butrather against him.
As God conveyed to Ezekiel, youmay be one of those who only
(02:57):
attend church simply forentertainment rather than for
the purpose of worship.
Ezekiel, chapter 33, verse 32,and behold, you are to them like
one who sings lustful songs andwith a beautiful voice and
plays well on an instrument, forthey hear what you say, but
they will not do it.
So, as believers, we are calledto do more than just listen.
(03:18):
We are meant to be activefollowers of the teachings we
hear, not just passive listeners.
This is why God gifted us withspecial abilities and has
appointed leaders to help usgrow and develop, as we will
learn from today's teaching.
So let's get started.
In Ephesians, chapter 4, verses8 to 9.
Therefore, it says when heascended on high, he led a host
(03:40):
of captives and he gave gifts tomen.
In saying he ascended, whatdoes it mean?
But that he had also descendedinto the lower regions of the
earth.
That quotation that Paul usedis from Psalm 68, verse 18.
Ascended refers to hisascending into the presence of
God in heaven after his deathand after he was risen Acts 1,
(04:03):
verses 9-10.
And when he had said thesethings, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up and a cloudtook him out of their sight.
And while they were gazing intoheaven as he went, behold, two
men stood by them in white robesand said Men of Galilee, why do
you stand looking into heaven?
This Jesus, who was taken upfrom you into heaven, will come
(04:24):
in the same way as you saw himgo into heaven".
In the Psalms it says the Lordreceived gifts and here it says
he gave gifts.
When Jesus gave his Holy Spirit, he took the gifts he had
received by conquering death andthen distributed them to his
body, the church, starting withthe apostles.
(04:44):
Now the word descended pointsto him coming down from heaven
to earth.
In doing this, he left histhrone in heaven to conquer
death here on earth and to setcaptives free.
Colossians, chapter 2, verses 14to 15.
By canceling the record of debtthat stood against us with its
legal demands, this he set aside.
Nailing it to the cross, hedisarmed the rulers and
(05:06):
authorities and put them to openshame by triumphing over them
in him.
So why the question mark at theend of verse 9?
In saying he ascended, whatdoes it mean?
But that he had also descendedinto the lower regions, the
earth.
It assumes that if he hadascended, he had obviously
(05:26):
descended at some point prior.
That he descended points to thecross, as that was his humility
in taking the form of man.
Philippians, chapter 2, verses 5to 8.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus
who, though he was in the formof God, did not count equality
with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself by taking
(05:48):
the form of a servant, beingborn in the likeness of men and
being found in human form.
He humbled himself by becomingobedient to the point of death.
Moving on to Ephesians, chapter4, verse 10.
Now, saying that he ascendedback to his throne, paul is
(06:15):
making the point that Jesusexisted before coming in the
flesh and that, after hecompleted his earthly ministry,
he then ascended back to histhrone, showing that he was
indeed God.
Philippians, chapter 2, verses9 to 11,.
Ephesians 4, verses 11-13,.
(07:11):
So these verses emphasize thesignificance of the leaders
within the church community.
It stresses the idea that theyhave been appointed to equip and
support the church.
They are described as a gift tothe church, conveying that
their presence within thecommunity is intended to benefit
and empower us.
The passage also arisesthought-provoking questions
about the perception andappreciation we have for these
leaders within the church,prompting us to reflect on the
(07:32):
weight of their responsibilitiesand whether their contributions
are truly valued by us.
Hebrews 13, verses 17.
Obey your leaders and submit tothem, for they are keeping
watch over your souls.
As those who have to give anaccount, let them do this with
joy and not with groaning, forthat would be of no advantage to
(07:55):
you.
And James, chapter 3, verse 1,says not many of you should
become teachers, my brothers,for you know that we who teach
will be judged with greaterstrictness.
Now, verse 13 says that untilwe all attain this, these
leaders are there to help usmature in Christ.
Their gifting is not to be seenas something we necessarily
(08:16):
need to copy.
Not all are called to beteachers, and that's okay.
However, we are all called toministry, which means service.
We are all to serve.
As I said before, we are firstto serve each other in the body.
Now, the writings of theapostles and prophets in the
Bible are recognized as God'sinspired word.
Their unique spiritual giftswere instrumental in
(08:38):
establishing the foundation ofthe church, but those gifts are
not present today as they oncewere.
Ephesians 2, verse 20,.
Having been built on thefoundation of the apostles and
prophets, now Jesus handpickedthe apostles to establish the
church, and likewise hecontinues to select teachers,
evangelists and pastors today.
This selection is evident intheir unique abilities and
(08:59):
calling rather than in anyformal certification or
qualification.
Galatians, chapter 1, verse 1,.
Paul, an apostle, not from mennor through man, but through
Jesus, christ and God, theFather, who raised him from the
dead.
Now it's important to note thatthere are people today claiming
to be apostles or prophets, andchurches that allow this should
(09:21):
be approached with caution, asthese claims do not align with
the teachings of Scripture.
The foundation of the earlychurch was laid by the apostles
appointed by Jesus, and the NewTestament prophets confirmed
their teachings and helped buildthe early church.
Now that we have the completecanon of the New Testament
through their letters, we nolonger need to establish another
foundation claiming somethingnew or different.
(09:43):
1 Corinthians, 3, 10-15.
According to the grace of Godgiven to me, like a skilled
master builder, I laid afoundation According to the
grace of God given to me like askilled master builder.
I laid a foundation and someoneelse is building upon it.
Let each one take care how hebuilds upon it, for no one can
lay a foundation other than thatwhich has been laid, which is
(10:03):
Jesus Christ.
Now, if anyone builds on thefoundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay,straw each one's work will
become manifest, for the daywill disclose it, because it
will be revealed by fire, andthe fire will test what sort of
work each one has done.
If the work that anyone hasbuilt on the foundation survives
, he will receive a reward.
If anyone's work is burned up,he will suffer loss, though he
(10:26):
himself will be saved, but onlyis through fire.
So, as we see here, all we cando is build on the foundation
that the apostles laid, and wecannot lay a foundation other
than that it's already been putdown.
So why does a person need to becalled an apostle or prophet
today?
Well, the answer is they don't,as it usually is a matter of
(10:48):
pride and attempt to control ordeceive.
In the rare instance that's notthe case, it could be that the
individual is using the title ofapostle, as defined, which
means sent one, or one who issent.
They very well could be sentand doing the Lord's work, but I
would say this adds a layer ofconfusion that isn't necessary
in today's church.
Ultimately, the title itselfwould most likely cause people
(11:11):
to see these individuals ashaving authority, even if it's
just being used for the meaningof sent one.
Now, as far as pastors andevangelists, they have replaced
the apostles, not to lay a newfoundation, but to build upon
and maintain it.
Their job is to equip and helpus understand the apostles'
teachings, to firmly plant us onthe foundation they've laid,
(11:32):
which is Christ Jesus and Himcrucified.
The work of the ministry iswhat the saints are to go out
and do, and that's what they areequipped for.
It's not the pastor's job, it'syours.
They equip you and you go.
Or have you been taught thatthey do all the work while you
do whatever you want?
That is anything butChrist-like.
Jesus gave the example ofservice when he washed the
(11:53):
disciples' feet and said we areto do likewise to one another in
John 13, verses 1 to 17.
The question I have for youtoday is when was the last time
you washed someone's feet?
Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 14.
So that we may no longer bechildren tossed to and fro by
the waves and carried about byevery wind of doctrine, by human
(12:15):
cunning, by craftiness anddeceitful schemes.
We are expected to mature inour faith and not remain
spiritual children.
Staying immature reflectspoorly on ourselves, the church
body and our relationship withJesus.
It's unproductive for us toremain like children, as it
burdens the spiritually matureto care for us.
We shouldn't rely on others toperform basic spiritual tasks,
(12:38):
such as evangelizing or serving,because of fear or laziness.
Such behavior is similar to animmature child, easily swayed by
every new idea and belief thatcomes their way.
Now do you find yourselfgetting distracted by various
things?
Are you studying differentreligions or getting caught up
in mindless television content?
These distractions can leaveyou feeling uncertain and
(13:01):
scattered, preventing you fromfully committing yourself to
Jesus and his teachings.
What we should be doing is foundin Ephesians, chapter 4, verses
15 to 16.
Rather, speaking the truth inlove, we are to grow up in every
way into him, who is the head,into Christ, from whom the whole
body joined and held togetherby every joint with which it is
(13:22):
equipped, when each part isworking properly.
Makes the body grow so that itbuilds itself up in love.
Makes the body grow so that itbuilds itself up in love.
So let us strive to grow inevery aspect and become more
like Jesus.
This is not just a suggestion,it is a command, as we are
required to mature and developfully with our focus on him.
As a result, our lives shouldmirror the qualities of Jesus.
(13:43):
Every decision and action wetake should stem from this
commitment.
When we start introducingconflicting beliefs, we become
divided and can no longer servea single master.
Matthew, chapter 6, verses 22to 24.
The eye is the lamp of the body, so if your eye is healthy,
your whole body will be full oflight, but if your eye is bad,
(14:05):
your whole body will be full ofdarkness.
If, then, the light in you isdarkness, how great is the
darkness?
No one can serve two masters,for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he willbe devoted to the one and
despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money,so when we devote ourselves to
anything other than serving God,we are essentially
(14:27):
demonstrating our hostilitytowards Him.
Through unity with Christ, wegrow and function as a healthy
body, seeking guidance solelyfrom Him.
Our head, a good leader, alwaysdirects us towards seeking
Jesus ourselves, delving intothe scriptures and praying as
mature individuals who can alsoguide and support others, rather
(14:47):
than relying solely on othersfor spiritual nourishment.
This only occurs when we stepout in faith and trust the Holy
Spirit to equip us.
We are not expected to beflawless, as perfection is
unattainable, but we are calledto be active in our faith and
trust Him to do what he doesbest.
This is where satisfaction inGod is found, when he does what
(15:09):
we are unable to do.
It is our responsibility tostep out into the unknown
darkness, and in turn, he willreveal what is concealed within
the darkness.
When he sheds his light intothe shadows that lie ahead, we
come to realize that thefrightening noises we heard were
merely the sound of wind chimesswaying in the breeze.
Romans 8, verses 31-39.
(15:32):
What, then, shall we say tothese things?
If God is for us, who could beagainst us?
He who did not spare his ownSon but gave him up for us all?
How will he not also, with him,graciously give us all things?
Who shall bring any chargeagainst God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
(15:52):
Who is to condemn Christ?
Jesus is the one who died, morethan that, who was raised, who
is at the right hand of God.
Who, indeed, is interceding forus?
Who shall separate us from thelove of Christ?
Shall tribulation or distress,or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger or sword,as it is written for your sake,
(16:12):
we are being killed all the daylong.
We are regarded as sheep to beslaughtered.
Know, in all these things, weare more than conquerors,
through him who loved us, for Iam sure that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor rulers, northings present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nordepth, nor anything else in all
creation will be able toseparate us from the love of God
(16:34):
and Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for your wordthat you have given us through
the apostles and prophets, formaintaining its accuracy and
giving us teachers who have beengifted to help us understand it
so that we can apply it to ourlives.
My prayer for us today is thatyou would awaken the hearts of
(16:55):
our listeners and that theywould engage in a local
fellowship, using the gifts ofthe Spirit that you have so
graciously given them toovercome the wickedness in this
world.
Father, we love you and wethank you In Jesus' name, amen.
Now I want to thank you forjoining us today, and I hope
this message helped you take astep closer in your relationship
(17:17):
with Jesus and that you have abetter understanding of just how
much God loves you and wantsyou to know him.
In our upcoming episode, we'regoing to conclude chapter four.
In that section, paulelaborates on the concept of
maturity in faith and what itmeans for believers to live in
the world without being consumedby its negative influences.
We will explore the idea ofremaining separate from the
(17:38):
corrupt nature of the worldwhile actively participating in
it, as this is what we are beingequipped for Now.
Before we go, I want toencourage you to visit us at
thetakeawayfaith and on ourwebsite.
You can sign up to receiveemail notifications or send us a
text message from the linkprovided in the description of
this episode.
We hope that you would use thispodcast as a resource to help
(17:59):
others and that you would sendus a message, a word of
encouragement or any questionsor comments, as we would love to
hear from you.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the Takeaway.
Thank you.
Hello, welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, pastor HarryBehrens, and in this episode
we're going to discuss Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 8-16.
Who, or what, are the gifts tothe church?
Now, before we dive in, I wantto invite you to share any
questions or feedback you mayhave by using the Text Us link
in the episode description, asyour input is invaluable in
(00:22):
shaping future episodes.
Here at the Takeaway, we arecommitted to creating content
that supports your spiritualgrowth, and we can only do that
with your feedback, so pleaselet us know your thoughts, as we
would love to hear from you Nowas we get started.
In our previous episode, wediscussed the unity we are to
have in the body of Christ andthe unique part we all play
(00:45):
within that.
There is no excuse for anyoneto be sitting on the sidelines
as we are called to action.
The only question is what isthat specifically for you?
That could take longer for somethan others to figure out, as
it requires doing something.
Start with basic service withinyour fellowship, go from there
and allow the Holy Spirit toguide your steps as you move.
(01:07):
In a conversation I once hadwith my pastor, he shared a
powerful analogy about theimportance of being in motion in
the Christian journey.
He likened a person who is opento change to a boat moving in
the water, ready to be steeredin the right direction.
On the other hand, someoneresistant to change is like a
boat anchored in place no amountof steering will lead to
(01:27):
movement.
He underscored the importanceof actively seeking guidance
from those who are living outtheir faith.
He urged people to movealongside individuals firmly
rooted in their callings, astheir experiences and actions
would guide those seeking todiscern their path.
He pointed out that a commonmisconception among Christians
is that an explicit invitationfrom God is necessary before
(01:50):
they can begin serving.
He challenged this mindset,encouraging active participation
and learning through hands-onexperience.
He reiterated the concept thatthe Christian journey is about
continual growth and service,rather than waiting for a grand
(02:12):
revelation about one specificrole.
He stressed Now that presentsus with a thought-provoking
notion that those who are solelyseeking personal fulfillment or
entertainment in their faithmay need to reevaluate their
commitment.
The Christian life is not justa passive pursuit, but about
embracing every opportunity toserve and learn.
(02:33):
Matthew 12, verse 30, whoever isnot with me is against me, and
whoever does not gather with mescatters.
Now, in this world, we are notto be passive Christians who
simply warm the bench.
If you find yourself in thatcategory, it's likely that you
are not truly for Christ, butrather against him.
As God conveyed to Ezekiel, youmay be one of those who only
(02:57):
attend church simply forentertainment rather than for
the purpose of worship.
Ezekiel, chapter 33, verse 32,and behold, you are to them like
one who sings lustful songs andwith a beautiful voice and
plays well on an instrument, forthey hear what you say, but
they will not do it.
So, as believers, we are calledto do more than just listen.
(03:18):
We are meant to be activefollowers of the teachings we
hear, not just passive listeners.
This is why God gifted us withspecial abilities and has
appointed leaders to help usgrow and develop, as we will
learn from today's teaching.
So let's get started.
In Ephesians, chapter 4, verses8 to 9.
Therefore, it says when heascended on high, he led a host
(03:40):
of captives and he gave gifts tomen.
In saying he ascended, whatdoes it mean?
But that he had also descendedinto the lower regions of the
earth.
That quotation that Paul usedis from Psalm 68, verse 18.
Ascended refers to hisascending into the presence of
God in heaven after his deathand after he was risen Acts 1,
(04:03):
verses 9-10.
And when he had said thesethings, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up and a cloudtook him out of their sight.
And while they were gazing intoheaven as he went, behold, two
men stood by them in white robesand said Men of Galilee, why do
you stand looking into heaven?
This Jesus, who was taken upfrom you into heaven, will come
(04:24):
in the same way as you saw himgo into heaven".
In the Psalms it says the Lordreceived gifts and here it says
he gave gifts.
When Jesus gave his Holy Spirit, he took the gifts he had
received by conquering death andthen distributed them to his
body, the church, starting withthe apostles.
(04:44):
Now the word descended pointsto him coming down from heaven
to earth.
In doing this, he left histhrone in heaven to conquer
death here on earth and to setcaptives free.
Colossians, chapter 2, verses 14to 15.
By canceling the record of debtthat stood against us with its
legal demands, this he set aside.
Nailing it to the cross, hedisarmed the rulers and
(05:06):
authorities and put them to openshame by triumphing over them
in him.
So why the question mark at theend of verse 9?
In saying he ascended, whatdoes it mean?
But that he had also descendedinto the lower regions, the
earth.
It assumes that if he hadascended, he had obviously
(05:26):
descended at some point prior.
That he descended points to thecross, as that was his humility
in taking the form of man.
Philippians, chapter 2, verses 5to 8.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus
who, though he was in the formof God, did not count equality
with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself by taking
(05:48):
the form of a servant, beingborn in the likeness of men and
being found in human form.
He humbled himself by becomingobedient to the point of death.
Moving on to Ephesians, chapter4, verse 10.
Now, saying that he ascendedback to his throne, paul is
(06:15):
making the point that Jesusexisted before coming in the
flesh and that, after hecompleted his earthly ministry,
he then ascended back to histhrone, showing that he was
indeed God.
Philippians, chapter 2, verses9 to 11,.
Ephesians 4, verses 11-13,.
(07:11):
So these verses emphasize thesignificance of the leaders
within the church community.
It stresses the idea that theyhave been appointed to equip and
support the church.
They are described as a gift tothe church, conveying that
their presence within thecommunity is intended to benefit
and empower us.
The passage also arisesthought-provoking questions
about the perception andappreciation we have for these
leaders within the church,prompting us to reflect on the
(07:32):
weight of their responsibilitiesand whether their contributions
are truly valued by us.
Hebrews 13, verses 17.
Obey your leaders and submit tothem, for they are keeping
watch over your souls.
As those who have to give anaccount, let them do this with
joy and not with groaning, forthat would be of no advantage to
(07:55):
you.
And James, chapter 3, verse 1,says not many of you should
become teachers, my brothers,for you know that we who teach
will be judged with greaterstrictness.
Now, verse 13 says that untilwe all attain this, these
leaders are there to help usmature in Christ.
Their gifting is not to be seenas something we necessarily
(08:16):
need to copy.
Not all are called to beteachers, and that's okay.
However, we are all called toministry, which means service.
We are all to serve.
As I said before, we are firstto serve each other in the body.
Now, the writings of theapostles and prophets in the
Bible are recognized as God'sinspired word.
Their unique spiritual giftswere instrumental in
(08:38):
establishing the foundation ofthe church, but those gifts are
not present today as they oncewere.
Ephesians 2, verse 20,.
Having been built on thefoundation of the apostles and
prophets, now Jesus handpickedthe apostles to establish the
church, and likewise hecontinues to select teachers,
evangelists and pastors today.
This selection is evident intheir unique abilities and
(08:59):
calling rather than in anyformal certification or
qualification.
Galatians, chapter 1, verse 1,.
Paul, an apostle, not from mennor through man, but through
Jesus, christ and God, theFather, who raised him from the
dead.
Now it's important to note thatthere are people today claiming
to be apostles or prophets, andchurches that allow this should
(09:21):
be approached with caution, asthese claims do not align with
the teachings of Scripture.
The foundation of the earlychurch was laid by the apostles
appointed by Jesus, and the NewTestament prophets confirmed
their teachings and helped buildthe early church.
Now that we have the completecanon of the New Testament
through their letters, we nolonger need to establish another
foundation claiming somethingnew or different.
(09:43):
1 Corinthians, 3, 10-15.
According to the grace of Godgiven to me, like a skilled
master builder, I laid afoundation According to the
grace of God given to me like askilled master builder.
I laid a foundation and someoneelse is building upon it.
Let each one take care how hebuilds upon it, for no one can
lay a foundation other than thatwhich has been laid, which is
(10:03):
Jesus Christ.
Now, if anyone builds on thefoundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay,straw each one's work will
become manifest, for the daywill disclose it, because it
will be revealed by fire, andthe fire will test what sort of
work each one has done.
If the work that anyone hasbuilt on the foundation survives
, he will receive a reward.
If anyone's work is burned up,he will suffer loss, though he
(10:26):
himself will be saved, but onlyis through fire.
So, as we see here, all we cando is build on the foundation
that the apostles laid, and wecannot lay a foundation other
than that it's already been putdown.
So why does a person need to becalled an apostle or prophet
today?
Well, the answer is they don't,as it usually is a matter of
(10:48):
pride and attempt to control ordeceive.
In the rare instance that's notthe case, it could be that the
individual is using the title ofapostle, as defined, which
means sent one, or one who issent.
They very well could be sentand doing the Lord's work, but I
would say this adds a layer ofconfusion that isn't necessary
in today's church.
Ultimately, the title itselfwould most likely cause people
(11:11):
to see these individuals ashaving authority, even if it's
just being used for the meaningof sent one.
Now, as far as pastors andevangelists, they have replaced
the apostles, not to lay a newfoundation, but to build upon
and maintain it.
Their job is to equip and helpus understand the apostles'
teachings, to firmly plant us onthe foundation they've laid,
(11:32):
which is Christ Jesus and Himcrucified.
The work of the ministry iswhat the saints are to go out
and do, and that's what they areequipped for.
It's not the pastor's job, it'syours.
They equip you and you go.
Or have you been taught thatthey do all the work while you
do whatever you want?
That is anything butChrist-like.
Jesus gave the example ofservice when he washed the
(11:53):
disciples' feet and said we areto do likewise to one another in
John 13, verses 1 to 17.
The question I have for youtoday is when was the last time
you washed someone's feet?
Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 14.
So that we may no longer bechildren tossed to and fro by
the waves and carried about byevery wind of doctrine, by human
(12:15):
cunning, by craftiness anddeceitful schemes.
We are expected to mature inour faith and not remain
spiritual children.
Staying immature reflectspoorly on ourselves, the church
body and our relationship withJesus.
It's unproductive for us toremain like children, as it
burdens the spiritually matureto care for us.
We shouldn't rely on others toperform basic spiritual tasks,
(12:38):
such as evangelizing or serving,because of fear or laziness.
Such behavior is similar to animmature child, easily swayed by
every new idea and belief thatcomes their way.
Now do you find yourselfgetting distracted by various
things?
Are you studying differentreligions or getting caught up
in mindless television content?
These distractions can leaveyou feeling uncertain and
(13:01):
scattered, preventing you fromfully committing yourself to
Jesus and his teachings.
What we should be doing is foundin Ephesians, chapter 4, verses
15 to 16.
Rather, speaking the truth inlove, we are to grow up in every
way into him, who is the head,into Christ, from whom the whole
body joined and held togetherby every joint with which it is
(13:22):
equipped, when each part isworking properly.
Makes the body grow so that itbuilds itself up in love.
Makes the body grow so that itbuilds itself up in love.
So let us strive to grow inevery aspect and become more
like Jesus.
This is not just a suggestion,it is a command, as we are
required to mature and developfully with our focus on him.
As a result, our lives shouldmirror the qualities of Jesus.
(13:43):
Every decision and action wetake should stem from this
commitment.
When we start introducingconflicting beliefs, we become
divided and can no longer servea single master.
Matthew, chapter 6, verses 22to 24.
The eye is the lamp of the body, so if your eye is healthy,
your whole body will be full oflight, but if your eye is bad,
(14:05):
your whole body will be full ofdarkness.
If, then, the light in you isdarkness, how great is the
darkness?
No one can serve two masters,for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he willbe devoted to the one and
despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money,so when we devote ourselves to
anything other than serving God,we are essentially
(14:27):
demonstrating our hostilitytowards Him.
Through unity with Christ, wegrow and function as a healthy
body, seeking guidance solelyfrom Him.
Our head, a good leader, alwaysdirects us towards seeking
Jesus ourselves, delving intothe scriptures and praying as
mature individuals who can alsoguide and support others, rather
(14:47):
than relying solely on othersfor spiritual nourishment.
This only occurs when we stepout in faith and trust the Holy
Spirit to equip us.
We are not expected to beflawless, as perfection is
unattainable, but we are calledto be active in our faith and
trust Him to do what he doesbest.
This is where satisfaction inGod is found, when he does what
(15:09):
we are unable to do.
It is our responsibility tostep out into the unknown
darkness, and in turn, he willreveal what is concealed within
the darkness.
When he sheds his light intothe shadows that lie ahead, we
come to realize that thefrightening noises we heard were
merely the sound of wind chimesswaying in the breeze.
Romans 8, verses 31-39.
(15:32):
What, then, shall we say tothese things?
If God is for us, who could beagainst us?
He who did not spare his ownSon but gave him up for us all?
How will he not also, with him,graciously give us all things?
Who shall bring any chargeagainst God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
(15:52):
Who is to condemn Christ?
Jesus is the one who died, morethan that, who was raised, who
is at the right hand of God.
Who, indeed, is interceding forus?
Who shall separate us from thelove of Christ?
Shall tribulation or distress,or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger or sword,as it is written for your sake,
(16:12):
we are being killed all the daylong.
We are regarded as sheep to beslaughtered.
Know, in all these things, weare more than conquerors,
through him who loved us, for Iam sure that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor rulers, northings present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nordepth, nor anything else in all
creation will be able toseparate us from the love of God
(16:34):
and Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for your wordthat you have given us through
the apostles and prophets, formaintaining its accuracy and
giving us teachers who have beengifted to help us understand it
so that we can apply it to ourlives.
My prayer for us today is thatyou would awaken the hearts of
(16:55):
our listeners and that theywould engage in a local
fellowship, using the gifts ofthe Spirit that you have so
graciously given them toovercome the wickedness in this
world.
Father, we love you and wethank you In Jesus' name, amen.
Now I want to thank you forjoining us today, and I hope
this message helped you take astep closer in your relationship
(17:17):
with Jesus and that you have abetter understanding of just how
much God loves you and wantsyou to know him.
In our upcoming episode, we'regoing to conclude chapter four.
In that section, paulelaborates on the concept of
maturity in faith and what itmeans for believers to live in
the world without being consumedby its negative influences.
We will explore the idea ofremaining separate from the
(17:38):
corrupt nature of the worldwhile actively participating in
it, as this is what we are beingequipped for Now.
Before we go, I want toencourage you to visit us at
thetakeawayfaith and on ourwebsite.
You can sign up to receiveemail notifications or send us a
text message from the linkprovided in the description of
this episode.
We hope that you would use thispodcast as a resource to help
(17:59):
others and that you would sendus a message, a word of
encouragement or any questionsor comments, as we would love to
hear from you.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the Takeaway.
Thank you.
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