Saturday July 11, 2015

Read: Ephesians 4:11-16

We cannot talk about spiritual gifts without talking in detail about the purpose for which God has given spiritual gifts to His people. Paul talks about spiritual gifts in a number of places in the New Testament. We have already looked this week at Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Here in Ephesians 4 Paul gives a very clear explanation for why believers are to use their spiritual gifts to encourage and build one another up.

Paul has just been talking about unity in the body of Christ and has reminded us of Jesus’ position of authority over all things. He then explains to the Ephesian believers that it was Jesus who gave different gifts within the church and equipped people to use these gifts within the church. We see here another list of gifts that Paul gives us to remind us of the diversity of gifts amongst God’s people.

Then, in vs 12, Paul gives us the reason for these gifts: “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”. Paul spells out in plain language the purpose and reason for God giving gifts to His people. It is not so that they might advance in their career, or work their way up a social hierarchy, or use their gifts to make much of themselves. The gifts were given to prepare God’s people for works of service and for the ultimate purpose of building up the body of Christ. Those who are using their gifts within the church should be building others up and enabling them to do greater works of service in order to build up the church.

This process is to continue 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.” This is the goal to which God’s people are to serve. We are to be striving to serve in a way which is growing the church in these attributes and areas as we look forward to Christ’s return when these things will be granted in full. Until that day we continue to serve, encourage and use our gifts to build one another up.

We could sum up the ultimate purpose of the gifts like this: to help each other to grow to be more like Christ. This is what it means to be mature, to be united in the faith, to grow in the knowledge of the Son of God and to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Everything we do in service of one another is towards this aim and goal. We are seeking to encourage one another and grow each other to be more like Him, as we look forward to the day when finally we shall be glorified and shall be like Him forever. This means that until that day we continue using our gifts and continue to encourage and grow one another. This is the purpose for which God has given each of us His gifts. Let us grow together to be more like Him.

Prayer:

Using today’s passage and the reading notes spend time in prayer.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray that God would reveal to everyone in your congregation this weekend what their spiritual gifting is and how they can be using that gift for the blessing and edification of the body.

· Pray that the Word would be powerfully proclaimed in preaching, singing, praying and in all that happens. Pray that the body would be strengthened and encouraged by the service this weekend.

 Discussion Questions

1. Someone in the church asks you, ‘How can I find my gift and why does God give us gifts anyway?’ What is a biblically sensitive answer to this dilemma?

2. How do you think you could use your gifts to help other believers grow to be more like Christ?

3. What could other believers do to help you grow to be more like Christ?

4. Someone else in the church says to you, ‘I am not important enough to get a gift.’ How do you answer?