Old Testament Reading: Exodus 31:1–7

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent…’” (Exodus 31:1–7, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:1–16

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:1–16, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I pray that you have benefited from this little series on the doctrine of the church. I’ve said it many times. It is so important that we know what we are, and what God has called us to do, as a church. There are so many misconceptions about this in our day, so it is especially important for us to pay careful attention to what the Scriptures say. And after we know what the Scriptures say concerning the church – what it is, and what God has called us to do – we must have the faith and courage to obey God’s word. It is one thing to know God’s word. It is another thing to obey it. Obeying God’s word is much more difficult than merely knowing it, but it is possible with God’s help.  

In this series, we have been considering the church as God’s temple. As you know, the New Testament scriptures describe the church in this way. Under the Old Covenant Isarel built a portable tabernacle and later a permanent temple. The temple was built in Jerusalem. It was grand and glorious. It was made of stone and adorned with many precious things. The Old Covenant people of God were blessed to worship there according to the command of God. But we must confess that those structures were not meant to last forever. No, they belonged to the Old Covenant order of things, and they pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus the Messiah came, and when he instituted the New Covenant in his shed blood, the Old Covenant temple became obsolete, and it eventually passed away. 

But this did not mean that God was without a temple on earth. No, a greater temple began to be built. The New Covenant temple is greater because its material is greater. Its foundation stones are not really stones, but are the apostles and prophets with Christ himself as the cornerstone. And the stones out of which the walls of this temple are built are greater too. They are “living stones”, Peter says. They are the people of God who have been made alive by the Spirit of God. They are those who trust and rest upon Christ, the foundation. They are those who align with him and with his teaching. And what is the purpose of the New Covenant, new creation, temple of God? Worship. And what is its character or quality? Those who are stones in God’s temple have been made holy by the blood of Christ. And those who are stones in God’s temple are pursuing holiness. God’s temple is marked by holiness. The New Covenant temple is greater because its material is greater, and it is also greater because it will last forever. The temple that God is now building by his Word and Spirit, is eternal. It will find its culmination or end in the new heavens and earth that will come into being when Christ returns at the end of the age. The church of God is the temple of God. As Paul says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17, ESV)

All of that is review. Today I wish to shift gears a little by talking about the gifts and graces that God has given to his people for the building up of this new creation temple. Do you remember the Exodus story and how God did not only give instructions for the building of the tabernacle but also appointed gifted craftsmen from within Israel to oversee and accomplish the work. And do you remember how the people brought in contributions of gold and silver so that the work could be finished? And do not forget how the Lord set the sons of Levi apart to serve as priests in the tabernacle (and later temple) to maintain its worship. The point is this. God did not only command Israel to build his tabernacle (and later temple), and to maintain the worship of his holy name there. He also provided for the accomplishment of this work through his people. God gave gifts to men, and the people we commanded to build and maintain the tabernacle with those gifts. The same is true for God’s New Covenant, new creation temple. We are called to build this temple. And we are called to maintain the worship of God within. God has given us instruction. And God has also given us gifts. 

An Overview Of Ephesians 4:1-16

The Ephesians 4 passage that I read just a moment ago is a very interesting one. This sermon is topical or doctrinal more than exegetical and so we will not be considering every detail of this text. But I want you to notice a few things about this text before we focus on the gifts that God has given to his people for the building up of his church. 

One, Paul is here addressing the church. Specifically, he was writing to the first-century church in the city of Ephesus, but his words apply to all local church churches in all times and places. He is concerned that Christians walk together in a worthy manner within the church.  Look at verse 1. There Pauls says, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” (Ephesians 4:1–2, ESV). 

So then, to “walk in a worthy manner” means that we will walk with others in the church. Walking is often used as a metaphor in the scriptures for living the Christain life. And here I am saying that to live the Christian life in a worthy way involves living it with others within the church. We must walk with others in the church. Specifically, Paul urges us to be humble, patient, gentle, and longsuffering in love. And notice how often love is mentioned in this passage. In verse 2 we are urged to “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bear “with one another in love”. In verse 15 we are commanded to speak “the truth in love”. And in verse 16 Paul insists that the church is to “build itself up in love.” What is the one thing that is to characterize our life together in Christ Jesus? Love. 

Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, ESV). Peter wrote, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” (1 Peter 1:22–23, ESV). And Paul warned, “If [we] speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, [we are] a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if [we] have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if [we] have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, [we are] nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1–2, ESV).

So here in Ephesians, 4 Paul is writing to the church, and he urges us to love one another. In love, we are to be humble, gentle, patient, and longsuffering. 

Two, notice that Paul is especially concerned with the church’s unity. In verse 3 he urges us to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV). I like the word “eager”. It means to do something with intense motivation. We are to be deeply committed to maintaining unity. We are to strive for it. We are to work hard at it. Why? Because of what the church is! 

Now, Paul does not use the imagery of “temple” here in this passage. Instead, he uses the imagery of a “body”. So yes, we are mixing metaphors a little in this series, but the truth is the same. We must be eager to maintain unity in the church because of what the church is. The church is the body of Christ! Will we allow the body of Christ to be torn to pieces? I suppose we could also say, the church is God’s temple! Will we allow the stones of God’s temple to be knocked to the ground and divided because of our pride, impatience, harshness, and lack of love? 

No, we must be eager to maintain unity within the church because of what it is. The church is the body of Christ. And, verse 4, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, ESV).

In reality, Christ’s church is one. If we consider the church from God’s perspective, there is one body, not many.  There is one Spirit who has called us, regenerated us, filled us, and is sanctifying us. All who belong to God share in the same Spirit. And we have the same Lord, Jesus the Christ. We share the same faith. We have been baptized with the same baptism. And we have the same God and Father. This is the reality. Now Paul is urging us to maintain that unity that is ours. Sin threatens to divide us here on earth. We must be zealous for unity. We must work hard at it. For we are the body of Christ. He is the head and we are all members united to him by faith! And we are God’s temple. Will we destroy the temple that God is building on earth by our sin, or will we labor to promote its unity and build it up? Paul commands that we maintain its unity and build it up. 

Three, Paul teaches that God has given grace and gifts to each one of us for the building up of the body or (to use the theme of this series) the temple of Christ. 

Look at verse 7: “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, [now Paul cites Psalm 68:18] ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ [And then Paul comments:] (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth [some translations say “of the earth”]? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ….” (Ephesians 4:7–12, ESV).

Earlier I warned that this is more of a topical sermon on the doctrine of the church than an expositional sermon on Ephesians 4. I said that mainly because I knew I would have to leave a lot riches unmined here in verses 7-12. This is a marvelous passage. I acknowledge, there is a lot that could be said from this passage concerning the doctrine of the descent, the incarnation, and the accomplishment of our redemption by the incarnate Son. Someday I will work through this text slowly with you, Lord willing. 

For now, let us focus our attention on the theme of “gifts and graces”. Here in this passage, Paul teaches us that Christ descended to earth (and even into the lower regions of the earth), to accomplish our salvation and to set captives free. And when he ascended to the right hand of the Father he gave gifts to his people.  In other words, when he sent forth his Spirit from on high, he gave gifts to his church. 

The Gifts That Christ Gave To His Church Are The Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers

So, according to Ephesians 4, what are the gifts that Christ gave to the church when he ascended? The gifts that Christ gave to his church are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. Now, before you get all up in arms, saying, but has not God given spiritual gifts to all of his people? Yes, he has. And we will get to that. But Paul is emphasizing something else here. He first wants us to see that Christ has given the church the gift of the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers. This is what verse 7 so clearly says. After teaching that Christ gave gifts to men when ascended, he says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers…” (Ephesians 4:11, ESV). 

Notice, he does not say that he gave some people the gift of apostleship, prophecy, evangelism, shepherding, and teaching. No, he says that he gave “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” as gifts to the church. In other words, it is those who are gifted and set apart to these offices who are themselves the gifts. 

The apostles and prophets were gifts to the church. To employ temple language, they are the foundation upon which the church is built. Christ is the cornerstone, and the apostles and prophets point to him! The apostles and prophets were gifts to the church. 

Evangelists are also gifts to the church. Evangelists are ministers of the word of God who are sent by the church to proclaim the gospel to the world and to plant new churches. Evangelists are ministers of the word on the move. Evangelists must be careful to build upon the foundation of Christ, the apostles and prophets only, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11, ESV).

And finally, shepherds and teachers are said to be gifts to the church. Elders, or pastors, are called to shepherd God’s people. Elders are to be able to teach. 1 Timothy 3:2 is clear about that. But some elders may be more gifted in teaching than others. And some elders may be set apart to the ministry of teaching more than others. Paul hints at this in 1 Timothy 5:12, saying, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17, ESV). The point is this: Here in Ephesians 4 shepherds and teachers are said to be the gifts that are given to the church. 

It feels a bit strange to say this given that I myself am a shepherd and teacher in Christ’s church, but it must be said, for the Scriptures say it. There is no boasting or pride in this. After all, this is by the grace of God alone – there is no room for boasting, therefore. Brothers and sisters, if the church is to be healthy it must have a proper view of evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. The church must see them as gifts from Christ. The church must pay them proper respect. The church must also support them in their work and highly value the service that they render to the people of God. I’m afraid that many in our day have little appreciation for the work of pastors. And this may be, in part, because pastors themselves have not taken seriously the work that they have been called to perform, but have been negligent in their work.

These Must Labor To Equip Or Perfect The Saints, Devote Themselves To The Work Of Ministry, And Build Up The Body Of Christ.

What then were the apostles and prophets called to do? And what are evangelists, shepherds, and teachers called to do today? Answer: they are to, one, equip or perfect the saints, two, devote themselves to the work of ministry, and three, build up the body of Christ. This they are to do through the preaching and teaching of the word of God and prayer in full reliance upon the Holy Spirit.

This interpretation might seem strange to you because there is another faulty interpretation of this text that has taken hold in our day. The common interpretation of Ephesians 4:12 is this: Shepherds and teachers are to equip the saints, and it is the saints who are then called to do the work of ministry and build up the body of Christ. The ESV and other modern translations do not help the problem by not including a comma after the phrase, “to equip the saints”, in verse 12. The old King James version captures the meaning best when it renders the Greek like this: And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ‘For the perfecting of the saints [comma], for the work of the ministry  [comma], for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11–12, KJV). These commas help to clarify that the calling of evangelists, shepherds, and teachers is one, the to equipping or perfecting of the saints, two, the work of ministry, and three, the building up the body of Christ.

I walk you through this not to be nitpicky, but because I have grown thoroughly convinced that a lot of the problems in the modern evangelical church stem from this misinterpretation and misuse of Ephesians 4:12.  Pastors often neglect the work of the ministry that God has called them to, and they view themselves as facilitators instead. Like good CEO’s they have been taught that one of the keys to good leadership within an organization is delegation. You, Pastor, are to equip the saints, and they in turn are to do the work of the ministry. The trouble is this: the church is not a business. Also, “the ministry” is not something that all members have been called to enter into – only pastors have. Brothers and sisters, there are some things that pastors simply should not delegate to others. Pastors should be pastors! 

I’m not opposed to delegation, brothers and sisters. But there is such a thing as over-delegation, or inappropriate delegation. Think of the nuclear family for a moment. Is it appropriate for a father to delegate the task of taking the trashcans to the curb to his teenage boys (as I do)? Yes, indeed that is appropriate. But now I ask you, is appropriate for a father to delegate the task of disciplining his children, and teaching them the things of God to another man or to some other institution? I say no, not ultimately. Others may help, but a father needs to be a father to his children. A husband needs to be a husband to his wife. There are some things that simply cannot be delegated. And so it is with pastors. Pastors must shepherd. They must labor faithfully to move the members of the church along to maturity. They must do the work of ministry. They must labor to build up the body of Christ, over whom God has made them overseers. 

Colossians 1:28-29 has become dear to me. In this text, you can clearly see that Paul the Apostle understood that this was his calling. “[Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28–29, ESV).

Let us move rather quickly now through the remainder of our text. Evangelsts, shepherds, and teachers are to be viewed as gifts to the church. And what is their calling? They are to, one, equip the saints, two, do the work of ministry, and three, build up the body of Christ.

How long are they to do this for? Verse 13: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” When will this happen? When Christ returns to make all things new, or when he calls us home through death. So then, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers will serve in Christ’s church throughout this New Covenant era. 

We will not reach perfection until we pass into glory. But will we make progress in this life? Yes, we should! Pastors should labor to help the members of their churches to mature – look with me now at verse 14 – “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:14–16, ESV)

When Each Part Of The Body Is Working Properly, It Builds Itself Up In Love

Earlier I asked if it is true that God has given spiritual gifts, not only to evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, but to all of his people. And I said, yes, indeed! And then I said, we will get to that. So where in this passage do we find this teaching that all of God’s people have spiritual gifts which are useful to the building up of the body (or temple) of Christ? Not in verses 11-12! Paul is addressing something else there! But this truth is hinted at in verses 15-16. Let me read them again: “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16, ESV, emphasis added).

In the body of Christ there are many parts. Does that teaching sound familiar to you? If you were to go to that famous spiritual gift passage in 1 Corinthians 12 you would see that Paul uses this metaphor there. As he teaches about the variety of gifts that were present in the first-century church when the apostles and prophets were still ministering (many of which are still present in the church today) he reminds the Corinthians that they are members of one body. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 he says, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body’”, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:12–16, ESV).

There in 1 Corinthians 12 Paul urges members of the church to be content with the place that God has given to them within the church. We are to be content with our place and with our particular giftedness, brothers and sisters, and we are to be faithful to use the gifts that God has given to us for the building up of the body of Christ. And if we are faithful to use the gifts that God has given to us, who knows if he will not add to our giftedness and call us to other forms of service within Christ’s temple-church? 

But notice this: God gives these gifts – the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shep[herds, and teachers and also, spiritual gifts to each and every member of the body – so that the body of Christ would be built up! That is the purpose. When each part of the body is working properly, the body builds itself up in love. The gifts that we have – whether they are speaking gifts like teaching or encouragement, or serving gifts, like service or hospitality – are to be used to build up the body. Each one of us must use the gifts that God has given to us to build God’s church, and to further his kingdom. 

Notice also that the key ingredient is love. That is stressed here in Ephesians 4. It is also stressed in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13. Without love, we are nothing, brothers and sisters. True love – God’s love – must motivate all of our speaking and all of our doing. 

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Conclusion

May the Lord bless this congregation faithful ministers and with mature members who know what it is to serve one another in love. May we “ walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [we] have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV).