Spiritual Gifts - Ephesians 4:7-16 NKJV
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: When He ascended on high,He led captivity captive,�And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also [a]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [b]edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:11-13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [b]edifying of the body of Christ 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Purpose
• Equip the saints for the work of ministry
• Build up the Body of Christ
• Promote unity in the faith and in knowing Jesus relationally
• Promote maturity as measured by the person and works of Jesus
• Enable people to resist false teachers and the spirits of the age
• Promote growth of individuals within and as part of the Body of Christ
• Enable and release the Body to build the Kingdom of God in Love
• Church Leadership, and governing body in the Book of Acts
Ephesians 4:11 -And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, The goal of these gifts referred to as the Five-Fold Ministry Gifts, is the building up and maturing of the body of Christ (other gifted members), and unity in the body.
Only Jesus stood in the fullness of all five ministry gifts.
Colossians 2:9 - For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God].
One of the gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4 is teachers. He gave teachers to the church. The word teach in the Greek is didasko which means “to teach” instruct, inform, demonstrate and prescribe the relationship between teacher and pupil and a master and apprentice. This word is used over 200 times in the old and new testament.
The word didaskalos is also the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew word “Rabbi”, one who is a teacher-scholar who is respected for his knowledge and accumulation of facts. He is a master teacher.
Rabboni - was referenced to Jesus in John 20:14-16
John 20:14-16 NKJV - we read about Mary Magdalene at the tomb. Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to [a]Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
Master is the word didaskalos – a person who is a masterful teacher at Scripture.
Matthew 8:19 - NKJV - 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
Jesus taught in the synagogues
Matthew 4:23 - And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
In the Temple Courts
Matthew 21:23 - Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
In Houses
Luke 5:17-18 - Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present [a]to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.
In Towns and Villages
Matthew 11:1- Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
On a Mountainside
Matthew 5: 1,2 - And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: There He spoke the promises of the Beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount.
By a Lakeshore in a boat
Luke 5: 3 - Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
In the streets
Luke 13:26 - then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
John 13:12-13 CJB - After he had washed their feet, taken back his clothes and returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because I am.
John 13:12-13 KJV - So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Teacher – Didasko – means a masterful voice.
James 3:1: AMP - Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will [a]be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].
What is the goal of the New Testament teacher:
1. Provide a teaching that can be trusted because of its accuracy;
2. Provide a clear explanation of what was being read;
3. Provide that each passage be understood and given the sense/meaning of what is being taught.
The more a skilled teacher knows the more he can be used by the Holy Spirit. He is so filled with the Holy Spirit he becomes an instrument in the Hands of God.
There are also the Foundational Ministry Gifts listed in Romans 12:3-8
Romans 12:3-8 - NKJV
3. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
These gifts are not the same as the ministry gifts in Ephesians 4 which are given only to members of the Body for certain leadership roles in the church.
Mark 1:15 - Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel [a]of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God [b]is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
John 14:12 - “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
John 14:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
The Holy Spirit is the Person, He is the Power, He is our Helper in the operation of our gifts, and in sharing the Kingdom of God in whatever capacity we are assigned. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate Teacher, and He brings to remembrance what He has spoken.
I want to end with the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834-1892 – famously known and the Prince of Preachers whose life was poured out in service to the Gospel.
“We need to have a Church in which all the members do something, in which all do all they can, in which all are always doing all they can; for this is what our Lord deserves to have from a living, loving people bought with His precious blood! If He has saved me, I will serve Him forever and ever. And whatever lies in my power to do for His glory, that shall be my delight to do and to do at once. “