Ephesians 4:7-10
Preached Wednesday September 26, 2012
Introduction:
Often when we accept gifts without understanding the cost, sacrifice, and thought behind those gifts, we do not value or use them as we should. Last week we discovered 7 things that bind us together as believers:
• One Body – the Church
• One Spirit – The Holy Spirit
• One Hope of our Calling – Eternity with Jesus
• One Lord- Jesus Christ
• One Faith – the only way anyone gets to Heaven.
• One Baptism – picturing the one faith
• One Father – that adopted all who believe into His family
Now that we have seen the things that unite us, we will consider what makes us unique. You see, God loved the world, but he also loves and calls us individually. He knows our strengths, and our weaknesses. He has given us gifts unique to our personal make up in order for us to fill a specific purpose in a specific Church at a specific time. We often take these gifts and abilities for granted. Today let us value these spiritual gifts for what they are, spoils of war.
I. God has divided the spoils of war according to His perfect design.
Ephesians 4:7 (AV)
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
A. There is one grace manifesting itself in different gifts or abilities.
B. Grace = enablement
C. According to the measure – dividing out- proportion
D. According to your designed function within the body – the Local Church.
Romans 12:4–6 (AV)
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (AV)
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
E. The purpose of these gifts is to build the local church.
1 Corinthians 12:7 (AV)
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
II. These gifts are spoils of war, won at the resurrection.
Ephesians 4:8 (AV)
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
A. Referred to in the Old Testament
Psalm 68:18 (AV)
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
B. Led Captivity Captive – moved the redeemed Old Testament Saints from Paradise to Heaven with God the Father.
2 Corinthians 5:8 (AV)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Philippians 1:23 (AV)
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
C. Secured gifts at His ascension
John 20:17 (AV)
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Hebrews 9:11–14 (AV)
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:24–28 (AV)
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
D. Historically after a king won a significant battle he would bring back spoils
1. Enemy prisoners to display to the people.
2. Rescued those captured by the enemy.
3. David speaks of this in Psalms.
Psalm 68:18 (AV)
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Colossians 2:14–15 (AV)
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
III. These gifts were purchased at a great price.
Ephesians 4:9–10 (AV)
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
A. Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth.
1. Not just the incarnation
2. Not just the grave
3. He went into the Heart of the earth.
Matthew 12:40 (AV)
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
4. He went into a special prison in Hell.
1 Peter 3:18–20 (AV)
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
B. He ascended in order to fulfill all this – He applied the Blood on the mercy seat.