Bible Study - Why Church (3) - We Support One Another - Ephesians 4:1-16 - August 9, 2020

 

Bible Study (Why Church 3) – We Support One Another – August 9, 2020

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Why Do I Need Church?”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16.

GOD gives members of HIS Spiritual Body, the church, Spiritual gifts to accomplish HIS work. GOD gives Spiritual Gifts to individuals who place their faith in JESUS to be used as GOD leads him or her.

Do Spiritual Gifts only come through the church? No! Those who teach and preach GOD’S Word reveal the truth and application of HIS Word. The church provides the opportunity within the Spiritual body of believers for the working of the Spiritual Gifts. Does the working of the Spiritual Gifts only come through the church? No! The church provides the outlet but the Gifts are manifested by individuals to whom GOD has anointed with a certain gift or certain Gifts.

If a Christian has a certain Spiritual Gift, does that mean GOD always leads the Gifted person to use his or her gift in behalf of the person asking? No!

Many years ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to go to Cowpens, SC and meet with Ms. Bertha Smith, former missionary to China. The issue of Spiritual Gifts came up and Ms. Bertha told us about her sister, Jennie, having the Spiritual Gift of healing. Ms. Bertha told us that many people would come to their home and ask Jennie to pray for their healing. Jennie would tell that person to wait. That meant that she needed to go and check. That meant that Jennie would go to another room and pray and ask GOD how she needed to pray according to the request.  

Ms. Bertha said that Jennie would come back to the person and tell them one of two things (1) Yes, the LORD has given me permission to pray for your healing or (2) No, the LORD has not given me permission to pray for your healing but to pray that HE will be with you during this time in your life. Those Jennie prayed for were healed by GOD and those who had to endure the issue in his or her life, GOD was with them to provide the strength for them to endure.

Another missionary couple, Herb and Jackie Neely, while serving in Africa, Jackie had a serious medical issue and as I recall she was in the hospital. She asked their local pastor, Pastor Duma (spelling?) to pray for her. Rev. Duma said he would check. He said GOD had given the church permission to pray for her healing but the church had to fast on Wednesday and then he would pray for her healing. Rev. Duma prayed for Jackie and she was healed. Jackie told me this account many years ago. So, the details are fuzzy to me.

Spiritual Gifts can become issues in a church. Why? Human nature enters. Some brothers or sisters in CHRIST have a Spiritual Gift that people flock to receive. The person with that Gift becomes very popular. Our human nature likes being popular, so we want the Spiritual Gift that person has. Satan lurks seeking to create disruption and discord where ever he can. Having a certain Spiritual Gift (s) is not a competition but a calling which GOD distributes according to HIS plan and purpose.

I want us to pay special attention to this next statement:

There is one scripture I want us to focus upon as we begin this study. Skip to and read verse 11 in the scripture printed below. Now come back to verses 4-11 and read them. Notice, it is GOD that WHO dispenses Spiritual Gifts according to HIS will and purpose. We can desire certain Spiritual gifts but it is up to GOD to distribute it or them to us.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11:

⁴ Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. ⁷ A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: ⁸ to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, ⁹ to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues,^[b] to another, interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he (GOD) wills.

At the instant of salvation every Spirit Born Christian receives at least two Spiritual Gifts (The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Birth).

Spirit Born Christians should let GOD know if there is a certain Spiritual Gift he or she desires. But again, it is up to GOD to give it or them to him or her.

Why does GOD distribute Spiritual Gifts? Read verse 7, “for the common good.” What else does the manifestation of the Holy Spirit accomplish in the church or body of believers? Unity and diversity!!!

Spiritual Gift or Gifts are to be shared with others as GOD via The Holy Spirit directs. Why don’t we see the manifestation of the Holy Spirit more in America? (1) Many Spirit born Christians don’t have the faith that GOD still heals. We depend upon treatments but there are times when GOD directs us to go beyond human treatment. When HE does, do we have the faith to reach out to others, according to James 5:13-18: ¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

Anointing with oil is important. Oil was medicine in Bible times. In essence it was and is still a medicine. It is two-fold (1) When oil is used to anoint a person suffering, it is an act of obedience, a step of faith and trust. (2) When oil is used along with medicines or treatment it is also an act of obedience and an expression of trust. Why do we anoint with oil? It is in obedience to GOD’S Word and oil represents the Holy Spirit. Call the elders and/or deacons of your church to pray over the sick. Sick covers a lot of issues from physical to mental. Pray and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you as you seek GOD’S guidance on how to pray. Sometimes the Holy Spirit leads us to pray for an issue to be resolved, wait, or no.

Let’s examine our focus scripture ------

Let’s read Ephesians 4:1-9:

Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ

My/our calling is to use my GOD given Spiritual Gifts for unity of the church.

4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk (live) worthy of the calling you have received, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope^[a] at your calling— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Life in Ephesus was bustling. Ephesus was home to many different cultures and religions. The prominent deity in Ephesus was Artemis or Dianna but there were up to fifty other gods and goddesses e.g. Zeus, Apollo, Dionysius, Athena, Cybele, etc. They added gods to their worship experience. The Jews living in Ephesus had their own synagogue. Paul spoke in their synagogue. Paul was well educated in the Jewish religion.

Who are those called to walk/live worthy of the calling? They are those who have placed their faith in JESUS, equipped with the Spiritual Gift or Gifts they need to minister according to GOD’S plan and purpose. Yes, this is applicable today. When GOD gives you, as a Spirit Born Christian, your Gift or Gifts, you are to use it/them as led by the Holy Spirit. How?  Verses 2 and 3 - ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

GOD gave gifts to allow those called to reach out to others in the name of JESUS. So, the gifts were for then and not now? NO! Spiritual Gifts are just as much needed today as they were in these early times for spreading the Good News of JESUS among a Godless society.

Why does Paul mention “unity and bond of peace?” Satan cannot stand unity or bonding of peace. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit moves within a congregation in unity and bonding in the Spirit, keep your Spiritual eyes open that complacency does not raise its head and the body loses it focus upon where their power comes from. It is always GOD’S power under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Satan can lead members to seek the emotional side of living as led by the Holy Spirit. Do not lose focus. It is not about us but about ministering according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.   

What do Christians need to keep in mind? There are many Spiritual Gifts which can give the non-Christian community the idea that these Gifts represent manifestations of different gods. What does Paul have to say about that? Let’s read verses 4-6: ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope^[a] at your calling— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

GOD is one and every Spiritual Gift comes from HIM alone through faith in JESUS. Will Satan attempt to counterfeit some of the Gifts? Yes! That can happen when a person desires a certain Spiritual Gift so much, Satan can lead him or her into a false notion that he or she has that gift. Often, a counterfeit gift becomes enslaving and can lead to doubting one’s salvation. If you find yourself in this situation ask the LORD to search you and reveal truth to you. If you find that the gift you thought was from the LORD was not, renounce that gift. Satan can lead you into believing that the gift you sought was from GOD. We can override the “NO” of GOD to looking for the false impressions that Satan brings across our minds.

We must follow what the Bible reveals to us. Early, I gave you the scripture 1 Corinthians 12:11: ¹¹ One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he (GOD) wills.

I was in a meeting many years ago. At the end of the meeting the speaker asked how many in the audience wanted the gift of tongues. Several raised their hands and the speaker, said “Come on down and you will get it.” That set off alarms in me. GOD is the Only ONE WHO gives Spiritual Gifts.

⁷ Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ For it says:

When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people.^[b]

⁹ But what does “he ascended” mean except that he^[c] also descended to the lower parts of the earth?^[d] 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. 

What is the measure of CHRIST’S gift? HE gave HIS all, even unto death. In doing so, HE defeated Satan. HE eternally conquered both sin and its consequence which is eternal death. In doing so, HE opened the path between mankind and GOD by conquering sin. HE opened the path to GOD for all people who will place their faith in JESUS to receive forgiveness for their sin and to receive Spiritual gifts as proof that JESUS conquered the spirit world. The first gift is the Holy Spirit, WHO confirms and guarantees a person’s salvation. The Holy Spirit is GOD’S seal of approval and confirmation that Spiritual Birth has taken place.

GOD further reveals to the people of the world that JESUS conquered both sin and eternal death. HE appoints and calls HIS Spiritual leadership upon earth to spread the Gospel of which JESUS is the head. This leads us to our next scripture.

Let’s read Ephesians 4:11-13:

¹¹ And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 

What is GOD’S endpoint for Spirit born Christians? It is unity in the faith and in the knowledge of JESUS. What is the measure? It is when, Christians fully reflect the image of CHRIST. We know when we see HIM, we will be like HIM but GOD’S desire is for all Christians to reach that measure while we are upon earth.

When Christians reflect the image of CHRIST, what will that be like upon earth?

Let’s read Ephesians 4:14-16:

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

WOW!!! What a goal for GOD to accomplish in every Christian upon earth. Father guide YOUR Children to this reality upon earth.

Blessings!!!