Battle Ready: "Unity But.. ": Ephesians 4.7-10 Pastor Daniel Reese

If you have your Bibles will be in Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

As many of you know, I was born and raised in Texas.

Don't say sorry.

There are some magical things about living in Texas, particularly the Mexican food.

As much as I have wanted to enjoy the Mexican food here in Iowa.

It just hasn't worked out.

It can get us by on a hard day when you need a taco to make it through the day, but for

the most part it is subpar to what I'm used to.

Believe it or not, this was a discussion in my family when we were praying through moving

here to Iowa.

If we were to make a pros and cons list about moving to Iowa, giving up Mexican food was

for sure in the cons column.

One of my favorite things to eat at a Mexican food restaurant is fajitas.

If I were to build the perfect fajita, I would grab myself a flour tortilla, put some fajita

beef on there, some salsa, some cheese, maybe some rice and beans, and of course you top

it off with guacamole.

No, I did not forget sour cream.

That ruins the whole thing.

Now, individually, those pieces that are a part of the fajita are not great by themselves,

but once you put them together in a flour tortilla, they are one of God's greatest creations.

That is what Paul is teaching in this first part of chapter 4.

When you take all the individual pieces and you put them together, you have this really

great thing.

Now, we're going to cover verses 7 through 10 this morning, but in order to completely

understand it, we need to read it in its context.

If you were to take verses 7 through 10 out and just look at them individually, you can

easily miss the point.

So if you have your Bibles, we're going to read Ephesians 7, chapter 4, 7 through 16

this morning.

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 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 until we

all attain to the unity of the faith and to 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 and deceitful schemes.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is ahead

into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which

is it equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds

itself up in love.

So as Paul has begun, chapter 4, we saw his emphasis on unity within the body of Christ.

Specifically in verses 4 through 6, he stressed those things that we all have in common that

would allow us to be unified as followers of Jesus.

But as we come to verse 7, while Paul is still dealing with unity, he's going to shift his

focus.

We know that because verse 7 starts with the word but.

Now unity, we said last week, does not mean uniformity.

We are all unique.

And what unites us is what we all have in common in Jesus.

Not only does Paul use the word but to introduce this contrast, but for the very first time

in this chapter, he also uses the phrase, each one of us.

And so there's this shift from the whole body to the individual.

From our privileges to our responsibilities.

From what God has already done for us to what he is going to do through us.

And so let's read our text this morning, verse 7.

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.

And saying he ascended, what does it mean?

But that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth.

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above the heavens, that he might fill

all things.

So the first thing that we need to understand as we're looking at this text of verses 7 through

10 is we don't decide which gifts we receive Jesus does.

We don't get to pick it.

This is not a Christmas wish list situation.

Or I'll take that, or I'll take that, or I'll take that.

Jesus determines what gifts each of us need in order to carry out God's plans through

the church.

Jesus mentions this idea in Matthew 25.

One person got five talents, another two and another one.

Each according to his own ability.

What is interesting about that parable, if you really look at that parable in Matthew

25 is that there's not evidence that any of those three servants had any knowledge of

what his true abilities were.

But God knows the servants and is in a position to determine how to best bestow the talents.

And he does that in such a way that it's going to facilitate his purposes.

He knows the servants individually, so he knows what they need.

Now I currently have the office that used to be Pastor Stefan's office.

Before we moved here and I was just visiting, I walked into his office a couple of times.

And if you were to look at his desk, you wouldn't even know that anybody worked there.

Everything was put away, everything was in its place.

If you were to walk into my office right now, it is the same space, it is the same desk,

but you can definitely tell that I've been there.

I have books on there, just thrown about.

I have a package of adult diapers on there.

It's true.

I have little notes that I've written in no particular order and I have a few empty water

bottles.

Why those water bottles are not in the trash?

I don't know.

I don't know.

I wish I was more organized.

I wish that God had given me that gift, but he didn't.

To the detriment of my family and everybody that works with me.

So I have to keep that in mind when I'm working as a team, when I'm looking at the staff because

they each have different gifts than I have.

I have ideas, but I really have no idea at the end of the day how to get it organized

and bring it to fruition.

I rely on those that do.

Paul has to keep me focused on our vision of discipleship.

Drew has to keep me on schedule and remind me of the different elements of worship.

Sandy has to remind me not to be a bad influence on the children.

Mark has to keep me focused on everything we have going on to wit.

And Julie holds all of us together.

She keeps the train moving.

All have different giftings that God is using to fulfill his purposes here at Cornerstone.

And that's just the staff.

You are all gifted in ways that God is using to fulfill his purposes in your life and in

the life of those around you.

You might want a gift you don't have, but you have to trust that the Lord knows what

he is doing.

We need people to care for the elderly.

We need people to help care for our widows.

Our buildings and grounds.

We need faithful prayers.

We need technology gurus.

We need creatives.

We need those of you that have a high gifting of compassion.

Now if any of those are you, then please talk to us after the service so we can get you

plugged in and you don't waste your gift.

But as we look at verses 8 through 10, it's crucial that we understand and we view them

in the context of this main idea that Paul has just expressed.

Now if we don't do that, it's easy to come up with all kinds of wrong conclusions that

will actually draw us away from what Paul is teaching rather than to help us understand

it.

In verse 8 Paul is quoting Psalm 68-18.

Now the Psalm passage is a reference to God while the Ephesians passage is a reference

to Jesus.

So he doesn't quote it verbatim, but the message is the same.

When it says in verse 8, therefore it says, when he ascended on high he led a host of

captives and he gave gifts to men.

Now I wrestled with this text this week because my thoughts initially went to Jesus' death

and where in the world was Jesus in that three days after he died and before he was resurrected?

There is references in Psalms 49, Psalm 86, Psalm 89, that the Old Testament faithful,

those that were faithful to the Lord before Jesus was on the earth, that they were in

a place called Sha, for the promise and they were waiting for the promise of the Messiah

to be fulfilled.

That was the promise in Psalm 68-18.

However that's another sermon for another day because I don't think that's the point

of this text.

The point of this text is that we are able to receive these gifts because Christ is victorious.

We are able to receive the gifts that God has given us to remain unified because Christ

is victorious.

Now yes I believe that Jesus led a host of captives and escorted them into the presence

of God.

The only reason he was able to do that is because he was victorious over death.

When you are given the gift of salvation you are rescued from death as well.

And because you are sealed with the Holy Spirit you will receive gifts.

Not gifts to be put in the closet.

Not gifts to re-gift to someone else later, but gifts to be used for the kingdom of God.

Since this might have been confusing to his readers, Paul begins to explain what he means

in verse 9.

He says, insane he ascended, what does it mean?

But they 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.

I mean there is the gospel right there.

Right here in Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

The only reason Jesus was able to ascend on high is because he had to descend from his

throne in heaven.

I mean once you are on high you can't ascend any higher.

Once you are in his position you can't get any higher.

He came to earth.

He walked amongst his creation.

He lived amongst us.

Name another religious belief system where that's the case.

Every other belief system out there is trying to ascend.

Is trying to find favor.

Is trying to earn the right to be in the presence of their God.

That's not the case for the one true God is in.

It's not the case for the creator and sustainer of all things.

The only God who was worthy of all of our worship, he came to us.

He rescued us while we were still sinners in need of a savior.

He did that because we couldn't get to him.

He is too holy and we are too sinful.

So because he wanted a relationship with us, he descended.

He came and he lived and he died so that when we put our faith in him, he takes us who were

once captives and escorts us into the presence of the most high God.

We get to experience the kingdom of God while we were still on the earth because Jesus descended.

Because he redeems because he gives us the faith to believe that he is the only way.

Now that he has conquered death and has ascended back up to his rightful place, he is able

to give gifts to his people so that his purposes are fulfilled.

For those of you who are waiting and I know there's some conspiracy theorists in this room.

I'm almost confident of that.

But for those of you who are waiting for Christ to return and end all this madness, you have

to use your gifts.

Christ says the end will come when the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world.

We need to fill that urgency because I'm ready.

I'm ready for him to rip open that sky.

I'm ready for him to make all things new.

This isn't something we can just write a check for and it be accomplished.

Last time I checked, the Lord wasn't short on cash.

His purposes are for us to use our gifts, the gifts that we have to proclaim that our God

is the only God who is victorious over death.

People claim in unity that the only place that anybody can find lasting hope is in Jesus.

He descended to bring us peace.

So how does this fit in regards to unity?

There's at least three things that we need to consider.

The first one being that gifts are given.

They're not pursued.

The gifts are given.

Don't waste time trying to get other gifts.

Don't waste time pursuing other things that God has not gifted you in.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that God has arranged all the parts of the body just as

he wanted them to be.

If God knows his purposes and plans perfectly and if he knows each one of us intimately,

far better than we know ourselves, then why wouldn't he be the one to determine how to

apportion his gifts amongst his people?

If you're a parent in here, you know your children better than they know themselves,

correct?

Like I can look in the eyes of my son and tell him it's going to be a rough day today.

You need to go relax.

You need to go rest.

You need to go take it.

No, I don't need that.

I need to go do this.

I know him better than he knows himself just by looking in his eyes.

If God knows us intimately, then shouldn't we trust that he has a plan for it?

When we seek out specific gifts or probably even more commonly, we get envious or jealous

of the gifts that others have been given.

What you're really doing in that moment is you're questioning the wisdom of God.

You're questioning that he has a plan.

You're believing that he messed up.

In Isaiah 29, 16, it says, you turn things upside down.

In other words, you're being stupid.

That's what it's saying.

You turn things upside down.

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay that the thing made should say of its maker, he

did not make me?

It's God and the gifts that he has given you.

Trust the calling that he has on your life.

There was this guy in La Mesa that came to our church for a short period of time, and

he really, really wanted to be a pastor.

He begged me on multiple occasions to let him preach for me from time to time.

His desire was to stand in front of people and make them listen to him.

But he was too soft-spoken.

He wasn't bold enough.

To be real honest, if I had known him better, I would have told him that I don't know of

any church that is going to hire you for the purpose in which you're pursuing.

He tried anyway.

Then he got his degree, he got ordained, and he got a church, a small church just outside

of town.

Now when that ended badly for him, a couple months later, he went on to another one.

And then another one.

He was in three churches within the year, and all of them ended badly.

He was trying to force something that wasn't there.

He was trying to receive a gift that God had not given him.

He was not content with the gifts that God had given him to be used for the kingdom.

And so my plea to you is to trust the gifts that God has given you and be faithful in

them.

He didn't make a mistake.

He knows you better than you know yourself.

The next thing we need to keep in mind in regards to unity is the source of the gifts

is Jesus, it's not our own abilities.

The source of the gifts is Jesus.

I mean we've learned that in Ephesians, haven't we?

In chapter two.

We can't boast in anything.

We can't boast in our gifts.

Now unfortunately, there is a tendency to look at some of the gifts that are more visible

and give them more weight and value.

But God certainly never intended for us to do that.

Again in 1 Corinthians, Paul makes clear that the gifts have equal value in the sight of

God according to chapter 12.

In verse 22 it says on the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.

And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greatest honor.

And our un-presentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable

parts do not require.

And God has so composed the body giving greatest honor to the part that lacked it, that there

may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

If you have ever thought that the gifts that you have are less valuable than others, please

highlight that passage in your Bible.

God says those gifts, the ones that are behind the scenes, the ones that nobody knows that

you have, they have the greatest honor.

You see we have a tendency to believe that if you stand on this stage in any capacity

whatsoever, or if you're on staff at a church, that those gifts are more important than the

others.

But according to this text, that's not the case.

Before the service right now, there were people in the prayer room praying for you.

Did you know that?

Right now there's guys outside watching the parking lot and checking all the doors to

keep us safe.

Did you know that?

There are people that handle our finances.

There are people that keep our buildings functioning.

There's people here that share the gospel faithfully with their coworkers.

There's others in here that help others financially without anybody else knowing it.

Those are gifts that the Lord has used to fulfill His purposes.

The gifts that you have been given are not for your own personal benefit, but for the

body.

Christ did not descend to the depths of the earth to make you look good.

He did so that once we receive our gifts, we can make Him look good.

He is the only one that receives the glory when we use the gifts that He has given us

to expand His kingdom.

I mean, every time Shaquille O'Neal dunked a basketball, he should have pointed towards

the heavens to give God the glory.

So due to seven feet tall, you should be able to dunk a basketball.

What a perfect opportunity that he had, or any NBA player that thinks that they did

that, what a perfect opportunity to give God glory.

When you understand that the source of your giftings is Jesus, and then you use them appropriately,

it makes Him look good, not you.

And finally, the gifts that we receive should never go unused.

First Peter 4-10 says, each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,

faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

I want you to think about the giftings that you have received from the Lord.

And then I want you to ask yourself if you are using them appropriately.

Are you using the gifts that God has given you to fulfill the purposes in His church,

to fulfill the purposes in His kingdom, are you using His gifts that He has given you?

And maybe you're like, well, I have an insignificant gift.

According to Paul, he don't.

According to Paul, you don't.

This past week was my birthday.

Hence the adult diapers on my desk.

And I always get asked around my birthday, what do you want for your birthday?

What gifts can we give you?

And I never have an answer.

If I want something, I usually just go out and buy it.

And so I don't really expect anything on my birthday because I bought something throughout

the year that I wanted at the time.

I didn't want to wait for my birthday.

And it drives everyone around me crazy because they don't know what to get me for my birthday.

So knowing that there was nothing I wanted or needed, my wife didn't get, didn't really

have any direction on what to get me for my birthday.

She could have gotten me a gift card.

She could have gone to the store and got me something that she thought I might like and

appreciate.

She could have done that, but she didn't.

Now when I was growing up, I used to be a huge fan of professional wrestling.

I would watch Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior every single week.

My family hated it because I would climb onto the dresser and give them the big splash while

they were laying in the bed.

Sometimes when my siblings got a little malvy, I would have to drop a big elbow on them.

I mean, that was my childhood.

I loved watching the WWF at the time.

I loved watching all those guys.

My wife, knowing this, years ago, was struggling to come up with a gift for me one year.

Well, guess, the WWE was coming to town and she thought I would like to go see them.

I opened the card and there's two tickets to the show.

And I'm thinking to myself, I'm a grown man.

I have no desire whatsoever to go watch men in their underwear get all sweaty and wrestle.

That was one of those situations.

I mean, this was just a few years ago.

This wasn't like first married.

This was a few years ago.

It was one of those situations where it was really the thought to count it.

But the gift went unused.

This year, she gave me a letter with 40 things that she loves about me.

And it took thought, probably a lot of it, to come up with all these reasons why we're

married.

But that gift means more to me than anything she could ever buy me.

I will probably frame it and then show it to her the next time she's mad at me.

But the fact that she took the time to share those things with me have tremendous value

to me.

The thought means so much more than the gift.

The gift that God has given you was not because he was trying to fill some quota on the earth.

Tremendous thought and care went into you while he was knitting you together in your

mother's womb.

When he chose you before the foundation of the earth, he knew what value you would bring

to the people in your allotted time and allotted place.

Use your gifts.

Don't waste them.

Don't lock them in the closet or pawn them off for something else.

There's too much at stake in regards to unity.

We have these gifts because Jesus was victorious.

We have these gifts because he chose to leave his throne on high and descend into the depths

of the earth so that he could take us out as captives.

And you think about the gifts that you have and you think about what he sacrificed for.

I hope that puts an urgency in you to use them in a way that honors him.

Because one way to disrupt unity in anybody is for somebody to think, I should have that

instead of doing what God has created me to be.

I should be on stage singing that song.

I should be up behind that pulpit giving this message.

I should be the one taking care of the buildings and grounds.

I should be the one taking care of the finances.

I should be the one to keep Daniel in line.

And when we begin to be envious and jealous of other gifts that puts a wedge between you

and us, Christ descended so that he could fulfill his purposes through us.

Use the gifts that God has given you because we need you.

We need you.

That's the reality.

Let me pray for us before we take communion.

Father God, I pray right now that your spirit will just dwell amongst us.

That we will become aware of the things that you've put inside of us to be used for your

kingdom.

I pray that you give us direction.

I pray that you give us vision of the purpose in which you've given them to us.

Help us use our gifts accordingly.

And so Father, we thank you for Jesus.

We thank you that he did.

He left his place in heaven to dwell amongst us.

And I pray Father that as we use our giftings, that he receives all the glory because without

him being victorious, all of this is in vain.

And so God, as we come to the place where we remember Jesus' death and resurrection,

I pray that your Holy Spirit will move amongst us and speak and minister to us in ways that

only you can't.

So we look at this time.

It's your name.

Amen.