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Verse seven. Should we start there? Why don't we start with verse 4/4?
I know you've commented on some of those verses, but just to get the connection.
Ephesians 4 and verse 4.
There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. 1 Lord, one thief, one Baptist, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all, and in you all.
But unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore He set, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists.
And some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, under the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
When we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part.
Maketh increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that she henceforth walked, nor not, as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness in their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over under lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that she put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your rock, neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that need it.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace under the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed under the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be a kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Know.
As we mentioned this morning, verse four through 16 is again the teaching part of the Epistle. We have statements of what is.
In the body of Christ there is one body.
Very clear statement of what is. It's not an exhortation, it's just saying what is.
And as Brother Heinz brought out this morning and I think.
Is well understood, but you have in verse four the circle of Christian reality.
Verse five you have the circle of Christian profession.
And verse six you have a circle that includes all creation in a general sense of the word. There is one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all.
In that sense of the word you have in Luke's Gospel, the genealogy leads right back to Adam, which was of God. He is the Father of all. In that sense of the word. The last phrase of verse 6 refers back to the circle of Christian reality, the one body, verse 4.
In you all.
It can be said of the unbeliever, but in the general sense of the word, there is one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all. And that gives the context for the verses that follow, and we consider the question of the gifts that have been given for the edifying of the body of Christ.
So in verse seven says Unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
You have 3 epistles in which the gifts are mentioned.
Romans 12, First Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4.
Here it is in the universal sense.
These are gifts that are given from Christ, ascended on, high in the glory. In First Corinthians it's more in the local sense.
They're gifts of the Spirit, and in Romans 12 it is perhaps more the individual focus. Of course, it's not individual when you're speaking about the body of Christ, but we are individuals and there is to be individual exercise in that context.
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Their gifts that are given of God. So the whole Godhead is involved in this question of giving gifts. Here in this epistle. Lord is important to see that the persons themselves are the gifts that are given.
From Christ descended in the glory.
And when it says Father, that is not in the same way that we as Christians know him.
Like he has made the father known.
Here it is the originator of all things. That's how the word father is used here. But.
The gifts mentioned.
The apostles and prophets.
Where there was original gifts that God used to communicate the scriptures to us.
As we have it already indicated in the second chapter of Ephesians, but.
At the evangelists, pastors and teachers are with us today.
And if anybody has such a gift?
His fear of service is not just the local assembly. His fear of service is universal.
You know, there are those who serve locally in the local assembly, but if somebody has one of these gifts mentioned here and even pastor is really shepherd, right? And there are those, thank the Lord that are able to shepherd God's people. And if they have that gift, they can shepherd God's people wherever the Lord leads them. But there is a distinction between.
That kind of shepherd care and what we had in first Peter, you know the overseer, they also are to shepherd and as we have in Act 20.
Feet the flock of God that is among you. He is addressing the elders there but it's so important to understand that these here are universal gift and if anyone has that gift is fear of service is universal. Now there is a warning giving given in Romans not to think higher of ourselves than we ought to think. The danger is that somebody imagines.
That he has a particular gift and it hasn't been given to him of the Lord. And that's what Paul wants again, not to think higher of ourselves. There's nothing wrong in a person in humility and humbly acknowledging what his responsibility, his annoying it and then independence upon God exercised that gift for the glory of the Lord Jesus and for the edification of man.
But, you know, we have to be so careful not to overextend ourselves, you know, And unfortunately that happens.
Far too often.
Especially where the liberty of the Spirit is understood, you know, there is the danger of abusing that liberty and taking a place not given to us of the Lord. But here it's not the local aspect, as already pointed out, it's the universal aspect. And I'm so happy whenever I run into a brother that has a gift of evangelization.
You know, and we used to have a brother among us that was a very gifted teacher. Unfortunately, he missed the path and he was making running down evangelization. I said to him, brother, you better be careful. If the evangelist doesn't do his job, you don't have anybody to teach, you know. So we should be thankful that the Lord raises up such that preach the gospel, bring souls to Christ. His sphere of service is outside the assembly.
Not that the gospel cannot be preached in the assembly, but properly evangelization is outside the assembly. And then they're brought in and the shepherd and teacher takes over. I'm quoting to you what I learned from the early brethren. The shepherd, a teacher, take over those that are brought into the assembly through the evangelist.
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It is interesting to see that in the three places where the gifts are mentioned, it makes a very specific point that they are given to every member of the body. Let's just notice them in Ephesians 4.
47 Where we are at right now, it says, Unto every one of us is given grace.
According to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Everyone. This includes sisters as well as brothers. Doesn't mean that sisters.
Take a place of teaching brothers in the public way. That's wouldn't be proper, but they have gifts just as much as the brothers. And I really believe, brethren, that much of the gift that has been given is lying dormant. Really exercises me when I see so many tremendously gifted young people. They're gifted in the natural sense of the word.
We're not talking about natural gifts here, we're talking about spiritual gifts, but knowing if they are believers in the Lord Jesus that there is a spiritual gift that has been given thereto many times, it lays dormant for a good part of their life. What are we going to say when we get to be before the Lord and the Lord says, I give you a gift, have you used it for me? What are you going to say to the Lord in that day?
I know sometimes people say, well, I don't know what kind of gift I have.
I really don't know that we have to understand to begin with what kind of gift you may have.
Sometimes give the illustration is my right hand, say I I'm not gifted. I don't know if I have the gift to to grab a hold of the pork and and feed this man.
It doesn't ask that. What does the hand do? It simply obeys the head. And it's a lot more gifted than my left hand, I can tell you that.
But it's something that we just simply ought to be exercised, brethren, in obeying the Lord Jesus head as he laid something on your heart.
I like what one brother gave. He quoted what the Lord, the Lord's mother, said to the servants at the wedding feast. She said all that he says to you to it.
Brother or sister in the Lord Jesus, she put something on your heart to do for Him. Do it.
I like to what the Lord said to Moses. He says, what is that in your hand?
A rod, Lord Rod's not much, is it? That was the rod that God used in the mighty way to help bring those people out of Egypt and to the borders of the land of Canaan. So the Lord has given something to everyone. The measure is not the same, and I don't think it's wise for us to try to go around measuring our gifts.
Simply do what you can in obedience to the head. That's what's important.
Going back to First Corinthians 12 just to see it there because it's repeated again.
In connection with the gifts of the Spirit.
1St Corinthians 12 and verse 7.
Perhaps so much the gifts of the Spirit, but the manifestation of the Spirit in the working of the gifts and the local assembly notice.
1St Corinthians 12 seven The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all everyone.
Is there such a thing as just sitting like a stone on your seat and not doing anything? That's not the case in the body of Christ. There should be exercise when we come into the presence of the Lord. The Lord may not use me.
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Or he may use me, whatever should be all right with me, but I should be exercised to be an instrument that he can use if he sees fit to.
Now Romans chapter 12.
And notice.
Verse 3.
Heinz is kind of quoted part of this verse already.
I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Or as we have many members in one body and all the members have not the same office, so we've been many are one body in Christ.
Verse 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us, so it gives measures of faith, measures of grace.
And my measure may not be what yours is, but the important thing is to use, to be exercised before the Lord. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Have you sincerely asked that question? Whatever He gives you to do to it. Oh, how much gift is not being used. It's lying dormant. Paul had to say to Timothy. Because I suppose he was a timid person.
Stir up the gift of God that is in me and the Spanish translation that says wake up it was sleeping. Wake up the gift of God that is in thee.
I look around the room like this and I think there must be an awful lot of gift that is lying dormant. The Lord exercise our hearts in this connection, brethren.
In First Timothy, he says.
Not to neglect the gift there, things are presented to church in order.
But then in the second epistle, stir up, you know, attempts to discourage a brother when he finds the condition not to be what it should be. And so it takes more spiritual energy. And that's the way it is presented in Second Timothy, you know, the house in disorder and stir up the gift that takes more energy. But.
It's wonderful that even already it was said that ladies have kids.
But about Aquila and Priscilla?
They took Apollos into their house and they taught him to weigh more perfectly. Aquila not alone, Priscilla too had a part in teaching Apollos the way more perfectly, but under the leadership of her husband, you know. And so it's wonderful that there are still Aquilas and Priscillas today, You know, that, Ken, you might say labour as a team.
For the Lord.
And ladies have to be exercised.
We know that they are not supposed to speak in the assembly, and that might tend to discourage them from searching things out and making things their own. But for the young ladies here.
Sooner or later you might get married and have children.
Who do you think has the most opportunity to teach the children? The mother?
But I have and my brothers have. Spiritually, we owe that to our mother more than anybody else. You know, from a child. She has taught us the Scriptures. So what a wonderful thing to have spiritually exercised, ladies. And you start being exercised before you ever get into that responsibility of raising children, you know, familiarize yourself with the truth of God, with the Scriptures and then share it.
With other sisters.
You know the scripture warrants about the dangers that women are tend to fall into, but there's nothing wrong when sisters get together to talk about the scriptures, you know, and how wonderful that there are ladies that know the scriptures and can share it and be a source of blessing.
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Titus told the older women to teach the younger women.
And no one is more qualified to do that work than older sisters. Older brothers have no idea what to say, and it's not their place.
That there is a place for older sisters and really believe brethren, that there is a real help if it's not easy in our today's world because we tend to think, well, don't let anybody mess in my life.
We'll do what we want. We formed a home here and but a sister who is exercised properly to go not in the spirit of I know it all, but.
Go to be a help to younger sisters that have just been married. It's a big help in the local assembly, and it's a big help, I shouldn't say in the assembly because it's more in the home, but that's an area where a sister can teach, not so much teaching the scriptures, but teaching godly principles that are based in the scriptures that do apply in the home. Very important.
The purpose of these gifts in the ministry that we have in the end of the 16th verse or the edification.
Of itself and love, the increase of the body and the edification of itself and love. 1St Corinthians 12 we have to profit with all.
And that's one aspect of.
Using whatever ability the Lord has given us for the profit with all the apostles here has quoted from the 68th Psalm and the eighth verse. It'd be nice to turn to that verse in Psalm 68.
On verse 18.
Realize that all this ability that the Lord has given to the.
Body for identification of itself is only for time.
When the Lord comes, we're not going to need that anymore.
But this is what we have in Psalm 68, verse 18.
Has descended on high. Thou hast led to pivoting captive. Thou hast received gifts for men. Yay for the rebellious also.
That the Lord God might dwell among them, we have that in the end of the second chapter of Ephesians to be an habitation of God by the Spirit. This is one of the aspects you might say that God is pursuing in the edification of the body and of the Church. You might say is that God would have His proper place now.
How many Saints?
To those of us who know about the wonderful truth of being gathered through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and take hold of what he says in Matthew 18 and 20, and I know we use that verse so very often because of our responsibility, you might say delegated responsibility from the Lord to loose and to bind on earth. He says there am I.
In the midst of death, and I would just I'd like to challenge our hearts in considering the privilege that we have that God is well among us. He dwells in our bodies by our spirits and he dwells in the church by his Spirit, and I believe he dwells in the local assembly. He's given his proper place to realize that each one of us in our souls that when we gather to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he is present according to his promise, He is present when we minister and minister in his name.
To loosen to mind, but he's also there to enjoy your presence and that you would enjoy his.
It's good to see that in connection with these truths like you're bringing out in verse 8.
Brother Michelle, that it's in connection with the Lord Jesus in glory, consequent on His death and resurrection and ascension into glory, that the Body of Christ of the Church was formed.
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Wasn't formed before that, and our union with Him is with Christ in resurrection and in glory. Wonderful to realize that. And there in the glory He dispenses, He gives gifts to men.
And as we have it here, it's persons that he gives that are gifts to His Church, the body.
But it's versus 8-9 and 10.
Beautiful to see that he descended into the lower parts of the earth, and that then he ascended far above all heavens. We talk about 3 heavens.
But he's far above all heavens. There's a man in the glory.
Let's let that sink into our souls, brethren, the wonderful truth of the fact there's a man in the glory to whom you and I are united, intimately united. It's not a matter of our power. It's not a matter of what I can do. It's a matter of his power, That one that's sitting there in the glory. So often impossible situations present themselves. I think the Lord allows.
Impossible situations. Why? So we can prove how wonderful, how wise, how loving, how powerful He is. Do we realize, as we ought, the wonderful truth of our union with Him, that there, above all heavens, there's that Man to whom we are united in one body. He is our head.
We are members of his body.
Somebody has put it this way, and I enjoyed it either. As our head represents us in the presence of God, we as members of His body represent Him here in this world. How are we representing Him?
Sometimes I think when we give gifts to our children.
They may be expensive, it may cost us something. Some gifts don't cost very much.
But for the Lord to give these gifts, it costs him something to get that in verse 9.
He ascended, but he also descended into the lower parts of the earth.
Because the Lord his life to be enabled to give us these gifts, dear brethren. And you see that typified in in David in first Samuel chapter 30, when he had spoiled those Ziklag, you know.
The Amalekites was it. And then, after David had gained this great victory, he sends a presence.
To the elders of Judah in verse 26, that's first Samuel 3026. Behold the present for you of the spoiled of the enemies of the Lord. Well, David gained the victory, but he shares the spoils. He sends these gifts to all the others and the Lord, he had to pay a great price in order to extend these gifts to us, didn't he? He had to give his own life. We we think of the Lord as he is watching over the treasury there and he'd be held.
How they cast their gifts into the treasury. He said that that woman who cast in two mites cast in more than all. Why? I'm sure others cast in huge sums of money, but it was only a small percentage compared to her 100%. And that's what the Lord gave, He gave himself.
Someone have a thought on 2 words in the eighth verse. Captivity captive. He led captivity captive.
Margin says a multitude of captives and gave gifts and demands. What is the what is it that The Who are the captives there that the Lord led?
I don't think the emphasis is so much on us being set free, but that the captivity is LED captive. There is no possibility for us becoming captive since the captivity is LED captive. Isn't that the way it is? You know, captivity was led captive and that was accomplished when he went into death. It's wonderful to get ahold of that.
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You know we were captive to sin.
You're no longer captive to sin. But here the statement is that the captivity has been LED captive. There is no possibility of anyone who is now a member of the body of Christ to be a captive because captivity doesn't exist anymore for the believer.
I'd like to connect it with Hebrews 2 and.
Versus.
14 and 15 says for as much then as the children.
Are partakers of flesh and blood. He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death that was the captivity.
That we were in.
Were all their lifetimes subject to *******?
He went into death because through the fear of death we were all our life subject to ******* and he took that completely away. He carried away captive our captivity. And now that we are set free, set free, brethren, not to do our own will, but to do the will of Him that gave his life for us. We have that expression in the Book of Judges.
In Deborah's song in the 5th chapter of Judges.
When the victory had been won over an enemy that had kept Israel captive.
So Judges 5 and verse 12 Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song. Arise, Barack, and lead thy captivity captive the son of a Hinoam. Then he made him that remaineth of dominions over the nobles among the people. The Lord made me to have dominion over the mighty.
So it was a reversal of ones that were captive became the captors.
They reversed the situation.
So those that were under the ******* of death here, that's gone away because the Lord went into dust.
So he couldn't give gifts to men without first leading captivity captive.
That's the important point in this verse.
And.
Not have I gotten, but what I received the hemorrhagic says grace has bestowed it since I have believed boasting excluded via base. I'm only a Sinner saved by grace. You know it would be so foolish to both of something that grace has given us, you know magnify the grace of God.
And so, and there's nobody that doesn't have some gift. The danger that we have is that we think of those who have the ability to minister the word publicly that these are the gifts.
And here in this passage you might conclude that but already reference has been made to other passages in the New Testament, Romans and 1St Corinthians. It clearly shows there are many other gifts and it is not necessarily a complete list of gifts, you know, but to show that there is a great variety of gifts.
And.
We ought to be exercised to let the Lord direct us. And an older brother told a younger brother who asked, how can I find out what my gift is? Well, the brother advised him, if you have an exercise to do something for the Lord, do it. And if you do it in humility, you will soon find out whether you do something that you're not qualified for, you know, And if we do?
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What the Lord wants us to do, we are happy in our own soul.
Because there is a sense of having the Lord's approval in our own soul, you know, and let two or three speak and the others judge, You know, if I overextend myself thinking that I have a certain gift and it becomes evident to my brethren that it isn't, they have to tell me, you know, it's their responsibility. And so how wonderful that we have.
Balance.
The possibility of being balanced. And we all at one time or another need to be balanced, right? And so it's a wonderful thing that we have brothers in Christ that can be a balance to us.
It's of interest in First Corinthians 12 is a longer list, and it's probably not a complete one either, but.
There's one there that I think is very interesting that anyone can can do very likely and.
1St Corinthians 12 and verse 28 when we should reach 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular, and God has set some in the church. First apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings. I notice this next one helps.
Government's diversities of tongues and so on helps.
Well, that's a gift. You can help somebody.
That's a gift. It's helpful.
Could I maybe interject a little thought here? We've looked at Romans 12 and 1St Corinthians 12 and we see that every man's given, Everyone is given a gift for the common prophet. We see here in our chapter that it's His grace.
That's given according to the measure of the gift of Christ to each one. It's His grace because that's the way He has designed to meet the needs of His body. It's His grace. And so gift is looked at in that term.
In Romans it's abilities given of God. Every one of us has abilities given of God.
But I would suggest that.
When it comes to.
Verse 11.
In the context of the chapter, it's like a victor who, coming home having won the victory, gives out prizes from the spoils.
And consequent upon a finished work in Calvary's cross, and being raised from the dead, and ascending back up into high, He, the mighty Victor, gives gifts from the spoils. And it's a more limited thought. And here it's not so much abilities given to everyone or grace given to everyone, but it's individuals given as gifts of Christ to the church.
And I would say, brother, not every believer is a gift of Christ to the church. And I don't want to say that to take away any thoughts that have come before because every one of us have received grace. And as we go down in the chapter, every one of us is a joint of supply. We need both things in the body. We need blood vessels to supply the nutrients to every member. And every one of us is a channel of supply, a vessel of supply. We need joints in our body in order that.
What is in our heads can be acted out in the body. If I don't have any joints, if all my joints are fused together, no matter what I think in my head, it can't be displayed. Every one of us gives the body of Christ's mobility in order that what is in the head in heaven can be displayed. But not everyone of us is a gift of Christ to the church. And I know, you know, we like to talk in a gracious way about gifts and of each one of us having that but.
I wouldn't want to do damage to this portion of the chapter and say, well, everyone's a gift of Christ to the church because it wouldn't be nice to say otherwise. I really think it's more limited.
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Does say in verse seven though, doesn't it Steve? Unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
But what our brother said is so important is a gift to the church, you know, as we have it in verse 11, that is what you wanted to point out. And that's very important. While everyone has a gift, you know, and grace given, but not everybody is as a person a gift to the church. That's the point brought out here in the 4th chapter and.
So not to think higher of ourselves than we ought to think fits in, you know, and so.
But I'm troubled many times.
When?
They're in assemblies.
Are so many who hardly ever open their mouth?
You know.
Is there an exercise to lay hold of the truth of God? Is there an exercise to be able to contribute to the edification, encouragement, and comfort of the Saints? There ought to be an exercise like that. And then if we try to do something that the Lord hasn't called us to do, have the humility, Acknowledge it, you know?
And accept your limitations, but be satisfied and thankful for what He has given you, you know. And then by grace and the dependence upon the Lord, fill your place. Even sisters, you know, you know Lady Powersport, I think she was a very gifted lady, you know, she did not take the place of a teacher, but in her private way she could share.
With others, what she understood, you know, and even invited men to come to the castle.
And to get into the scriptures and share with each other what they had learned from the scriptures. So it's wonderful to run into sisters that are well taught, you know, and in a private family setting, there's nothing wrong.
For sister and brother's visit to Joining the Conversation, you know to join in.
Of course it's good if her husband is present and justice like Priscilla.
In fellowship with her husband, Todd Apollos, it's a very important scripture that they taught Apollo's the way more perfectly, so she had part in that.
Just want to say a word to I think it's important. I think you mentioned that Heinz, a gift is something that is given and it's.
Not to be something that the person himself glories in because it was given to them.
But I have liked some brothers said it this way. He says you don't give thanks to the gift, you give thanks to the giver of the gift. And I just say this, brethren.
I really believe there's a lot of gift lying dormant, but sometimes what I've seen is that when there is gift manifested, we so much glory in the gift.
That we become a stumbling block in their progress and usefulness. And I know brethren mean well when they compliment after a meeting. If they've enjoyed it. I know they mean well. But I have to confess for myself, brethren, that it's so easy to get top heavy.
And if the Lord hadn't given me some pretty hard blows to make me realize.
I'm nothing, just a simple instrument in his hand, and there can only be power in my ministry in the measure that I'm looking up to the head in heaven.
The gifts themselves can be destructive if they're not used with a looking up to the Lord Jesus in heaven. The Lord help us in our relationships one with another. If there is a gift, thank God for it. If it is useful, if it is helpful, thank God for it. But let's be careful not to make much of the gift. Let's make more of the giver of the gift.
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And I really believe it will be a help to us. I still remember as a younger brother after a meeting.
Brother Ernie Wakefield came up to me and his comment I think is the comment I appreciated the most of any comment I've gotten after a meeting, he said. The Lord keep you, brother.
That was the comment I feel that helped me the most.
I know brethren mean well, and they mean to encourage a brother that perhaps speaks up, and I want to encourage younger brethren to use what the Lord has given you to.
But do it in relation to him. Don't expect a probation from your brethren merely.
Do it in relation to him. He's the one that gives the gifts.
And with use, a gift becomes evident.
And I think it's important that we realize you do not get a gift by studying. People think that they are a pastor because of a gift of because of studying in some school. That's not a gift, That's studying. Nothing wrong with studying. You don't get gifts by studying.
And so it's important to realize these are things that are given by the ascended head in heaven for the building up of his church, the body of Christ.
Let me quote that scripture that Paul says to Timothy and the King James. Unfortunately, that is not rendered very well. Study to make thyself approved unto God as if studying.
Would give the approval.
Use all diligence to be approved unto God.
That gives quite a different sense, doesn't it? So our exercise should be that what we do meets with his approval, you know, and if people benefit from what we're doing and what we're saying in Africa, quite a few times they thanked me for coming and ministering the word. And they also need economical assistance. And so I tell them, look.
If the Lord would not give us first, but we pass on to you in a spiritual or material way, there wouldn't be anything.
Thank the Lord for what comes to you, either in a spiritual or in a material way. So.
Source is him, not us.
We adjust to us.
These gifts here in the 4th chapter of Ephesians couldn't we consider these men that are given as gift are really special Arctic. We think of apostles and prophets and we consider the foundation of the apostles and prophets. We have it in our hands and the word of God-given to us. And then you have the evangelist and pastor teacher. Well, many of the gifts for those that God has given to the church are no longer with us, but we value the teaching that has come to us from the word of God through them and we enjoy it today and we're edifying today and the purpose is God has given these men is still pursued today even that the men are gone.
So we can't bow before them and put them on a pedestal because God has taken them away. But their value is still there for the church because the ministry is available. And when we consider the question of gift, whether a man is given as a gift as these ones mentioned here, I'm sure the Lord today still gives those to be evangelists or pastor teachers that are living among us. We find in First Corinthians chapter 13 the subject of love, and I think this is very important for us when we consider gift or ability.
You know, the Lord Jesus instead of Mary? He said she did what she could. She did what she could in 2004. There's a small testimony. Perhaps the most gifted brethren are not with us. They're in the camp somewhere. What are we going to do? Well, I think the Lord is telling you just each of us do what you can, do what you can. You have my spirit. I'll give you my love. You love your brethren and do what you can to Timothy, he says do the work of an evangelist. Perhaps Timothy has the ability to evangelize. Perhaps he didn't.
00:55:12
But he says do the work of an evangelist. We say there's no pastors among us. We're missing that. That's fine, it's true, but do what you can. Nobody's falling around those that are sick or they need to be visited. I'll do some of it yourself. Do what you can. This is what we can do today to encourage each other and build up what's left and strengthen the things that remain. There's a related subject, perhaps to this.
What about prayer? And maybe you've had the experience when you've finished praying isn't a single a man and you say should I make a mistake? Should I say something wrong?
What's wrong? Aren't isn't everybody supposed to say Amen?
What about that? Shouldn't there be? It's not an approval of the person necessarily, but agreement with what's said.
And it's noted that hardly anybody says Amen in the prayer meeting.
Something wrong there?
There's a verse in or two in Ezra that perhaps we could read.
As our chapter 5.
The work of building the House of God had ceased. God had allowed a test to come into his people in a letter was sent by their adversaries to the king, and the king ordered the work to cease, but they had no word from God to cease, but they allowed that to come in. And we find in the book of Haggai that they were just going back to their comfortable homes while the House of the Lord was left to languish there and then As for chapter 5 and verse one, it says then the prophets Haggai.
The prophet and Zechariah the son of Ido prophesied unto the Jews that were in Jude and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shall Teal, and Joshua the son of Josadec, and began to build the House of God which is at Jerusalem. And with them were the prophets of God, helping them, until that work began to prosper once again. And we read in Corinthians that.
Though tongues was a wonderful sign gift from God, yet they ought rather to prophecy, because prophecy brings the conscience into the presence of God, and that's what they needed. And as Ben mentioned, there seems to be gift on exercise amongst the people of God. Why? Because we're dwelling in our own sealed houses and there isn't devotedness to Christ. And so we ought to covet prophecy to bring our consciences into the presence of God, to stir us up, and that's why He's given those gifts.
Special gift and prophecies one of them to bring us into his presence to stir us up that the members of the body might fulfill their functions that they might go on to take up his interest here to below to take up where they left off building in the House of God caring for his interest down here instead of their own. And so he's given those gifts to stir us up to go on. He has a view to the ministry in that in those gifts given but the first thing.
That is, before him is the edification they're perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. He would bring our consciences into His presence, that we'd be stirred up, each one of us individually, for the work of the ministry, that it would go on, that the body would be built up and edifying.
Where we get away from verse 11? I'd like to spend a little bit of time there. Apostles and Prophets has been mentioned already that it is the foundation work of the Church, so.
Not Old Testament prophets. These are New Testament prophets, men whom God used to give the word of God before the Canon of Scripture was completed.
We have the case of perhaps we can mention Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and also wrote the book of the Acts, which is very helpful instruction as to the church. These are men that God used to give us the foundation work, and brethren, it's wonderful to realize that we have a foundation.
That cannot be moved. I love to read that verse in Second Timothy chapter 2.
01:00:00
Where everything is in ruins and yet it says the foundation of God stands firm. It will never be broken up. You can count upon it that God's foundation is there and it's firm. It's laid out for us here in the Scriptures. Thank God for it, and it will never be moved. But that's foundation work and it's important that we use that, you know, when you're going to build.
It's important that you build on solid foundation. Somebody is building a house and they decide after they're getting building that well, they want an additional room out here, but there's no foundation. They build a room out there without any foundation. It's not going to last.
We're not left to our own selves as to what the program that we go on with is, brethren. It's all laid out in the Scriptures, and if we do something, there should be basis for it here in the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Sometimes said that it takes sometimes digging down through the rubble of our own thoughts and ideas to get to where there is solid foundation. Then you can build and you can know it will be solid. How important to understand that the foundation has been laid. We don't have these men in person today. We have their writings here in the New Testament.
Then we get evangelists like hindsight. They bring in new souls, they go out to bring in the new material. And the last two, the pastors and teachers are those that build them into that building, that new building, the House of God. They're built in by those, but how important like.
Michelle was mentioning to do the work of an evangelist. Now he suggests.
Brethren, there's something healthy about gospel work, and I want to encourage each one here to do it. Maybe you say I don't have the gift for it. Do the work of it then.
Give out a gospel tract. Got gospel wallet calendars? What a wonderful way to share something of the word of God with souls.
Use them, go around the neighborhood you live in, give out calendars. It's the word of God that may hang on their wall for all year round. Who knows the blessing that it can be do the work of an evangelist and there are so many hurting young people today in this world have no idea which ends up.
We got the answer in the Lord Jesus. Let's be exercised about reaching out to those around in the gospel.
And then pastors and teachers are mentioned, and the work of a pastor is not necessarily a public ministry. I've known people who perhaps their work as a pastor was.
Seeing who wasn't there in a particular meeting night and maybe saying I'm going to make a mental note of that. Maybe I can go over to their home and read the word with them and see if I can encourage them.
That's the work of a pastor, to go after souls. You know, sheep, when they go astray, they don't come back on their own. They need somebody to go out after them. That's the work of a shepherd, a pastor. Let's be exercised. You young people sometimes have far more influence in your peers. If you're exercising, you can be a tremendous blessing. I have to say for myself, when I look back at my youth, I was raised in the meeting so-called.
But I must say that there were certain young people that were a tremendous help in the right direction at the right time. Thank God for them. Can't thank the Lord enough for them.
That's the work of a pastor, a shepherd you never find. I don't believe in Scripture, that there is such a thing as a pastor of a church.
That isn't found in Scripture. It's always in the plural pastors.
01:05:01
Remember in southern Bolivia?
A little gathering of the Lord's people where they were together sitting around the room.
And as they were waiting for the meeting to start, a missionary, I don't know what denomination or mission he came in from, but he walks into the room and he looks around the room and he sees everybody sitting there. Where's the pastor here?
After a moment, one of the brothers says well.
This brothers are pastors. This one, this one, this one, this 15 pastors. You must be rich to pay 5 pastors. No, Sir, these are just farmers. They till the ground, but they take care of God's sheep too. That's the sense of pastoring. It's the care of the sheep. Oh brethren, how often we don't help people.
In their need there's crying need. People feel wounded, they feel lame. We need to be exercised as to this gift of a pastor.
And teachers, just a word here before we get to the close of this meeting. The Assembly, brethren, does not teach. This is an important point.
So often.
You hear the expression the Catholic Church teaches, or some other evangelical church teaches.
The Church does not teach, brethren. The Church is taught by teachers that are given as gifts from the head. That's important. We do not establish the teaching.
We are taught by gifts that are given by the ascended hen.
And how important to listen when the scriptures are opened doesn't mean that teachers are always right. That's why it tells us in First Thessalonians 5 Despise not prophesying.
Proved all things hold fast that which is good. So it doesn't mean that everything's right. You got your Bible open in front of you. Why do you have that Bible in front of you for look at the Scriptures. Is that what it says? Prove it for yourself. And that which is good, keep a hold of it. That's the teaching we have here, brethren. Pass Timothy's told in second Timothy.
Forecast the form of sound words.
You know young people, do you have a form of sound words? You can't hold it for older ones if you don't know it.
And then in the second chapter he says.
The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Paul, Timothy, faithful men who teach others. That's how we have come into the truth. We didn't dig that all out by ourselves. We have benefited from the ability and teaching of others. You already mentioned the writings that we have.
One thing that I'm so thankful for having come to America is that there is this helpful ministry in English. We had some helpful ministry in German, but not much compared to what there is available in English. You know the Lord has used those brethren to recover the truth and others have benefited from it in other lands. Young people, are you interested in get a hold of this?
You know, I don't know how many books here were bought at the conference. Ministry books. You know, it troubles me when I realized that young people don't seem to be as interested in getting a hold of these things as they should, you know, And that is so helpful to written ministry that we have in the English language. And then we have so many beautiful hymns. I don't think there is a language that has as many beautiful hymns than English.
You know, but expressing scripture too, you know better. We're very careful what they put into this hymn book, you know, whether these hypes were scriptural, So much truth is learned by hymns. You know, I sometimes scream.
01:10:19
You know, and I see him in my dream, you know, well, when I wake up, I'm happy. You know, that even in my subconscious mind I was occupied with these things. But seeing at home with your families, you know, sing the songs with your children, don't just limit it to special occasions when you get together to sing. We have those occasions in Mozani and we enjoy it very much.
But seeing with the children and seeing by yourself, you know, when I came to America, I had to work at a machine operating a machine making Pistons.
Falls in engine Pistons. What did I do? I sang, you know, could I spend my time better? You know, I'm not just boasting. I'm just telling you that is something that we can do, you know, sing by ourselves, sing with the families. And it's wonderful when young people get together and say, you know, you only have singing. Mentioning connection with redemption.
The first song you know in Exodus and we will sing, according to Revelation 5, that new song in heaven. Singing is part of the redeemed, the privilege of the redeemed.
11 in the back.
I will not gain the glory, but Almighty of grace from 77 in the back.
Versus 4:00 and 5:00.
What was the number?
77 in the back versus 4:00 and 5:00.
Oh, you're more. They are.
And I.
I.
Gave you.
All my birthday.
All right.
I owe nothing.
To you.