CHRIST'S GIFTS
Jesse M. Hendley
Ephesians 4:8
In Ephesians, the fourth chapter, verses 7 to 16, we
have Christ's gifts through the Spirit, to the church.
Our text is Ephesians 4:8. "When He ascended on
high..." After dying on the Cross and rising from the
dead on the third day Christ appeared to the apostles
for forty days and nights. He was then ready to go
back into heaven. Before chosen witnesses, a cloud
came down and overshadowed Him and took Him up out of
their sight, up into Heaven to God's right Hand. That
is the ASCENSION of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is
referred to here. "When He ascended on high, He gave
gifts unto men." After He left this world, He sent
back gifts to men in order that we might do His will
in this world.
If you want an outline of this passage, it would be:
Verse 2, The Calling of the Church. Verse 3, The Unity
of the Church. Verses 7 through 16, The Gifts of the
Church, which the Lord has given unto us.
Now let us see about the gifts to the church. They are
individual, and they are collective. "Unto each one of
us was the grace given, according to the measure of
the gifts of Christ."
Now "grace" here does not mean the grace of salvation.
"Grace" has two meanings in the Word of God: the grace
of God to forgive us when we believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the graces or gifts God gives us to use
for Him, the talents we would not have unless we were
using them for the Lord. Paul speaks of the grace of
God that worked through him. Each one of us has at
least one gift, or one grace, that the Lord has given
us to use for His glory. It is a solemn thing to
realize that these are given to us directly by Jesus
Christ.
Also, the Lord gives to us gifts collectively. The
Lord has given to the church collectively four graces,
or four offices. "And He gave some to be apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors
and teachers." Notice that we h ...
Jesse M. Hendley
Ephesians 4:8
In Ephesians, the fourth chapter, verses 7 to 16, we
have Christ's gifts through the Spirit, to the church.
Our text is Ephesians 4:8. "When He ascended on
high..." After dying on the Cross and rising from the
dead on the third day Christ appeared to the apostles
for forty days and nights. He was then ready to go
back into heaven. Before chosen witnesses, a cloud
came down and overshadowed Him and took Him up out of
their sight, up into Heaven to God's right Hand. That
is the ASCENSION of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is
referred to here. "When He ascended on high, He gave
gifts unto men." After He left this world, He sent
back gifts to men in order that we might do His will
in this world.
If you want an outline of this passage, it would be:
Verse 2, The Calling of the Church. Verse 3, The Unity
of the Church. Verses 7 through 16, The Gifts of the
Church, which the Lord has given unto us.
Now let us see about the gifts to the church. They are
individual, and they are collective. "Unto each one of
us was the grace given, according to the measure of
the gifts of Christ."
Now "grace" here does not mean the grace of salvation.
"Grace" has two meanings in the Word of God: the grace
of God to forgive us when we believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the graces or gifts God gives us to use
for Him, the talents we would not have unless we were
using them for the Lord. Paul speaks of the grace of
God that worked through him. Each one of us has at
least one gift, or one grace, that the Lord has given
us to use for His glory. It is a solemn thing to
realize that these are given to us directly by Jesus
Christ.
Also, the Lord gives to us gifts collectively. The
Lord has given to the church collectively four graces,
or four offices. "And He gave some to be apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors
and teachers." Notice that we h ...
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