Ministry Gifts of Grace -Part I

                                                         MINISTRY GIFTS OF GRACE

            We are moving from a dreary and dull winter to spring season, where life is bursting forth. It is a beautiful season to cultivate the ground, sow seeds, tend fruit, grow flower and vegetable gardens, and hopefully enjoy their fruit upon harvesting. Similarly, in the life of a Christian, the season of Lent and Good Friday is like winter. Once we celebrate Easter, we enter the spring, a season of joyful activity. We cultivate human hearts and sow gospel seeds, hoping these efforts one day will bring people to Christ and possibly join Hope Church.

            On a global level, I would like to think that the post-resurrected Church of Christ has been preparing human hearts for a perpetual spring season by spreading gospel seeds and reaping the benefits of its labor. This season will culminate in the end-time harvesting of souls.

            We will continue our study from the book of Ephesians, in which the Apostle Paul highlighted how the Church of Jesus Christ should function and carry out its mission. To see that accomplished, how did Christ equip the Church? In Ephesians 4:7-13 Paul mentions five Ministry Gifts of Grace. For a serious Bible student, the teachings on gifts can be complicated.

            The same word is used in English to translate the four Greek words for “gift” in the New Testament, hence the confusion. You may have heard teachings on nine manifestation gifts in I Cor 12:10-17, the seven motivational gifts in Romans 12:6-8 and others like the gift of celibacy. The English word “gift” comes from a Greek word that has a root meaning “grace.” God’s unmerited favor for man. Our study examines the five gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:7-13

 

I. The origin of the Ministry Gifts of Grace: Ephesians 4:7-10, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (both men and women NASB) (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe).”

            After challenging believers to maintain the unity of the Spirit, Paul made seven unique proclamations for our Christian faith. We belong to one Church of Jesus Christ. We have one Spirit (The Holy Spirit). We are called to one Hope and belong to one Lord. We are saved by one faith in Christ. We all underwent one believer’s baptism, and finally, we serve one God. Then, he explains what God has put in place through Christ to accomplish His Mission.

            Vs. 9-10 contain words “ascending and descending a few times.” What do they mean? Paul referred to a prophecy by King David in Psalm 68:18 concerning Christ’s incarnation into this world and his ascension into heaven after His resurrection. Christ left His exalted position and took up a lowly human form while he was on the earth. But through His humiliating death on the Cross, God exalted Him to the highest position in heaven and on earth. (Eph 1:20-23).             Jesus set a pattern of service, which is to be imitated by all his believers, for he gave each of us a special gift. These are the ministry gifts of grace. None of us could earn them, but only Jesus gives them to us as He sees fit. Therefore, those who receive them must remain humble and graciously use them for His glory. Let’s look at what gifts Christ gave to the Church.

 

II. The Five Ministry Gifts of Grace

            Vs. 11, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the Church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.”—some general observations on these ministry gifts. First, these five gifts are not titles but functions. A person does not become a prophet by being given the name. Instead, he becomes a prophet as he develops his God-given ability to function in prophet-like ways, responding to God’s specific call with a humble and willing heart.

            Second, It was Christ who gave these ministry gifts to “men (AMP) or “some” (NASB), which are used in the sense of “Mankind”—men and women. Therefore, both men and women can be gifts to minister to the Body of Christ. Let’s explore these Ministry Gifts of Grace.

 

1. The Apostles: (Those who establish and strengthen churches).

            In the Church of the first century, there was an office of the Apostle and a spiritual gift of an Apostle. The office of the Apostle was held by the 12 disciples of Jesus, Matthias, who took Judas’ place, and Paul. They were chosen by Christ (Mk 3:16-19, I Cor 15:8-9) to set up the foundation of the Universal Church. (Eph 2:20), which was laid in the first century.

            This is why the office of the Apostle is no longer functioning. There was also a spiritual gift of the Apostle. Among those who had the spiritual gift were James Gal 1:19, Barnabas, Acts 14:4, 14. Andronicus and Junias(female), Rom 16:7, possibly Silas and Timothy I Thes 1:1; 2:7. This latter group had the gift of apostleship but not the apostolic “office.”

            There are men like this today whom God sends to spread the Gospel. Some men and women have the apostolic anointing and zeal. They go to places where the Gospel has not been heard before to preach, plant, and strengthen Churches. It is best not to refer to them as apostles because of the confusion this causes since many are unaware of the different uses of the term.

            During the Apostle Paul’s time, certain false teachers appeared to be superior to Paul in their manner and authority. Paul calls them “super-apostles” 2 Cor 11:5. In Corinth, it seems that the people who came after Paul attacked his person to cast doubt upon his teaching. Even though Paul was an apostle, he did not want to deal with them in an authoritarian way (2 Corinthians 1:24). Some of the opposing “super-apostles” said that Paul was weak and unreliable, so he delayed his visit. To counter these super-apostles, Paul introduces this apostolic ministry gift as a Christ-given gift of grace to the Church. God gives this gracious gift to whomever He pleases.

            You might wonder why I am spending considerable time on this particular gift. Unfortunately, this apostolic ministry gift of grace is being abused today, as in the Apostle Paul’s times. As your shepherd, I want us to know the dangers of misusing Christ’s gracious gift.

            In an attempt to bring back the early Church’s apostolic ministry, a worldwide movement called “NAR” (New Apostolic Reformation)[1] is leading many Christians astray. The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a theological belief and movement that combines elements of Pentecostalism, evangelicalism, and the Seven Mountain Mandate to advocate for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society. In the USA, this movement is misleading many prominent Christian politicians and evangelical Christians.

            I agree with one of my retired pastor friends who says about NAR, “I absolutely reject NAR and all that goes with it. A terrible representation of the Gospel.” As Christ’s followers, we need to know the truth, and when we encounter error, we need to know how to expose it and not be fooled by it. What can we learn from this Apostolic Ministry Gift of Grace?

            Like the people of Berea, we need to check when we hear such preachings against God’s Word and ensure that they are speaking the truth. (Acts 17:10-11). As the Apostle Paul stated to those in Galatia, if anyone, including himself, should teach another Gospel, that person should be “accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). The people who claim to be apostles today make themselves the final authority. Paul kept pointing people back to the Bible as the final authority.

            We need men and women with apostolic zeal to preach the Gospel. The word apostle means “the sent one.” We all are lowercase apostles. Jesus is sending us into the world as the Father sent Him. Jn 20:2. Jesus said, in Matt 28:18-19, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Let us graciously use this ministry gift to preach and make disciples of all nations. Amen!

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Apostolic_Reformation

A Call To Action

                                                                 A CALL TO ACTION

            Facing a significant downtick in recruitment, the British Army has launched a unique campaign to engage young people between 16 and 25 who may be looking for a job with purpose. Each of a series of promotional posters is designed to make an impression on their target audience. And that impression starts with an insult. “Selfie addicts,” “Me Me Me, Millennials,” “Phone Zombies, Binge Gamers, Snowflakes,” etc.

            Each poster starts with a millennial stereotype and then reframes that characteristic as a positive. “Selfie addicts … your army needs you and your confidence.” Snowflakes are lauded for their compassion. Binge gamers are lauded for their drive. Whether or not the campaign will help to hit recruiting targets remains to be seen, but the posters are generating conversation on social media. Camden-based politician Sarah Hayward commented on Twitter, “Not sure why the British Army thinks insulting young people is a good recruitment tactic.”

            Meanwhile, Major General Paul Nanson expressed his belief in the campaign. “We understand the drive they have to succeed and recognize their need for a greater sense of purpose in a job where they can do something meaningful.” Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson called it “A powerful call to action.”[1] People may use labels to define us as we are, but God loves us as we could be. We all need a purpose greater than ourselves.

            When the World sees problems in us, God sees our potential. The British Army’s recruiting strategy was a powerful call to action, as noted by the defense secretary. We are reminded of another, much more powerful Call To Action a week after Easter. This call comes from the Commander in Chief, the Conqueror of sin and death, our risen Lord Jesus Christ. Let us see what this Call To Action entails. Matthew 28:16-20

            Why do I choose “A Call to Action” as a theme for my message instead of choosing more spiritual titles? It appears that the secular World understands the concept of Call To Action and employs it to its advantage. For instance, a call to action  (CTA) is a prompt on a website that tells the user to take some specified action. In marketing, CTA is an instruction to the audience designed to provoke an immediate response, usually using an imperative verb such as “call now,” “find out more,” or “visit a store today.”[2] CTA evokes precise and quick action from us.

            If the World understood the power of a call to action, how much more do Christians need to take note of and swing to this Call To Action coming from our savior and Lord? Let us look at various components of this Call to Action and how they would impact us today.

I. A Call To Action involves a command to Go and Preach the Gospel to everyone.

            At the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He called twelve followers and designated them as apostles so that they might be with Him and that he might send them out to preach. (Mk 3:14). These twelve were with Him for three and half years of apprenticeship, if you will. We know that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and later on hung himself to death.

            After Jesus rose from the dead as promised, He met the remaining eleven disciples on a designated mountain. When they saw Him, they had mixed responses. They worshipped him, but some doubted. But to all of them, Jesus gave a command, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, Go!” Let’s reflect on this action verb: “Go.”

            The eleven disciples and the early Church did not fully obey this command until great persecution broke out. We read in Acts 8:1-4, “On that day, a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Those who had been scattered preached the Word wherever they went.”

            Since then, the Gospel has been preached all over the World. What does this command to Go and Preach the Gospel to all people mean for us today? To, “Go,” is an action verb and a command from Jesus, not a suggestion. Without exception, this command is for all believers at all times. In the last 100 years, many disciples of Christ traveled the World preaching the Gospel to all nations. Since then, the demographics of the world missions have changed. It is becoming harder for missionaries to go into the unreached countries.

            Under such hostile conditions for the Gospel, how must we obey the call to go? While some, in response to that call in their lives, will go to other countries to preach the good news. For most of us, the mission field will be where we live, go to school, work, and attend Church.

            We don’t have to cross the ocean to reach the World. Our neighborhoods and communities become the new frontiers as more and more immigrants from hostile nations to the Gospel come into the USA. As individuals at Hope Church, we have a golden opportunity to be involved in local cross-cultural ministry in and around Sharon.

            Another vast demographic in our country is the Millenials and the Gen Zs, who need the Gospel. Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 38 in 2019) is considered a Millennial, and anyone born from 1997 onward is part of a new generation: Generation Z. Sadly, these precious young people are moving further away from a structured and organized religion.

            They are very active on social platforms such as Twitter, Instagram,  TikTok, and Facebook, where they spend hours. If Jesus were to look at them, what would he say? “They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”( Matt 9:36-38). Whether we like it or not, we live in a digital age. Let’s pray that God will raise digital evangelists, missionaries, and church planters to reach this digital generation.

II. A Call To Action involves a command to make disciples of all nations.

            Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

            Whenever Good News is preached through Word and deed, the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins, and they become born-again. In other words, they will be like children in God’s family. They will become strong and spiritually mature through discipleship. That was what Jesus commanded us to do: Make disciples Of all nations. How do we disciple people?

            We disciple new believers by teaching them to obey Christ’s commands in the Word. For that to happen, we must become devoted disciples of Christ first. That is part of our mission statement at Hope Church. We will know Christ’s commands as we read the scriptures. It is not enough to read the Bible, but we must live out those biblical principles. Only then can we teach others to do the same. At Hope Church, we take both preaching and discipleship seriously.

            I commend our discipleship team for teaching God’s Word during Sunday morning Bible times to young children, youth, women, and men, as well as special courses like the OT review CASKET series. I systematically preach and teach from various books of the Bible during the Sunday Worship services. All these efforts might help us become devoted disciples of Christ. 

            Let us be honest: These dual tasks of preaching the Gospel and Making Disciples of All Nations sometimes become overwhelming. Then, we must remember who is sending us into this World and giving us this Call to Action. Our Lord Jesus Christ has all the authority in heaven and earth. When we obey this call, Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will save people and make them his ardent followers. There will be great rejoicing in heaven every time a sinner turns to God. When we go out in His name, He promises to be with us till the end of the age.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Ian Stewart, “British Army Seeks ‘Snow Flakes’ and “Me Me Me Millennials’ In New Recruiting Campaign,” NPR (1-3-19)

[2] Eisenberg, B., CALL TO ACTION: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results, Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson, 2006, p. 20 

The Resurrection

                                                                  THE RESURRECTION

(Matthew 28:1-15)

 

            Tim Keller tells the following story: When my wife was growing up, every summer, her family spent two weeks at a small compound of cottages on the shores of Lake Erie. Now the cottages are all gone—that part of the beach is gone. Whenever she visits that childhood vacation spot, she weeps because she knows the beech is irretrievable.

            That sense of irretrievability is like a death. And the older we all get, the more we realize that certain losses are irretrievable; they’re gone, and that sucks the joy out of our lives. But here’s where Christ’s Resurrection offers something unique. Even religions that promise a kind of spiritual future or spiritual bliss only offer consolation for what you’ve lost. But the Resurrection of Christ even promises the restoration of what you’ve lost. You don’t just get your body back; you get the body you always wanted but never had. You don’t just get your life back; you get the life that you always wanted that you never had.

            But Jesus Christ is walking proof that you will miss nothing. Nothing! It’s all coming in the future. It’s going to be unimaginably wonderful. There is no religion, no philosophy, and no human being who can offer this kind of future. As Christians, our hope for the future is based on the historical fact of The Resurrection. So, if you are not a Christian, let me ask: Why wouldn’t you want that? Even if you don’t like different aspects of the Christian faith, why wouldn’t you want this hope for restoration? You’re not being honest with yourself if you don’t want that.[1]

            On this Easter Sunday morning, we will reflect on one of the fundamentals of our faith: The Resurrection. How do we know that the Resurrection of Christ is True? In Matthew and elsewhere in the scriptures, we find evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. We will also look at external evidence to ascertain this wonderful biblical truth of the Resurrection of Christ.

            The Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus are two central pillars of Christianity. If you remove one of these pillars, Christianity will not survive. Yet, since the first century, many have tried to discredit the Cross and eliminate the fact of the Resurrection of Christ. The apostle Paul, who once tried to persecute all those who believed in Christ, says: “For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” I Cor 1:18 Let’s examine scriptural and external evidence of The Resurrection of Christ.
1. The Resurrection of Christ was prophesied in the Old Testament
            Dead people coming back to life after being dead was a very familiar concept in the Bible. Consider these six incidents. 1. Elijah raised the Son of the widow of Zarephath. (I Kg 17:17-24). 2. Elisha raising the dead Son of a Shunamite woman (II Kg 4:32-35). 3. When a dead body touched the dead bones of the prophet Elisha (II Kg 14:20-21). Jesus not only spoke about his own Resurrection but also demonstrated it by raising three dead people: Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21–24), the Son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:1–17 and Lazarus (John 11:17–44).

            There were 27 prophecies in the OT concerning the Resurrection of Christ. King David prophesied, “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” (Ps16:8-11). After prophesying how the Messiah, Jesus, would die, Isaiah predicts his Resurrection, saying, “After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” Isa 53:11.
2. The Resurrection of Christ in the New Testament.
             Several times, Jesus predicted his own death and Resurrection in the NT. Matt 20:18-19, “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then, they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified.

            But on the third day, he will be raised from the dead.” There are other references to Jesus’ prediction about the Resurrection (Mark 8:31; Matthew 16:21, Luke 9:22). He gave a symbolic sign to the demanding crowd, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise again on the third day, referring to his own body. John 2:19
3. The Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law could not stop the Resurrection of Christ
             The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went up to Pilot with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive, that deceiver said, ‘After three days, I will rise again.’ So, give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” (Matt 27: 62-65).

4. The Empty Tomb stands as a witness to Jesus’ Resurrection.
            The tomb was tightly secured under the watchful eyes of the Roman guard. After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. To their surprise, the tomb was wide open as an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

            The women went to the tomb with spices to anoint the body. Instead, they noticed an empty tomb without Jesus’s body. According to the prophecy, Jesus rose from the dead. In the meantime, the guards went into the city and reported everything to the Chief Priests. Jesus’ Resurrection meant the end of the Pharisee’s influence over the people, so they bribed the guards to spread a lie, saying, “While we were sleeping, the disciples came and stole the body of Jesus.” What a ridiculous rumor that was. If that was true, then what happened to the stolen body?

5. Jesus’s post-resurrection appearance to people for 40 days.
            Jesus appeared to the women and his eleven disciples on the mountain. He walked with two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to one of his doubting disciples, Thomas, who said to the other disciples, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

            A week later, Thomas and the other disciples were in a closed room. Jesus, through his post-resurrected body, comes right through the locked doors and meets Thomas. He invites Thomas to examine Him and rebukes him to stop doubting but believe in Him. (John 20:24-28).       After that encounter, Thomas became a devoted follower of  Christ. Church tradition tells us that Thomas was the first one to take the gospel to the subcontinent of India. Now, there is a church called The Mar Thoma Church, which sees itself as a continuation of the Saint Thomas Christians, a community believed to have been founded by Thomas the Apostle.

            Jesus not only showed himself to Thomas, but at one point, he had appeared to more than 500 people simultaneously. (I Cor15:6). Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples, teaching them about God’s Kingdom and giving them many convincing proofs that He was alive. (Acts 1:3).

            He commanded them before He was taken into heaven, saying,  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20). Taking the Great Commission seriously, many preached about the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ, making more disciples. How would I know Jesus rose from the dead? I know because He lives in my heart. Many here at Hope Church and millions more outside could testify that Jesus rose from the dead and lives forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2014/march/6031714.html