Introduction. (Read the reference)

The passage can be conveniently organised into three sections: (1) The giver, (2) The gifts and (3) The Goal.

This is a long exposition. It contains enough material for three separate talks. However each section is linked and so I deal with them all together.

Once again parts of this short passage are difficult to understand and give rise to different interpretations. I much prefer Scriptures whose meaning is unambiguous - like the Parable of the Good Samaritan!

(B) The Giver.

(1) Christ's exaltation.

Paul describes the exaltation of Jesus by first quoting from Psalm68v18: When he ascended on high he led captives in his train." The psalm is a hymn of praise to God who is likened to a conquering king going up to Jerusalem with his enemies in chains trailing along behind.

Paul uses the quotation to describe the triumphant, victorious ascension of Jesus to heaven. He has, in a figurative sense, some mighty captives in his train: sin, guilt, condemnation, hopelessness, despair and death.

The apostle then emphasises Jesus' power by writing: He is .... the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe. This is another of those phrases that sound well but leave me feeling mildly perplexed. I take it to mean that Jesus could not ascend any higher. He occupies the highest position of all - seated at God's right hand. However, Christ's exaltation to such an exalted rank does not mean he has forsaken our universe. No, Jesus controls it and his influence is felt everywhere.

The writer to the Hebrews put it like this: The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Heb1v3

Christ's exaltation and role should have a tangible effect upon us. We should be:

(a) Full of admiration that our representative has reached such heights. We are thrilled when our representatives do well at sport. I can remember the thrill I experienced when Kelly Holmes won both the 800 metres and 1500 metres in the Olympic Games. She didn't just win the gold medal for herself she won it for Britain; she won it for me!

I love the story about Hank Aaron that I have used elsewhere on this website. I recommend you read it: See exposition on John1v1to18.

The Lord Jesus Christ has won a great victory for us by being obedient in everything to his Father in heaven. We should rejoice in his exaltation because it is the clearest sign that the believer's future is assured.

He sent his Son with power to save
From guilt, and darkness, and the grave:
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat His mercies in your song.

(b) Greatly reassured. We have a man in heaven. The angels have no monopoly of influence there.

We sometimes bemoan the fact that Christians are poorly represented in the corridors of power. We lack spokesmen in the House of Commons, the BBC and local government. Our voice isn't heard.

Thank God we have a MAN where it really matters - at the very throne of God. The writer to the Hebrews writes with great perception: Both the one who MAKES men holy and those who are made holy are of the SAME family. Heb2v11. What a comfort to know we have a family member in the ultimate corridor of power. (See exposition on Heb2v5to18.)

(c) Immensely comforted that Jesus is in control. The writer to Hebrews described the supreme authority of Jesus like this: In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Heb2v8.

The children I taught in school appreciated someone competent, trustworthy and committed in charge. Whenever a well respected teacher was away for any length of time the behaviour and performance of his or her classes deteriorated.

Many years ago now my father would spend a couple of days a week working on my grandfather's market garden. My grandmother used to get annoyed because her husband would titivate - do unnecessary jobs - whenever my father was there. Grandfather had complete confidence that his son would do all the work that really mattered.

My small church always welcomes me back from holiday. Some say, "It's not the same when you are not here." They are glad when I resume control!!

We can rest easily in our beds at night knowing that in the long term all will be well because Jesus is in control - we can trust him - our competent and compassionate man in heaven.

(2) Christ's changelessness.

What does "he ascends" 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.

Sometimes when someone rises inexorably to an exalted position they change. At worst they can become full of pride, obsessed with their power and glory, corrupted by the belief that they can do just as they like. There are plenty of examples of this in the Old Testament. Power went to the heads of kings like Saul, Solomon, Ahab and even David. The latter, a man after God's own heart, exploited his position to engineer the death of a brave soldier, Uriah, in order to marry his wife, Bathsheeba.

I have seen this happen in a small way in my cricket club. Individuals who were very easy going and tolerant when they were young become far less so as they get successive promotions and rise to positions of real authority. If you are used to being fussed over, respected and obeyed at work it becomes harder to put up with the tantrums of your fellow cricketers.

It is very sad when someone becomes so famous that they are ashamed of their roots and want nothing to do with friends and acquaintances they had before becoming rich and influential.

Jesus doesn't change. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Heb13v8. This is wonderful news as William Barclay brings out in his commentary on Ephesians:

Jesus ... still loves all men; still he seeks the sinner; still he heals the sufferer; still he comforts the sorrowful; still he is the friend of outcast men and women. As the Scottish paraphrase has it:

Though now ascended up on high,
He bends on earth a brother's eye;
Partaker of the human name,
He knows the frailty of our frame.

Our fellow suff'rer yet retains
A fellow-feeling of our pains;
And still remembers in the skies
His tears, His agonies and cries.

In every pang that rends the heart
The Man of sorrows has a part;
He sympathizes with our grief,
And to the suff'rer sends relief.

That aptly and succinctly sums up all I have been trying to convey.

(3) Christ's provision.

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 led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."

There is no doubt about it, Psalm68v18 has been misquoted or deliberately changed. The psalm reads: You received gifts from men, even from the rebellious - that you, O Lord God might dwell there.

The victorious king received gifts. He didn't dispense them to the rebellious! The psalmist is inferring that God is worthy of gifts from men.

The quotation of Psalm68v18 has been modified to fit what happened after Jesus' ascension. He told his disciples that as a result of his exaltation he would send his Spirit to them. This would be his GIFT to them.

It is grace that gives each believer the gift of the Holy Spirit to enlighten, guide, strengthen, cheer and equip for the many kinds of service necessary for the building up of the church.

(C) The Gifts.

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers. v11.

Paul seems to be saying that Jesus sends his Spirit to equip men and women for different roles in the church, roles that will build up the church. The problem with Paul's list is that some roles, such as administrator and musician, are omitted. It also has to be recognised that some individuals, like Paul, combine all the roles. Finally there remains doubt about the modern day equivalent of some of these roles. Let us look at them:

(1) Apostles.

In addition to the 11 disciples of Jesus there are several other apostles mentioned in the New Testament: Barnabas (Acts14v4and17), James the brother of Jesus (Gal1v19), Silas (1Thes2v6), Adronicus and Junia (Rom16v7).

William Barclay and others assert that there were two essential qualifications for being an apostle:

(a) They must have seen Jesus. This is based on Paul's claim in 1Cor9v1.

(b) They needed to have seen the risen Christ - a view based on the criteria the 11 disciples used to select a replacement for Judas.

I am not convinced by the Scriptures Barclay and others quote. The disciples made a pig's ear of selecting Matthias. They resorted to casting lots for guidance! Paul emphasised his work as bearing witness to his apostleship.

I think something else William Barclay wrote is of greater significance: The apostles were those whose authority ran throughout the whole church. Certainly the apostle we know best, Paul, had the oversight of several local churches. He wrote with authority to them.

I believe it is necessary for men to be gifted so that they can exercise authority over groups of churches. I find the tendency of Americans, in particular, to found their "own" churches appalling. Some even call them after their own name!!! I belong to an association of churches where each local church is a law unto itself and no one exercises any real, authoritative oversight of them. This results in unresolved problems, splits and scandals.

Many denominations appoint men to be overseers. This is true in Roman Catholicism, in the Anglican Church and among Methodists. Even in the Baptist Union where individual churches have a lot of autonomy, Superintendent Ministers exist. The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches has four men, the Director, Pastoral Director, Training Director and Director of Ministry to advise and support all the churches in the fellowship.

Men who have oversight of many churches need special gifts and perform much the same role as the apostles in New Testament times.

(2) Prophets.

The prophets in the early church shared much in common with their Old Testament forerunners. They proclaimed a message given them by the Holy Spirit. They were itinerant - going from church to church. Their message was not directly the product of studying Scripture but given to them by God.

William Barclay deals with how prophecy fell into disrepute. The settled ministry resented the influence of the wandering prophets who could unsettle congregations as was the case at Corinth. (See exposition on 2Cor11v1to15). Some of the prophets abused their position to make money out of the churches they visited. Sadly, it is the easiest thing in the world to fake a message from the Lord. (See 2Chron18)

Having said this Marcus Maxwell's observation is significant: Prophets would give direction to the church, and address specific issues of immediate importance. As I indicated in my exposition on 1Cor14v1to25 I am sure there is still a need for prophecy in the church. Specific issues arise when a message from the Lord is needed. Surely this is true as churches struggle to respond to many new challenges. I think the prophet's voice was needed among the clergy of St Paul's as they mulled over how to respond to the protesters encamped outside the cathedral. It is needed as the church in the West faces issues arising from advances in Science and Technology. We need a word from the Lord on the vexed issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. In countries like China surely the prophet's voice is needed as churches work out what their relationship to the State should be.

(3) Evangelists.

The evangelists, like the prophets, were itinerant. They were what we might call missionaries. Their task was to spread the good news of Jesus and his saving death on the cross. This remains one of the most vital callings in the church today. Evangelists are needed in Britain and to be effective they must be equipped for their role by the Holy Spirit.

There is a marked lack of effective evangelists in Western Europe. Such is not the case in Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, parts of Africa and China where the Holy Spirit is empowering men and women for the work.

I wonder why it is that effective prophets and evangelists are in such short supply in Europe? Even the overseas missionaries sponsored by British churches seem increasingly to be teachers rather than evangelists.

(4) Pastors and teachers.

During the later part of my career as a Geography teacher schools contained pastoral staff and teaching staff. Now it is true that the pastoral staff did some teaching and the teaching staff exercised a pastoral role. Nevertheless there was a difference of emphasis - that sometimes led to clashes because each group had slightly different priorities. As a teacher I was always mainly concerned with getting my subject across. The objective of the pastoral staff was the well being of the individual child. I taught Geography to groups of children; the pastoral staff dealt mainly with one child at a time.

The leaders of most Protestant churches are in the main teachers. They stand in front of congregations and expound the Scriptures. Most of their time and energy is expended on preparing for this. It is important - and beneficial especially when Spirit assisted. Henry Adams the American journalist, historian, academic and novelist wrote: A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. The Bible teacher may do some pastoral work particularly comforting the bereaved and conducting funerals but this is of secondary importance. I am afraid too little individual support and guidance is given in many churches. Many church leaders are not good at getting along side folk and counselling them. The ministry of visitation tends to be neglected. Jesus was not just a wonderful teacher but the Good Shepherd of the sheep. He made time for individuals.

I believe every church leader should make time for pastoral work. Perhaps the minister should share the teaching with others in order to do this. In the Greek pastor and teacher are not separate roles but linked roles. William Barclay put it like this: It would seem this double phrase describes one set of people. He also describes the work of a shepherd of the flock of God like this: He is the man who bears God's people on his heart, who feeds them with the truth, who seeks them when they stray away, and who defends them from all that would hurt or destroy or distort their faith.

I am afraid that some churches today suffer from the lack of apostolic oversight and pastor-teachers. There is a desperate shortage of evangelists and prophets especially in the long established mainstream denominations. I am not a charismatic Christian but perhaps the spectacular growth of charismatic churches all over the world owes something to the fact that they recognise all four of these Spirit assisted roles.

(D) The Goal.

Most of the sermons to be found on websites like SermonCentral concentrate almost exclusively on this part of the passage. The Holy Spirit equips men and women to fulfil the variety of roles dealt with above for a purpose. That purpose being:

(1) To prepare all for service. To prepare God's people for works of service.

The main objective of all those with special positions in the church should be to prepare every member of God's flock to serve Jesus. Christian leaders are not entertainers although this is what a lot of believers would like. Their main purpose is not to stimulate the intellect or inculcate a body of knowledge. They are not there to produce a group of doctrinally sound clones. No, their role should be similar to that of the scouts, trainers, coaches and manager of a Premier League football club. The collective aim of these employees of the club's owner is to get everyone to play to their strengths and for the good of the team.

Stuart Briscoe who is a pastor in Wisconsin offers a great comparison between serving and sitting in a stadium watching football. During a game there are 22 people on the field in desperate need of rest and 50,000 spectators in desperate need of exercise! Now it should be the aim of church leaders to get everybody involved in the game. Spectators must be changed into servants because everyone is needed to build Christ's church.

Unfortunately many churches contain lots of spectators and there are church leaders who are quite happy with this state of affairs. Indeed the attitude of some seems to be the more spectators the better. I am inclined to think the bigger a church gets the more spectators it contains. This is ultimately a recipe for disasters.

David Henderson tells this story: A man approached a pastor and told him he wanted to join the church but he didn’t think he had much time to devote to serving; he said, "I have a very busy schedule and can’t be called upon to do any teaching or cleaning in the church or to really serve in any way. I can’t help with special projects or with the student ministry. All my evenings are tied up."

The pastor thought for a moment and then said, “I believe you’re at the wrong church. The church you’re looking for is 3 blocks down the street, on the right.” The man left and followed the pastor’s directions. He soon came to an abandoned, boarded up church building. It had been closed for years. The pastor made his point. Any fellowship is really just a few steps away from becoming like that derelict church.

(2) To strengthen the church. So that the body of Christ may be built up.

A supremely fit body is one where all the muscles are exercised regularly. We soon find out how unfit we are when we do an unfamiliar physical job like digging or raking the lawn. A few years ago, before my back began to play up, I used each autumn to help put the Brockley Cricket square "to bed" for the winter. This involved lifting sacks of loam, emptying them into a wheel barrow and then shovelling the stuff onto the square. It wasn't long before several of my muscles were crying out in protest. But as for my friend Derek who spent all week laying bricks and breeze-blocks he just worked flat out without so much pausing for breath. His muscles were in good shape!

One of the reasons churches are flabby and undeveloped is because not everyone pulls their weight. Many muscles in the body never get exercised. So when the body comes under stress, when it needs to be fit in time of testing, it fails. Instead of the members dealing with trouble when it arises their is a tendency for the drones to drift away somewhere else. When some really hard work needs to be done volunteers are in such short supply it remains undone or badly done.

There is no doubt individual Christians who regularly serve Jesus will keep spiritually fit. We need to be fit to run the race set before us. It is the responsibility of Christian leaders to challenge, stimulate, encourage and inspire Christians to service that will improve their health and fitness and consequently the well being of the church. In my own small association of churches this has been done through the years by encouraging Christians to get involved in Pioneer Camp, Beach Mission, service overseas and Holiday Clubs. It brings much blessing to all concerned. There are lots of other jobs that will prove beneficial: visiting the old, entertaining the elderly, helping with the crèche, baby sitting, cleaning or doing the numerous odd jobs to maintain the fabric of the church building.

We need to make progress in the Christian Faith because otherwise we become like the old farmer who frequently described his Christian experience by saying, "Well, I’m not making much progress, but I’m established!"

One spring when he was hauling some logs, his wagon wheels sank down to the axles in mud. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t get the wagon out. Defeated, he sat atop the logs, viewing the dismal situation. Soon a neighbour who had always felt uncomfortable with the farmer’s worn out testimony came along and greeted him, "Well, brother, I see you’re not making much progress, but you must be content because you’re wholly well-established!”

(3) To promote unity.

Paul wrote that it was the task of church leaders to prepare God's people for works of service .... until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.

The aim of those with special roles in the church should be to foster unity based on belief in Jesus and knowledge of him. Unity must be established by promoting in every possible way a dependence upon Christ's saving work and a commitment to obeying his teaching and following his example. This should be the principle objective of evangelists, teachers and pastors.

Yet it is not the principle aim of some Christian leaders whose priority is to: drill believers in doctrine, make them conform to the traditions of the church, raise money, pronounce on politics, the environment and social justice or even glorify themselves.

It is a mistake for evangelical Christians to think that everyone who believes on Jesus for salvation knows him well. See exposition on, "Where are the nine." It should be the prime aim of every Christian leader to help believers to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2Pet3v17.

The ONLY way Christians can be united is in Christ. The focus must be on him - not on the doctrinal distinctives that divide. The greatest scandal affecting Christ's church is its numerous divisions, palpable lack of unity and stubborn refusal to repent of pride in being right.

(4) To produce mature believers.

The united efforts of overseers, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers culminate in producing mature Christians. They aim to prepare God's people ... so that they become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ. This is a lofty objective. Some might say it is totally unattainable. Paul is saying believers should become Christ-like in every way; excelling in character and good works as he did. He goes on to describe some of the distinguishing marks of the mature Christian:

(a) Stability. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

All sorts of strange ideas afflict the church and obsess Christians. Some are besotted with speculations about the events preceding and following Christ's Second Coming. I use to know a small group of Christians whose predominant interest was proving they were descendants from the 10 lost tribes of Israel. Some of the Jamaican churches springing up in Britain and growing at a rapid rate are preoccupied with prosperity and the exorcism of evil spirits. There are even a few weird Christians who seem to think using the Authorised Version of the Bible is as important as devotion to Christ himself. I must admit that belonging to a conservative and cautious association of Reformed churches the likelihood of being blown about by every wind of doctrine is not one I have ever been in much danger of!

Immature Christians, like infants, crave novelty. This is something I have experienced in the churches with which I am familiar. A church gets a new pastor and for a time he is the best thing since sliced bread. Then when after a time he proves like the rest of us to have some weaknesses disillusionment sets in and the criticisms start. Another distasteful phenomenon occurs when a church is fortunate enough to attract a new, star preacher. What happens? Baby Christians move to that church to grab a share of the feel good factor.

Mature Christians know the truth of the old song:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love!

(b) Openness Speaking the truth in love.

It is the mark of an immature Christian that they either speak the truth without love or love without speaking the truth.

Infants in Christ can be very intolerant, argumentative, shrill and ungracious about what they consider to be, 'The Truth'. I was brought up in a fundamentalist church. My dear father, the minister of the church, taught the inerrancy of Scripture. So when I was at school and university this was a position I held and defended at all costs often getting angry in the process. Careful study over the years has shown me that although the Scriptures are inspired by God they are not inerrant. For instance Paul often quoted verses from the Old Testament from memory and without strict accuracy. So in youth I neither spoke the truth nor did I argue my case in love!

However it is also immature to believe that love is all that matters and truth is of little consequence. I can remember one of my cousins adopting this position when my parents and I showed no inclination to go to my brother's second wedding after he committed adultery and left his first wife. We accepted his second wife after the wedding was over but I think we had to show we disapproved of his conduct first.

I know a staunch Baptist who loves her daughter and grandchildren very, very, dearly. However, when her son-in-law converted to the Presbyterian view of baptism and she was invited to the christening of her grandchildren she refused to attend. I wonder how you feel about this? I think I would have attended - but I understand I how the grandmother felt. Satan has done the church of Christ much harm by distorting the meaning and purpose of baptism. It is a deeply divisive issue and as such has damaged the unity of the church.

If we are a mature Christian and we believe a brother is in error or doing something wrong we will speak to him about it graciously. I am sure this is what Priscilla and Aquila did with Apollos. (See exposition on Acts18v24to28.) We need to remember it is infants who are always squabbling!

(c) Co-operation. A mature church, one in which mature Christians predominate, is full of believers who co-operate with one another, working happily together.

We will in all things grow into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and knit together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work.

The church should be like a well co-ordinated body where muscles, joints and limbs work in perfect harmony as directed by the head. It is a very sad state of affairs when the head loses control of the muscles and joints and the body twitches, jerks and goes into spasm.

The individuals in each local church need to show their maturity by working together harmoniously. If we work against one another or compete one with the other, the church will soon be in spasm. Every leader should make every effort to encourage co-operation.

There’s a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the great entertainers of a generation ago. He was asked to take part in a show for World War II veterans. He told them his schedule was very busy and he could afford only a few minutes, but if they wouldn’t mind his doing one short monologue and leaving immediately for his next appointment, he was happy to oblige. The show’s director agreed happily. But when Jimmy got on stage, something interesting happened. He went through the short monologue and then stayed. The applause grew louder and louder and he kept staying. Pretty soon, he had been on fifteen, twenty, then thirty minutes. Finally he took a last bow and left the stage. Backstage someone stopped him and said, "I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?"

Jimmy answered, "I did have to go, but I can show you the reason I stayed. You can see for yourself if you’ll look down at the front row." In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully. (With thanks to Lynn Malone.) God will bless us when we co-operate and work together!