“Gifts” | February 27, 2022

I.       “Christ’s Gift: Oneness”

Ephesians 4:1-6
Ephesians 4:4-7; 1:18; 2:16, 18;Zech 14:9; 1Co 8:6; Jud 3
Ephesians 4:13; 1Co 12:5-7; Ro 9:5; 12:7 Matt 25:15;
Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:4-7; 4:3, 16; Col 2:19; Ro 12; 1Co 12;
1Peter 4:8-11


II.       “Christ’s Gift, Received”

Ephesians 4:8-10; Ps 68:18; Jdg 5:12; Col 2:15;
Genesis 3:15; Psalm 68:18; Ps 68;
Hebrews 2:14; Ro 5:21; 1Co 15:54-57; Rev 1:18
Isaiah 53:12; Is 53
Colossians 2:13-15; Jn 14:15-27; 15:26; 16:7-15
Acts 2:32-33; Ac 2; Gal 3:14; Is 44:3; Jn 7:37-39; 16:7


III.      “Christ’s Gift, Given”
 
Ephesians 4:11-12; 1Co 12:5-6, 28; Ac 21:8; 2Ti 4:5
Jeremiah 3:15; [Ac 20:28]; Eph 4:7, 11; Eph 2:8-10
Romans 12:1-8

Greek Word Study:
Grace: ‘charis’: graciousness, in reference to disposition, attitude toward another; Specifically of divine grace and favor as exercised in conferring (ministry) gifts, graces and benefits on men. (Eph 4:7)
Ascended: ‘anabaino’: to go up; arise. From ‘ana’ (up) and ‘baino’ (to go); spoken of those who ascend into heaven or to the heights, either to have communion with God or to dwell there.   (Eph 4:8-10)
Descended: ‘katabaino’: to descend; step down. From ‘kata’ (down) and ‘baino’ (to go); to descend from higher to lower place.
Lower: ‘katoteros’: inferior, lower (locally of Hades); to descend from earth would be to descend into Hades; but to descend from Heaven is to descend to earth. (Eph 4:9)
Apostle: ‘apostolos’: N. from ‘apostello (to send)’; a delegate, specially an ambassador of the Gospel; officially – a commissioner of Christ [apostle] (with miraculous powers) : - (super) apostle, messenger. Used as a substantive, one sent, apostle, ambassador. Used of the Twelve Apostles of Christ, so of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Also spoken in a wider sense of the helpers and companions of the Twelve, as aiding to gather Churches.
Prophet: ‘prophetes’: from ‘pro’ (before or forth) and ‘phemi’ (to tell); a foreteller (Prophet). In the NT, “prophet” corresponds to the person in the OT who spoke under divine influence and inspiration. This included the foretelling of events and the exhorting, reproving and threatening of individuals or Nations as the ambassador of God and as the interpreter of His will to men (Eze 2); hence, the prophet spoke not his own thoughts but what he received from God, retaining however, his own consciousness and self-possession. Spoken specifically of those who possessed the prophetic gift of ‘charisma’ imparted by the Holy Spirit to the Early Church. Prophets were a class of instructors or preachers who were next in rank to the Apostles and before the teachers. (…Eph 2:5, 3:5; 4:11…)
Evangelist: ‘euaggelistes’: a preacher of the Gospel; - evangelist. N. from ‘euaggelizo’ (to evangelize). He was often not located in any particular place but traveled as a missionary to preach the Gospel and establish churches. (Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5)
Shepherd: ‘poimen’: a shepherd (literal or figurative): - shepherd, pastor. N. meaning one who generally cares for flocks. Spoken of the Spiritual Guide of a particular church (Eph 4:11) (pastor-teacher)            [Synonyms: leader, teacher, overseer, elder, spiritual leader]
Teacher: ‘didaskalos’: from ‘didasko’, a causative form of the verb ‘dao’ (to learn); hence, to teach; an instructor, teacher. Spoken of John the Baptist, Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and other Christian teachers. [See 1co 12:28-29] 
Equip: ‘katartismos’: to equip; N. from ‘katartizo’ (to fully train); to make fully ready; a perfecting, i.e. the act of making perfect. (Used only in Eph 4:12)
Ministry: ‘diakonia’: from ‘diakonos’ (servant) especially of the Christian teacher; ministry, i.e. the office of ministering in divine things, spoken chiefly of apostles and teachers (Eph 4:12)