The Sunday School Lesson

EPH. 4:1 1 therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spir'it in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spir'it, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That 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;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

HEART OF THE LESSON

1. Walking worthy of the calling (Eph. 4:1-3). In I Corinthians 12, Paul explained the nature of spiritual gifts as coming from one source, the Lord, and having the basic purpose of serving and strengthening the body of Christ, the church.

As he wrote to the Ephesians concerning spiritual gifts, he first emphasized the individual Christian's responsibility to recognize his high calling and to live in keeping with it. Such conduct waste have certain characteristics that would have as their end result the unity of the local church within the Holy Spirit.

The believer was expected to be meek and gentle, showing patience with other believers in a genuine demonstration of Christian love.

2. One source (Eph. 4:4-6). One reason the believer could strive for unity in the Spirit was because the source of the believer's calling and gifts was singular: God Himself, They all shared a common faith in Christ and a common Source of baptism, namely, the Holy Spirit.

Paul noted that every believer has a special relationship to God the Father. As God, He is not only Lord over the Christian; He also is the one who works in and through each of us He lives within each believer.

3. Gifts to believers (Eph. 4:7-10). God also gives to each believer particular spiritual gifts. These gifts are given an an individual basis. Although they are clearly identifiable, they are not identical from one believer to another. They are given, however, to be used within the body for the benefit of the church.

Since the source of the gifts is Christ, the purpose of such gifts is for the benefit of the body of Christ.

4. Gifts for equipping the saints (Eph. 4:11-16). Paul specified five gifts that have been given to enable the Church to carry out its tasks. The first gifts mentioned are those of apostle and prophet. Upon the foundation of these rests the entire church as it is built up from Christ's advent until His return (cf. Eph. 2:20). Indeed Christ Himself is the foundation, through the words of His inspired messengers-the prophets who foretold Him and the apostles who definitively set down His testimony for all time.

The third gift is that of evangelists. They are chosen to carry out, with spiritual and practical skill the outreach of the church to the lost.

The fourth and fifth gifts appear to be joined into one those of the pastor/ teacher. This gift is given for the benefit of individual Churches. enabling them to be guided and fed from the Scriptures on a steady and consistent basis.

Each of these gifts was given so that all the churches individually, and thus the church as a whole, could be equipped for ministry and nurtured for spiritual health and growth.

The time between the beginning of the church and its consummation at Christ's return is a time within which individual Christians are to utilize their spiritual gifts to enable the church to discern truth from error and to grow to be like Christ. Every Christian has a specific place within the church and a specific role within which to function. When we carry out our responsibilities properly, and like the various parts of a hum body that enable it to function or any.

QUESTIONS

1. Where does Christian unity come from? How can we encourage such unity?

2. Why is it important to agree on certain essentials of Christian doctrine?

3. When did Christ give spiritual gifts to the church?

4. Do you think spiritual gifts are still available? Why?

(Reprinted by permission of The Incorporated Trustees of the Gospel Worker Society and Union Gospel Press, P.O. Box 6059, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101)