1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 If you have your Bibles will be in Ephesians chapter 4. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:12,480 As many of you know, I was born and raised in Texas. 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:17,160 Don't say sorry. 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:24,040 There are some magical things about living in Texas, particularly the Mexican food. 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:31,400 As much as I have wanted to enjoy the Mexican food here in Iowa. 6 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,480 It just hasn't worked out. 7 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:39,360 It can get us by on a hard day when you need a taco to make it through the day, but for 8 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:44,160 the most part it is subpar to what I'm used to. 9 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:50,000 Believe it or not, this was a discussion in my family when we were praying through moving 10 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,760 here to Iowa. 11 00:00:53,760 --> 00:01:01,240 If we were to make a pros and cons list about moving to Iowa, giving up Mexican food was 12 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,840 for sure in the cons column. 13 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:10,760 One of my favorite things to eat at a Mexican food restaurant is fajitas. 14 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:19,880 If I were to build the perfect fajita, I would grab myself a flour tortilla, put some fajita 15 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:28,080 beef on there, some salsa, some cheese, maybe some rice and beans, and of course you top 16 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:29,880 it off with guacamole. 17 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,280 No, I did not forget sour cream. 18 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,880 That ruins the whole thing. 19 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:42,760 Now, individually, those pieces that are a part of the fajita are not great by themselves, 20 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:49,240 but once you put them together in a flour tortilla, they are one of God's greatest creations. 21 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:54,640 That is what Paul is teaching in this first part of chapter 4. 22 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:59,520 When you take all the individual pieces and you put them together, you have this really 23 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:00,520 great thing. 24 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,680 Now, we're going to cover verses 7 through 10 this morning, but in order to completely 25 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,280 understand it, we need to read it in its context. 26 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:14,200 If you were to take verses 7 through 10 out and just look at them individually, you can 27 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,720 easily miss the point. 28 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,200 So if you have your Bibles, we're going to read Ephesians 7, chapter 4, 7 through 16 29 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,520 this morning. 30 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:29,920 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 31 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:34,120 Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts 32 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,640 to men. 33 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:40,320 In saying he ascended, what does it mean, but that he had also descended into the lower 34 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,400 regions of the earth? 35 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:48,080 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill 36 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,720 all things. 37 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:54,200 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 38 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,800 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ until we 39 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,080 all attain to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature 40 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,760 manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no 41 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:15,000 longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 42 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,240 by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes. 43 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:24,360 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is ahead 44 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:30,080 into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which 45 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:35,840 is it equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds 46 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,160 itself up in love. 47 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:47,680 So as Paul has begun, chapter 4, we saw his emphasis on unity within the body of Christ. 48 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:53,280 Specifically in verses 4 through 6, he stressed those things that we all have in common that 49 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,320 would allow us to be unified as followers of Jesus. 50 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:05,600 But as we come to verse 7, while Paul is still dealing with unity, he's going to shift his 51 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:06,600 focus. 52 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:11,400 We know that because verse 7 starts with the word but. 53 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,720 Now unity, we said last week, does not mean uniformity. 54 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,680 We are all unique. 55 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,320 And what unites us is what we all have in common in Jesus. 56 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:27,360 Not only does Paul use the word but to introduce this contrast, but for the very first time 57 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:33,160 in this chapter, he also uses the phrase, each one of us. 58 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:39,920 And so there's this shift from the whole body to the individual. 59 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,880 From our privileges to our responsibilities. 60 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,680 From what God has already done for us to what he is going to do through us. 61 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,000 And so let's read our text this morning, verse 7. 62 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,200 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 63 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,720 Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts 64 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:01,720 to men. 65 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,000 And saying he ascended, what does it mean? 66 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,840 But that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth. 67 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,280 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above the heavens, that he might fill 68 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:13,560 all things. 69 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,960 So the first thing that we need to understand as we're looking at this text of verses 7 through 70 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:23,880 10 is we don't decide which gifts we receive Jesus does. 71 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:25,300 We don't get to pick it. 72 00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:29,680 This is not a Christmas wish list situation. 73 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,760 Or I'll take that, or I'll take that, or I'll take that. 74 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:40,840 Jesus determines what gifts each of us need in order to carry out God's plans through 75 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:42,360 the church. 76 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,840 Jesus mentions this idea in Matthew 25. 77 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:49,240 One person got five talents, another two and another one. 78 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,680 Each according to his own ability. 79 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,800 What is interesting about that parable, if you really look at that parable in Matthew 80 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:02,200 25 is that there's not evidence that any of those three servants had any knowledge of 81 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,280 what his true abilities were. 82 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:13,240 But God knows the servants and is in a position to determine how to best bestow the talents. 83 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:19,080 And he does that in such a way that it's going to facilitate his purposes. 84 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,280 He knows the servants individually, so he knows what they need. 85 00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:30,920 Now I currently have the office that used to be Pastor Stefan's office. 86 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:36,320 Before we moved here and I was just visiting, I walked into his office a couple of times. 87 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:42,880 And if you were to look at his desk, you wouldn't even know that anybody worked there. 88 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:47,000 Everything was put away, everything was in its place. 89 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:55,640 If you were to walk into my office right now, it is the same space, it is the same desk, 90 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,520 but you can definitely tell that I've been there. 91 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:04,120 I have books on there, just thrown about. 92 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,520 I have a package of adult diapers on there. 93 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:14,840 It's true. 94 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:20,120 I have little notes that I've written in no particular order and I have a few empty water 95 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:21,520 bottles. 96 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,280 Why those water bottles are not in the trash? 97 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:24,800 I don't know. 98 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:25,920 I don't know. 99 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,600 I wish I was more organized. 100 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,560 I wish that God had given me that gift, but he didn't. 101 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,960 To the detriment of my family and everybody that works with me. 102 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:43,200 So I have to keep that in mind when I'm working as a team, when I'm looking at the staff because 103 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,560 they each have different gifts than I have. 104 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:52,800 I have ideas, but I really have no idea at the end of the day how to get it organized 105 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:55,120 and bring it to fruition. 106 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:56,800 I rely on those that do. 107 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,480 Paul has to keep me focused on our vision of discipleship. 108 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:07,160 Drew has to keep me on schedule and remind me of the different elements of worship. 109 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:13,680 Sandy has to remind me not to be a bad influence on the children. 110 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,360 Mark has to keep me focused on everything we have going on to wit. 111 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,280 And Julie holds all of us together. 112 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:21,800 She keeps the train moving. 113 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:29,520 All have different giftings that God is using to fulfill his purposes here at Cornerstone. 114 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,160 And that's just the staff. 115 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:39,640 You are all gifted in ways that God is using to fulfill his purposes in your life and in 116 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,200 the life of those around you. 117 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:47,640 You might want a gift you don't have, but you have to trust that the Lord knows what 118 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,680 he is doing. 119 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:53,560 We need people to care for the elderly. 120 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:57,520 We need people to help care for our widows. 121 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,880 Our buildings and grounds. 122 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,880 We need faithful prayers. 123 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,720 We need technology gurus. 124 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:07,720 We need creatives. 125 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,320 We need those of you that have a high gifting of compassion. 126 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:17,080 Now if any of those are you, then please talk to us after the service so we can get you 127 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,880 plugged in and you don't waste your gift. 128 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:25,520 But as we look at verses 8 through 10, it's crucial that we understand and we view them 129 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:31,040 in the context of this main idea that Paul has just expressed. 130 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,880 Now if we don't do that, it's easy to come up with all kinds of wrong conclusions that 131 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:41,920 will actually draw us away from what Paul is teaching rather than to help us understand 132 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:42,920 it. 133 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,640 In verse 8 Paul is quoting Psalm 68-18. 134 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:53,520 Now the Psalm passage is a reference to God while the Ephesians passage is a reference 135 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:55,440 to Jesus. 136 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,520 So he doesn't quote it verbatim, but the message is the same. 137 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:04,160 When it says in verse 8, therefore it says, when he ascended on high he led a host of 138 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,600 captives and he gave gifts to men. 139 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:16,480 Now I wrestled with this text this week because my thoughts initially went to Jesus' death 140 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:22,960 and where in the world was Jesus in that three days after he died and before he was resurrected? 141 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:32,640 There is references in Psalms 49, Psalm 86, Psalm 89, that the Old Testament faithful, 142 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:41,240 those that were faithful to the Lord before Jesus was on the earth, that they were in 143 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:46,440 a place called Sha, for the promise and they were waiting for the promise of the Messiah 144 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,040 to be fulfilled. 145 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,920 That was the promise in Psalm 68-18. 146 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:56,600 However that's another sermon for another day because I don't think that's the point 147 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,600 of this text. 148 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:07,200 The point of this text is that we are able to receive these gifts because Christ is victorious. 149 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:12,040 We are able to receive the gifts that God has given us to remain unified because Christ 150 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:13,440 is victorious. 151 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,480 Now yes I believe that Jesus led a host of captives and escorted them into the presence 152 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:19,480 of God. 153 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:25,480 The only reason he was able to do that is because he was victorious over death. 154 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:31,640 When you are given the gift of salvation you are rescued from death as well. 155 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:38,120 And because you are sealed with the Holy Spirit you will receive gifts. 156 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,760 Not gifts to be put in the closet. 157 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:48,400 Not gifts to re-gift to someone else later, but gifts to be used for the kingdom of God. 158 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,640 Since this might have been confusing to his readers, Paul begins to explain what he means 159 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:53,840 in verse 9. 160 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:58,520 He says, insane he ascended, what does it mean? 161 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,120 But they also descended into the lower regions, the earth. 162 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,480 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill 163 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,980 all things. 164 00:12:09,980 --> 00:12:13,800 I mean there is the gospel right there. 165 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,560 Right here in Ephesians chapter 4. 166 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:23,200 The only reason Jesus was able to ascend on high is because he had to descend from his 167 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,640 throne in heaven. 168 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,640 I mean once you are on high you can't ascend any higher. 169 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,840 Once you are in his position you can't get any higher. 170 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,840 He came to earth. 171 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,720 He walked amongst his creation. 172 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:38,680 He lived amongst us. 173 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:43,880 Name another religious belief system where that's the case. 174 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:48,840 Every other belief system out there is trying to ascend. 175 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,080 Is trying to find favor. 176 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:57,400 Is trying to earn the right to be in the presence of their God. 177 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:03,680 That's not the case for the one true God is in. 178 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:08,240 It's not the case for the creator and sustainer of all things. 179 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:14,560 The only God who was worthy of all of our worship, he came to us. 180 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:19,920 He rescued us while we were still sinners in need of a savior. 181 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,720 He did that because we couldn't get to him. 182 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,740 He is too holy and we are too sinful. 183 00:13:28,740 --> 00:13:34,600 So because he wanted a relationship with us, he descended. 184 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:44,280 He came and he lived and he died so that when we put our faith in him, he takes us who were 185 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:51,520 once captives and escorts us into the presence of the most high God. 186 00:13:51,520 --> 00:14:00,480 We get to experience the kingdom of God while we were still on the earth because Jesus descended. 187 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:09,280 Because he redeems because he gives us the faith to believe that he is the only way. 188 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:16,280 Now that he has conquered death and has ascended back up to his rightful place, he is able 189 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:21,760 to give gifts to his people so that his purposes are fulfilled. 190 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,920 For those of you who are waiting and I know there's some conspiracy theorists in this room. 191 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,520 I'm almost confident of that. 192 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:36,880 But for those of you who are waiting for Christ to return and end all this madness, you have 193 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,440 to use your gifts. 194 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:45,640 Christ says the end will come when the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world. 195 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,920 We need to fill that urgency because I'm ready. 196 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,960 I'm ready for him to rip open that sky. 197 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,760 I'm ready for him to make all things new. 198 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:02,760 This isn't something we can just write a check for and it be accomplished. 199 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,800 Last time I checked, the Lord wasn't short on cash. 200 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:18,160 His purposes are for us to use our gifts, the gifts that we have to proclaim that our God 201 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,560 is the only God who is victorious over death. 202 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:31,520 People claim in unity that the only place that anybody can find lasting hope is in Jesus. 203 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:36,880 He descended to bring us peace. 204 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:41,680 So how does this fit in regards to unity? 205 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,960 There's at least three things that we need to consider. 206 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:46,600 The first one being that gifts are given. 207 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,560 They're not pursued. 208 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,520 The gifts are given. 209 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:58,240 Don't waste time trying to get other gifts. 210 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,920 Don't waste time pursuing other things that God has not gifted you in. 211 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:07,240 Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that God has arranged all the parts of the body just as 212 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,640 he wanted them to be. 213 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:22,480 If God knows his purposes and plans perfectly and if he knows each one of us intimately, 214 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:29,680 far better than we know ourselves, then why wouldn't he be the one to determine how to 215 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,160 apportion his gifts amongst his people? 216 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:39,200 If you're a parent in here, you know your children better than they know themselves, 217 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:40,200 correct? 218 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:46,520 Like I can look in the eyes of my son and tell him it's going to be a rough day today. 219 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:47,800 You need to go relax. 220 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:48,800 You need to go rest. 221 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:49,800 You need to go take it. 222 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:50,800 No, I don't need that. 223 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:51,800 I need to go do this. 224 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:57,320 I know him better than he knows himself just by looking in his eyes. 225 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:04,880 If God knows us intimately, then shouldn't we trust that he has a plan for it? 226 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:13,320 When we seek out specific gifts or probably even more commonly, we get envious or jealous 227 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:16,000 of the gifts that others have been given. 228 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:21,000 What you're really doing in that moment is you're questioning the wisdom of God. 229 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,760 You're questioning that he has a plan. 230 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,720 You're believing that he messed up. 231 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:31,520 In Isaiah 29, 16, it says, you turn things upside down. 232 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,520 In other words, you're being stupid. 233 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,000 That's what it's saying. 234 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,640 You turn things upside down. 235 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:45,080 Shall the potter be regarded as the clay that the thing made should say of its maker, he 236 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:49,360 did not make me? 237 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:53,320 It's God and the gifts that he has given you. 238 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:58,000 Trust the calling that he has on your life. 239 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:05,360 There was this guy in La Mesa that came to our church for a short period of time, and 240 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:10,560 he really, really wanted to be a pastor. 241 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:17,880 He begged me on multiple occasions to let him preach for me from time to time. 242 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:25,000 His desire was to stand in front of people and make them listen to him. 243 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,480 But he was too soft-spoken. 244 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,640 He wasn't bold enough. 245 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,400 To be real honest, if I had known him better, I would have told him that I don't know of 246 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:40,640 any church that is going to hire you for the purpose in which you're pursuing. 247 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,160 He tried anyway. 248 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:50,040 Then he got his degree, he got ordained, and he got a church, a small church just outside 249 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,120 of town. 250 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:58,480 Now when that ended badly for him, a couple months later, he went on to another one. 251 00:18:58,480 --> 00:18:59,680 And then another one. 252 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:05,920 He was in three churches within the year, and all of them ended badly. 253 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,520 He was trying to force something that wasn't there. 254 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:14,360 He was trying to receive a gift that God had not given him. 255 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:20,200 He was not content with the gifts that God had given him to be used for the kingdom. 256 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:26,080 And so my plea to you is to trust the gifts that God has given you and be faithful in 257 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,840 them. 258 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,240 He didn't make a mistake. 259 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,440 He knows you better than you know yourself. 260 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,840 The next thing we need to keep in mind in regards to unity is the source of the gifts 261 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,240 is Jesus, it's not our own abilities. 262 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:41,600 The source of the gifts is Jesus. 263 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,200 I mean we've learned that in Ephesians, haven't we? 264 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,200 In chapter two. 265 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,000 We can't boast in anything. 266 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,040 We can't boast in our gifts. 267 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:56,120 Now unfortunately, there is a tendency to look at some of the gifts that are more visible 268 00:19:56,120 --> 00:20:00,280 and give them more weight and value. 269 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:04,600 But God certainly never intended for us to do that. 270 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,840 Again in 1 Corinthians, Paul makes clear that the gifts have equal value in the sight of 271 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:10,480 God according to chapter 12. 272 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:17,720 In verse 22 it says on the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. 273 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:23,240 And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greatest honor. 274 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:29,320 And our un-presentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable 275 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,240 parts do not require. 276 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:37,160 And God has so composed the body giving greatest honor to the part that lacked it, that there 277 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:45,880 may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 278 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:55,640 If you have ever thought that the gifts that you have are less valuable than others, please 279 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,320 highlight that passage in your Bible. 280 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:07,160 God says those gifts, the ones that are behind the scenes, the ones that nobody knows that 281 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:13,080 you have, they have the greatest honor. 282 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:18,440 You see we have a tendency to believe that if you stand on this stage in any capacity 283 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:26,160 whatsoever, or if you're on staff at a church, that those gifts are more important than the 284 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,160 others. 285 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:31,200 But according to this text, that's not the case. 286 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:36,800 Before the service right now, there were people in the prayer room praying for you. 287 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,280 Did you know that? 288 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:45,480 Right now there's guys outside watching the parking lot and checking all the doors to 289 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:46,880 keep us safe. 290 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,960 Did you know that? 291 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:53,280 There are people that handle our finances. 292 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:58,640 There are people that keep our buildings functioning. 293 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,880 There's people here that share the gospel faithfully with their coworkers. 294 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:09,440 There's others in here that help others financially without anybody else knowing it. 295 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:14,000 Those are gifts that the Lord has used to fulfill His purposes. 296 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:20,760 The gifts that you have been given are not for your own personal benefit, but for the 297 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:21,760 body. 298 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:28,560 Christ did not descend to the depths of the earth to make you look good. 299 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:34,520 He did so that once we receive our gifts, we can make Him look good. 300 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,760 He is the only one that receives the glory when we use the gifts that He has given us 301 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:40,320 to expand His kingdom. 302 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:47,880 I mean, every time Shaquille O'Neal dunked a basketball, he should have pointed towards 303 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,360 the heavens to give God the glory. 304 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:56,840 So due to seven feet tall, you should be able to dunk a basketball. 305 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:02,040 What a perfect opportunity that he had, or any NBA player that thinks that they did 306 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:07,360 that, what a perfect opportunity to give God glory. 307 00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:15,080 When you understand that the source of your giftings is Jesus, and then you use them appropriately, 308 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,080 it makes Him look good, not you. 309 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:25,400 And finally, the gifts that we receive should never go unused. 310 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,880 First Peter 4-10 says, each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, 311 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:36,120 faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 312 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:41,200 I want you to think about the giftings that you have received from the Lord. 313 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:53,520 And then I want you to ask yourself if you are using them appropriately. 314 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:59,000 Are you using the gifts that God has given you to fulfill the purposes in His church, 315 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:09,160 to fulfill the purposes in His kingdom, are you using His gifts that He has given you? 316 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,320 And maybe you're like, well, I have an insignificant gift. 317 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,640 According to Paul, he don't. 318 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,360 According to Paul, you don't. 319 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:19,160 This past week was my birthday. 320 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:25,600 Hence the adult diapers on my desk. 321 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,960 And I always get asked around my birthday, what do you want for your birthday? 322 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,200 What gifts can we give you? 323 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,320 And I never have an answer. 324 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,040 If I want something, I usually just go out and buy it. 325 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,640 And so I don't really expect anything on my birthday because I bought something throughout 326 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,040 the year that I wanted at the time. 327 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:48,280 I didn't want to wait for my birthday. 328 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:54,440 And it drives everyone around me crazy because they don't know what to get me for my birthday. 329 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:59,680 So knowing that there was nothing I wanted or needed, my wife didn't get, didn't really 330 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,840 have any direction on what to get me for my birthday. 331 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,840 She could have gotten me a gift card. 332 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,280 She could have gone to the store and got me something that she thought I might like and 333 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:10,280 appreciate. 334 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,400 She could have done that, but she didn't. 335 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:25,280 Now when I was growing up, I used to be a huge fan of professional wrestling. 336 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:33,160 I would watch Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior every single week. 337 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:43,120 My family hated it because I would climb onto the dresser and give them the big splash while 338 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:47,320 they were laying in the bed. 339 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:55,040 Sometimes when my siblings got a little malvy, I would have to drop a big elbow on them. 340 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,440 I mean, that was my childhood. 341 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:03,680 I loved watching the WWF at the time. 342 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,120 I loved watching all those guys. 343 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:13,560 My wife, knowing this, years ago, was struggling to come up with a gift for me one year. 344 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:22,920 Well, guess, the WWE was coming to town and she thought I would like to go see them. 345 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,960 I opened the card and there's two tickets to the show. 346 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:36,480 And I'm thinking to myself, I'm a grown man. 347 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:48,800 I have no desire whatsoever to go watch men in their underwear get all sweaty and wrestle. 348 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,160 That was one of those situations. 349 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,000 I mean, this was just a few years ago. 350 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,000 This wasn't like first married. 351 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,920 This was a few years ago. 352 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:04,160 It was one of those situations where it was really the thought to count it. 353 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,240 But the gift went unused. 354 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:15,400 This year, she gave me a letter with 40 things that she loves about me. 355 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:22,600 And it took thought, probably a lot of it, to come up with all these reasons why we're 356 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:24,280 married. 357 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:28,760 But that gift means more to me than anything she could ever buy me. 358 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:37,840 I will probably frame it and then show it to her the next time she's mad at me. 359 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:43,280 But the fact that she took the time to share those things with me have tremendous value 360 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:44,280 to me. 361 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,280 The thought means so much more than the gift. 362 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:59,000 The gift that God has given you was not because he was trying to fill some quota on the earth. 363 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:04,680 Tremendous thought and care went into you while he was knitting you together in your 364 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,400 mother's womb. 365 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:14,480 When he chose you before the foundation of the earth, he knew what value you would bring 366 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:20,720 to the people in your allotted time and allotted place. 367 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:21,720 Use your gifts. 368 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:22,720 Don't waste them. 369 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:27,520 Don't lock them in the closet or pawn them off for something else. 370 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:34,240 There's too much at stake in regards to unity. 371 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:40,200 We have these gifts because Jesus was victorious. 372 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:46,480 We have these gifts because he chose to leave his throne on high and descend into the depths 373 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:55,200 of the earth so that he could take us out as captives. 374 00:28:55,200 --> 00:29:00,960 And you think about the gifts that you have and you think about what he sacrificed for. 375 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:09,280 I hope that puts an urgency in you to use them in a way that honors him. 376 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:17,320 Because one way to disrupt unity in anybody is for somebody to think, I should have that 377 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:21,500 instead of doing what God has created me to be. 378 00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:24,840 I should be on stage singing that song. 379 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,520 I should be up behind that pulpit giving this message. 380 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,400 I should be the one taking care of the buildings and grounds. 381 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,720 I should be the one taking care of the finances. 382 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:38,320 I should be the one to keep Daniel in line. 383 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:45,560 And when we begin to be envious and jealous of other gifts that puts a wedge between you 384 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:57,520 and us, Christ descended so that he could fulfill his purposes through us. 385 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:04,880 Use the gifts that God has given you because we need you. 386 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:05,880 We need you. 387 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:06,880 That's the reality. 388 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,160 Let me pray for us before we take communion. 389 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:20,480 Father God, I pray right now that your spirit will just dwell amongst us. 390 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:26,160 That we will become aware of the things that you've put inside of us to be used for your 391 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:27,160 kingdom. 392 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:29,560 I pray that you give us direction. 393 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:37,000 I pray that you give us vision of the purpose in which you've given them to us. 394 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,480 Help us use our gifts accordingly. 395 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,840 And so Father, we thank you for Jesus. 396 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:42,960 We thank you that he did. 397 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:49,560 He left his place in heaven to dwell amongst us. 398 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:58,520 And I pray Father that as we use our giftings, that he receives all the glory because without 399 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:03,840 him being victorious, all of this is in vain. 400 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:15,360 And so God, as we come to the place where we remember Jesus' death and resurrection, 401 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:21,440 I pray that your Holy Spirit will move amongst us and speak and minister to us in ways that 402 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,280 only you can't. 403 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:25,280 So we look at this time. 404 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:26,280 It's your name. 405 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:46,720 Amen.