WEBVTT 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.759 Would you open the Word of God with me this morning 00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:09.980 to Ephesians chapter 4, please, for our study. 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:20.539 We begin in verse 7. One of the things that I 00:00:20.539 --> 00:00:23.820 have enjoyed doing in the past has been snorkeling. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:29.059 I suppose of the water sports, it's my favorite. 00:00:30.019 --> 00:00:33.340 I remember one time when I was in the state of 00:00:33.340 --> 00:00:38.200 New York, and at Lake Chautauqua, snorkeling 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:42.039 out probably 50 yards from the beach. On that 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:43.859 particular side of the lake, the water was very 00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:47.159 shallow. I suppose even out that far, it was 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:50.920 only two, perhaps two and a half feet deep. As 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:53.820 I came along watching the vegetation on the bottom 00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:59.460 of the lake, all of a sudden there came into 00:00:59.460 --> 00:01:03.320 view the ugliest fish I have ever seen in my 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:07.870 life. It had a nose on it about this long, and 00:01:07.870 --> 00:01:10.609 the fish itself was about that long. But through 00:01:10.609 --> 00:01:13.670 the goggles it appeared about this long. And 00:01:13.670 --> 00:01:16.489 I came face to face, or should I say nose to 00:01:16.489 --> 00:01:20.129 nose, with this underwater creature. I want you 00:01:20.129 --> 00:01:22.909 to know that my faith was so great I walked on 00:01:22.909 --> 00:01:27.450 water all the way back to shore. I've never been 00:01:27.450 --> 00:01:31.109 so scared underwater in my life. Well, if any 00:01:31.109 --> 00:01:32.689 of you have ever snorkeled, you know that... 00:01:33.019 --> 00:01:34.780 one of the things you have to do is keep touch 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:38.079 with the surface. You can float along for a while 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.000 and then take a dive, but eventually you've got 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:43.680 to come back up for more air. Now the same is 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.400 true when one is studying, particularly when 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:49.319 one is studying the Word of God. Occasionally 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.140 you have to come back to the surface. You have 00:01:51.140 --> 00:01:53.599 to come back, let us say, to the broad outline 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:55.719 of things so that you know where you are and 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:58.340 you get oriented. You get that perspective and 00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:00.640 then you submerge again into the detail of truth. 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:04.159 I think it's time for us this morning to surface. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.919 Ephesians falls into two main divisions, chapters 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:13.020 1 through 3, our calling in Christ. We have studied 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:17.360 that now in some detail. Chapters 4 through 6 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:22.259 talks about our conduct in Christ and is a practical 00:02:22.259 --> 00:02:25.259 application of the truth that we learned in the 00:02:25.259 --> 00:02:28.759 first three chapters. In chapter 4 and verse 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:32.240 1, There's the key verse to the whole last section 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:36.099 of the book. He says, I entreat you to walk in 00:02:36.099 --> 00:02:40.120 a manner worthy of the calling with which you 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:44.159 have been called. Our walk is to be a worthy 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:50.199 walk. A walk worthy of the calling which has 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:53.280 been described to us in chapters 1 through 3. 00:02:54.699 --> 00:02:58.729 We are to live a lifestyle equivalent. to our 00:02:58.729 --> 00:03:01.590 profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Now he tells 00:03:01.590 --> 00:03:05.250 us that that lifestyle is characterized by five 00:03:05.250 --> 00:03:08.849 qualities in the last three chapters of the book. 00:03:09.150 --> 00:03:13.789 The first one is unity. The second one, honesty. 00:03:14.550 --> 00:03:20.449 Third, purity. Fourth, harmony. And fifth, victory. 00:03:21.629 --> 00:03:24.330 We have been studying most recently in that first 00:03:24.330 --> 00:03:28.879 quality regarding unity. It's talked about in 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:34.520 verses 1 through 16 of the fourth chapter. Now 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:36.560 let's think about that for a moment. If we're 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:39.120 going to walk worthy of our calling, it means 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:42.800 that we must walk in oneness with other people 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.400 of God. We have learned in verses 1 through 3 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:52.780 of the personal character which preserves that 00:03:52.780 --> 00:03:56.860 unity. I think we spent three weeks talking about 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:59.939 that kind of character, the kind of character 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:04.659 you never forget. Then in verses 4 through 6, 00:04:04.939 --> 00:04:08.139 we'll look at the doctrinal foundation providing 00:04:08.139 --> 00:04:12.580 that unity, the oneness of our faith, sevenfold 00:04:12.580 --> 00:04:15.740 oneness of our faith regarding the Holy Spirit, 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:19.980 God the Son and God the Father. Today we're going 00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:23.019 to look at the practical plan promoting unity. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.879 in the body of Christ, and then on another time, 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:32.220 the natural results proving that unity. The plan 00:04:32.220 --> 00:04:34.879 to promote unity in the body of Christ is from 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:39.000 the Lord himself. It involves gifts which he 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:43.180 has given to his people. That is his practical 00:04:43.180 --> 00:04:50.959 plan, to provide for unity in the body. Christ's 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:54.759 gifts to the body are intended, to promote its 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:58.939 oneness of heart and mind. Not only is that true 00:04:58.939 --> 00:05:02.480 in the church universal, that is all true believers, 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:07.079 but it is well applied also in the local expression 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:10.800 of that universal church, in what we call the 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.920 local church, in our case, Grace Church Roseville. 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:18.060 My point is this, that Christ's gifts to us in 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:21.459 this church are intended to promote the unity 00:05:22.089 --> 00:05:26.410 of our fellowship. A couple of statements that 00:05:26.410 --> 00:05:28.410 I think are important before I go any further. 00:05:29.189 --> 00:05:33.209 First, every Christian ought to be a member of 00:05:33.209 --> 00:05:36.949 a local church, a Bible -believing, Bible -teaching 00:05:36.949 --> 00:05:44.149 local church. That is not a good choice. Less 00:05:44.149 --> 00:05:47.870 than that is not merely an option, but it is 00:05:47.870 --> 00:05:52.920 an obligation. It is a critical need for every 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:57.600 Christian to belong to a Bible teaching, Bible 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:02.339 preaching local church. It is, on the one hand, 00:06:02.339 --> 00:06:05.240 a great privilege to do that, and we should never 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:08.220 forget the privilege that is involved in being 00:06:08.220 --> 00:06:12.500 a part of God's work in this world. But it's 00:06:12.500 --> 00:06:15.779 also a great joy to be a part of a local church. 00:06:16.589 --> 00:06:19.149 Because, folks, when we're involved in the ministry 00:06:19.149 --> 00:06:23.089 of a local church, that means that we are investing 00:06:23.089 --> 00:06:26.269 our lives and our resources in something that's 00:06:26.269 --> 00:06:31.310 meaningful. It means that we are involved in 00:06:31.310 --> 00:06:34.930 something that's going to last beyond our lifetime. 00:06:36.449 --> 00:06:41.269 We are involved in investing in eternity. It 00:06:41.269 --> 00:06:43.750 is significant to be a part of a local church. 00:06:45.709 --> 00:06:48.689 There are many of us who are involved in good 00:06:48.689 --> 00:06:52.949 activities, from the Red Cross to the Boy Scouts. 00:06:54.149 --> 00:06:57.449 I personally collect funds on our cul -de -sac 00:06:57.449 --> 00:07:00.790 for the Kidney Foundation. It's no great sacrifice 00:07:00.790 --> 00:07:04.009 of time, and many of you do things like that. 00:07:05.029 --> 00:07:08.769 Others are involved in the PTA. All of these 00:07:08.769 --> 00:07:10.850 involvements are good, and there's a place for 00:07:10.850 --> 00:07:15.180 them. But if we're going to be wise stewards 00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:20.060 of this thing that we call life, then wisdom 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:22.240 would seem to dictate that we should invest the 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.699 majority of our time and resources in what is 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:30.420 going to last forever, and not for a few months 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:35.339 or years or a better lifetime. Every Christian 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:40.259 ought to be a part of a local church. Every member, 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:43.779 then, of a local church is purposed by God to 00:07:43.779 --> 00:07:48.319 contribute toward Christ's goal that that body 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.579 be built up and unified. There's no exception 00:07:51.579 --> 00:07:54.360 to that. We're going to talk more about it this 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:56.819 morning, but I wanted to say it up front, that 00:07:56.819 --> 00:08:00.379 every member, and every Christian ought to be 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:04.480 a member, every member is purposed by God to 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:07.899 contribute toward Christ's goal that the body 00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:10.439 in that local church be built up and unified. 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:15.800 Now in our text today, let me say again that 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:19.439 we learn about Christ's gifts to the body, which 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:22.620 are intended to promote the unity of the church. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:25.480 Let's talk about the giver of the gifts first. 00:08:26.660 --> 00:08:31.740 In verse 7 he's identified, But to each one of 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:34.320 us grace was given according to the measure of 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:39.649 Christ's gift. And so Christ is the giver. He 00:08:39.649 --> 00:08:42.230 has given gifts to us, and we're going to see 00:08:42.230 --> 00:08:45.090 in our study of this passage that he has given 00:08:45.090 --> 00:08:47.789 gifts in two respects. This morning we'll only 00:08:47.789 --> 00:08:52.029 look at one of them. The scriptural evidence 00:08:52.029 --> 00:08:55.250 is given to us in verse 8 that Christ is, in 00:08:55.250 --> 00:09:01.529 fact, the giver. Psalm 68, 18 is loosely quoted 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:04.870 here. Would you turn back with me to the original? 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:15.940 in Psalm 68. Psalm 68 was penned by David. The 00:09:15.940 --> 00:09:20.700 occasion seems to have been that procession that 00:09:20.700 --> 00:09:24.879 took the ark of God from the house of Obed -Edom 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:31.600 to the city of Jerusalem. This is a song or a 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:35.289 hymn of victory. And in it, David poetically 00:09:35.289 --> 00:09:37.850 goes all the way back to the captivity of the 00:09:37.850 --> 00:09:41.769 people in Egypt. And he shows how God delivered 00:09:41.769 --> 00:09:44.230 the people, and he provided for them through 00:09:44.230 --> 00:09:46.970 the wilderness. And even up to that very day, 00:09:47.070 --> 00:09:50.429 he was bringing them into Jerusalem, the city 00:09:50.429 --> 00:09:54.730 that he had chosen to be his habitation. There's 00:09:54.730 --> 00:09:57.990 great victory. God is seen here as the conqueror. 00:09:58.830 --> 00:10:01.830 He is seen here as the great leader, the general, 00:10:01.889 --> 00:10:05.149 as it were, of his people. Now in the midst of 00:10:05.149 --> 00:10:08.830 all of that, in verse 18, David says, Thou hast 00:10:08.830 --> 00:10:14.629 ascended on high. Thou hast led captive thy captives. 00:10:15.429 --> 00:10:18.730 Thou hast received gifts among men, even among 00:10:18.730 --> 00:10:22.909 the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell 00:10:22.909 --> 00:10:30.460 there. referring in this particular context to 00:10:30.460 --> 00:10:34.519 that which was gathered for the building of the 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:39.639 tabernacle and then the place for the ark in 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:44.659 the city of Jerusalem. That is this verse which 00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:47.740 the Holy Spirit chooses to bring to Paul's mind 00:10:47.740 --> 00:10:52.679 as he is writing the book of Ephesians. The Holy 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:57.809 Spirit, as he is well able to do, changes the 00:10:57.809 --> 00:11:00.929 words a little bit. Now, he is the author. He 00:11:00.929 --> 00:11:04.470 has the author's privilege of doing that. And 00:11:04.470 --> 00:11:07.809 so he shifts the wording slightly to fit it into 00:11:07.809 --> 00:11:10.370 the thought that is needed to be communicated 00:11:10.370 --> 00:11:15.269 in Ephesians chapter 4. What the Apostle Paul, 00:11:15.529 --> 00:11:20.389 and really the Holy Spirit, is telling us is 00:11:20.389 --> 00:11:22.730 that that verse written by David back in Psalm 00:11:22.730 --> 00:11:28.330 68 has messianic implications to it. In other 00:11:28.330 --> 00:11:31.690 words, there is within that verse something about 00:11:31.690 --> 00:11:36.309 the Christ, the Messiah. And that's why he says, 00:11:36.429 --> 00:11:39.769 as he does in Ephesians 4 .8, Therefore it says, 00:11:40.110 --> 00:11:44.629 When he ascended on high, he led captive a host 00:11:44.629 --> 00:11:49.889 of captives, and he gave gifts to men. Now if 00:11:49.889 --> 00:11:51.549 you compare the readings, you will be able to 00:11:51.549 --> 00:11:55.750 see the variations. The Apostle Paul is led by 00:11:55.750 --> 00:11:58.690 the Spirit of God to take this verse and to apply 00:11:58.690 --> 00:12:02.590 it to Jesus Christ, and specifically to Christ's 00:12:02.590 --> 00:12:08.529 ascension, his return to heaven, which was as 00:12:08.529 --> 00:12:12.129 one who had conquered. He was the victorious 00:12:12.129 --> 00:12:17.049 one who had in his hands the keys of death and 00:12:17.049 --> 00:12:22.429 Hades. He returned back to heaven as the captain. 00:12:23.070 --> 00:12:27.950 of our salvation. Now the apostle refers to the 00:12:27.950 --> 00:12:32.009 fact that he led captive, a host of captives. 00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:36.029 And commentators, Bible students, have through 00:12:36.029 --> 00:12:39.649 the ages pondered as to who these captives are. 00:12:41.990 --> 00:12:45.389 One answer is that these captives may refer to 00:12:45.389 --> 00:12:52.690 those righteous people who were in Hades. During 00:12:52.690 --> 00:12:56.470 the Old Testament, there is some indication in 00:12:56.470 --> 00:13:00.230 the Word of God that the righteous and the lost 00:13:00.230 --> 00:13:03.830 went to the region which the Bible calls in the 00:13:03.830 --> 00:13:06.929 Old Testament Hebrew Sheol, or in the New Testament 00:13:06.929 --> 00:13:13.129 Hades, and that there were two areas, two compartments, 00:13:13.129 --> 00:13:16.250 some people call it. One, a place of terrible 00:13:16.250 --> 00:13:21.629 suffering, a place the Bible calls hell. a place 00:13:21.629 --> 00:13:27.590 of fire and torment that never ceases. On the 00:13:27.590 --> 00:13:31.190 other side of this place called Hades, or Sheol, 00:13:31.450 --> 00:13:34.409 was the place of the righteous, which is termed 00:13:34.409 --> 00:13:39.970 in Luke, Abraham's bosom. The place, the idea 00:13:39.970 --> 00:13:44.490 is, of closeness or of comfort, which Abraham, 00:13:44.870 --> 00:13:47.639 for example, would give to those who... were 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:49.879 his descendants and who were children of God 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:54.500 by faith. Now there are those who believe that 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:57.860 the captives spoken of here as being led by our 00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:01.299 ascended Lord back to heaven were those righteous 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:05.860 people who were in Hades up to this point, the 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:08.840 place of Abraham's bosom. Not a place of torment, 00:14:08.919 --> 00:14:11.659 of course. These are those who were saved by 00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.419 faith in the Old Testament who now have been 00:14:14.419 --> 00:14:16.870 taken back. to heaven, the heaven of heavens. 00:14:20.409 --> 00:14:23.169 That is the explanation of that verse that I 00:14:23.169 --> 00:14:26.289 heard first and which in the past I have held 00:14:26.289 --> 00:14:30.129 most closely to. However, in studying this passage, 00:14:30.210 --> 00:14:32.429 I believe that there is probably a better explanation 00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:36.769 of it. I do believe what I've just said, but 00:14:36.769 --> 00:14:38.909 I don't believe that this passage is necessarily 00:14:38.909 --> 00:14:42.899 a good proof text for that. I believe that the 00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:47.299 captives that are in view here are those who 00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:51.019 are captured by Jesus Christ from sin's captivity. 00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:57.299 That is, these are the redeemed. He pictures 00:14:57.299 --> 00:15:00.360 here our Lord taking with him to heaven the redeemed. 00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:06.080 And as he does this, our Lord provides gifts. 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:08.919 Notice that it says here he gave gifts to men. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.440 If you compared those texts quickly, you will 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:14.940 notice that in the Old Testament, Psalm 68, it 00:15:14.940 --> 00:15:18.519 says he received gifts, which was common for 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.519 a conquering leader. He received gifts, first 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.399 of all, the spoils of war from his conquered 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:29.179 enemies, and then gifts of congratulation from 00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:32.759 his countrymen. But here the Holy Spirit reverses 00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:34.759 the word, and instead of him receiving gifts, 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:40.019 he says Christ gave gifts. He gave gifts to men, 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:44.279 to the church, that is. Now, we're going to understand 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:46.580 a little bit more of what that means in a moment. 00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:49.559 But for this moment, I want you to look on to 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:54.019 verses 9 and 10. For here we have an apostolic 00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:58.539 commentary upon this passage. The Apostle Paul 00:15:58.539 --> 00:16:02.860 says, now this expression, he ascended. That's 00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:06.179 primarily what he wants to talk about. He says, 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:10.320 what does it mean? except that he also had descended 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:14.399 into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.879 is himself also he who ascended far above all 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:24.679 the heavens, that he might fill all things. And 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:27.559 so the apostle tells us that this one who descended, 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:33.500 or rather ascended, first descended. Now this 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:35.860 is parenthetical really to his main thought here, 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:39.009 but it's worth looking at. Where he's talking 00:16:39.009 --> 00:16:42.309 about one who has ascended and who has given 00:16:42.309 --> 00:16:45.850 gifts. And he says, lest you wonder who that 00:16:45.850 --> 00:16:49.190 might be. He says this one who ascended is the 00:16:49.190 --> 00:16:52.450 one who first descended. And notice how he puts 00:16:52.450 --> 00:16:55.590 it. He descended into the lower parts of the 00:16:55.590 --> 00:16:59.590 earth. That particular phrase, the lower parts 00:16:59.590 --> 00:17:05.650 of the earth, can be rendered several ways. Each 00:17:05.650 --> 00:17:07.789 way leads to a little different interpretation 00:17:07.789 --> 00:17:12.509 of what this means, that Christ descended. For 00:17:12.509 --> 00:17:14.789 example, it can be read this way. He descended 00:17:14.789 --> 00:17:21.470 to the lower parts, even the earth. If, in fact, 00:17:21.549 --> 00:17:24.390 it is translated that way, then the most natural 00:17:24.390 --> 00:17:27.890 understanding would be the incarnation of Christ. 00:17:29.690 --> 00:17:33.170 That is, that he descended from heaven to earth. 00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:37.299 in the incarnation, and took upon himself our 00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:42.259 humanity, was born in Bethlehem. That is a possible 00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:44.839 understanding of it, and perhaps the best one. 00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:50.519 But this phrase can also be translated, the lower 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:55.980 parts than the earth. He descended to the lower 00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:59.859 parts than the earth. Any of us understood that 00:17:59.859 --> 00:18:03.039 way, and some Bible students take it that way. 00:18:03.690 --> 00:18:08.089 It means that our Lord visited Hades after his 00:18:08.089 --> 00:18:11.650 death, and I believe that to be true. I do not 00:18:11.650 --> 00:18:16.750 believe that he went to hell, to the fiery hell, 00:18:16.910 --> 00:18:21.549 and suffered during those three days. There was 00:18:21.549 --> 00:18:25.130 absolutely no need for him to do that, because 00:18:25.130 --> 00:18:28.490 he had suffered hell fully for us on the cross. 00:18:30.569 --> 00:18:34.009 He himself said before he died, it is finished. 00:18:35.410 --> 00:18:38.569 Now if his plan of redemption was fulfilled at 00:18:38.569 --> 00:18:41.490 the cross, pray tell, why would he need to go 00:18:41.490 --> 00:18:46.210 to hell for those three days? But I do believe 00:18:46.210 --> 00:18:50.049 he went to Hades, roughly meaning the realm of 00:18:50.049 --> 00:18:53.950 the dead. Obviously his spirit was dismissed 00:18:53.950 --> 00:18:57.819 from his body. And his spirit went to Hades, 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.539 and it could be that this text refers to that, 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:05.220 to the lower parts than the earth. That is a 00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:09.779 common way of expressing Sheol, or Hades, or 00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:12.220 the realm of the dead, particularly in the Old 00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:16.039 Testament. It is said frequently they went down 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:23.279 to Sheol. Not up to heaven, but went down, which 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.710 may well indicate that Hades, is somewhere below 00:19:26.710 --> 00:19:33.829 the surface of the earth. There is a third possible 00:19:33.829 --> 00:19:37.450 translation of this phrase, the lower parts of 00:19:37.450 --> 00:19:41.089 the earth. It would be this. He descended to 00:19:41.089 --> 00:19:45.390 the lower parts belonging to the earth. Now this 00:19:45.390 --> 00:19:48.970 translation would seem to say that Christ's burial 00:19:48.970 --> 00:19:52.990 is in view here. That he was taken down from 00:19:52.990 --> 00:19:57.109 the cross and his body was placed, into a grave, 00:19:57.329 --> 00:20:02.069 to the lower parts belonging to the earth. Now, 00:20:02.089 --> 00:20:04.470 as I said, my personal preference is the incarnation, 00:20:04.869 --> 00:20:08.190 the first one that I gave. That's referring to 00:20:08.190 --> 00:20:11.410 the coming of our Lord into this sphere of things, 00:20:11.529 --> 00:20:15.549 the earth, in his incarnation. But then he goes 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:20.289 on to say that he who descended is the very same 00:20:20.289 --> 00:20:26.039 one who ascended. Now he's talking about our 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:29.259 Lord's return to heaven from the Mount of Olives. 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:34.740 He says he ascended far above all the heavens 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:40.400 that he might fill all things. If you go back 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:43.220 to chapter 1 and verse 23, you see a very similar 00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:46.980 phrase used there, certainly of Jesus Christ. 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:49.920 So let there be no doubt that the Apostle Paul 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:53.000 has in mind here in his commentary on verse... 00:20:53.929 --> 00:20:58.170 and his quotation from Psalm 68, that he has 00:20:58.170 --> 00:21:03.309 in mind the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he says imparts 00:21:03.309 --> 00:21:06.849 the fullness of blessing to the church as he 00:21:06.849 --> 00:21:09.789 ascends to heaven, and not only to the church, 00:21:09.829 --> 00:21:13.509 but to the universe, the whole cosmos, for he 00:21:13.509 --> 00:21:17.990 fills all things. I think the point that Paul 00:21:17.990 --> 00:21:20.950 is trying to make here and to underscore is the 00:21:20.950 --> 00:21:24.410 fact that Jesus Christ and only he could fulfill 00:21:24.410 --> 00:21:29.130 the messianic promise of Psalm 68, 18. He is 00:21:29.130 --> 00:21:32.130 the giver, Jesus Christ. And he is pictured here 00:21:32.130 --> 00:21:36.509 as giving as he returns to heaven. And is that 00:21:36.509 --> 00:21:38.990 not appropriate? For it was as he returned to 00:21:38.990 --> 00:21:42.470 heaven and then sent the Holy Spirit that the 00:21:42.470 --> 00:21:46.809 spiritual gifts came to us. And that is exactly 00:21:46.809 --> 00:21:48.789 what he has in mind. We've looked at the giver, 00:21:48.829 --> 00:21:51.809 now let's look at the gifts. which the giver 00:21:51.809 --> 00:21:57.029 gives. I said earlier that he is talking about 00:21:57.029 --> 00:22:00.630 gifts here in two respects. They are personal 00:22:00.630 --> 00:22:05.430 gifts given to individual believers and corporate 00:22:05.430 --> 00:22:10.009 gifts given to the church as a whole. We'll talk 00:22:10.009 --> 00:22:12.849 about the latter next Sunday, Lord willing. And 00:22:12.849 --> 00:22:15.349 this morning, let's focus on the personal gifts. 00:22:15.569 --> 00:22:19.799 Those are suggested in verse 7. He says to each 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:30.599 one of us, not to those who are spiritual, not 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:35.440 to those who are mature in their faith, but to 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:39.059 each one of us, even to the carnal Christian, 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:44.779 even to the babe, the immature one, to each one 00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:48.490 of us, he says, grace was given. And notice it 00:22:48.490 --> 00:22:52.210 was given. In other words, he's looking back 00:22:52.210 --> 00:22:56.049 at a particular event, and that event is when 00:22:56.049 --> 00:23:00.910 the Holy Spirit came to reside in you and me 00:23:00.910 --> 00:23:07.009 at the moment of our salvation. At that moment 00:23:07.009 --> 00:23:09.869 that the Spirit of God personally resided in 00:23:09.869 --> 00:23:17.680 us, he brought with him certain gifts. Perhaps 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.839 a better way to say it is, he brought with him 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:25.559 a blend of gifts, which he calls the spiritual 00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:32.740 gift that each of us has. So the gifts that we're 00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:35.039 going to talk about now are those gifts in verse 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:38.759 7, which are given to each individual. What we 00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:41.319 learn from this is that each individual is intended 00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:47.579 to have a function in the church, a role. in 00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:50.720 the body of Christ. Now we need to correct some 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:54.059 mistaken ideas, perhaps, before we go any further, 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:57.680 for the people have funny ideas regarding ministry 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:02.220 and spiritual gifts in a local church. First 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:04.940 of all, I'd like to say that there is no such 00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:09.539 thing in the plan of God in any church for a 00:24:09.539 --> 00:24:16.069 working minority and a watching majority. The 00:24:16.069 --> 00:24:19.170 church of Jesus Christ is not a spectator arena. 00:24:21.750 --> 00:24:25.069 The plan of God in every local church, and I 00:24:25.069 --> 00:24:27.250 say that without exception, whether it be Grace 00:24:27.250 --> 00:24:29.950 Church Roseville or any church some guest may 00:24:29.950 --> 00:24:33.430 belong to here today, every church is intended 00:24:33.430 --> 00:24:38.769 by God to be a working church, an involved church, 00:24:39.109 --> 00:24:46.160 a ministering church. How sad then. That so very, 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:50.700 very many churches have opted for another plan 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:56.259 that is not God's. And that plan is that a minority 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:58.720 in the church carry the load of the ministry 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:05.359 while the majority simply spectate. God did not 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:11.480 create any of us to be super saints. God does 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:15.619 not expect any of us to do everything. That should 00:25:15.619 --> 00:25:17.740 be a comfort to some. We're trying to do everything, 00:25:17.859 --> 00:25:23.220 perhaps. God has created no super saints who 00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:26.880 have received every gift and who are to do all 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:32.799 the work in a church. His plan is for total involvement 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:36.759 of all of the members of the body. Just as in 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:39.880 your physical body, all the members have to work, 00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:43.880 and not just the eye or just the heart. or just 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:47.700 your big toe. But everything has to work together 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:50.940 if it's going to be a healthy body. And so it 00:25:50.940 --> 00:25:56.299 is spiritually in the body of Christ. Secondly, 00:25:56.440 --> 00:26:00.759 if there is not a superman in the plan of God 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:03.599 in the church, neither is there a lone ranger. 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:09.220 God does not have a plan for Christians to do 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:13.240 their own thing. without any respect for the 00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:18.779 local church. God has created us together to 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:22.480 be related to each other and to be interdependent 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:28.359 upon one another. How sad, then, that there are 00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:30.900 those believers who think they don't need the 00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:34.119 church, that they can well get along without 00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:39.160 worshiping a church. I've heard people say, Although 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:42.940 I must confess not true believers say, I don't 00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:45.160 go to church on Sunday. I can worship God while 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:47.940 I'm out hunting or I'm out fishing in my boat. 00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:52.980 I don't need the church. Well, that's sheer foolishness. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:57.039 I can understand that as an unsaved person, but 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:59.980 I can't understand a genuine Christian making 00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:03.000 a statement like that because it shows ignorance, 00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:06.200 terrible ignorance of what the Bible teaches 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:11.539 us. God has not created any lone rangers. We 00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:14.779 are all to be a part, a vital part of a church. 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:17.980 We need that ourselves for growth and maturity. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:25.319 And then the church needs it as well. If I see 00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:29.880 myself as an independent sort of person who doesn't 00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:33.599 need the church, I am robbing myself and I am 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:37.880 robbing the church. And I'm denying the plan 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:42.680 of God. And if there are no supermen or lone 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:46.140 rangers, let me say thirdly, there are no hired 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:50.759 men either. God's plan is not for there to be 00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:54.859 a professional clergy who is supposed to do the 00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:58.599 work of the church. That is not the plan of God. 00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:03.039 I don't know where that came from. It would be 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.980 interesting for someone to trace that back in 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:08.940 church history. I suppose it may well go back 00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:12.579 to the clergy -laity separation which began in 00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:17.380 the early centuries and which is seen in particularly 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:21.180 the Roman Church and others, where there is a 00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:25.460 separation of people from the clergy. But please 00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:27.640 understand that is not found in the Word of God. 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:34.500 There is not a hired clergy that is supposed 00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:37.630 to do the ministry. And the church pays the clergy 00:28:37.630 --> 00:28:43.049 to do it. That is not God's plan. And we're going 00:28:43.049 --> 00:28:45.069 to get to God's plan regarding that next week. 00:28:46.069 --> 00:28:48.589 For now, let me repeat my main thrust here. It 00:28:48.589 --> 00:28:52.049 is that every member, everyone, has a function 00:28:52.049 --> 00:28:55.829 in the body of a local church. You say, well, 00:28:55.869 --> 00:28:57.730 that lets me off because I'm not a member of 00:28:57.730 --> 00:29:00.950 a local church. Shame on you. That's no excuse. 00:29:01.849 --> 00:29:04.569 Because it's God's plan for every person to be 00:29:04.569 --> 00:29:08.210 a member of a local church. Every one of us. 00:29:10.029 --> 00:29:12.069 Now there are four thoughts about this that I 00:29:12.069 --> 00:29:16.250 want to talk about. The fact that every member 00:29:16.250 --> 00:29:20.890 has a function. First of all, that function is 00:29:20.890 --> 00:29:26.690 for the good of the whole body. There is no place 00:29:26.690 --> 00:29:30.190 in the body of Christ for what I call spiritual 00:29:30.190 --> 00:29:35.799 narcissism. The gifts that are given are given 00:29:35.799 --> 00:29:39.200 for the good of the whole. I've heard some people 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:43.299 say that they have a gift of tongues in which 00:29:43.299 --> 00:29:48.980 they exercise in private in a prayer closet. 00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:53.940 I find that a very interesting interpretation 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:58.279 of the gift of tongues. Because, my friend, what 00:29:58.279 --> 00:30:00.940 good to the body is a gift that is performed 00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:07.349 in private in a prayer closet? The very idea 00:30:07.349 --> 00:30:09.650 that that could be a spiritual gift is against 00:30:09.650 --> 00:30:13.130 the teaching of Scripture. Because the teaching 00:30:13.130 --> 00:30:16.470 of Scripture is that the gifts are given not 00:30:16.470 --> 00:30:19.829 for personal edification merely, but for the 00:30:19.829 --> 00:30:24.869 good of the whole body of Jesus Christ. A second 00:30:24.869 --> 00:30:26.710 thought I want to share is this, that gifts are 00:30:26.710 --> 00:30:29.829 given to enable each one to function to his full 00:30:29.829 --> 00:30:33.289 capacity. What I'm saying is that God has custom 00:30:33.289 --> 00:30:38.920 designed you. child of his, to be plugged into 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:42.420 a ministry in a local church in a certain way. 00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:46.420 It may be a serving capacity. It may be a speaking 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:49.220 capacity. It may be a public capacity or a private 00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:53.720 one that no one sees. But God has designed you 00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:57.440 in your talents, in your personality, in your 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:01.079 makeup, in your background, so that you can be 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:05.210 plugged into a local body in a certain way. He 00:31:05.210 --> 00:31:08.750 knows what that purpose for you is. And now he 00:31:08.750 --> 00:31:13.470 has given you gifts so that you can fully function, 00:31:13.569 --> 00:31:17.609 so that you can fully perform the capacity that 00:31:17.609 --> 00:31:21.849 God has given you. God does not require that 00:31:21.849 --> 00:31:24.470 each individual shall have the capacity for everything. 00:31:25.730 --> 00:31:28.710 But each individual does have the capacity and 00:31:28.710 --> 00:31:33.809 the gifts for some things. A third thought is 00:31:33.809 --> 00:31:36.450 this, that gifts must be used in the spirit of 00:31:36.450 --> 00:31:40.369 love. If they are not, there is a danger that 00:31:40.369 --> 00:31:45.970 exists for damage. For love is a lubricant so 00:31:45.970 --> 00:31:48.470 that the parts of the body will function together 00:31:48.470 --> 00:31:53.349 harmoniously and smoothly. This was the big problem 00:31:53.349 --> 00:31:57.170 in the Corinthian church. It was a church that 00:31:57.170 --> 00:32:00.089 was gifted as well as any church in the New Testament 00:32:00.089 --> 00:32:03.990 era. Indeed, Paul says to them that they were 00:32:03.990 --> 00:32:07.910 enriched with all the gifts, but it was a church 00:32:07.910 --> 00:32:12.150 devoid of love. That's why after chapter 12, 00:32:12.150 --> 00:32:14.650 in which he goes through many of the gifts and 00:32:14.650 --> 00:32:16.750 he lists them and talks about them and their 00:32:16.750 --> 00:32:21.950 importance, he says, I want to show you a better 00:32:21.950 --> 00:32:25.670 way. Notice he didn't say, I want to tell you 00:32:25.670 --> 00:32:29.539 now about a better gift. He says, I want to show 00:32:29.539 --> 00:32:32.279 you a more excellent way, a better way. A better 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:34.559 way for what? A better way to serve and to use 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:37.299 these gifts. And he goes right to chapter 13, 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:39.460 which is the great love chapter of the New Testament. 00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:43.200 And he says, though I have the gift to speak 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:47.640 with the tongues of men or of angels, that is, 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:51.920 as a mere man, or if I have the gift of oratory, 00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:54.259 the gift of the tongues of angels is not some 00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:57.789 ecstatic language. Paul is there using that in 00:32:57.789 --> 00:33:01.390 contrast to common speech. He says, if I am eloquent 00:33:01.390 --> 00:33:05.890 or I'm not eloquent, but I speak and I don't 00:33:05.890 --> 00:33:10.730 have love, then he says, I'm just like a sounding 00:33:10.730 --> 00:33:19.089 gong. Bong, bong, bong means nothing. He says, 00:33:19.089 --> 00:33:21.130 if I had the gift of giving to the point that 00:33:21.130 --> 00:33:24.190 I would give my body itself to be burned at the 00:33:24.190 --> 00:33:30.480 stake, But I don't do that in love. It profits 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:36.099 nothing. Zero. His point is that love is essential. 00:33:38.380 --> 00:33:41.579 Gifts must be used in the spirit of love. And 00:33:41.579 --> 00:33:43.660 that love is described to us a couple of verses 00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:46.700 before this, back in verse 2, where he says that 00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:49.319 that means humility, it means gentleness, it 00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:51.980 means patience, it means forbearance. That's 00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:54.299 what it means to exercise these gifts in love. 00:33:55.759 --> 00:34:00.039 And finally, the earthly temporal function that 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:06.480 you and I have somehow fits you and me, as well 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:10.639 as the whole body of Christ, for our heavenly 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:15.639 eternal place. I don't know how that works. But 00:34:15.639 --> 00:34:19.460 folks, what we are doing now not only prepares 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:22.760 us personally, but our whole church and the body 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:26.639 of Christ universally. for what God has prepared 00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:30.960 for us in the future. So why is it important 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:34.019 that now I am diligent in using my gifts for 00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:36.860 Christ, that I am plugged into a local church 00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:40.199 and serving Christ faithfully, fulfilling my 00:34:40.199 --> 00:34:44.239 God -given capacity? Why is that important? Because 00:34:44.239 --> 00:34:48.739 it impacts eternity and what I will become and 00:34:48.739 --> 00:34:50.840 what the church will be and the plan of God. 00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:55.400 That's why it's important. What an exciting concept 00:34:55.400 --> 00:34:59.400 that is for each of us. I don't think there's 00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:01.920 a more important teaching for us to grasp and 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:04.480 apply than the one that we're talking about right 00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:10.719 now. For it is possible for any church to collapse 00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:15.380 under its own weight if everyone doesn't do his 00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:21.579 part in the church. Our church, like most, struggles 00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:24.579 because of too many. who are sitting on the sidelines. 00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:28.039 You say that sounds like a preacher's perspective. 00:35:28.280 --> 00:35:32.260 Well, it is that. But it was interesting in the 00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:36.880 Project 2000 meetings which we had a few weeks 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:40.639 ago, that was the number one weakness that was 00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:42.980 observed by the several hundred who participated. 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:48.539 As we collected the results, that was the number 00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:51.500 one thing on the list people saw as a weakness. 00:35:52.170 --> 00:35:55.369 in Grace Church, Roosevelt. Too many sitting 00:35:55.369 --> 00:35:57.909 on the sidelines, too few who are involved in 00:35:57.909 --> 00:36:03.090 the work. Sadly, that is not peculiar to our 00:36:03.090 --> 00:36:09.650 church only, but it is true of our church. The 00:36:09.650 --> 00:36:13.789 tragedy of such a thing is not that there are 00:36:13.789 --> 00:36:17.590 so many churches who are therefore partly or 00:36:17.590 --> 00:36:22.500 even largely paralyzed. and unresponsive to the 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:24.300 opportunities around them because there just 00:36:24.300 --> 00:36:28.179 aren't enough people involved. Tragedy is not 00:36:28.179 --> 00:36:33.820 that. Nor is the tragedy that some who are committed 00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:37.340 will burn themselves out trying to do the work 00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:41.380 of those who won't work. That's not the greatest 00:36:41.380 --> 00:36:47.079 tragedy. But the tragedy, the real tragedy, is 00:36:47.079 --> 00:36:52.539 the waste of God's gifts. and the energy of the 00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:54.860 Holy Spirit that he has made available to us. 00:36:56.079 --> 00:37:00.059 It is the real sad abuse of life's opportunities. 00:37:03.019 --> 00:37:06.380 The real tragedy is Satan's successes in the 00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:09.679 world, not because he is stronger than God, but 00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:12.380 because some of God's soldiers have gone AWOL 00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:16.920 in the battle. That, my friend, is the real tragedy. 00:37:18.300 --> 00:37:25.690 The waste of what God has given. Beloved, whatever 00:37:25.690 --> 00:37:30.929 our spiritual gifts, those are given to us by 00:37:30.929 --> 00:37:34.250 our ascended victorious Lord as an investment. 00:37:35.110 --> 00:37:38.969 An investment in us. An investment in you and 00:37:38.969 --> 00:37:44.329 in me. Are you functioning in the body as God 00:37:44.329 --> 00:37:50.349 intends you to? Are you a healthy part of the 00:37:50.349 --> 00:37:54.989 body so that you can function? Are you yielded 00:37:54.989 --> 00:37:58.250 to the Lordship of Christ in your gifts, your 00:37:58.250 --> 00:38:01.769 talents, your resources? You see, those are the 00:38:01.769 --> 00:38:04.730 bottom line questions that we have to answer 00:38:04.730 --> 00:38:08.750 before we can apply this teaching to our church. 00:38:09.349 --> 00:38:12.869 Each of us has to go on our knees before our 00:38:12.869 --> 00:38:19.489 Christ and say, Lord, are you Lord of every area 00:38:19.489 --> 00:38:22.880 of my life? And then we have to go down the list. 00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:27.599 Take my life. Take my talents. Take my gold. 00:38:31.099 --> 00:38:35.519 And we have to give those to him. And then we 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:37.539 have to learn about spiritual gifts. And that's 00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:39.659 one reason that this seminar is being conducted 00:38:39.659 --> 00:38:41.800 in our church regarding spiritual gifts. And 00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:43.360 it will be offered again for those of you who 00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:46.199 missed the first few sessions. Because we need 00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:49.250 to know what God's gifted us to do. And then 00:38:49.250 --> 00:38:51.210 we need to find out, am I really committed to 00:38:51.210 --> 00:38:55.289 the church where I say I belong? Or am I just 00:38:55.289 --> 00:38:59.030 going through motions? Is my commitment merely 00:38:59.030 --> 00:39:01.550 superficial? Am I committed only enough to keep 00:39:01.550 --> 00:39:05.650 my conscience from feeling too guilty? Or do 00:39:05.650 --> 00:39:11.090 I really mean business about serving Jesus Christ 00:39:11.090 --> 00:39:17.139 with the gifts he's given me? In World War II 00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:22.159 there was a cathedral that was bombed. The result 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:26.159 of that was damage to a large statue of Jesus. 00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:32.800 His arms were outstretched, but because of the 00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:35.599 damage, the hands of the statue were missing. 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:40.059 A group of German students volunteered, in fact, 00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:44.000 to go to Britain to repair damage such as that. 00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:48.119 And when they came to that statue, they looked 00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:51.380 at it. And they asked themselves, and others 00:39:51.380 --> 00:39:54.139 asked, should they attempt the fragile and delicate 00:39:54.139 --> 00:39:59.280 work of reshaping the hands of Christ? And finally, 00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:02.219 they came to a decision that still stands today. 00:40:04.179 --> 00:40:06.820 The statue is still there in that cathedral in 00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:10.619 England. And the inscription at the bottom no 00:40:10.619 --> 00:40:13.559 longer reads, Come unto me. as it did before, 00:40:13.739 --> 00:40:18.059 but it's been changed. Now it says, Christ has 00:40:18.059 --> 00:40:20.159 no hands but ours.