FIVE gifted men or women

FIVE gifted men or women

Text: Ephesians 4:11.              

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.”

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended” --what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and from and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” Ephesians 4:7-16.

Today I want to look at the role/subject of the Pastor.

THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL MEN/WOMEN:

          We must say men are “called” into office not by other men or by bible training, but by God alone. It is only after God has called the man to office that we offer the training and position to these called men. We need spiritual eyes to see the “called of God” upon those lives within the Body of Christ, His Church.

1.    THE PASTOR:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.

So few verses in the New Testament speak about “pastors,” yet this is probably the most widely recognized of all roles in the Christian ministry today.

A pastor is basically above all other things, a shepherd of God's sheep.

A. The requirement for pastors.

As assemblies of believers began to be gathered together into recognized local churches in early church times. The need for certain ones to exercise a position of loving oversight and care would naturally arise. Such men were more or less settled in the locality and would be known as “elders:”

“This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” Acts 11:30.

“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” Acts 14:23.

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28.

Or the more official title of “overseer,” (or bishop, the word is the same in Greek), which bore a meaning of definite leadership and official position. Not everyone desires such a role, but those who do must fulfil both the callings and qualification of the role.

          “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not envious.

One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?).

Not a beginner, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

While many of them doubtless continued to follow their usual occupations and trades, it is evident that some were supported by the assemblies, because it was found necessary and useful for them to give their whole time to the care of the flock.

They were the recognized shepherds of the flock, and no assembly of believers can be gathered together for long without feeling the need of such a ministry. There is always the need of such a ministry of wise and experienced oversight of the meetings of the assembly so that all things are done well and in order, “Let all things be done decently and in order” 1 Corinthians 14:40.

The ministry of men called to this work will always be largely within the church.

B. The divine gift in a pastor.

The Scripture is very clear that true “pastors” are a genuine gift from Christ, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.  If the gift is there, it can, and should be developed, “Or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching” Romans 12:7.

But no amount of personal ambition or even good intention can take its place of gifting, for it is the Holy Spirit who makes men “overseers,” “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28.

C. Definite qualifications are to be looked for and demanded:

Because they will be part of the sign of the divine call to office. God does not call a man to a task for which he has no suitable gifts or required qualifications. A pastor needs a shepherd’s heart, for not every good teacher or preacher is a good pastor; not every successful evangelist can become a pastor also.

Happy are those assemblies that have faithful pastors, watching over their souls.

D. Some scriptural patterns for pastors.

Notable among men in the New Testament who outwardly filled this office we may probably place James, for at an early date he appears to have exercised a position of oversight and leadership in the church at Jerusalem:

          “And after they had become silent, James answered.” “Saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me” Acts 15:13. 

“On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present” Acts 21:18.

The truthfulness of his character was such that it caused him to be held in highest respect, his habits of prayer were such that he earned the title of “Camel-knees,” truly a notable and worthy 'pastor'.

Another who appears to have possessed the pastoral gift was Barnabas. That he exercised such ministry at Antioch with evident success for:

    “Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” Acts 11:22-26. 

“Continue with the Lord,” and “Cleave to the Lord” is the role of the pastor, Barnabas represented the very essence of pastoral ministry, for if the keynote of evangelism is “come,” that of the pastor is “cleave,” for both are equally needed.

There are also others recorded for us, but our greatest example is Christ Himself, the “Good Shepherd.”

Conclusion:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.

Theme: FIVE gifted men = Pastor.

Readings: Ephesians 4:7-16.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended” --what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” Ephesians 4:7-16.

Today I want to look at the role/subject of the Pastor.

THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL MEN:

          We must say men are “called” into office not by other men or by bible training, but by God alone. It is only after God has called the man to office that we offer the training and position to these called men. We need spiritual eyes to see the “called of God” upon those lives within the Body of Christ, His Church.

1^ST POINT: THE PASTOR:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.

So few verses in the New Testament speak about “pastors,” yet this is probably the most widely recognized of all roles in the Christian ministry today.

A pastor is basically above all other things, a shepherd of God's sheep.

A. The requirement for pastors.

As assemblies of believers began to be gathered together into recognized local churches in early church times. The need for certain ones to exercise a position of loving oversight and care would naturally arise. Such men were more or less settled in the locality and would be known as “elders:”

“This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” Acts 11:30.

“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” Acts 14:23.

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28.

Or the more official title of “overseer,” (or bishop, the word is the same in Greek), which bore a meaning of definite leadership and official position. Not everyone desires such a role, but those who do must fulfil both the callings and qualification of the role.

          “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not envious.

One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?).

Not a beginner, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

While many of them doubtless continued to follow their usual occupations and trades, it is evident that some were supported by the assemblies, because it was found necessary and useful for them to give their whole time to the care of the flock.

They were the recognized shepherds of the flock, and no assembly of believers can be gathered together for long without feeling the need of such a ministry. There is always the need of such a ministry of wise and experienced oversight of the meetings of the assembly so that all things are done well and in order, “Let all things be done decently and in order” 1 Corinthians 14:40.

The ministry of men called to this work will always be largely within the church.

B. The divine gift in a pastor.

The Scripture is very clear that true “pastors” are a genuine gift from Christ, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.  If the gift is there, it can, and should be developed, “Or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching” Romans 12:7.

But no amount of personal ambition or even good intention can take its place of gifting, for it is the Holy Spirit who makes men “overseers,” “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28.

C. Definite qualifications are to be looked for and demanded:

Because they will be part of the sign of the divine call to office. God does not call a man to a task for which he has no suitable gifts or required qualifications. A pastor needs a shepherd’s heart, for not every good teacher or preacher is a good pastor; not every successful evangelist can become a pastor also.

Happy are those assemblies that have faithful pastors, watching over their souls.

D. Some scriptural patterns for pastors.

Notable among men in the New Testament who outwardly filled this office we may probably place James, for at an early date he appears to have exercised a position of oversight and leadership in the church at Jerusalem:

          “And after they had become silent, James answered.” “Saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me” Acts 15:13. 

“On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present” Acts 21:18.

The truthfulness of his character was such that it caused him to be held in highest respect, his habits of prayer were such that he earned the title of “Camel-knees,” truly a notable and worthy 'pastor'.

Another who appears to have possessed the pastoral gift was Barnabas. That he exercised such ministry at Antioch with evident success for:

    “Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” Acts 11:22-26. 

“Continue with the Lord,” and “Cleave to the Lord” is the role of the pastor, Barnabas represented the very essence of pastoral ministry, for if the keynote of evangelism is “come,” that of the pastor is “cleave,” for both are equally needed.

There are also others recorded for us, but our greatest example is Christ Himself, the “Good Shepherd.”

Conclusion:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.

Pray for your Pastor, or spiritual leader.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of leadership you have given to our spiritual leader. It is a holy calling. It is a calling to watch over himself and the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made him overseer. The church has been bought with the blood of your son, on the cross. The responsibility you have given to our pastor is awesome.
He too is tempted and tried by the enemy. He has many responsibilities be it in his family or in the community and so it is our prayer that he would be kept from the evil one and that you would empower him to live a godly life, so that out of his fullness he would share the message of the gospel boldly.
Help our pastor this week as he searches the Word and Your will for the congregation. Will you grant him the health and strength he needs to share your message in humility and with clearness?
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.