Ephesians 4:10-13
God speaks thru prophets and apostles. Jesus loves you so much that he gave the church gifts.
“The One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.” – Ephesians 4:10-13 The Message by Eugene Peterson
“And he (Jesus) himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.” – Ephesians 4:11-13 CSB
1. Prophets
God speaks.
Prophecy – speak on behalf of God before others
Prophet – one who speaks inspired utterances on behalf of God
“The name ‘prophets’ (in Eph. 4:11) is given to those who, having received the Spirit of God, spoke beforehand of Christ and his advent. These were the prophets who “were until Christ.” But after he arrived, was there no reason for any further prophecy? What prophets does Paul speak of here? It is obviously those who being full of the Spirit spoke of God after his coming, continuing to expound the divine teaching.” – Marius Victorinus 280-363
Old Testament prophets spoke the message God gave them, and many pointed to Jesus Christ.
“Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.” – Matthew 1:22 CSB
Some New Testament prophets: John the Baptist, Anna in Luke 2:36, Agabus in Acts 11:29, 21:10, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen in Acts 13:1-2, Silas & Judas Barsabbas in Acts 15:32, 4 daughters of Phillip in Acts 21:8-9, John in Revelation
“the spirit of prophecy” – Revelation 19:10 “This means that prophecy at its very heart is designed to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – John Walvoord
Training, Discernment, and Accountability:
“Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. And the prophets’ spirits are subject to the prophets, 33 since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” – 1 Corinthians 14:29–33 CSB
“many false prophets will appear and fool many people,” – Matthew 24:11
Elijah school of the prophets in 1 Kings 19:18, training people in understanding the Scripture, discerning God’s voice, and speaking it. In 2 Kings 2 we see groups of prophets interacting with Elijah and Elisha.
Paul & Barnabas – described as “prophets and teachers” then commissioned, sent in apostolic ministry
“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.” – Acts 13:1-3 CSB
2. Apostle – an envoy of Jesus, a representative messenger sent, a “special” messenger (having been commissioned by Jesus Christ for a particular task or role, invested with the authority to speak on his behalf)
…borrowing and changing a Greek term for, emissaries, one who is to carry a message and is commissioned to extend the kingdom (military or naval) a commander of a naval expedition
(generally restricted to the immediate followers of Jesus Christ, but also extended, as in the case of Paul, to other early Christians active in proclaiming the message of the gospel) – Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament
“Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.” – Romans 1:1 (possible reference to a Jewish embassy in Rome that required travel by sea)
Denotes God-given spiritual authority, mission and message, to be recognized by others (including leaders)
Influence in more than one local church
Alignment > Heirarchy
God speaks. God had spoken. God is speaking. God will speak.
“This is a house set up and ordered by Jesus.… He does not do this in a casual manner. It is with the utmost discrimination and discretion: One is assigned to the rank of an apostle, one to the place of a prophet, others to look after the flock of Christ and to work at the divine instruction of others for those saints who are prepared to learn.” – Didymus the Blind a Biblical scholar 313-398
What are prophets & apostles?
Gifts from Jesus to his church.
Representatives and messengers.
They speak when God has given them something to say.
The church leaders recognize it and the church receives it.
Each of the 4 Gifts function when recognized and received.
What are prophets & apostles NOT?
Free to do what they want, however they want.
Not dictators.
Not celebrities.
Not gurus.
What is the purpose of our interactions with the 4 Gifts?
Sent to equip the church for ministry.
Sent to build up the church.
Sent to help the church learn about Jesus and become more like Jesus.
Sent to help the church grow stronger spiritually, able to refute wrong thinking.
Equipping – making, preparing, training, perfecting, making fully qualified for service, (in classical language the word was used to describe setting a bone during surgery – The Great Physician is now making all the necessary adjustments so the church will not be “out of joint”)
What should we do?
1. Read Ephesians 3:14-21 and 4:1-16.
2. Pray, asking God for guidance.
3. Think about what we are reading.
4. Write down elements of God’s purpose for us.
5. Write down ways in which we should interact with the 4 Gifts.
Extra notes:
“the spirit of prophecy” – Revelation 19:10
Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” – Revelation 19:10 CSB
The word “testimony,” or witness, references someone who has seen or experienced something to be the case. John and his brothers are therefore witnesses and the bearers of testimony to the plan and purpose of God for redemption in Jesus. Consequently, God is the only appropriate object of worship. This is explained by the somewhat enigmatic statement, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Here the word “prophecy” (proph?teia), which arises from a combination of “speak” (ph?mi) and “before” (pro), an important use of the word essentially meaning “speak for God before.” Before what? is an appropriate question. One sense of the preposition (pro) would be to speak about an event before it happens. Another sense would be to speak before listeners of the purpose and acts of God. Likely in this case both of these senses are paramount. In any event, the meaning is actually reasonably clear: The spirit of both the proclamation and the telling of the future is bound up in the testimony of Jesus. Jesus the Lamb—and not just a chronology of last things—is the theme of the Revelation. As Walvoord succinctly declares, “This means that prophecy at its very heart is designed to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – Patterson, P. (2012). Revelation (E. R. Clendenen, Ed.; Vol. 39, pp. 345–346). B&H.
Evangelist – one who announces the Good News of Jesus (in particular a function rather than an office)
…such as Philip in Acts 8:4, 12, 35, 40, 21:8 and Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5 1 Thessalonians 3:2 Philippians 2:22 and two women in Philippians 4:3 Titus in 2 Corinthians 8:18 Epaphras in Colossians 1:7
NT Evangelists – Paul/Phillip NT Church – 1 Tim 3:15, 5:1-2 1 Cor. 12:16-17
Note: not all evangelists were apostles, but all apostles were evangelists
“Then he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’” – Jesus in Mark 16:15-16 CSB
All disciples – “Make disciples,” – Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20
“How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” – Romans 10:14-15 CSB
Preachers: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors/Teachers will preach.
Greek definition of the word “preach”
· To publicly proclaim or announce news.
· To proclaim as a herald. Matthew 4:17; 10:7; 24:14; Acts 8:5; Acts 28:31 A person who had particular responsibilities. Someone sent to say something specific.
· To announce good tidings or good news. Luke 3:18; Luke 4:43; Luke 9:6; Acts 8:4; Rev 14:6 Euaggelizo – good news of the gospel
· To teach or instruct. Matthew 4:23; 13:36; John 6:59; I Cor 4:17; 1 Tim 2:12; Rom 2:20; Acts 13:1; Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:28; Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15; Eph 4:1
· To cause people to learn. Mt 11:29; 28:19; Acts 14:21
· To place beside, as in clear presentation. Mt 13:24; Mk 8:6 ; Acts 16:34; 1 Cor 10:27; 2 Tim 4:3; Heb 5:12-14 Paratithemi – to place beside so you can pick up again
· To interpret and make clear and simple. Lk 24:27; 1 Cor 12;30; 14:5,13,27
· To bring out the hidden meanings. Acts 11:4; 18:26; 28:23 Scripture has obvious and non-obvious meaning.
Matthew 10:7 And as you go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations,
Colossians 1:28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?