September 17, 2017. Lesson 12. Sunday School Lesson:Topic: United and Gifted in Christ.

September 17, 2017. Lesson 12.

Topic:  United and Gifted in Christ.

Memory Verse: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. Ephesians 4:4 ( KJV).

LESSON TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-16; Acts 19:11-20

CENTRAL TRUTH: Spiritual gift flourish in a unified church.

FOCUS: To acknowledge the church’s need for unity and spiritual giftedness, and pray for both to flourish.

             LESSON OUTLINE:

1.    Call for Unity

A. Pursue Unity

B. Divine Example

     2. The gifted Body of Christ

         A. Gift for the Church.

         B. Building The Church

    3. Spiritual Gifts in Action

       A. Power Rooted in Christ

       B. Results of Spiritual Gifts.

           LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1.     Recognise their role in promoting unity throughout the body of Christ.

2.    Commit to respecting and rejoicing in the spiritual giftedness of other Christians

3.    Identify and exercise their own spiritual gifts.

                 INTRODUCING THE LESSON.

     When Christians consistently work together in unity to preserve the Holy Spirit, God receives glory and the body of Christ grows in maturity. Today’s lesson examines the individual and cooperate gifts and how the use of the gifts contribute to the unity and maturity of the church- the community of faith.

     1.    Call for Unity

A.    Pursue Unity. Ephesians 4:1-3

In Ephesians 4, Paul offered practical instruction on how to live out the Christian faith. This instruction began with a reminder that he was a “prisoner of the Lord” ( verse 1, KJV), emphasizing the price he was paying for his faithfulness to the Lord.

     Paul then instructed the Ephesian church on their relationships with one another. The practice of faith in the body of Christ involved more than individual agreement with a set of spiritual truths. Each person needed to realize that he or she was called to function within a community of believers. A healthy church would depend upon them living in a way that were to live “worthy of the calling” to faith in Christ they have received.

QUESTION: What are some of the defining characteristics of a person who follows Christ?

      Paul gave five characteristics of those who live as Christ’s followers; humility, gentleness, patience, love and unity ( verse 1-2). The first two characteristics focus on how a Christian views himself or herself. Humility, the first mentioned, stands in direct opposition to our human desires and values of the world. It is often mentioned with gentleness, or meekness. Humble people do not feel the need to assist themselves at every offence. They instead practice restraint and self-control.

      Patience and love grow naturally out of the foundational qualities noted above, prompting Christians to offer forgiveness when they would rather seek revenge. Godly love motivates the believer to seek the good for others and is a key component of unity in the body of Christ.

QUESTION: What is the source of Christian unity?

     Christian unity is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit ( verse 3). The wording of this verse makes it clear that ongoing effort is required to maintain unity – humbly bearing with one another’s faults and shortcomings, as well as exhibiting gentleness, patience, and love.

B.    Divine Example. Ephesians 4:4-6

     Unity is best exemplified in the Trinity; one Spirit, one Lord-a reference to Christ, the Head of the Church, and one Father( Ephesians 4:4-6).  The Trinity is never in disagreement.

QUESTION: In what ways can verses 4-6 help us understand why unity should and must be present in the body of  Christ?

Note the repetition of the word “one”. Onebody, one Spirit, and one hope describes life in a unified Church-with the Jew/ Gentle barrier broken down (see 2:14-18) exiting as one spiritual community. This community is held together through the Spirit and shares a common hope of Christ’s soon return.

    Next, Paul emphasized that there is only one Lord, one faith and one baptism (verse5). Jesus Christ is Lord over His Body, the Church. By declaring the preeminence of Jesus Christ, Paul refuted the polytheism of his day (that is, the worship of many deities). Christians are united in one common faith, recognizing the lordship of Christ and trusting Him for salvation. Through one unified ceremony of baptism, Christians of every nation from the time of Christ’s resurrection forward bear testimony of their entrance into the community of faith.. They are one in Christ.

    Verse 6 reiterates the unity of God himself. He is the Father of all who have been redeemed. Note verse 6 identified God sovereign (above all);sustainer ( through all);and omnipotent enabler( in all).

QUESTION: What do these verses tell us about God and His role in the Church?

       Scholars note that this passage reads like the basis of a creed, affirming the beliefs of the church. As such, we easily recognize references to God’s power, His grace in providing the Saviour and the empowering Spirit, and His desire to be involved in the lives of His people.

2.    The Gifted Body Of Christ

A.    Gift for the Church. Ephesians 4:7-11.

       In Ephesians 4:7-8, Paul shifted focus to discuss the diversity of giftings within the church. Unity is not uniformity. God uses the unique qualities He has given each believer for ministry. These gifts are not granted according to personal merit or achievement, but are a matter of divine grace.

        In describing Christ as the gift-giver, Paul quoted Psalm 68:18, which celebrates the victorious arrival of the ark of covenant into Jerusalem. Paul likened David’s distribution of gifts amid that celebration to the work of Christ in providing gifts of grace.

      

QUESTION: What does Paul’s quote from Psalm 68 reveal about Christ as conqueror and gift-giver?

      Christ is our conquering Saviour through His death, resurrection, and ascension (verses 9-10; Colossians 2:15). As the risen Lord who fills the universe with His presence and power, Christ possesses the right to grant specific ministries and giftings to the church.

     Fulfilling His authority as Head of the Church, Jesus equipped leaders to minister with specific giftings (Ephesians 4:11). These areas of ministry are given for ministry to the rest of the body of Christ ( verse11).

      The ministries Paul mentioned cover five areas, although some consider pastor and teacher to be the same office. The word “apostle” refers to one who is set apart, sent forth, or placed at the missionaries of the Early Church and included the Twelve, Paul and possibly some others.  Some believe that apostolic ministry exist today through those who take the gospel to places it has never before been preached to   establish the Church in new areas. Prophets are gifted to forthtell or declare God’s will and plans to His people. Evangelists focus on taking the gospel to the spiritual lost. Pastors and teachers deliever sound doctrine and spiritual truth to the body of Christ. The order of this list is not intended to imply level of importance. Each ministry is vital in the proper, healthy functioning of the Church.

B.    Building The Church. Ephesians 4:12-16

    God didn’t intend for the work of the ministry to be accomplished only by those ministers identified in Ephesians 4:11. Instead, these individuals are to train and equip the rest of the believers. Once equipped, lay people are much better prepared to serve the church ( verse 12).

QUESTION: What are some characteristics of a mature local church?

    Verses 12 – 13 define maturity in the body of Christ. These verses point again to the importance of unity among believers. That is, Christians interact to bring about mutual maturity. For this to happen, they must be committed to unity and loving service to one another. They also must be familiar with the teachings of the faith, able to encourage one another towards following the way of the truth. True maturity will be manifested when a local body demonstrates the nature and characteristics of Jesus.

     As they grow in the faith, every Christian is wise to gain a deeper understanding of Christ. This comes through prayer, the study of Scripture, and consistent following of godly teachings. In doing so they guard themselves against vulnerability to false doctrine and unimportant issues that could disturb the unity of the Church (verse 14).

      The word translated  “cunning” in verse 14 points toward someone  who tricks others to cheat them using dies or some other gaming object. Crafty methods such as this world only appeal to the immature and gullible. God calls His people to help each other mature, thus avoiding spiritual deception. It is easy to see how unity would be essential to this process.

   

QUESTION: How can Christians maintain unity even when they must confront one another about serious problems or issues in their lives?

    Paul called Christians to speak the truth in love and loyalty to one another as we proclaim the truth without wavering.

    As the head of the Church, Christ is the ultimate Authority. The Church grows as it follows His divine headship. He holds the Church together even as members do their work ( verse 16). Every Christian has an important function and must remain in close relationship with Christ and one another so that they may grow in maturity, effectiveness, and love.

3.    Spiritual Gifts In Action

A.    Power Rooted in Christ. Acts 19:11- 16.

      God’s gift for ministry are often accompanied by supernatural power. The working of miracles formed a vital component to the rapid spread of the gospel at that time. Acts 19:11-12 tell us that God did “extraordinary” miracles through Paul; people were healed and delivered from just by touching a handkerchief or apron that had touched Paul.

   Some Jewish exorcist were amazed by the miracles happening through Paul and concluded that the key to such power was found in speaking the name of Jesus to the demons. Apparently, they had been watching Paul’s ministry ( verse 13), but had failed to grasp the teachings make Jesus’ name into a magic formular.

     

QUESTION: Why were the Jewish exorcist unable to cast out demons in the name of Jesus?

      These exorcists didn’t understand that they, unlike Paul, lacked the authority associated with Jesus’ name.

       Verse 14 identifies these exorcists as seven sons of sceva. The meaning here is uncertain. It may indicate they were part of the family of the high priest or other temple officials. When they tried to cast out the demon, they failed. This demon know of Paul, it had an understanding of who Jesus is. But it did not know these men ( verse 15).

     To rightly invoke the name of Jesus means identifying with Him-who He is and what He accomplished on the cross. Without a leadership with Him, there is no access to His power. These men failed to recognize this fact, and suffered serious consequence. Likewise, today we must realize that spiritual authority is rooted in knowing Christ. Anything else is counterfeit and can result in disappointment, deception, and even spiritual disaster.

B.    Results of Spiritual Gift. Acts 19:17-20

        As news spread of this incident involving the sons of Sceva, people in the area became fearful about the great power they’d seen or heard about. However, this incident also caused great multitudes to honor Jesus –that is, His character, power, and authority as the son of God (Ephesians 4:17).

       Pagan practices were widespread in Ephesians at that time, and even some Christians had apparently held on to some of these practices. The downfall of the sons of Sceva carried a sobering message: These Christians needed to serve God wholeheartedly, putting aside evil things they’d formerly practiced (verse 18). Many who has engaged in sorcery brought their magical books to the public place to burned them (verse 19). These books to held great monetary value- totaling a year wages for about two hundred labourers. The power of the gospel was being manifested in a dramatic ways, and many were saved ( verse 20). Dramatic growth was taking place in Christ’s body, the united and empowered Early Church.

     

QUESTION: How can Christians see powerful, dramatic growth in the Church today?

      God calls all believers to be pure and separate from the world. As we exercise our gifts under the authority of Jesus Christ, and proclaim sound doctrine coupled with love, the Church will grow and flourish by the power of God-and for His glory.

                                DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION.

Perhaps you are not sure of your place in the body of Christ, or may be you feel inadequate to do what God is calling you to do. Find hope and confidence as you examine the Scriptures explored in today’s lesson. Be assured that God has made available spiritual gifts, and He will empower you to use those gifts when they are needed.

  Seek God’s wisdom and direction. Ask Him to show you what special abilities He has placed in your life. Seek out the wise council of your pastor, Sunday School teacher, small group leader, or other mature Christians. Take the steps necessary to discover how you can use these abilities to the glory of God. Then move forward in utilizing those gifts in ministry to others, recognizing that you are working under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

                                     MINSTRY IN ACTION

   God calls all Christians to use their gifts while maintaining an attitude of cooperation and love toward other members of the body of Christ. Lead the class in pinpointing some areas of need in your church or community. Agree to pray together in coming days and weeks. Ask God to help you formulate a plan for helping to meet those needs. Then lead the class in using their abilities in ministry as God leads.