Gifted We are going to talk about gifts this morning. If you don’t know what your gifting is, you can’t put it to use. Peter’s Story. I want to wet your appetite. I want you to find out what your gifting is. We’d love to point you to resources and to sit with you and teach you about each of the gifts.

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11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Apostles - a messenger, envoy, delegate, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way You are sent. You help others know they are sent. Carrying out the message, your task is a life and death task.

Prophets – Think Isaiah and Jeremiah – “Here’s what’s wrong Prophets – Think Isaiah and Jeremiah – “Here’s what’s wrong. Here’s what God wants.” - This is what’s happening. Don’t you see it?! - Misunderstood. They are describing an alternate reality. - These people are pursuing God’s shalom.

Evangelists – Good News Teller - Who do you tell? People who don’t have good news. - Rest of us get uncomfortable. People w/o good news act like people w/o good news. - Call others to cross barriers that culture sets up.

Shepherds – someone who watches sheep

Shepherds – someone who watches sheep - Protective - Heart for the hurting. - Want everyone to experience zoe.

Teachers - shed light on God’s word - Jesus in Mark 12. What is greatest commandment? (Deut 6-Shema) But Jesus added “love your neighbor” (Deut 19) - Feel a burning desire to set people straight. - Studying Scripture is a joy.

So God created humankind in his image,     in the image of God he created them;     male and female he created them. Gen. 1 Who and what we are as people bears God’s image. Somehow we are like God. That’s a little nuts to think about.

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Gen. 3 We exchanged the Creator for the created as the source of wisdom. We call this the Fall. The perfection that God created is now tainted. Praise be to God, sin does not have the final word. We are going to be looking at Ephesians 4:11-13 this morning to talk about gifts. But right before that we are reminded of what has been done in Christ.

7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” Eph. 4:7-8 Having gifts is an act of God’s grace. The fact that we are offered a solution to the problem of sin is gracious, let alone the grace upon grace that God offers us in Christ who is the fulfillment of all of the gifts. When we are in Christ, we are being restored. That includes the image of God that we bear. It is being restored, and renewed and redeemed in Christ. At Baptism Peter and I pray a prayer of blessing that includes this line. “Release the gifts you gave her/him in creation and redeemed in Christ.” Using our gifts is part of the external demonstration of what Christ is doing internally. Phil 2 tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 Why? – To equip/perfect/prepare – To exact adjustment Service/Ministry – The people of God are to build up the people of God so that the people of God display God. Why? – the potential for disaster is great. arrogance, jealousy, and that’s only scratching the surface.

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Unity in the faith – Knowledge of the Son of God – Fullness of Christ – If you assume that you are the one that does the adjusting…..It takes all the gifts to get the adjustments right. Unity in the faith – Does that mean that we all agree on everything. Is that what unity in the faith means? If you think of faith as intellectual understanding, then yes, that’s what unity in faith looks like. However, we have never talked about faith that way. Faith is your understanding put into action. Our unity is our common working for something. God’s Kingdom. Knowledge of the Son of God. Here’s what happens again and again in the Bible, or at least in Paul’s writing. People begin to think the wrong way about something. Paul writes them a letter. It goes something like this. Remember who God is. Remember what he’s done in Jesus. Now, remember who you are in light of that. Our behaviors are a result of who we believe God is. Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. You mean I become like Jesus? No, Paul said “we.” We as the body of Christ, as the Church, as the called out ones represent Christ. Some are apostles, some are prophets, some are evangelists, some are shepherds and some are teachers. None of us are Jesus. Together we look more like Jesus.