20.3.06

Ephesians 4:7-16

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. [ESV]


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1 comment:

Chris Hamer-Hodges said...

Each has a measure to bring us to full measure.

I love this passage in Ephesians, and not just because it is about the ascention ministry gifts, which I believe are all still in operation, and vital for the functioning of the church.

It paints us the bigger picture of how all ministry is designed to work together. No-one has it all, but each has a measure of Christ's gift. That in itself is amazing!! But together as each part of the body recognises and accepts its place and its joinings to others, we are brought together towards full measure in Christ.