Young People's Group

The Lord’s Gift of His Servants

by Mitchell Tan
May 27, 2020

WALKING WORTHY OF OUR CALLING TO BE ONE

One of the Pauline challenges for the Church today is to walk worthy of our calling to be one (Ephesians 4:1-4). We thank God for the Triune Godhead being greatly involved in helping us create this oneness. Our part is to do all we can to maintain this sense of oneness.

THE DANGER OF FALSE TEACHINGS INFILTRATING THE CHURCH

One way that this sense of oneness can be threatened is when false doctrines infiltrate the Church. Because of the lack of understanding and maturity, the Ephesians were easily swayed by all kinds of false doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). The church had to learn to stand strong as one against such teachings. Because of this, the Lord provided the Church with servants of God to help preserve this oneness.

APPRECIATING THE LORD’S GIFT OF HIS SERVANTS

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

1. THE LORD’S GRACE IN PROVIDING SERVANTS OF GOD

Servants of God are the Lord’s gift to the Church. Because the Lord is our sovereign King, He graciously gave servants of God to help build the church.

2. DIFFERENT ROLES BUT HAVING A COMMON GOAL – TO BUILD A STRONG CHURCH ENTITY

A. TO ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH

Each type of servant of God has a different role to play and yet all of them had a common overall goal – To help the Church entity thrive and make it strong. The apostles were witnesses of the Lord Jesus. They were the leaders of the Church then. The prophets were servants who prophesied a word about the future. They played a big role in the Old Testament but a much smaller role during the New Testament era. Together with the Lord Jesus as the Chief cornerstone, the apostles and prophets laid the foundation of the Church (Ephesians 2:20). Not everyone had the same ecclesiastical office but they were one in establishing the Church.

B. TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF BUILDING ON THIS FOUNDATION

Once the foundation of the Church had been laid, these supernatural Church offices also ceased to exist. The offices that continue today are the roles of the evangelist and the pastor- teacher. Paul challenged Timothy to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5). The phrase “some pastors and teachers” is to be seen as the same person. The pastor teacher is meant to shepherd the Church of the Lord and to be a teacher of the word as Paul was. Paul charged Timothy to preach the word in all situations and to convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2). The pastor teacher is meant to build up the church on the foundation that has been laid by the apostles, prophets and especially the Lord Jesus Christ.

PERSONAL APPLICATION

Let’s thank God for Pastor Charles for all that he has been teaching and preaching to us during this Covid-19 pandemic. He is God’s gift to us at Bethany and the IPC churches. Let’s take heed to the lessons learnt that we may seek to build our faith and to have the same spirit of faith. May we seek to stand together against any form of false teachings.

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