Those Who Have Been Given
Welcome aboard The Clarion Express, because we are going to talk about Those Who Have Been Given.
What does that mean, those who were given? Well, first of all, God is the giver and second of all, God has given us many things. Today we are going to look at those who were given to build up the Body of Messiah.
Ephesians 4:11-16 says this, “And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Messiah; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Messiah. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Messiah, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
There is a lot here for this short teaching, so let’s look at this by first saying that we have been looking at love this year which is a result of a lifestyle (or the fruit of one’s life) in the Holy Spirit. So all things must be done in love. Second, it was God’s love for us that He gave us these people to lead us and teach us in all truth.
So what is an Apostle? The Hebrew word as it relates to its function in the New Testament, is “Shaliach” which means one who is sent, like an Emissary, or Ambassador. One who represents a person or country or even a kingdom. When people say that there are no longer apostles, this is not true. God, today is sending out people to represent Him and to speak on His behalf. We see this take place after the day of Pentecost and to this day God’s people who have been given continue to go out and represent God and his kingdom. So what is a Prophet? The Hebrew word is “Navi,” a navi is one who speaks for another. In God’s case it is one who speaks forth the declarations of God. Navi is derived from a verb signifying “to bubble forth” like a fountain, suggesting a speaker who delivers divine messages. Proverbs 18:4 says, “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.” This verse connects the concept of wisdom with a bubbling fountain, highlighting its refreshing and life-giving nature. The prophet would speak out God’s Words, conveying God’s message. Every prophecy has a message and the prophet would not only speak out the prophetic Word, but also give the interpretation of God’s will, explaining God’s ways and guide the people in that will. So what is an Evangelist? The Hebrew word is “Basar” or “ Besorah’ which is one who brings the Good News. In Greek (euangelion and euangelizo), it refers to the act of announcing significant news of salvation and the promise of redemption. So what is a Pastor? The Hebrew word “Ro’eh” means a shepherd or to tend a flock, one who guides, protects, and nurtures, like a shepherd. Pastor comes from the word pasture. The Greek word “poimen” also means shepherd and is used to refer to a church leader. The Pastor with love for his sheep must take on the role of a shepherd. He must feed them and care for them and lead them in the ways of the Lord. He must protect his sheep from the enemy who wants to devour them. Today we have a different view of the Pastor, one in which he is over the congregation, who gives a sermon on Sundays and runs the church according to his ideas. But in the true meaning of the word in which it was intended, the Pastor is a caregiver for his sheep, a protector of his sheep and the one who leads them to green pastures and beside quiet water. So who is the teacher? The Hebrew word is “Moreh” taken from the root word of “Yarah” which means to provide instruction and guidance. The Rav or Rabbi was such a person. The teacher who is given has to be able to teach the people God’s Word in depth and height and length, the deep truth and mysteries of His Word. He must be able to talk about any line of Scripture, teaching this is what it is, this is what it looks like, and this is how you walk it out, and this is how it all connects. When you put all of this together you get a congregation that can go out and speak on God’s behalf, one that knows God’s will and direction for them and their church, one that has heard the Good News, and a church that is protected from their enemy and is well taught on what it means to have salvation. Does this look like your church? Is the love of God in your church? Are you no longer children tossed about, are you all equipped for ministry, all built up in the Body of Messiah, all united in the faith, rooted and grounded? This is God’s will. He has given us those to see to it that we all grow up in our faith, in love, able to go forward in the work of the kingdom.
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