Shabbat Shalom, everyone. We want to continue in our ministry meeting the study of the book of Ephesians. So we will turn to Ephesians chapter 4. And we will continue today in the 4th chapter with verse 11 all the way to verse 16. Very short portion, Ephesians chapter 4, verse 11 to 16, and I'm reading. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints. For the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and to the measure of the statures of the fullness of Christ.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplied, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. I'm going to stop here. Really, brothers and sisters, verses 11 to 16 are very much connected with the previous verses that we have looked over together in our previous meeting.

Ephesians 4, verses 1 to 10 had to do with the Messiah Yeshua, who came down from heaven, went all the way to the cross, to the tree where he was judged. And then he died and he was buried and he rose again and after his resurrection he was ascended into the presence of the father he received gifts as we have read in the book of Psalm 68 and he gave gifts to men and these individuals to whom he gave gifts are those that belong to the body of the Messiah the body of Christ and you remember what we read in verses 8 where we says he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts unto men I love this expression the one to whom we have been captive to Satan Yeshua defeated him at the cross and he made him now a captive when Yeshua finished the work on the cross and therefore you and I are no longer under the authority of Satan we are now under the authority of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah Satan is really bound by Yeshua the Messiah and he cannot do anymore what he was able.

To do prior to the finished work of Yeshua the Messiah he led captivity captive and he gave gifts unto men so now the portion that we have read today Ephesians 4 verses 11 to 16 we see now the gifts that he had given and the purpose for the gifts now before I'm going to go to those gifts, I would like us to understand something that is very interesting in connection with the body, the church, the body of Christ. In many ways, the Bible presents before us the body of Christ, the church. At times, it is called the church, the ecclesia. Other times, the people of God call the body of Messiah other times the illustration of the church is illustrated by the physical temple that is being built and every one of us are members of this temple we are part of this temple and every one of us is a living stone in this temple that is being built every true believer in Yeshua the Messiah is part of this temple the same thing when it's come to the body of Christ.

Every believer in the whole universe is part of this body called the body of Messiah every one of us is a member of this body men woman boy and girl every true believers in Yeshua the Messiah are members of that one body the head is in heaven namely Yeshua the Messiah the body is here on earth and every member just the same like we have this human body hands and feet and eyes and ears and all those internal members external members are part of this great body that is called the body of Messiah if you just go back to chapter 2 for a moment notice what it says in verse 19 now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God notice this expression the household of God and you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus the Messiah himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the buildings fitly framed together grow unto a holy temple in the Lord.

You notice that in chapter 2, the Apostle Paul Shaul gave the illustration of the church as a building that is built together. As it says here at the end of verse 21, growing into a holy temple in the Lord. But in chapter 4, where we are right now, the Apostle Paul presents the church, the ecclesia, not so much as a building, as a temple, but as a body that have many members, like the human body have many, many, many members, including the head. The head gives instruction to the body, just the same, like the mystical body of Messiah, The head Yeshua, Jesus, is in heaven. The body receives instruction from the head and functioning here in this world.

Very interesting how God uses all sort of earthly things that you and I are involved with. We are informed about using this to illustrate the body of Messiah, the people of God. And so in our chapter, of course, in chapter 4, you remember what we did say in our previous meeting? That chapter 4, 5, and 6 deals now not so much with doctrine, but with practice. One thing to know doctrine in my head, it's another thing to practice day by day the life of the people of God. So, in chapter 4, he began with giving us this instruction of the importance of walking in a way that it is pleasing to the Lord.

Walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we have been called, chapter 4 and verse 1. So now as we heard that Yeshua is ascended, he is now seated at the right hand of the Father, he now gave gifts to men, now the apostles present before us the gifts that have been given to the body, to the people of God. Now in the Bible, in the New Testament, there are four chapters which deal with the gifts that God had given to the body of Christ. In Romans chapter 12, in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, in Ephesians chapter 4, and in 1 Peter chapter 4. Very easy to remember. Two times 12, two times 4. Those are the four chapters that deal with the gifts that God, through Yeshua, the Messiah have given to his people now in every passage of those four places in the new testament where we're talking about the gifts in every portion there is a different emphasis in connection with the gifts in fact in ephusion chapter 4 the emphasis is not so much about the gifts but about gifted men or gifted individuals that have been given to the body of Messiah.

And so in our chapter we are going to divide it from verse 11 to 16 in two ways number one the gifted men that Yeshua gave to the body of Messiah to the assembly in verse 11 and in verses 12 to 16 the purpose for which the gifts were given to the body of Messiah why did God why did the Lord Jesus gave gifts to his own people so let's look for a moment first of all into verse 11 and look at this gifted man that Yeshua gave to the assembly look at that it says here in verse 11 and i'm reading and he gave what did he give some apostles in Hebrew shlichim some prophets in Hebrew nevi'im some evangelists in Hebrew mevasrim and some pastors and teachers in Hebrew roim and melamdim you know those are very important words in Israel when we are sharing the word in the Hebrew language, the brethren would want to know, what does he mean?

What are those persons that God had given to the body of Messiah? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors. And teachers. Now, some Bible teachers do not distinguish the fourth group here, pastors and teachers. Why? Because it doesn't say some pastors and some teachers. No, it says pastors and teachers so really what we can say beloved brothers and sisters that in this text Ephesians 4 11 we have four gifted men plural that have been given to the early church and we might say some of them even existing today in the present time in which we live in the last days of the church age but some of them were really the foundation of the ecclesia of the church look at this it began with the word apostles if you turn with me for a moment to Matthew chapter 10 our Lord Jesus the Messiah selected 12 apostles it says in verse 1 and when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Now the names of the twelve. Apostles are these. The first Shimon, who is called Peter, and then Andrew, his brother, James, Yaakov, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, Yohanan. Philip and Bartholmai, Thomas and Matthew, or Matityahu, the publican. James, here is another Yaakov, the son of Elpheus, and Libyus, whose surname is Thaddeus. Simon, here is another Shimon in verse 4, the Canaanite, and Judah, Judas Ishkrayot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Yeshua sent forth and commended them, saying, Go. Here we have Yeshua himself selecting for himself twelve apostles. You notice that in verse 1 of Matthew chapter 10, they are called twelve disciples. In verse 2 of Matthew chapter 10 immediately he called them 12 apostles 12 disciples 12 talmidim 12 apostles 12 shlichim those that have been sent by the Lord now this is important for us to understand many times and i mentioned this before today in the year in which we live in there are various groups that have what you call apostles they call the apostolic church people who claim to be an apostles.

But I would like to suggest beloved brothers and sisters that the Scripture teaches us there were only those 12 apostles and those apostles were the foundation of the church of the ecclesia it says in Scripture that the Lord has chosen those specific 12 including Judas in this case in the context of Matthew chapter 10 and he sent them away the word apostles simply mean send out ones with a message now of course we know what happened to Judas or Judas you remember that he was actually the one that betrayed Yeshua the Messiah sold him for 30 pieces of silver then he went and he hung himself because he knew what he had done and Yeshua said to him if you remember in the upper room what you have to do go do now and he went and it was night and Judas in Hebrew, Yehuda, betrayed a Messiah.

Though he was called to be part of those 12 chosen men to be an apostle, Yeshua knew very well whom he had chosen. He knew that one, my own familiar friend. With whom I sat down to eat bread, have turned out against me, fulfilling the prophecy from the book of Psalms and so we know that judas had to be replaced and in order for judas to be replaced as an apostle the qualification according to act chapter one was a person that have seen the resurrected Messiah if you read act chapter one verses 15 to 22 you will notice that in order to be called an apostle a shaliach and apostolos one must see the resurrected Messiah and therefore we know for a fact that today we do not have apostles anymore but we had apostles in the foundation of the church in the early days of the church and we had only 12 apostles Judas was replaced by Matityahu, Matthias plus we have one more apostle by the name of Paul, Shaul who was a unique apostle who saw the glorified Messiah first of all he heard his name he heard his voice on the way to Damascus in chapter 9 of the book of Acts but he himself proclaimed the fact that he is an apostle.

When he wrote about himself in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 in verse 1 he said am i not an apostle am i not free have i not seen Jesus the Messiah our Lord are not ye my work in the Lord he proclaimed to be a shaliyah an apostle like the others because he has seen the glorified Messiah now what was the purpose of the apostles They were gifted men that were given to the body of Messiah for the purpose of establishing the truth of this present day dispensation of what we know the ecclesia, the church age. They were the foundation. They were the one that we read in Matthew chapter 10 that was sent initially to the lost ship of the house of Israel, but ultimately they were the one that were the foundation of the body of Messiah.

And from Israel on, from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts of this earth, these early servants of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah formed what we know to be that early church, ecclesia, established the believers, shared the message of the gospel, both in the land of Israel and ultimately all over the world. They were the foundation of the church. They were the one that witnessed to the truth of the person of the Messiah. They had gifts that were incredibly unique. You read it in the book of Hebrews, the gifts of an apostle was something unique for early church age. If today someone claimed to be an apostle, he become automatically a suspect because one cannot claim to see the resurrected Messiah as those 12 have seen and this one person by the name of Shaul Paul whom Yeshua said to him Shaul Shaul why do you persecute me so the apostles were this foundation of the church I want you to go back for a moment to chapter 2 again where I just read earlier and I want you to notice it says in verse 19 and 20 again and I'm rereading this it says now therefore ye are no most strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God and you are built upon the foundation what is the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.

Yeshua the Messiah himself being the chief corner stone when you build a house you don't put the foundation twice you put the foundation in the beginning of the house and then you build the house upon the foundation the apostles the shlichim the messengers those that were sent by the Lord himself had been the one that had been the foundation of the body of Messiah in fact beloved brothers and sisters every time we read the brit hachadasha Romans first and second corinthian galatian Ephesians philippian colossian first and second thessalonian what we have in our hands is the writings of the apostles of the early foundation of the body of Messiah which gives us instruction they were guided by the Spirit of God they were the one that formed for us the teaching that we have today in our hands in a present day period of time of the church age but of course it was not their own thoughts they were guided by Ruach HaKodesh by the Holy Spirit of God so Yeshua.

Gave gifts Paul is writing to the Ephesians in verse 11 Yeshua gave not a some not everybody's an apostle some apostles they were the foundation they were the one that gave to us what we have in our hands the Scriptures they have seen the glorified resurrected Messiah then it says next the second gifted men that were given to the church to the assembly are the prophets now we must distinguish between old testament prophets and new testament prophet old testament prophets meaning the Hebrew israeli Jewish prophets of all gave our nation Israel of all the instruction that they have received from God concerning the nation of Israel.

And we have already established in chapter 3 of the book of Ephesians that this was not revealed the truth of the body of Messiah to the Old Testament saints. You remember what we read in our previous chapter, and I'll just want read this to you. It says in verse 4 of chapter 3, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my. Knowledge in the mystery of the Messiah, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Those prophets that we are reading about now in verse 11, those are what you call Brit HaChadasha prophets.

They were spokesmen, they were the ones that proclaimed God's word in light of the present day dispensation of the church age. They were the one that preached the word of God spoke forth what God has said unto them and minister to the people of God concerning the present day dispensation let me show you a verse in act chapter 11 here's a new testament prophet look at this it says here in act chapter 11 and verse 27 about prophets in these days came prophets from Yerushalayim Jerusalem and they went to antioch Antioch was in Syria the central assembly or church that was formed in Syria and so we find out that those prophets came from Jerusalem they went unto Antioch and look what it says that here's a man by the name of Agabus who was a prophet what we call New Testament prophet it says in verse 28 there stood up one of them by the name of Agabus and he signified by the spirit that there should be a great dress throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of claudius caesar here's a prophet what we call him a new era.

Prophet a prophet of the present day dispensation by the name of agabus he spoke in the power of the Spirit of God he proclaimed the word of God that there will be a dress throughout the whole world and it surely came to pass and so it says that the disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea because of what he spoke here there was a respond of the people at that time now who do we call a prophet today now remember these were early foundational prophets they were the ones that were uniquely given to the body of Messiah for the early foundation of the church as we read it in chapter 2 and verse 20 but even today when one is prophesying or speaking forth the word of God here whether it is in a personal context or whether it is this brother specifically speak publicly he would speak forth the existing word of God that which is already in our hands he will take the word of God and he will present.

Before the local church the word of God he's not so much speaking about the future but he's speaking forth what we have already written down in the Scripture in the Bible what we have before us today so those early prophets were speaking the future what's going to happen in the future but today for you and i a prophet is a person who speaks for us that which we already have in our hands today so we have to realize that really the prophets and apostles were more or foundational gifted men that God had given to the church in the early days in chapter 3 of Ephesians where we are in verse 5 it says again which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit we distinguish the new testament prophets from an old testament prophets here we are talking about prophets that have been given for the edification of the body of the Messiah in a present day dispensation.

Thirdly you notice the third group that we have here in verse 11 he's talking about evangelists notice that and some evangelists now evangelists have been always with us and are still with us even today as we are living closer to the end of the church age what is the ministry of the evangelist the evangelist is the one that is burying the gospel message and sharing this with the world around now remember this is a gift of evangelist this is not only evangelism which we are all responsible to do but these are gifted men that the Lord Jesus the Messiah gave them the gift of evangelists. Not all of us are able to do evangelization or to be able to capture the hearts of individuals through the preaching of the message of the gospel.

We had many, many gifted men that we hear of them, whether it is on the radio today or television, that they had the gift of evangelism. They knew how to reach men and women where they were. They knew how to share. The message of the gospel in such a way convicting by the power of the Spirit of God. They are capable individuals that were given to the body of Christ, to the body of Messiah, but they were responsible at the preaching of the message of the gospel. One of these men in biblical time was a man by the name of Philip. You remember Philip the evangelist?

We read about him in Acts chapter 21. He is called an evangelist. He was the one that in Acts chapter 8, the Spirit of God called him to go to preach the message of the gospel to this Ethiopian eunuch. And he ran after him as he was on his chariot. He climbed upon the chariot, Acts chapter 8, and he began to share the gospel with this man who was reading the prophet Isaiah this evangelist such as philip was used by the Lord Jesus the Messiah to reach many of the people in Samaria in the shomron and many have come to. Faith in Yeshua the Messiah even at the time when philip was preaching he's called in the Bible an evangelist philip the evangelist act chapter 21 in verse 8 now i would like to distinguish between the gift of an evangelist and the fact that we all have to do the work of the evangelist in other words all of us are to share the message of the gospel whether it is at work whether it is at school whether it is when we go away or we are traveling or meeting people even on the street we are able to share the message of the love of God through Yeshua the Messiah and I know some of us do so even today at work and wherever they are they are able to share the message of the messiahship of Jesus with many but the gift of an evangelist is much more than just doing evangelization it is a special gift that was given to some individuals in order to use it.

For the benefit of the body of Messiah look at a verse in second Timothy chapter 4 and verse 5 Paul wrote to Timothy and he said to him watch thou in all things and do affliction do the work of an evangelist now Timothy may have not been an evangelist but he says do the work of an evangelist Timothy must have been the kind of a person that ministered to the people of God wherever they were he cared for them he was the one that was left behind after Paul was doing his ministry and Timothy were the one who were building people up but he was called to do the work of an evangelist you and I are called to do witnessing wherever we are the opportunity to witness the opportunity to share the message of the gospel.

So the apostles are one that are sent by the Lord himself. The prophets are ones who proclaim the word of God. The evangelist is one that bear good news and share the message of the gospel. He is the one that mevaser, he brings the glad tidings. To those that are without so they will become believers in Yeshua the Messiah now fourthly in verse 11 notice that it says and he gave some pastors and teachers that most believe that this is a gift that we're given together pastors that are able to teach or teachers that have a pastor's heart a shepherd's heart now you notice that it doesn't say here that he sent them to school to become pastors no it says that he gave pastors and teachers in other words you don't learn that by going to school you may go to school and learn the Bible and get a little bit more information about the things of the Lord but pastoral ministry or pastors and teachers is a gift it's a gift that had been given by the glorified Messiah in order to use among the people of God how much we need pastoral care you know the apostles gave us the written word of God the The early prophets spoke in the earlier part of the church age.

We have the apostles and prophets to give us what we have in our hands today. But the evangelist, he goes out to the streets, to the highways and the byways, and he shares the message of the gospel, and he brings people into the assembly, lead them to the knowledge of the Savior. But it is the responsibility of the pastors and the teachers to care for the flock and to teach them the word. This is a great responsibility, where we read here in this verse 11, pastors and teachers. You know, another word for a pastor is simply shepherd. How much we need shepherds in our midst today.

You know, most of the time, the flocks are scattered. The people of God are all over. They need so much those that will care for them and bring them and watch over them, Just like the ordinary shepherd in the Middle East will lead his flock. Today we read, he leadeth us by still water, Psalm 23. Where does the Lord lead his own people? He lead them to a place where they can feed, when they can be ministered unto, where they can grow spiritually, when they can be nourished and be taken care of. How many times God warned the shepherds of our own people, Israel, who led the flock astray?

And we can say it concerning the church age. God will hold responsible the shepherds of the body of Christ who lead the flock astray and not ministering to them and encouraging them and building them up spiritually. And so, how much we need those shepherds, those pastors who care for the flock. And notice that the last word here, this is pastors and teachers. Teaching the word is so important. You know how many times when we come to a church meeting or to an assembly meeting or the congregational meeting, and we hear the Word of God, we hear sound teaching, ministry concerning the person of Yeshua the Messiah, and it refreshes our hearts.

It ministers to our soul. And just like any sheep in the Middle East who is looking for some food, green pastures, looking for some water where he or she can nourish themselves it is very similar among the people of God the pastors and teachers were given to the people of God in order to feed them and to minister unto them turn to John chapter 21 for a moment Yeshua said to Peter in John 21 15 when they had dined Jesus says unto Simon Peter Simon son of Jonah lovest thou me more than these he saith unto him yes Lord you know that I love thee and he saith unto him feed my lambs verse 16 he saith unto him again the second time Simon Shimon bar Yonah lovest thou me he said to him and he saith unto him.

Yes Lord thou knowest that I love thee and look what he said again he said unto him feed my sheep thirdly in verse 17 of John 21 he says unto him the third time Simon son of Yonah Shimon bar Yonah lovest thou me do you really like me the Greek word is not agape but phileo in verse 17 and Peter was grieved because he says unto him the third time lovest thou me and he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that i love thee and look what Yeshua said to him feed my sheep the responsibility of the shepherd of the pastors is to feed the flock to minister to the flock so they will eat spiritual food that is healthy for them spiritually so they will grow the reason that these gifted men were given to the assembly the roim the pastors the shepherd is that they will feed the flock the people of God and you know what Peter did this very Peter that was so much in a sense offended when the Lord have.

Challenging do you really love me more than these feed my lamb do you really love me feed my sheep or my flock and then he says do you really like me he says feed my flock feed my sheep Peter himself when he later on in his life was writing to the shepherds he said to them in first Peter chapter 5 in verse 1 the elder which is among you I exult who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of the Messiah and also partaker of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is among you, taking oversight, therefore, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy looker, but as a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being an example to the flock.

And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Peter, who received the responsibility from Yeshua the Messiah to feed the lamb, to feed the flock, later on in his life, when he was an elder and ready to depart, he charged the shepherds, he charged those that are pastors among the believers to feed the flock of God. See, God's people need to be fed. God's people need to be taught. And that's why the gifts were given unto the body of Messiah. So the shlichim and nevi'im, meaning the apostles and the prophets, they were the foundation. The foundation cannot be rebuilt again and put together again.

That was for the earlier part of the church. But what we do have today is evangelists, pastors, and teachers whom the Lord uses today, giving them as a gift to the body of Messiah, and thank God for everyone that seeks to do faithfully the service to which the Lord had given him to do. They are not perfect men, they are failing men, but they need the grace of God to continue to do the service that the Lord had given them to do. So verse 11 of Ephesians chapter 4, we have the gifted men that Yeshua had gave to the church, to the assembly, to the congregation. And we have specifically four gifts, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

Now let's move down to the next five verses that are before us. And from verses 12 to 16, we see what was the purpose that Yeshua gave those gifted men, or those gifts, to the body of Christ, to the body of Messiah. Well, look at them. First of all, look what it says in verse 12. You see, the gifted men were given to the church for a reason. Not to exalt themselves not to pride themselves not to elevate themselves or to be separated from the people of God there's not a clergy leity that we have here in fact they are part of the body of Messiah they are to be used by the Lord to minister to the people of God and here's the reason brothers and sisters in verse 12 it tells us three things why the gifted men were given first of all it says in verse 12 for the perfecting of the saints secondly it says for the work of the ministry thirdly it says for the edifying of the body of Messiah you know the three times the word four first one it says for the perfecting of the saints secondly for the work of the ministry thirdly for the edifying of the body of Messiah the body of Christ now this is important because sometimes we make the mistake and we think oh we have this brother is a pastor we put him somewhere there we'll put a note above his door says pastor.

And he's going to be the one who's doing all the Job and we are going to sit around we're going to be a spectators see he is the pastor I'm only just a brother well it's not found in the Bible such a thing there's no such a thing as clergy and leity in the new testament present day dispensation in fact the Bible does teach us that all of us are members of one body we all have gifts and we all are responsible to function among the people of God so those gifted men they were given with their gifts to the body of Messiah it says here for the three reasons.

Number one, for the perfecting of the saints. The word for perfecting is the Greek word for equipping. Those early brothers, the apostles, we might say, and those brothers and sisters who are evangelists and pastors and teachers, the reason that they are ministering is in order that the saints will be equipped you know when you go out to fight a war you need to. Be able to put the equipment upon you so you will be able to fight that fight so the equipping of the saints the perfecting or the maturing of the saints the saints are every true believer in Yeshua the Messiah brother or sister they are saints and the responsibility of the pastors teachers and those gifted men were really to mature the people of God it is so sad when a person is hearing the message and hearing the word and then you ask them have you learned anything what did you learn from the ministering of the word of God and they don't remember they don't know anything And then somebody comes and tells them a certain view, and they have no answer to be able to answer to that person.

It is really sad, because the saints, the church, the believers, need to mature, to grow up, to develop spiritually, to understand who they are in Christ, in the Messiah. So the gifted men were given for the perfecting of the saints. And the word for perfecting here, as I mentioned before, it doesn't mean to make that perfect, they are already positionally perfect, but to mature them, that there will be mature saints that are able to be answering to questions, they know the word in some small way, they grow and mature and develop as believers in Yeshua the Messiah. But notice another thing that is interesting here in verse 12.

It says, for the work of the ministry. In other words, the work of the ministry is not really the pastor's Job only. The work of the ministry is for all the saints to do the work of the ministry. How often time we think that the responsibility of the work of the Lord is the pastor. He's going to do that. The one who we call pastor. And he is going to be the one to do all the visitations. He's going to make phone calls. He's going to pray for the sick. He's going to do this. He's going to do all these things. And you see, I'm just a member of the church.

I'm going to come. I'm going to sit down. And I'm going to go every Shabbat or every Sunday or every Wednesday or whatever it is. We're going to come. We're going to listen. He's going to do the Job and I'm going to just carry on. I'm just a member. I'm going to heaven. Hallelujah. But the Bible doesn't teach that, beloved brothers and sisters. The Bible say that the gifted men were given for the equipping of the believers so that they in turn will do the work of the ministry. You want to see healthy local church you will see the brothers and sisters doing the work of the ministry of course we do it with a leadership in mind but to do the work of the ministry i don't need to wait for so-called brother so also to make that phone call for a discouraged sister i don't need to wait for another person so i will make a visit if i am a healthy believer that is growing and equipped with the things of the Lord, I myself take the initiative to take the responsibility.

What a blessing it is to see. Can you imagine that the right hand on your body will say, you know what, I'm not doing anything until I get some instruction and somebody's going to do it. You know, I'm just there as a member. I don't need to be used as much. Can you imagine if you're not going to use your right hand in your function of the day-by-day living? Can you imagine? Try to do everything with the left hand. Same thing with your legs. Try to go places without your legs functioning properly. No wonder many, many, many places, the assembly, the church is breaking down.

Why? Because we depend on one man to do everything. And this is a mistake. It's not Bible. It's not what the Scripture teaches. The Scripture teaches in verse 12, for the perfecting, maturing of the saints, so that they, in turn, will do the work of the ministry. And the ministry is so large. Brothers and sisters, who can fathom the needs that exist among the people of God? So many discouragements. So many things that are going on among the people of God. So many breakdowns existing. And the people of God need to be built and edified. Can you imagine if the Lord can use us all in that work of the ministry?

So we will be members that are moving and used by the Lord. That's beautiful to see that. I wanted you to notice Peter wrote in 1 Peter chapter 4. It says in verse 10, As every man has received the gift, even so ministered the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. We all receive gifts. We all are being instructed. We all are to use our gifts being faithful or good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Ministering the same one to another you know it is said when in certain places you only can pray when you got to go to this clergy somewhere and he is the one who is going to pray for me otherwise we can't pray or we can't move that's not what the Bible teaches the Bible teaches us that we to do the work of the ministry after we have been edified and built up by the gifted men that God had raised among his own people but now notice that it's not only for the perfecting of the saint it's not only that the saints will do the work of the ministry but thirdly it says in verse 12c it is for the edification of the body of Messiah now here the word edification this is encouraging to stir us up to ask ourselves the question when i serve the Lord in one area or another is the purpose of my heart to edify others if somebody leave me after a conversation was he or she edified built up or was he or she being torn down.

See a servant of the Lord built not destroying there's plenty of destruction that is going on our responsibility is to be a builder and you know to build it takes effort it takes time it takes prayer it takes labor world it takes a lot of work to build to destroy all what we need to do is take a sledge email and we can destroy everything to build a structure it takes some time and effort and it's so said to really grieve the heart of the Lord when the people of God are being used or allow Satan or the enemy to use them instead of being builders to allow Satan to influence them to destroy things it is a shame when things like that are happening among the people of God and this is a challenge to us all may the Lord only stir us up to be builders among the people of God not destroy us because we are not doing God's service we are not doing God's people service if we are not doing.

Things in the right way so he says in verse 12 for the edifying of the body of Messiah so the body of Messiah will be edified will be built up will grow will mature for the glory of God for the blessing of men and so the purpose of the gifts which were given by Yeshua the Messiah to the body to the believers is for the equipping of the saints so the saints will do the work of the ministry in order that the body will be edified according to verse 12 what a challenge it is for us all now the question is how long can we continue on there are so many discouragement you build you build and then something happened and destruction coming and then you build you build and again again something happened and we know that very well all of us know this by experience in the professing church all of us have some part in building and then boom something happened and there is a destruction and you have to work again you have to continue on well look what he's saying.

To us in verse 13 the question is how long the work of the ministry will go on is it only for a short season how long well it says in verse 13 until until what until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God and to a mature man and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ the fullness of Messiah really what we learn from this verse 13 how long until we all come to the unity of the faith notice he used the word we Paul is writing And he doesn't say only you, Ephesians. He says we.

He's including himself. And he's including all believers. Really, the Apostle Paul tells us here in verse 13 that the length of the ongoing work of the ministry is until one day we are going to be with the Lord in his presence in heaven. Until that time we long for that all will come to the unity of the faith. We work towards it. Number two, and of the knowledge of the Son of God. Number three, unto a perfect mature man. And number four, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, of Messiah. In other words, really, what Paul is saying in verse 13, that the work of the ministry is going to continue on until we are going to be in the presence of the Lord.

You see, beloved brothers and sisters, that in heaven, we don't need to pastor and to teach anymore. In heaven, we don't need to evangelize anymore. Our Job will be over. In heaven we don't need to be perfecting or maturing anymore or being equipped anymore in heaven we don't need to do anymore the work of the ministry in heaven we don't need to edify anyone anymore why because we're all going to be in the presence of the Lord sin will be totally removed all believers are going to be in the presence of the Lord never to separate from him anymore and all that work of the ministry that we do today is not needed anymore in heaven there will be no one sinner that need to be saved all are going to be saved in heaven there will not be one saint that need to be edified anymore all going to be edified because we are going to be in the presence of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah John wrote it like this listen to what John said in first John chapter three and verses one and two John said behold what manner of love first John three verse one behold what manner of love the father had.

Bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knows us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and he does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. You see, when we're going to be in heaven, we're going to be like Him. We're going to see Yeshua, our Mashiach, as He is. We're no longer going to have the need of evangelists, pastors and teachers. All that which was given for us today for the building up of the body of Messiah will never be needed anymore because we are going to be in the presence of the Lord.

We shall be with Him. We're going to be like him, we're going to see him as he is. So verse 13 will teach us that the work of the ministry, how long will it continue? It continues as long that the present day dispensation of the church age is still with us, and we are part of it. The moment we are going to heaven, we will never need to do the ministry. And you know what? Let me say that. When we're stand before the Lord and we will look back at the time that we could serve him that we could use our gifts for his glory and for the blessing of the people of God we will sense this we will look back and we will say boy I wish I was a better servant I wish I was a builder I wish I was spending more time to edify the believers i wish i had more time but it's over the time will be we're going to be in the presence of the.

Lord of course we will not have any regret in that sense because we will have no more sin nature but the point beloved brothers and sisters the purpose of the gifts were given for the perfecting of the saints that they in turn will do the work of the ministry and the day in turn will edify the body of Messiah and he's going to go on on and on and on until the time will come and we are going to be in the presence of the Lord and when we are gone another one will take our place and another one will be responsible to continue to do the work of the ministry now look at the next verses beloved brothers and sisters verses 14 and 15 why we need so much these gifts and why we need so much to do the work of the ministry because we have a problem and a problem that we have that God's people are often time not doctrinally taught and not practically walking in a way that.

Is pleasing to the Lord and we can apply this to ourselves so Paul is writing and look what he says in verse 14 and then 15 notice in verse 14 he's emphasizing doctrine teaching in verse 15 he's emphasizing walking in love or speaking the truth in love look he's first of all in verse 14 he's emphasizing the fact that he does not want that the believers will remain children that are not taught sound doctrine look what he says in verse 14 that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they these are these men lie in wait to deceive i see what he's really saying when children are young they are inexperienced and they are very quickly swayed by everything that are being told that's the way it is when we were children we were just the same so what he's really saying that believers now and you might have some believers that are for.

Many many many years believers in Yeshua the Messiah but they still behave as if they just accepted Yeshua yesterday still like children now imagine when a believer doesn't grow and remain like a child something is wrong there's a problem there's a problem when a believer is for many many years i've said oh i remember 50 years ago i've accepted Yeshua the Messiah but how is it now are you still behaving like a child and not maturing spiritually what about teaching and doctrine and you see what he's saying here he says in verse 14 that we henceforth and i love the way the apostle Paul he writes that we he's including himself just like he did it in verse 13 that we me Paul and you Ephesians that we henceforth be no more children listen a believer that is not growing spiritually and remaining like a child there is a problem there is a spiritual problem and you wouldn't want your child not to grow right you would ask yourself the question if your child will remain a child like one.

Even if he's growing tall physically but behaving like a child it's not right, something is wrong especially you know there are those children that have some sort of infirmities like autism or all sort of problems that one has, they don't grow you know there's a problem well it's the same thing spiritually beloved brothers and sisters when a believer who accepted Yeshua the Messiah is not growing behaving like a child spiritually and as he said tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine see it's a problem he remain or she remain like a child and the reason that the gifts were given or the gifted men in this context is so that believers will hear the word will be maturing do the work of the ministry and edify the body of Messiah, that we will not remain like children, not mature, not growing.

Now, that is something that Apostle Paul has been concerned about many, many times. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 11. Paul said this, When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, and I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. Now, very clear. When I was a child, I behaved as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. I spake as a child. But now when I grow up and became a man, well, it stopped. I had to put away childish things. So a believer that is not growing spiritually is really remaining like a child.

He's saying to us, and he's speaking about himself as well, in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 14, that we henceforth be no more children. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 20. Brethren, be not children in understanding. However, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be a man. In other words, he's saying, in understanding the truth of God, don't be children. Mature, grow up, be like men. But in doing evil, in doing malice, remain children. In other words, don't do malice. That's what he's really saying. But as a grown-up man, in understanding, grow up. Don't stay childlike. Grow up and become mature believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. Another verse I got to read, in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 7, Paul said to Timothy, the whole chapter really began that in the last days, perilous times shall come, 2 Timothy 3 verse 1, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, and so on, proud, he says in verse 2, Without natural affection, verse 3.

Traitors, in verse 4. Having a form of godliness, in verse 5. And then he said, in verse 7, ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth. Learning and learning and learning and learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth. How we, if we are not growing, can be like so. Don't remain a child spiritually. Don't be those that are tossed to and fro with carrying about with every wind of doctrine. A few years ago, I remember, we used to have Bible classes here, not in this building, in another meeting. And something began here in the Toronto. And the whole world seems to come here, the Toronto blessings.

I'll never forget that people who knew their Bible very well were willing to go to bark like dogs to kukuriku like chickens and claiming that God visited us they knew their Bible very well they knew it's not from the word not from the Lord but they were willing like as it says here tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine oh another man came he is going to fix all my problem and he is going to tell me some new things there is nothing new beyond the Scripture if we only read the Bible and if we submit our problem is to submit to the Bible to the word of God there is nothing new what we have is what we have heaven and earth will pass away God's word will remain the same we are just going in a circle with every wind of doctrine another guy come another preacher come to town oh here we go he's gonna fix up right you know this is our problem and i'm i'm.

Not blaming anybody i'm speaking for myself that's why we have constantly have this issue of not accepting the simple Word of God as it is given to us in the written Word of God. And Paul is saying every wind of doctrine. The wind comes, we're going to move this way. From east to the west, oh, now it's blowing this way. We're going to go this way. And we don't have enough, if you would say, backbone to say, wait a minute. I don't understand everything. But I know what the Bible teaches me, and it is here that I would like the Lord to help me to submit to an already given word of God that we have in our hand.

And remember, those Ephesians, they didn't have the book of Ephesians in their hand yet, but they needed to learn that the gifts and the gifted men that were given to the body of Messiah were given to them in order to do the work of the ministry and to be edifying the believers. Now, here it is another, and notice verse 15, as we draw towards the end here. Not only that the believers are not to remain children, but they are to grow. Grow. Look at this. It says in verse 15, Speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things, which is the head, even Christ, even the Messiah.

Grow. You know the last verse of 2 Peter chapter 3 says but grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. You want to be used by the Lord? I want to be used by the Lord? We are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the person of Yeshua. The more we know about him, the more we are going to be mature believers that are used by the Lord for the edifying of the body of Messiah. Now, to conclude, Paul is saying in verse 16, from the head, this is the Messiah Yeshua who is in heaven, the whole body is joined together.

As it says in verse 16, from whom, this is meaning from the Messiah, the whole body, this is the body of believers, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth. According to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love you notice that he used the word love here twice in verse 15 speaking the truth in love and in verse 16 edifying itself in love the word here for love is the word agapeo which means unconditional love you want to build the body of believers it does take much love meaning much unconditional loving of the people of God you know the people of God you know very well we are not always lovable nevertheless love as we mentioned it already in the previous ministry meeting love is that which enable us the love of Messiah constrained us enable us to do the service of the Lord for the edifying of the body of the Messiah and it is all from him the body is fitly joined together every joint supplies and every part make us increase in other words if one part doesn't function right the body cannot grow and.

Increase and that's why unfortunately many times we don't grow as a body whether it is locally or whether it is universal we don't grow because not all of us sadly to say are really doing our part using the gifts that the Lord had given to us and using it in love for the benefit of the people of God. So brothers and sisters the gifted men were given so the body of Messiah will be edified or mature so they will do the work of the ministry so they will be used by the Lord to build up the body of Messiah. May the Lord help us. May the Lord use us for his name's sake.