5. How are you going to connect verses 8-10 with the grace-gift mentioned in verse 7? (cf. Psalm 68:18) Accept Answers… ***In verse 8, Paul here was just summarizing the essence of the psalm. It is all about Jesus Christ who has descended to the earth yet He is also the very one who ascended to heaven to fill the whole universe by giving gifts to those who are identified with Him. 6. a. How do you call a person given with gifts and who are they in the church? b. What are the five kinds of gifted people? Why are these gifts given? verses 11-12 Answer: a. The How? He or she is called a gifted person and he himself is a gift to the church. b. They are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers…and the very purpose of these gifts is to prepare God’s people for works of service. Say: So what does it mean? (don’t give the answer immediately) This means that those gifted people are to equip the members of the church through the Word of God so that those who are already equipped could minister to others too. Note: Spiritual leaders are not to do all the work for the people, but they are called trainers or facilitators to train people to do the work themselves so that the body of Christ may be built up. The spiritual gifts are for the body, the church, and are not to be exercised individualistically. 7. Why equipping people are necessary in the church? verse 13 Answer: to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and to be mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ; in other word to become CHRISTLIKE. 8. In contrast to maturity or Christlikeness, how are immature believers compared to? verse 14. Answer: They are like infants…they are unstable spiritually. 9. What is now the picture of the church where unity exists? verses15-16 Ask: It is like a physical body (show them the body you’ve drawn). Jesus Christ is the Head where the body (the believers) derives its whole capacity for growth and activity. Then each member is joined and held together by every supporting ligament according to the gift given to each one, grows and builds itself up in LOVE as each part (each believer) does its (her/his) work. Note: Just post the body because identifying each part is not necessary to avoid problem. ========= Ask: What do you think would happen to a body if every part will function? Ask: And what would happen to a body if one part of it will not function? Ask: So, out of our discussion, what truth have you learned? General Truth: Unity is kept if all members of the church functions according to their gift. Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
SIGNIFICANCE: ☯ What are reasons why Christians today are sometimes disunited?