The Twenty Fifth Sermon, the Fifth on the Fourth Chapter - Ephesians 4:11-12

"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." - Ephesians 4:11-12

We have observed that although our Lord Jesus Christ has ascended above the heavens and there is a considerable distance between Him and us in terms of His physical absence from the world, He remains ever-present through the power of His Holy Spirit, filling all things. This filling serves the purpose of encouraging every faithful individual to humbly utilise the gifts and grace bestowed by the Lord for the benefit of those He has placed in His church to lead. Conversely, those who have received greater measures of these gifts should not exalt themselves but instead work towards the common good, salvation, and well-being of all God's children.

To summarise, Paul's intention was to convey that Jesus Christ, possessing all spiritual riches, has not distributed them equally among us, but rather in different measures and orders, as demonstrated in His church. Not all are prophets, teachers, or evangelists, which illustrates Christ's deliberate distribution of gifts by measure. Thus, anyone who presumes to possess all that is necessary deceives themselves in two ways. Firstly, no one attains such perfection that they no longer require the guidance of others. Secondly, those who excel in knowledge are obligated to use their gifts for the benefit of others. Conversely, the less skilled and ignorant should not envy those with greater understanding. Instead, they should recognise that God's order serves a purpose and submit to it.

The Prophet's message underscores the importance of allowing ourselves to be filled with spiritual gifts essential for our salvation and not rejecting instruction from fellow human beings. We should not fall into the folly of desiring revelations from heaven to bypass preaching and reading. Rather, all should willingly adhere to the order established by our Lord Jesus Christ. Those gifted with knowledge and expertise in the Holy Scriptures should dedicate themselves to serving the entire church, as God has exalted them for this purpose. The less skilled and ignorant should not envy others but accept that God's distribution of gifts benefits their salvation.

God wills that all things be shared, and each member of the body should have their share. Therefore, when St. Paul speaks of Jesus Christ appointing apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, he signifies that the preaching of the gospel and the assembly of believers to hear the Holy Scriptures explained is not a human invention but a divine ordinance. Jesus Christ has established it as a law, and it must be upheld without deviation. However, there are some who, out of arrogance, seek to cast off this yoke. They question why they should be taught by their peers when they have access to the Holy Scriptures. They believe that they should draw all their knowledge from there and see no reason for anyone to be preferred over others in this regard.

This would result in a dreadful disorder within the Church, where no one would willingly submit to be taught or accept a master or teacher unless they were convinced and resolved that this order was not a human invention. Instead, it is a government established for all believers by the Son of God. He desires those with the responsibility of teaching to be seen as sent by Him. Such teachers would rightly tell others that by despising and rebelling against His doctrine, they also despise and rebel against Him and His Father. Therefore, anyone who wishes to be considered a Christian must also be a child of the Church. This emphasises the importance of humility and receptiveness when it comes to receiving the teachings preached to us and remaining perpetual learners in the School of our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Paul also indicates that when we have faithful and diligent teachers who guide us on the path to salvation, it is a sign that our Lord Jesus Christ has not abandoned or forgotten us. He is present with us, watching over our salvation and well-being. Consequently, we should not assume that individuals can independently decide to teach without divine guidance. No one can speak a single word to the glory of Jesus Christ unless it is given to them from above, and the Holy Spirit guides their speech. The Holy Scripture is described as a wisdom that surpasses human understanding, and the natural person cannot fully comprehend it. God must reveal these hidden and lofty matters to us. Therefore, when we witness the Holy Scripture being accurately expounded and applied for our benefit, we can be confident that God's Spirit bears witness to His presence among us. We should learn to receive this excellent gift, acknowledging it as the homage our Lord Jesus Christ demands from us.

This is also why the gospel is referred to as the kingdom of heaven. We understand that we do not accept God as our King or honour our Lord Jesus Christ when He is sent to us if we refuse to be governed by the means He has ordained, such as the preaching of the Gospel. We must obey and receive the Gospel's doctrine without resistance. Those who are entrusted with teaching should faithfully discharge their duty, and the rest should willingly receive what is taught to them. They should allow themselves to be instructed, lest they unwittingly oppose the Son of God. This is how we can continue to grow in knowledge throughout our lives, as will be explained in more detail later.

Now, in addition to this, Paul, by listing the various roles and officers, better illustrates how thoroughly our Lord Jesus Christ has shown Himself committed to the salvation of His own. He has not left anything undone that was necessary and suitable to lead them to the inheritance of salvation.

It is worth noting regarding these officers that Paul mentions, some of them served temporarily, such as the office of apostleship. They were not chosen with the intent of continuing until the end of the world but only to spread the Gospel's doctrine throughout the entire world, even if not everyone obeyed it. This was the special reason why our Lord Jesus Christ ordained the 12 apostles. Later, Paul joined them to preach among the Gentiles, marking the beginning of His kingdom's expansion. However, after the Gospel was sufficiently established, the office of apostleship ceased. Nevertheless, there were companions and fellow helpers who did not hold an equal rank but were commissioned to spread the seed of salvation. Paul refers to them as evangelists or gospels. According to his letter to Timothy, he instructs them to diligently carry out the work of an evangelist.

Now, concerning the office of Prophets, it does not hold the same prominence as it did in the past. God has reduced His gifts due to the world's unfaithfulness. This is not because He is any less generous or lacks what is necessary for our salvation, but because, regardless of the state of the world, we are unworthy to receive His treasures as abundantly as the early days of the Gospel. Thus, we receive only a small portion of these gifts. However, the prophets served as interpreters of God's will and had a much deeper understanding of the Scriptures than the common teachers. Their role was to instruct.

Regarding the shepherds mentioned by Paul, they are ministers of the word with the ordinary responsibility to teach in a specific location. The same applies to teachers. An example can be found in the Church of Antioch in the 13th chapter of Acts. No one can be a shepherd without being a teacher. Nonetheless, teachers have a distinct responsibility, which is to explain the Scriptures to ensure a proper and sound understanding of them. This way, their power remains and continues in the church. Heresies and false opinions are unable to prevail, and faith remains steadfast and sure. The teachers served this purpose. St. Luke's account shows that the apostles were not bound to any specific location; Jesus Christ commissioned them to preach the Gospel to all creatures. They were to go wherever opportunities arose and doors were opened for preaching the Gospel, without being tied to a particular place. The same applies to evangelists. They travelled worldwide but were appointed to specific places when called.

In a similar manner, Timothy was chosen for a period, and although he primarily served in the role of an evangelist, he was willing to relocate as circumstances required. Titus, too, was assigned to the island of Crete, although he hadn't yet become firmly established there. He moved around as the current situation and needs dictated. Here, we can observe how some misguided individuals, who seek only disorder and disrupt established order, wrongfully claim that one should not remain in one place but should imitate the apostles. This is a misrepresentation of Jesus Christ's intentions, as demonstrated by this passage.

The apostles acted like heralds, proclaiming the gospel everywhere, and they were accompanied by evangelists. Meanwhile, there were also prophets, some of whom were more closely associated with certain places, as God distributed His grace. Nonetheless, prophets were present in every church, as we see in the Epistle to the Corinthians. This emphasises the importance of the gift of prophecy, which should be valued above all other gifts due to its greater benefit and contribution to the edification of the church.

Regarding shepherds, we can see how St. Paul and his companion Barnabas appointed them in various places. They instructed Titus and Timothy to ensure that the churches were provided with shepherds to guide them, preventing disorder. Therefore, ministers and shepherds were appointed by the authority of Jesus Christ and assigned to their respective positions. It is essential to remain in one's assigned role rather than coveting other positions. This is the lesson we should draw from St. Paul's discussion of these various roles.

Now, since we see that the appointment of ministers and shepherds is made by the authority of Jesus Christ, and they are assigned to specific roles, we should understand that each person should remain in their designated place. Just as a man is stationed in a bulwark or tower to guard it when it is in danger, everyone should be content with their place and not covet other positions. This is the essential point to take from St. Paul's discussion of the various roles.

In summary, let us learn that our Lord Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, understood what was necessary for the well-being of His church. He provided the faithful with everything needed so that they would lack nothing and have sufficient and convenient means to draw them towards the kingdom of heaven. Nowadays, we no longer have the office of apostleship, as I mentioned earlier, nor do we have ordinary evangelists. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ still graciously extends His care and assistance to us. He does so even though His Word is often disregarded, offering us His gifts, although not as abundantly as we might receive if we had the zeal necessary to fully appreciate them.

However, let us not consider our situation the worst simply because we no longer have apostles. It was necessary in the past, given the confusion and disorder caused by the Papacy, for God to raise up men who were not chosen according to the established order of the church. He bestowed upon them His grace, and they served His purpose. But now, in places where the gospel is preached, and order is established, we must return to the earlier point. That is, when God provides us with shepherds who faithfully guide us, and teachers who uphold the purity of doctrine and strengthen us in the true Gospel, helping us to resist sects and errors, we should esteem this grace highly and not grumble against God.

Moreover, it is certain that if the Gospel were received with the reverence and earnestness it deserves, and if God were more bountiful on His side, we would have more good preachers. Unfortunately, we currently have so few good preachers, and many of them are like amateur builders, worse than Nord and less knowledgeable than the monks in the Papal system. They are willing to preach anything, be it Muhammad's Quran or Christ's Gospel, as long as it ensures their livelihood.

Furthermore, we see a group of drunkards who have no more zeal than swine, and they are as silent as mastiffs that never bark. They only open their mouths to confuse Light and Darkness, creating chaos. We must understand that God is executing just vengeance on those who disregard His Gospel. Consider the humility and submission that people show to God despite hearing the doctrine and seeing the Gospel proclaimed as His reign over us. Most people have little inclination towards religion, and even those who appear devoted often treat the Gospel as nothing more than a collection of ceremonies. They are reluctant to accept any form of restraint, and they cannot bear to be rebuked for their vices.

These hypocrites want the Gospel to be preached but only under certain conditions, as if they were willing to make a deal with Jesus Christ. Yet, their pretense cannot hide the fact that they are shameless, and the world can see their true nature. It is a sad reality that one can find more religion and fear of God among the unconverted than among those in places where the Gospel is preached. The worst of it all is that some of these wicked individuals occupy positions of authority and truth. Some are drunkards, others are involved in immoral activities, and some even blaspheme. In short, there is a shocking level of wickedness among them.

Since we know this, let us humble ourselves and acknowledge the ingratitude and rebellion within us as the cause of all the disorder we witness. Regardless of our own circumstances, if our Lord continues to be gracious enough to have His doctrine preached to us, it is an assurance and infallible sign that He is near, working for our salvation by calling us to Him. We should not seek revelations from heaven or wander in search of signs, for the Word is already in our hearts and mouths. What more could we ask for? Who can ascend above the clouds or descend into the depths? Let us firmly believe that God offers Himself to us through the preaching of the Gospel, and we need not look elsewhere.

When the Word is preached to us, we have the privilege of hearing God's call and experiencing His open arms, as if we were in His very presence. We should remember that God has sent us preachers and teachers as His instruments, and through them, He calls us to Himself. We need not seek extraordinary signs when we have the Word of God readily available to us. Therefore, let those to whom God has given more knowledge not exalt themselves, but consider how they can serve the greater good of the entire body. They should not hoard their gifts but use them to glorify God and help those in need.

It is important to understand that the use of these gifts is a shared responsibility. Those who possess knowledge should not keep it locked away like a treasure but share it with those who lack understanding. They must recognize that God has entrusted them with these gifts but intends for them to benefit the entire community. Therefore, they should not envy others whom God has chosen to honour in different ways. Instead, each one should know their own place and degree and avoid contention with God's ordained order within the church. We should be assured that the structure and order established in the church are based on the authority of the Son of God and should not be tampered with by the whims of those who seek to disrupt it.

There are those who consider the preaching of the Gospel to be unnecessary, thinking it is for children, believing that they have the Holy Spirit at their disposal to reveal things from Heaven to them at any moment. However, it is clear that the devil has deceived them with such arrogance, and people need to realize that he would achieve his goal if the means of our salvation were abolished. Just as Paul says, the preaching of the Gospel serves to perfect the church and lead us to the kingdom of heaven. Conversely, when there is no longer any doctrine or shepherding, the devil will undoubtedly gain control over us, leading to our dispersion and inevitable ruin.

Therefore, recognizing that this order is not of human origin, we should willingly submit ourselves to it. All of us, both great and small, should accept God's guidance through this means, as it has pleased Him to establish it. Additionally, we can see how God's children are referred to as the children of the church. St. Paul emphasizes that our Lord Jesus will reign over us on the condition that His Word is always in our mouths. He does not suggest that angels will come to reveal God's will to us, but rather, we are to understand God's will through those appointed to convey it to us.

Just as during the time of the law, it was said that priests were God's messengers, and people were expected to seek guidance from them, similarly today, God does not want us to wander aimlessly with our own opinions. He directs us to the readily available source, making His Word accessible to us. If a person were to seek the hidden source of a fountain, buried deep within the earth, and refuse to drink until they found it, people would consider them mad and irrational. God, in His wisdom, has made His Word easily accessible to us and does not require us to go to great lengths to receive it. He has provided us with this wellspring, bringing His Word to us as if through conduits. We need only open our mouths to receive it, much like people come to draw water from continuous, abundant conduits.

Therefore, since God has ordained men as the instruments of His Holy Spirit to bring His Word to us, let us adhere to this ordained means. If we desire to be taught by God, let us accept the doctrine preached to us by human agents. This is what we must remember from this text so that we do not foolishly question why God has not given us a particular grace or gift or why He has chosen to use such means. We should be content with God's ordinance, recognizing that delving into these matters will only lead to our embarrassment, for true wisdom lies solely in His divine will.

Also, let us observe what is immediately stated in this text, namely, that it is God's will that there should be an order of ministry or service. It is as if to say that God could indeed bring us to perfection by Himself, without any other means or assistance, yet He chooses to be served by men and appoints them to various roles. In doing so, He makes these ministers the means through which His goodness and the praise of our salvation come to us. Therefore, it is incumbent upon men to submit to this divine arrangement.

Some might find it peculiar that instead of speaking solely about the gifts of the Holy Ghost, Paul leads us to offices. He initiated this discussion by explaining how our Lord Jesus Christ gives gifts according to what He deems suitable for us, providing these gifts in various ways to fully equip us. To reinforce this point, Paul mentions the existence of apostles, shepherds, teachers, and evangelists. It might appear as though he is veering off track from his initial discussion. However, we should note, as we see more extensively in the first Corinthians, that our Lord Jesus Christ has established and maintained the order we have already discussed in His church. His intention is that there should be shepherds, prophets, and teachers. He promptly equips them with what is necessary for the execution of their duties. He does not operate as humans do. In our case, we can appoint one person as a magistrate and another as a preacher. Yet, we cannot provide them with the essential qualities for their respective roles. We cannot transform a person into someone entirely new once they have been elevated to a position of honour; they remain fundamentally the same. Similarly, when selecting shepherds, we may choose a person who ultimately proves unsuitable, as we cannot bestow upon them the qualifications they require. However, when individuals are chosen by God Himself, and they yield to His divine will entirely, other gifts are added to their responsibilities.

When our Lord Jesus chose His apostles, He selected simple fishermen and those who were not highly esteemed. Nevertheless, He effectively used them for the proclamation of His gospel, initially as heralds to announce the arrival of the King. But when He intended to send them forth to perform their duties, He sent them the Holy Spirit, indicating, as He does in many other passages, that everything necessary for the well-being of the church must come as a free gift from Him. This is because it is well understood that all things originate from Him, with the ultimate purpose of giving Him all praise. Therefore, it is no wonder that, in speaking of the diversity of gifts and their allocation, Paul purposefully emphasises that God bestows particular gifts for specific roles. It is as if to say that God has a reason for not granting the same gifts to everyone. He does not desire every individual to be a shepherd, prophet, teacher, apostle, or evangelist. He calls those He chooses, emphasising the importance of humility. Therefore, if we are willing to submit to Him, we should not hesitate to receive our authority and value from Him, rooted in His divine ordinance.

God sometimes leads certain individuals to a private life, yet simultaneously chooses others to proclaim His Word. Therefore, individuals must accept their roles as directed by Him.

Furthermore, let us observe that if men proceed with a fear of God in their elections and seek to obey Him, He will surely demonstrate through their outcomes that those He has called to teach and entrusted with the responsibility of shepherding the flock will not lack His empowerment. Experience bears this out, and it is attested to us that if we gather in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, truly and sincerely, He will be in our midst. We should keep this in mind. Nevertheless, we see that the papacy has manipulated and shaped people to their own ends, causing them to deviate completely from the order established by our Lord Jesus Christ and the manner in which the church was governed in apostolic times.

Let's revisit the main point being discussed here. The intention is to lead us to the previously mentioned unity. Therefore, we should be of one mind, joining together as brethren and aiming at a common goal, all under the leadership of one head who unites us. There should be no envy, ill will, factions, or anything else that may divide us. To bring about this unity, it is stated that there is only one God and one Lord to whom all authority is given, one baptism, and one faith. We are all called to one inheritance. Building on this, it is added that for the sake of confirming this unity, Jesus Christ has ordained that one man should teach the rest, and the congregation should listen to him. With this arrangement, both the speaker and the listeners should share the same faith. As not all of us can be apostles, teachers, and prophets, He has selected some to occupy these roles. The purpose is to bring us to the aforementioned unity and acknowledge Jesus Christ as our head, with all of us gathered under Him. This is what the Apostle Paul is emphasising.

Now, if there had been any chief or supreme authority designated by God in this world, the bishop who held it should have had superiority over the entire church, and his commission should have extended so far that his sovereignty would have been established everywhere. Surely, St. Paul would not have overlooked this, or else, if he had, it would have been a grave omission inspired by the Holy Ghost. He would not have omitted the principal and most convenient point of his message. Therefore, if there were nothing else, this text alone would suffice to refute the audacity of those who claim that there must be a supreme head in this world, arguing that because Jesus Christ has left this world, there must be a vicar. However, it is certain that St. Paul meant to convey what we have seen in other texts, which is that St. Peter's apostleship did not extend to us, for he was appointed specifically to the Jews, as is stated in Galatians 2.

In any case, we see here the continuous order that we must maintain and adhere to if we wish to be subject to our Lord Jesus Christ. This does not involve having a pope, but rather, each church should have its own shepherds and teachers according to their needs, the number of people, and the requirements of the place. This ensures that when we are united in one body as a church, we may have lawful governance. It is impossible for us to do otherwise due to our immaturity and the weakness of our faith. Therefore, it is necessary for us to accept the remedy provided by our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may submit ourselves to His word and authority.

This is the essence of what we must emphasize in our resistance. Paul proceeds to highlight the immeasurable benefits and fruits that arise from maintaining this order. As mentioned earlier, some individuals are so proud that they desire to lord over others. Hence, nothing is better than understanding that God, in His wisdom, has established this order of governance, appointing shepherds to teach us. It is contrary to our own salvation when we stubbornly resist and reject what God has ordained for our well-being.

Truly, if there were nothing else to consider but the fact that God has willed it, then we should willingly submit to His commandments. However, our hearts often struggle to do so unless we can clearly see that it is for our own benefit. God's intent is not only to humble us but also to elevate us by establishing this order. Therefore, it is not sufficient to merely obey God's commands or do so reluctantly. We must eagerly embrace them, knowing that they are for our own good.

Now that we understand that this order is particularly essential for our salvation, we should wholeheartedly commit ourselves to it. Otherwise, our ingratitude will be even more reprehensible when we reject what God offers us, not primarily for His sake but for our own benefit. This is what St. Paul intended to convey when he spoke of the preaching of the gospel and the appointment of individuals for this purpose—to bind us together and eliminate dissension.

Furthermore, St. Paul also emphasizes that anyone who rejects common order and strives to be excessively spiritual, as if they are detached from earthly concerns, is in fact, separating themselves from the body of the church and, in doing so, renouncing God. Such individuals should be avoided and shunned like deadly plagues because they sow discord in the church. No matter how much we desire unity, all our efforts will be in vain if we do not adhere to the principles outlined here. Our Lord Jesus intended to unite us firmly within His own body.

Therefore, if any man claims that he will withdraw himself from the obedience of the church, it is akin to severing the sinews of a body. It's like saying you love someone but then cutting their sinews everywhere, causing the entire body to become disjointed, dismembered, and ultimately collapsing into chaos. This analogy holds true for us as well because we are meant to be united, and God has provided for this unity by giving us prophets, teachers, shepherds, and evangelists. Now, if we reject them, what else can be said except that we intend to break apart the unity that our Lord has ordained among us? Indeed, Paul clearly shows us that all who do not submit themselves to the doctrine of the gospel and show reverence to the ministers are deadly enemies of God's people, seeking their own destruction. Therefore, we should avoid them like wolves because they are utterly intolerable, causing the downfall of the church, despising God's well-ordered affairs, and forsaking all that is good.

Furthermore, this edification or building up of the Body of Christ is immediately followed by St. Paul's declaration. This underscores the importance of those who refuse to submit to spiritual authority, which our Lord Jesus has permitted. The Body of our Lord Jesus must be precious to us. Indeed, it would have sufficed if he had said "the church," but by using this honourable title, St. Paul conveys that it would be treacherous for us to attempt to tear the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ apart. Without building it up, it cannot be perfected or maintained in good condition. This building up can only occur through the preaching of God's Word. So, if we desire that God be honoured and served, that our Lord may peacefully rule among us, if we wish to be His people, to live under His protection, to be built up in Him, joined to Him, and to continue in Him until the end, in short, if we desire our salvation, then we must become humble learners, receiving the doctrine of the gospel and listening to the shepherds as if Jesus Christ Himself were speaking to us. We must be confident that He approves of our obedience and faith in listening to mortal men whom He has appointed.

Therefore, let us demonstrate our desire for God's honour, as well as our concern for our own salvation and the well-being and edification of the church. This will happen when all of us, regardless of our status, agree that Jesus Christ should have instruments through which to speak to us and draw us closer to Him. If we follow this order, He will surely bless us, and we will have reason to glorify Him. We will see that it has always been His desire to secure the salvation of our souls and that He is always present with us, working for our ultimate benefit. Now, let us humble ourselves before the majesty of our good God, acknowledging our faults and praying that He makes us feel them deeply. May we be brought low and seek nothing but to be lifted up by Him. May our Lord Jesus have such preeminence over us that we honour Him as He deserves. Let us be under His care, guided by His Holy Spirit, so that His Word may prosper more and more within us and strengthen us. May He bear with our weaknesses and never cease to claim us as His own as long as we live in this world, until we are all gathered into His kingdom. We pray for His grace not only for ourselves but for all.