He Himself Gave Some

Feb 15, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Body of Christ is Called to Work Together

God has given diverse gifts to His people so that the church may function as a unified body. Each person has a vital role to play, and no single individual is meant to carry the entire burden of ministry. This cooperative effort is essential for the health, growth, and effectiveness of the church in fulfilling its mission. When every member understands their place and contributes their part, the entire body is built up and strengthened. This divine design prevents burnout and ensures that the work of the Lord is accomplished through shared responsibility and mutual support. [34:17]

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific gift or ability God has given you that you could use to serve and build up your church family? How might you take a practical step this week to offer that gift in service to others?

Day 2: Walking Worthy of Our Calling in Everyday Life

Our faith is not meant to be confined to a Sunday morning service but is to be lived out daily. Walking worthy involves integrating our beliefs into our actions, speech, and decisions throughout the week. This consistent Christian witness is often the most powerful testimony we can offer, as people see the authenticity of our relationship with Christ. It is in the ordinary moments of life that our faith becomes tangible and attractive to those who are watching. A life that matches our confession points others to the transformative power of the Gospel. [47:51]

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. (Ephesians 4:1 ESV)

Reflection: When you consider your interactions at work, home, or in your community, where is there a gap between what you believe and how you are currently living? What would it look like to "walk worthy" in one of those specific areas this week?

Day 3: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry

The primary role of church leadership is not to do all the ministry themselves, but to equip every believer for their own ministry. This equipping involves teaching, training, and encouraging God’s people so they are prepared and confident to serve. Every follower of Jesus is called to active service, and the church is healthiest when its members are fully trained and deployed. This process of equipping ensures that the work of God advances through the many, not just the few, and that each person grows to their full potential in Christ. [54:50]

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life has invested in you to help you grow in your faith or abilities? How can you, in turn, come alongside someone else to encourage and equip them for the good works God has prepared for them?

Day 4: The Foundation of Our Faith is Jesus Christ Alone

The church is built upon the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. This foundation, established by the apostles and prophets, is non-negotiable and provides stability amidst shifting cultural trends and teachings. Our unity and identity are found in Him, not in our personal preferences or denominational labels. Clinging to this foundation protects us from being swayed by every new wind of doctrine and keeps our focus on the essential truth of the Gospel. He alone is the source of our salvation and the center of our fellowship. [43:58]

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20 ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you most tempted to compromise on the truth of who Jesus is and what He has said? What is one practical way you can reaffirm your commitment to His lordship in that area?

Day 5: Speaking the Truth in Love to Build Others Up

Our words possess the power to either tear down or build up those around us. God calls us to use this power responsibly by speaking truth that is always filtered through love. This means our communication should aim for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of others, not merely for proving our point. Whether offering correction or encouragement, the motivation must be the spiritual growth and well-being of the listener. When truth and love are combined, our words become a means of grace that imparts strength and healing to the body of Christ. [01:15:21]

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. (Ephesians 4:15 ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you had an opportunity to speak a difficult truth. How did love shape your approach, or how could it have shaped it more effectively? Who is one person God is placing on your heart to encourage with a truthful and loving word this week?

Sermon Summary

Ephesians 4 anchors a direct call to church order and cooperative ministry. The text names five distinct offices—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—and presents them as gifts given to the church to equip believers, do the ministry, and build up the body until it reaches the fullness of Christ. The foundation of the church rests on apostolic and prophetic witness, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone; the New Testament teaching and Old Testament continuity both matter for stable faith. Each believer carries a role: some are called to proclaim the gospel, others to shepherd and teach, and every member must steward gifts for the common good.

Scripture-focused training and discipline receive urgent emphasis. Equipping means making people adequate, complete, and functional for service—training that moves beyond surface religiosity into durable spiritual maturity. Teaching and long-suffering correction form part of that equipping; leaders must be able to instruct, not merely perform rituals or seek applause. Spiritual gifts must serve the building up of others rather than personal status, and those who lead must mentor so their ceiling becomes the congregation’s floor.

Evangelism and stewardship of the flock appear as shared responsibilities. The harvest is plentiful, and laborers remain few; every believer ought to live and speak in ways that attract others to Christ. Practical service—hospital visits, prayer, teaching children, and hands-on work around the building—counts as kingdom labor and reveals the health of the body. Unity, not individualism, produces maturity: when members cooperate, the body becomes durable, functional, and attractive in truth and spirit.

Love regulates truth. Speaking truth must come in love so the body grows instead of fracturing; corrupt words that injure do not edify. Grace undergirds gifting and ministry effectiveness; leaders should guard their speech, train successors, and resist the temptation to do ministry in isolation. The call lands on every believer: be ready to serve, be humble in office, and commit to cooperative growth for the sake of God’s mission.

Key Takeaways

1. Recognize distinct church offices today The New Testament gives specific roles—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers—that serve foundational and ongoing purposes. Each office contributes different functions: foundation-laying, prophetic revelation, gospel proclamation, shepherding, and teaching. Confusing or collapsing these distinct callings weakens the church’s capacity to equip and sustain mature faith. [36:23]
2. Equip saints for ministry work Equipping means making believers adequate and trained for service, not simply entertaining or managing programs. Training must form character, doctrinal clarity, and practical competence so people can withstand false teaching and serve under pressure. A church that prioritizes equipping produces durable, functional members who sustain ministry when leaders face trials. [41:02]
3. Evangelism belongs to every believer Gospel witness does not remain the task of a professional few; Jesus called followers to be fishers of men and to pray for laborers. Personal holiness, missional living, and everyday conversation about faith carry the work of outreach more reliably than flashy programs. When daily life testifies to Christ, the church grows organically through attraction, not merely promotion. [44:39]
4. Unity matures the body Cooperative ministry and surrendered pride bring the church into doctrinal stability and spiritual maturity. Unity does not erase diversity of gifts; rather, it channels different callings into a shared aim: the fullness of Christ in the community. Love-shaped truth-telling and mutual accountability prevent being tossed by every new doctrine and produce steady growth. [1:10:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:41] - Online Giving & Prayer Requests
[03:21] - Facilities, Gratitude, and Fellowship
[33:57] - Call to Get the House in Order
[36:23] - Ephesians 4:11 — Church Offices Listed
[41:02] - Purpose: Equip the Saints
[44:39] - Evangelism Is Everyone’s Job
[47:51] - Walking Worthy and Oversight
[54:50] - Equipping Means Adequacy
[56:19] - Mentoring Raises Others’ Ceiling
[1:10:45] - Unity, Maturity, Building the Body
[1:21:58] - Mission, Prayer, and Practical Service

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Ephesians 4:11–16 (ESV)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Observation questions

What are the five distinct roles or offices that Christ gave to the church according to Ephesians 4:11?
What is the ultimate goal of these roles working together in the body of Christ?
According to the passage, what happens when believers are not properly equipped and built up?
How does the passage describe the way we should communicate truth within the body?

Interpretation questions

Why is it important that these roles—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are understood as distinct, and how do they function together rather than in isolation?
What does it mean for the body of Christ to be “built up,” and how does that contrast with simply increasing attendance or running programs?
The passage warns against being “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.” What are some modern examples of teachings or trends that could cause this kind of instability in a believer’s faith?
How does “speaking the truth in love” contribute to growth and maturity in a way that truth without love, or love without truth, does not?

Application questions

Every believer has a role in the body. What is one specific way you can use your gifts to serve others and help build up the church, rather than expecting the pastors to do all the work? [34:48]
Equipping means helping believers become adequate, trained, and functional for ministry—not just informed. Who is one person you could intentionally invest in or mentor so that they grow in spiritual maturity and readiness to serve? [56:19]
Evangelism isn’t just for a few “professionals.” How can you intentionally live and speak in a way that attracts others to Christ in your everyday routines—at work, in your neighborhood, or in your family? [44:39]
Unity doesn’t mean uniformity. How can you better appreciate and support those in your church who have different gifts or callings than you, recognizing that each person’s contribution matters for the whole body to function well? [01:00:12]
Speaking the truth in love can be challenging. Is there a relationship in your life where you’ve avoided saying something true because it was hard? How can you approach that situation with both courage and compassion this week? [01:15:21]
Leaders are called to serve, not to be served. Whether you’re in formal leadership or not, how can you adopt a mindset of servanthood this week in your home, job, or church? [01:06:54]
The church is most durable and functional when every member is working properly. What’s one step you can take to move from being a spectator to an active participant in the mission of your church? [01:11:34]

Sermon Clips

32s

#FoundationInChrist

“They gave the word of god. They gave Jesus Christ was the way and the only way. The church needs to understand. We can't build this any other way on the foundation of Jesus Christ, period. Those two offices that the the gifts that were given to the church are foundational. We need to build upon what the prophets did. You can't throw away the Old Testament and say you're a new you're a New Testament church. You have to have the Old Testament and the New Testament.”

33s

#EquipTheSaints

“We need to equip and not only do we equip our soldiers in battle, but we ought to equip because we're in a battle today against good and evil. So that means that we, the shepherds, we, the offices of the church, and you, you being part of the royal priesthood have an obligation to equip the saints. I said this before and I'll say it again. If you're a pastor, ordained minister here, if you're a leader here, my ceiling ought to be your floor.”

30s

#TwoByTwoMission

“I know wherever he sends me, we go two by two just like he sent them out in his day. He still send them out two by two today. Come on. Can I get an amen? Amen. When we do something together, we do it together. Amen? Let me tell you something. The most dangerous person that you can have in ministry, you can have at work, you can have that has your back that thinks it's all about him or her and they do everything alone. They are dangerous and they will get you killed, spiritually and possibly physically.”

24s

#JesusOurShepherd

“Who is the high priest of this church in any church? Jesus. Who is the shepherd of this church? There's only one shepherd. It's not Bubba. I'm the under shepherd. The shepherd of this church is Jesus Christ. Fact, not fiction. Amen? Amen. People say, well, you're the shepherd. No. I'm the under shepherd. I answer to the shepherd. Amen? Amen. And his name is Jesus Christ.”

32s

#WalkYourFaith

“Each of us have a gift. Matter of fact, it says that we're part of the royal priesthood. We need to step in that and walk. If you go back up to Ephesians chapter four verse one, you need to walk, amen? Three times in the book of Ephesians, it talks about walking, 33 times in the whole New Testament, Paul uses the word walk. You need to understand. You need to walk. Your faith, you ought to be walking it. You ought to be talking it but hey, talk is cheap if it's not walking too. Can I get an amen?”

32s

#ExamineYourHeart

“Someone told me, he said, well, the reason I said that when I talked to the person, the reason I said that is because they couldn't ask forgiveness. I said, okay. If you died right now in the car, what have you lied about? What have you said that's wrong? What have you thought in your mind? Because that means you've not asked forgiveness so you wouldn't go to heaven either. We need to be careful, folks, and we need to understand what the scripture says and that's through prayer and study. Amen?”

37s

#FaithNotBigotry

“Get this. This is what I tell everybody. God is real. You can only worship him in truth and in spirit. And if you'll just read your bible, you'll see the mighty work of hand the hand of god in your life. No one has he ever called He's never called a Christian to hate. Fact. If you're a bigot, you can't be you can't walk with Jesus. I don't care what they say. You might be saved, but that's all you are.”

37s

#AskGodToServe

“So, what I'm saying to you, if there's a need in the church, you need to pray, ask for the ability. If there's a need in the church, you need to ask you need to ask the lord, how can I fulfill it? Instead of saying, well, that's not for me. Is he called you to the minister or has he not called you to minister? Amen? No matter of your main calling as a minister of the gospel and if you are part of the royal priesthood, save, born again, you need to ask the lord wherever you're at, what is it that you want me to do to help equip the saints?”

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