DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Ephesian 4:7-13
(01/08 or 01/21)
Sunday after the Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ
Christ’s Gifts: Ephesians 4:7-13, especially vs.
7:“But to each one of us
grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” We
may encounter God through someone having virtues plainly superior to our
own. Such an earthly acquaintance
is a blessing, especially if he is able to discern truth quickly, bears
humiliation, loves when others do not, accepts pain, takes defeat with joy, or
says just the right thing in a crisis.
Such a person actually is a message from God who shows us the true -
albeit narrow - way to the life in Christ (Mt. 7:13,14). In fact, he or she acts as an encouragement
to us. Thus, Saint John Chrysostom
admonishes us that if “...this or that man possesses any superiority in
any spiritual gift, grieve not at it.” For, as the Saint points out,
“...his labor also is greater” and even more important,
“Baptism, the being saved by faith, the having God for our Father, our
all partaking of the same Spirit...are common to all.”
Thus, “...to each one of us grace was given...”
(Eph. 4:7), and is ever being given, until we become equipped “...for the
work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to
the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (vss. 12,13). Not one of
us need miss the victory of Christ our God. Everyone who struggles has a host of
allies to help make victory sure: the Saints themselves are drawing us on high
in the Spirit, until we measure up to “...the stature of the fullness of
Christ...” as completed human beings (vs. 13).
In these verses, Saint Paul alludes to the ‘victory
procession’ of the triumphant Christ (vs. 8). What procession? His bodily Ascension, for in it
“...He led captivity captive....” (vs. 8). His departure from earth was the
Lord’s victory parade back to the kingdom of heaven. By the imagery of leading
“...captivity captive...” (vs. 8), Saint Paul recalls that,
although we are slaves to the universal tyrant – death - yet in Christ we
are so ‘no longer.’
Though death does touch us all, yet “...Christ Jesus has made
[us] free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Though snared by death, we are no longer
in eternal bondage. “He hath
trampled down death by death and upon those in the tombs [this includes you and
me] hath bestowed life.”
The Gospel of Christ announces that death was led before
the angels of heaven in chains by the victorious Christ. And we, brethren, witness that cosmic,
spiritual triumph every time we thrust death aside. How? Whenever we love instead of hate, give
rather than take, cleanse the passions that kill our hearts, and worship our
risen Lord. See: He gives
“...each one of us grace...” (Eph. 4:7) to do
death-defeating deeds and to speak life-bestowing words.
Sometimes we are so engaged in the battle against death -
in those little skirmishes of daily life - that we
fail to remember the host of indefatigable allies standing beside us to help
our struggle for life. Christ gives
us comrades; and Saint Paul names some of them (vs. 11): do we need to know the
basics of the Faith? We have the
Holy Apostles. Do we need to see
how to apply Christ’s truth?
He gives us Prophets. Who
encourages us to keep the Faith when we falter? The Evangelists are there to strengthen
us. And when we fail in the
struggle, who does the Lord Jesus give us but our
Pastors for counsel? Do we need
training in how to win? Christ gives
us teachers - in Church School, Catechism, adult classes, Pastoral instruction,
educational presentations, printed material, and love from other Christians.
“...since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb.
12:1). God is equipping us
“...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a perfect man...,” fully completed in Christ (Eph.
7:13).
Thou only art holy, Thou only art
the Lord, O Jesus Christ, to the glory of God.
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