NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: John 2-4
SCRIPTURE READING
Eph 4: 7-10 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s
gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he
gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had
also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who
also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Paul is showing that Jesus is the ascended, victorious Lord over all and that He has
sovereignly given various spiritual gifts to His church so that “He might fill all things” (verse
10). Grace gifts are given to each believer because of what Christ did on the cross. Paul is
going to talk about these grace gifts in later verses but detours for a few verses first.
In verses 8-10 Paul quotes Psalm 68:18. The exalted Christ who ascended after He
descended in the incarnation, distributed gifts to people or assigned each of the members
of the body different ways of serving the body. It’s like a victor who gives away the spoils
from his victory. In the incarnation, Christ descended from the highest heavens to the
lowest regions where he suffered and died, was buried and defeated death by rising again.
He ascended again 40 days later to be seated in the highest heavens at the right hand of
the Father (Acts 2:33). Christ is the supreme head of the church who fills all things.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Spend some time praising and thanking Jesus for descending down to earth to be born
as a human baby. He was fully God and fully man; this was an incredible act of humility.
2. When Christ ascended, He gave spiritual gifts to men; He did not leave His church ill
equipped. Spend some time thanking God for the spiritual leaders in our church as well as
for the spiritual gifts. Ask the Lord if He would like you to go to an Empower to learn more
about the spiritual gifts, so that you can use the gifts He has given you.
3. In listening prayer, ask the Holy Spirit what some of your spiritual gifts are. Ask God how
He wants you to use these gifts to edify the body of Christ, the Church.
