Christ Triumphant, Ascended, Gives Gifts to Mankind

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore He 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.”  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 unto Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” –Ephesians 4:4-16 (ESV).

Throughout December these devotionals have looked at some of the prophecies concerning the Messiah.  At Christmastime we celebrated anew the account of His birth and those who first encountered the newborn King.  In other devotionals throughout the year, we have looked on occasion at Christ’s work and mission.  A lifetime of study could be expended on Christ, His teachings, work, and mission and we would barely plumb the depths and richness of His perfect life.  To finish out this year’s devotionals we will consider the triumphant Christ.  Having finished the work He came to earth to do we know He then ascended to the Father.  But He left us work to do.  We recall when He was age twelve, Jesus made a trip to the Temple in Jerusalem.  His parents, not finding Him among the travelers returning to Nazareth, went to seek Him  They found him in the Temple, talking with the religious leaders.  Mary questioned Him about why He had not been with them on the way home and He responded:  “Know you not that I must be about my Father’s business?’(Luke 2:49).  And with the work finished He had come to earth to do, He ascended triumphantly to Heaven to His Father’s House where He is at the right hand of God interceding, awaiting our coming, and awaiting the Father’s appointed time when He will return the second time to earth to set up His kingdom (see John 14:3, Acts 1:11, Titus 2:13).  And He assigned us, His followers, to “be about His Father’s business,” to work at winning others to Christ.

We were given gifts to do the work of Christ until His return.  We are to work in and through the body, the church, which proclaims one Lord, one faith, one hope, one baptism, one Lord and Father.  The gifts Christ bestows are to allow those who work in His kingdom to be (as indicated in Ephesians 4:11):  prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers.  We are to conduct ourselves maturely and grow “in the fullness of Christ.”  We are to “speak the truth in love.” This sort of Spirit-led life causes the body of Christ (the church, believers banded together in the work of the Lord) to grow and be built up in love. What an assignment He left for us to accomplish!  How are we measuring up to His expectations of the work and mission He left us to do?  How are we exercising the gifts He provided us to be used in His service?  As we face a new year, these questions should be paramount as we resolve to follow Christ more faithfully and serve Him more lovingly.

Prayer:  Lord, Help us to examine our relationship with You and measure it by the guidelines for Christian living and service as taught us in Your Word.  Help us to correct areas of weakness and to rededicate ourselves to the work You have called us to do.  May we do all as unto the Lord.  Amen.