Equipping the Saints

2 Peter 3:18“But grow in the grace and knowledge of

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him

be the glory both now and forever, Amen.”

Ephesians 4: 11-13“And He himself gave some to be apostles,

some prophets, some evangelist, and some

pastors and teachers, for the equipping of

the saints for the work of the 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, to a

perfect man, to the measure of the stature

of the fullness of Christ….”

Different rolesI. An apostle was an ambassador

• Mark 16:18, Acts 28: 1-6

Mark 3: 13-15 “And He went up on the mountain and

called to Him those He Himself wanted.

And they came to Him. Then he appointed

twelve, that they might be with Him and

that He might send them out to preach,

and to have power to heal sicknesses and

to cast out demons….”

Luke 1: 1-2“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to

set in order a narrative of those things

which have been fulfilled among us, just

as those who from the beginning were

eyewitnesses and ministers of the word

delivered to them to us….”

2 Peter 1:16“For we did not follow cunningly devised

fables when we made known to you the

power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

Different rolesI. Apostle was an ambassador

• Mark 16:16, Acts 28: 1-6

I. Prophets delivered direct revelations

2 Peter 1:21

“For prophecy never came by the will of

man, but holy men of God spoke as they

were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Deuteronomy 13: 1-5“If there arises among you a prophet or a

dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a

sign or a wonder, and the sign or the

wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke

to you, saying, let us go after other gods’

which you have not known and let us

serve them, you shall not listen to the

words of that prophet or that dreamer of

dreams, for the Lord your God is testing

you to know whether you love the Lord

your God with all your heart and with all

your soul. You shall walk after the Lord

your God and fear Him, and keep His

commandments and obey His voice; you

shall be put to death, because he has

spoken in order to turn you away from the

Lord your God, who brought you out of the

land of Egypt and redeemed you from the

house of bondage, to entice you from the

way in which the Lord your God

commanded you to walk. So you shall put

away the evil from you midst.”

Jeremiah 14: 13-15“Then I said, ah, Lord God! Behold, the

prophets say to them, you shall not see the

sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will

give you assured peace in this place. And

the Lord said to me, the prophets lies in

My name. I have not sent them, command

them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy

in My name, whom I did not send, and

who say, sword and famine shall not be in

this land by sword and famine those

prophets shall be consumed!”

Different rolesI. Apostle was an ambassador

• Mark 16:16, Acts 28: 1-6

I. Prophet delivered direct revelations

II. Evangelists are gospel preachers• Ephesians 2:8, Acts 2:28

Different rolesI. Apostle was an ambassador

• Mark 16:16, Acts 28: 1-6

I. Prophets delivered direct revelations

II. Evangelists are gospel preachers• Ephesians 2:8, Acts 2:28

I. Pastors and teachers are shepherd’s

11 “And He himself gave some to be

apostles, some prophets, some evangelists

and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the

equipping of the saints for the work of

ministry, for the edifying of the body of

Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the

faith and of the knowledge of the Son of

God, to a perfect man, to the measure of

of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”

Stages of growth and maturing

1. Gifted leaders are responsible for the equipping of the saints

2. The well equipped saints do the work of the ministry

3. The result is the body of Christ is built up

Ephesians 4: 1-16