This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Christians & Their Vows” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, April 8, 1990.

I will be reading the first sixteen verses. Hear the word of God. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But unto each one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore, he says, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. Now, when he ascended, what does it mean that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same also who ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and some teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body is joined together and held together by every joint that supplies the needs of each part, according to the proper working of each individual part, making the body grow so as to build itself up in love.

Pray with me now. How powerful your word is, O God! By it you have brought us to life. Where there had been death, now there is no more death. For we, by your word, have been told that life has come. In Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. And we who believe in him know that death has been vanquished and life is victorious.

O God, may your word today be life indeed. May we thrill when we hear it, and may we thrill at receiving it, for our benefit in your glory. So, O Lord, may we be known as the people of your word, for we wait upon you and rest in what you have said. Hear us, our God, as we pray to you through Christ, the one who is called the Word of God incarnate. Amen.

Jesus does approach the city and enter it as a king. His approach and entrance is unique, to be sure. He comes riding upon an ass. He comes in humility. He comes in lowliness and in meekness. Yet, those who attend him as he comes and as he enters do so recognizing him to be a Lord, a Sovereign, a King.

They look at him as the one expected, the one long-anticipated, the messianic Lord who has come into the city of the great king for the purpose of establishing finally, fully, that kingdom peculiar to him. But as the week progresses, this one who is acknowledged king demonstrates himself to be anything but a king in the eyes of the people. He starts out well; he enters the temple and cleanses it. He manifests his power, his zeal, and purges the house of God, so that the righteous rule of the Lord might emanate gloriously from that center point, the temple itself. But having done that, he then makes daily visits to the temple and to the city. There he teaches and instructs, and as he does, the confrontation between him and the leaders of the city builds.

It builds to a crisis point. There seems to be no turning back. The confrontation is extreme. There is confusion among his disciples. He must wrestle with that as well. And at the end of the week, he is proclaiming to them, in no uncertain terms, his imminent demise. He is speaking of his death, of all things. Some king. Some king. So it is, then, that this one who entered the city in a kingly way, at least in the estimation of the crowds, departs this world in a manner hardly fitting for a sovereign. But what a king. What a king he is.

For it will be no temporal authority. It will be no time-bound throne that is His. Rather, it will be an eternal throne, a kingdom incapable of suffering loss, or diminishment, or any other such thing. To remain that king in the world would mean being subject to all the changes of this world. But this king is now the king of glory, and he exercises a heavenly and eternal rule from his throne above. Glory, matchless, unprecedented, unparalleled glory. Such that will not fade. And that for all of his dear and dearly loved subjects.

Well, Ephesians speaks to us about this throne, about this dominion and heavenly rule. It tells us how God has brought it about in and for his Christ when he raised him from the dead, chapter 1, verse 20. And seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. Verse 21, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him as head over all things, to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all and all. So we are confronted, are we not, by this one who is a sovereign, a lord, a king, indeed.

Never a king like this. The one who truly has ascended the hill of the Lord and demanded entrance through the gates, so that they be lifted up at his entrance. And though there may be those within those city walls who would keep him at bay, refusing to acknowledge him, who is this King of Glory? Yet the proclamation comes: The Lord, strong in battle, the Lord, mighty to save. He is the King of Glory. Truly, this King has ascended on high, as stated in the language of Psalm 68, and has led captivity captive.

A heavenly rule without any earthly manifestation or impact? Not at all. For we are told that this one has been given as head and king over the church, his body, which is still present in the world. There exists then a relationship between the heavenly Lord and the earthly assembly. His church is dominion in the world, where he asserts and exercises his rule. His dominion is evident in and through his church. Indeed, he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to people, so that those gifts might be exercised and used in the world by those who are his subjects, his servants.

This places us directly in the middle of Ephesians 4. The passage discusses spiritual gifts and draws our attention to the matter of responsibility, response, duty, obligation, oath, vow, and promise, as we begin again to consider this subject and bring our messages on Christians and their vows to a conclusion. We have been reviewing the whole matter of our vows and oaths, and we are bringing our series to a conclusion by taking up the subject of office and the specific responsibilities that pertain to office, those who bear office, and we who are served by officers in the Church of Christ. Our text, then, is Ephesians 4. And this wonderful exposition by the Apostle Paul of Psalm 68, well in tune with the heavenly rule of Christ, nowhere else expressing himself so wonderfully on this theme as here in the letter to the Ephesians.

The exalted Lord, whose rule indeed impacts the world and life in the world through the church—Jesus Christ’s church, His body—has, by His exaltation, led captivity captive. We are no longer enslaved. We are set at liberty. What a warrior, what a deliverer, what a redeemer this is. We are set at liberty from our sins, from death itself, and this one, as a conquering hero, gives gifts to His servants.

There are foundational gifts given by Him from heaven to His church in the world. These are the gifts peculiar to the foundation of the church. As that foundation is laid and established, it will not be laid again. There is a time appropriate for the laying of the foundation, and then that time passes. Afterward, one must attend to other concerns and considerations. These foundational gifts are spoken of in verse 11, and here they are called apostles and prophets. Some would also include evangelists.

We are not accustomed to including them as foundational gifts. What do we mean by these foundational gifts? These are gifts unique to the apostolic age—gifts that were accompanied by revelation directly from Christ to His Church for the Church’s benefit. These are revelatory gifts through which God communicates in Christ His will for His people in a time when the Word of God, the Scriptures, had not yet been completed. We hear about these foundational gifts earlier in the epistle to the Ephesians.

Chapter 2, verse 20. The church is called God’s household, verse 19, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. The apostles and prophets are specifically described as foundational to the structure of the Church. They are foundational because they communicate God’s will for his people at a foundational level during a time when the Scriptures were not yet completed. There are other foundational gifts.

We hear of them in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 28. We also hear of them in the Corinthian epistle, chapter 14, verse 1 and following. Gifts of prophecy, gifts of healing, gifts of tongues. These are all revelatory gifts. In these passages, we also hear of gifts of prayer, gifts of song, all of them supernaturally endowed, not part of the ordinary course of life in the Church, but foundational to the Church, given by Christ as a demonstration of his power for the purpose of revealing his purpose and intention to his people during that time, in that particular period. We therefore have these foundational gifts given to men by Christ, the ascended and reigning Lord. But we also learn about permanent gifts that are given, gifts that continue from age to age.

Once more, in Ephesians 4, verse 11, we move from the temporary, extraordinary gifts—apostles and prophets—to the ordinary and perpetual gifts. Some would include evangelists here, but most specifically what is in view are pastors and teachers. We read of other permanent gifts given to the Church in Romans, chapter 12, verse 8. Again, in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 28, we read of other permanent gifts given to the Church: gifts for teaching, gifts for instruction, gifts for leadership, gifts for service within the Church.

And as we take stock of these permanent gifts, we, in collecting them and distilling them, recognize that there are actually three orders of gifts given permanently for the Church. These gifts are the means by which Christ is exercising his heavenly rule among his people. There are gifts of teaching, which belong to the ministerial office. There are gifts of rule, which belong to the office of the elder. There are gifts of service, which belong specifically to the office of the deacon. There are three, then, permanent offices operative in the Church by which Christ is exercising his heavenly rule among his people. But there is something more here in this passage from Ephesians 4. It is true that Christ, our heavenly King, has given gifts to men. And we have spoken about those gifts—gifts conferred upon individuals, specific individuals within the Church, for the benefit of the Church, for the glory of Christ, the Church’s Lord.

But while that is true, it is also true that, according to the language of Ephesians 4:11, Christ has given the gifted as gifts to the Church. It is not simply that he gives gifts to men, and these men then express those gifts within the Church. Rather, the language of Ephesians 4:11 suggests to us that Jesus Christ has actually given those who are endowed, those who are gifted, as gifts of his heavenly rule, of his heavenly victory and triumph, to the Church. This means that an officer exercising his responsibility in the Church is Christ’s gift to you. It is not merely that the man has the gift; he is the gift. Do you see this in the language of that eleventh verse?

And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and some teachers. The Church, therefore, recognizes the gifts given. There are appropriate ways of doing that. Observing the way in which an individual behaves and how that individual conducts his life. The church in Jerusalem was called upon to do nothing less than that. Choose men from among you who have wisdom. Choose men from among you who are capable and who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

The church was then called upon to recognize the gifts given by Christ’s heavenly rule for her good. And the church, you see, expresses itself in recognizing those gifts. It is not a matter of a hierarchy pushing the gifted upon the church. It is a matter of the church recognizing the gifts, acknowledging those gifts, and receiving those gifts through some sort of public act.

In Acts chapter 6, there was an election. The people voted. We are often confused about Paul’s language, or rather Luke’s language, in speaking about Paul’s missionary journeys. When Paul is going through the church’s appointment of elders, Calvin makes clear to us that the language there indicates an election taking place within the congregations for establishing those officers. The list of qualifications given to us in the pastoral epistles, in 1 Timothy chapter three, shows that the people ought to recognize within those who present themselves for office these qualities and these qualifications.

And how can they express themselves unless it is in some form of election or confirmation? But as the church recognizes the gifts, the church also submits to them. Once a person with a gift has been placed in an office, you should not continue to remind them, “It is only because of me that you are in this position.” Instead, you acknowledge that it is Christ who is at work in all of this, and He is the one who places His offices or His officers in their positions. Therefore, you are obligated to submit to these gifts once they have been confirmed within the congregation. I believe there is probably nothing that a congregation resists more than submitting to the gifts given within the church.

It might be helpful for you, in this matter, to recall the vows you made when you acknowledged the officers of this congregation as having authority over you. For example, the vow used in the ordination of a ruling elder or a deacon: “Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive this brother as a ruling elder or deacon, and do you promise to yield him all that honor, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord, to which his office, according to the word of God and the constitution of this church, entitles him?” If you have not thought about this for some time, it may cause you to reflect seriously. You have actually made a vow regarding those who hold office in the church, and you have promised to submit to them. Of course, it is not only the congregation that makes a vow; the individual who assumes the office also makes a vow.

Whether he is a minister, an elder, or a deacon, he is obliged to declare before the congregation his intention with respect to the Scriptures, acknowledging them to be the word of God, the infallible rule of faith and practice. Before the Church, he is obliged to acknowledge his reception of the confession of faith and catechisms of the Church as containing that system of doctrine taught in the Scriptures. He is obliged to declare his approval of the government, discipline, and worship of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

There is a promise with respect to subjection to your brethren in the Lord, specifically directed to pastors. There are questions appropriate to the pastoral office. He must acknowledge that he has sought the ministry from his love of God and his sincere desire to promote His glory in the gospel of His Son. That minister is obliged to promise before the congregation to be zealous and faithful in maintaining the truths of the gospel, the purity and peace of the Church, whatever persecution and opposition may arise on that account. He is obliged to engage, to be faithful and diligent in the exercises of all private and personal duties which become him as a Christian and a minister of the gospel, as well as in all relative duties and the public duties of his office, endeavoring to adorn the profession of the gospel by his conversation and walking with exemplary piety before the flock over which Christ has made him an overseer.

And he is obliged to declare before the congregation that he is willing to take the charge of this congregation in accordance with his declaration that he accepted when he was called, in terms of the call. And he promises to discharge the duties of a pastor to the people as God gives him strength to do so.

And the vows are very comprehensive. As I said, they are very sobering. They are sobering with respect to those who assume office. They are sobering with regard to the congregation that receives the officer. It is important for us who are in positions of leadership to assess ourselves, recognizing that we are, in fact, servants of Christ. His heavenly rule is presently at work in the world. We are called to minister in His name and to serve Him with diligence. It is imperative that we be found faithful. Nothing more pleases the Lord of those called than faithfulness. Faithfulness to the office to which they have been called.

Therefore, it is imperative that deacons not be concerned first with feeding themselves. Rather, they must first be concerned with feeding others, so that the needs of others may be met. It is imperative that elders have themselves under control, that they are able to manage their own households well, so that they may then function well in ruling the house of God. And it is imperative that ministers, in all humility, present the pure and unadulterated word to people, not for their own glory, not so that they might be thought well of, but so that the Lord whom they serve may be thought well of.

This is the matter of vows. I began this series by speaking generally about the vows, and I have spoken at length about your responsibilities to your vows, both within the Church and outside it. But I have ended with myself, so that I might not judge you in circumstances or situations where I am unwilling to be judged myself.

We know, our God, that Jesus Christ, our Savior, is the one who has spoken perfectly and has reflected perfectly the obligation and duty that is laid upon those who would be servants of God. And we know, our Father, that he has fulfilled every vow and oath that he has taken, and all your promises are yes and amen in him. We take comfort in this and find shelter in it, for we know that if there is to be the perfecting of our vows and promises within us, it can only be through him. So, Lord, we ask, we who are in various relationships and face various responsibilities, that the faithfulness of Jesus Christ would be expressed in us. And Lord, we ask that those who bear office in the Church would remember, in truth, that they are servants of the heavenly King. We pray that they may take their vows with utter seriousness and remain faithful, for the benefit of the people they serve and for the glory of the Christ who reigns over them. We pray this in Jesus’ name.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.