That He Might Fill All Things - Part 4 — T. Austin-Sparks

To continue our meditation, we will read a little extended section of the part of scripture in which we are finding our key in the letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 7. But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Christ’s Purpose to Fill All Things

Wherefore, he said, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now this he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministering unto the building up of the body of Christ. Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

So we now come to the essential service of the church in relation to the divine end Christ shall fill all things. This morning that is the divine purpose fixed in eternity, unalterable and undefeatable.

We saw that alongside of that the church which is the body of Christ is said to be the fullness of him, that filleth all in all. Therefore the medium, instrument and vessel by which the divine purpose shall be fulfilled, that he shall fill all things.

And then we went on to see the method of that fulfillment made so clear in this letter. The apostle begins to sum up all that he has said, headed up to this sublime issue of the married relationship between Christ and the church, the divine method.

We saw illustrating from the book of Esther what that marriage relationship means. Divine election, divine redemption, divine enrichment and adornment, divine covenant, all illustrated in the case of Esther.

And there we stopped. We stopped short of the next thing, the essential service. It is perfectly evident in that book, that book of divine sovereignty and operation, or undoubtedly that is the meaning of the book.

It is perfectly evident that Esther was not just selected, chosen, called to the king, to the palace from the embargo of her exile and captivity, redeemed and then adorned with everything essential to make her suitable for the presence of the king and enriched with his riches.

It is evident that all that was not just for the sake of Esther and not just that she might be able to sport herself in her new position and her privileges, strut in and out of the palace and show off all that she had come and with which she had been endowed.

The real meaning of that book, as the sequel shows, is that that divine sovereignty was in operation in all those ways in the behalf of a people. A people who had got to be delivered. A people who had got to come into all the good of that sovereignty of the throne.

People who were under threat. They came under an edict from a very evil source. You may say from very hell itself. Represented by that Agag. I only got to mention that name with any knowledge of the Old Testament, Agag.

And you'll remember the attitude of Samuel toward Agag. He shewed him in pieces. Something very evil against the throne. A hand against the throne. That's what it was. And against the people of God. And here in this book of Esther, this evil thing has come up from the pit.

But it's designed to destroy the people of God and the testimony of life which is within them as of Esther. And Esther, to use the so familiar phrase, came to the kingdom just for such a time as that.

It was the essential service of Esther. And when you come to the letter to the Ephesians as we have seen all these features of Esther in spiritual expression. Every one of them is in this letter. You come here.

You arrive at this. But it is not just for the church's own sake. Good and benefit and glory and pleasure. This elect vessel instrument is what it is as elect and foreordained. In a vast, much vaster context than itself.

Just as the city at the end of the Bible stands in the midst of the nations to mediate life to the nations. Through its tree of life and river of life. It's only another figure or symbol of a great divine truth.

Right at the heart of these is this elect body. Elected, foreordained to minister the fullness of Christ within its own compass and beyond its own compass. The ages to come and now. That is the essential service of the church.

The Church as a Ministering Instrument

Now with that service in view, the apostle is led to bring us this matter of the church's ministry. As the way to the end of his filling all things by means of it. The church as a ministering instrument or vessel.

That is what is here. It is the ministry of Christ and of his fullness through the church. If we are truly in and of that body. It's our vocation. I don't want to emphasize this. I want you to be quite sure that you get hold of this.

All that is said here about other people functioning is only within the compass of this. That this is essentially a ministering church or it has missed the way. It has missed the way. And that is a tragic missing of the way.

Israel was called in the Old Testament, as we said earlier, the wife of the Lord. Bride of the Lord. I became a husband unto them, said the Lord. Israel was called to be the ministering channel and instrument of the Lord to all the nations.

And because Israel did not fulfill that high purpose and vocation. But built its walls around itself and shut itself in. And became an exclusive body in the nations for two thousand years it's been out of the way.

It's missed the way. It is set aside. It is in the place of Vashti who was supplanted by Esther and left the church. And when we speak of the church, dear friends, don't let us get beyond the individual responsibility.

It can be no such thing as a church without the individuals that make it up. Every individual is a part of that church, that body, and is intended to be a functioning part. That's the point. Every one of you here this afternoon without an exception, believe me, is supposed to be contributing something out of the fullness of Christ.

Beyond yourself. To others. You are in this high and holy calling, vocation to be the channel, the vehicle, the mediator of something of that fullness. Every one. The Lord has made his provision for this.

And having made his provision, of course, he expects it to be so. And here we have these words. When he ascended up on high, he laid his captivity captive and he gave gifts among men. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.

And of course, their job is to bring the church to fullness. And the church, well, it doesn't matter. That's their work. That's their job. That's their vocation. That's what they're called for. And we just sit and listen to what they've got to say.

Well, it was all right. It wasn't so good today. Or it was pretty good. Or it was very good. And we go home and that's the end. No, friends, never. That is a misapprehension of what is stated here. These gifts, as stated here, were given for the perfecting, the making complete of the saints unto the work of ministry.

Unto the building up of the body of Christ till we all attain unto his fullness. These gifts only, but essentially, to bring the church into a place where it can fulfill its ministry. Make no mistake about that.

The ministry belongs to the church. The Lord has made provision for the church to be helped to fulfill its ministry by these gifts. And it's a wonderful statement. As you know, this is a quotation from the 68th Psalm.

Psalm 68 and the Gifts of the Victorious King

Do you recall that psalm? It's the psalm of the triumphant return of the victorious monarch after his campaign. Which he has overthrown his enemies. He has taken great spoils. And has brought back many prisoners in his triumph.

And in the bounty of his is now generously distributing. Distributing his gifts to his people in his kingdom. In order that they may come into the good of his great triumph. That's the picture of Psalm 68.

And there's little doubt. Little doubt, I think, that that psalm has as its historic background David's conquest of Zion. Do you remember the story? Telled by the Jebusites. They manned it with their witches.

They're lame and they're blind. Because it was, to their mind, such an impregnable stronghold. But they didn't need anything more than that to defend it. David threw out his challenge. Sounding the taking of the stronghold.

And inspired his men to that great work. And they launched and they scaled the height of the enemy. And subdued every opposing force. And they took great spoils. David followed up in this. And took over all these games.

Though he doesn't say so. In keeping with the practice. Such occasions distributed his gains to all the people. That they might know what a great leader, conqueror and king he was. That's the picture behind Psalm 68.

It's a wonderful psalm. You can read it again. But now isn't it remarkable and impressive. That the apostle lifts out of that mighty psalm these words. And transfers the whole idea to the Lord Jesus. When he ascended up on high.

You have to put in there words from the letter to the Hebrews. We are come to Zion. That seat, center of his great conquest. Place where the king dwells. We are come to love. When he ascended up on high.

He laid his captivity captive. And he gave. And he gave. And why did he give? For what purpose? That of his fullness. The fullness of his conquest. The fullness of his mighty conquest. His triumphant campaign.

And what a campaign. What a campaign. In this universe. The good of that might become the inheritance. The good of all his people. But that might be so. There are distributors of the good and the wealth.

And the distributors are here named. He gave some apostles. Some prophets. Some evangelists. Some pastors and teachers. The object. We shall come to again. Another little illustration. Not so perfect.

So complete. Perhaps not in such a good setting. But quite an illustration of this same thing in the life of this same man David. During the time when he was driven out by Saul. Hunted in the wilderness.

And went to Fullerstein. Given for his own possession and dwelling the town of Ziklag. One day having gone out on one of his raids. The Amalekites made a raid upon Ziklag. Burned it with fire. Took all its content.

Took David's wives. Took the people. Left nothing. Went off. With the lot. David and his men returned. Found the state. They were in great distress. Great distress. As they wept until they had no more power to weep.

David was in great fear for they spake of stoning him. But he strengthened himself in his God. And he called for a priest. To inquire of the Lord. Whether he should pursue the Amalekites. And the answer was yes.

Pursue and you shall recover all. So David went off. With his men. Pursuing. Far. Long. So far so long. After a recent campaign. The number of his men were too faint and exhausted to go on. And so David left the lot of these.

Stopped there. And said well you stay here and look after this. And we'll go on with this job. Leaving them there. He went on. And you remember they found a half dead. Apparently. Hardly conscious. And having had no food for three days and three nights.

And they generously gave him food. Until he regained consciousness and sat up. And then David said to him. Who are you? Who are you? He said I am an Egyptian. Servant of an Amalekite. Three days ago we made a raid upon Ziklag.

But I fell sick and my master just left me. To die apparently. David said. Will you bring us down? To the Amalekites. Do you know where they are? Which way they've gone? Will you bring us down? He said swear unto me that you will neither kill me.

Nor deliver me into the hands of my master. And David swore. And so he brought him down. In the train. The trail of the Amalekites. And overtook. The Lord's word was fulfilled apparently. And they made their assault.

And all but two hundred of the Amalekites were slain outright. These two hundred escaped on camels. But it says David recovered all. He recovered all. And it seems he recovered a great deal more than he had lost.

Always the way with the Lord. Always more at the end than you had at the beginning when you were moving with the Lord. However, that by the way. He seems to have recovered a great deal more than he lost.

For on the return journey. Came back these men who he had left. He's going to give to them. After spoils. Then certain vain fellows said. No, not at all. They didn't go to the battle. Why should they?

Share the spoils. Ah, David said. Not a bit of it. As his portion is that goeth down to the battle. So shall his portion be that are bided by the staff. And he made it a covenant forever in this life.

So they got their portion. Then he came back. You notice what he did at once. He started distributing this spoil everywhere. Sent it to Judah. He sent it to how many people. Look at the story. In all directions.

He must have had a real scoop from the Amalekites. In all directions. He is giving the gifts of his mighty victory. Put it around the other way. Everywhere. Within the range of David's associations and fellowships.

They were coming into the good of his victory. He had led his captivity. Brought it back. And was now giving gifts to men. It's an illustration. Which fits right in here. With Psalm 68. Of what the apostle is saying to us.

Christ’s Victory Over Principalities and Powers

Lord Jesus has made a raid. And what a raid. He has come out in a tremendous campaign. Against principalities and powers and hosts of wicked spirits. A whole mighty range of evil. Which we shall say more probably this evening.

But this is the position. He has turned upon the spoiler. And taken the spoiler. And brought it back. And now. He is saying. All. All my people must come into the good of this. They must all of thy fullness receive.

They must all. Come into the blessing of the fullness that is vested in me. Through this conference. They must be my fullness. My fullness must be seen in all my people. Unto that. Unto that. That's the end.

The end. Unto that. There are these various ministries. These various ministries which I give. He gave in his giving of gifts. And in Ephesians it's personal gifts. In Romans as you know it's the prophecies.

And so on. It's the thing itself. It's the function. But here's the persons in the function. Some apostles. Now it's not for us this afternoon to spend a lot of time on these various functions. Because that really would take a lot of time.

We only need remark. That the apostle or the Holy Spirit through the apostle begins with apostles. And that is a very significant thing friends. When you're in this particular part of the Bible. In what is called the letter to the Ephesians.

It's a much bigger thing than that. When you are here. You start from the standpoint of the universal. You're going to work inward. And finish at some centers. But you start from the standpoint of the universal.

The apostle is the universal function. You remember he sent them out. He called them apostles. He sent them out and said go into all the world. All the world. And preach. And teach. And act. That's it.

It's a universal function. In relation to your teaching. This is not local to begin with. This is not local to begin with. It's the whole range of Christ's kingdom. Apostleship relates to that. And my point at the moment is.

That God begins with the universal. Anything other. When it comes to the local presently. The local must be the embodiment of all that is universal. And the expression of all that is universal. If it drops onto a lower level.

If it takes a smaller compass. If it becomes something less. It has missed the divine thought. And you will find that it will lose its power. And its anointing will be limited. It becomes something in itself.

It must be here. It starts with the universal. He gave some apostles. The other place where he refers to these gifts. He said firstly apostles. You and I as in the church. And all who are of this church.

Must first of all be imbued. Imbued and inspired with a universal vision and motive. Must be gripped by the universality of Jesus Christ. In this whole world. And that must be a range of vision and purpose.

Nothing less than that. Nothing less than that. Something that's got to get hold of us. Liberate us entire on all gravitations. For something less than Christ is. Christ is so great. That he is to fill all things.

The uttermost bound and everything within. The uttermost bound. To be filled with him. And we must have no less of vision, motive and inspiration than that. To begin with. Some apostles. Some prophets.

The Prophetic Gift and Preserving God’s Purpose

Take some time to explain to us. Apparently in the New Testament. There was still a prophetic gift. Even in the matter of forte. By taking the prophetic gift. At large. It just means this. Those who are anointed.

To interpret the thoughts of God. To his whole church. Who are to bring to his church. And keep before his church. All the fullness of his thoughts. Concerning the church in itself. And its vocation. The prophet has always fulfilled that function.

Of calling back the people if they departed. And keeping faithfully before them. What God meant in calling them. What God's purpose was in choosing them. What their real ministry and vocation is. Under the anointing spirit.

To have that interpreted. Of God's thought. By revelation from God. Very important. These are the people to whom the Lord has shown something. Of his mind. His purpose. They've come to it. Not by study.

Not by being informed. But it's come to them by the Holy Spirit. And that they just cannot get away from it. They cannot get away from that function. Meet them and hear them. You find, as you would say, they're always, always on the same line.

All right. So long as it isn't the only line. The only line. But there it is. The prophet. Keep the thoughts of God in fullness. Ever fresh. Before the people of God. In relationship. Some evangelists.

Evangelists as Itinerant Messengers

Evangelists undoubtedly were the itinerant messengers of the evangelist. Preach the evangelist. Here, there and everywhere. But again, it's a sovereign gift. Dear friends, that dispensation has not passed.

We should not say, now these gifts were all right for what we call apostolic times. Not now. Where did we take that position? We are forfeiting something. Very vital. These gifts, these personal gifts ought still to be here in the church universal.

Really. Sovereign gifts of the risen Lord. To be recognized. To be accepted. To be accredited. To be honored. Now, there are some men you know. Some men who just cannot speak. And just cannot preach. Without going straight for the unsafe.

Going straight for the unsafe. That is their very being. Their very life. But if they get on to anything else, the unction goes. The Lord is with them there. There is no doubt about it. The Lord is with them on that line.

They are in that capacity. They only spoil their own ministry if they try to be something else. And it is as well for us to recognize this. And then the combined function. Pastors and teachers. Pastors and teachers.

I like that combination. It is really shepherds and instructors in one. Pastors and teachers. I like that combination. It is really shepherds and instructors in one. You can be a shepherd rushing around fussing about people all the time.

And trying to make them comfortable and happy and pleased with themselves. And snarking all that sort of thing. Just doing all that sort of thing. Shepherd, yes. But shepherd and instructor. Pastor and teacher in one.

These who you are cherishing. That's right. Caring for. Looking after. Trying to help. Not just to be left there in their own snarkiness. And pleased with themselves. And very happy that you have been to see them.

And said some nice things. Helpful things to them. They've got to come to understanding. Through the pastor and teacher. Thank God for all pastors and teachers combined. I think we can do fairness. Or to put it round the other way.

It can make people top heavy if it's all teaching. Without cherishing. Two things must work both ways. It must be like that. But when we've said all this. What is the grand object? And what is the test of ministry?

The Test of Ministry: Increase of Christ

Test of anointing. Test of function. What is it? It's found in this. Till we all. Ultimately to the fullness of Christ. Every divinely given ministry is only. Only. For the purpose of bringing us to completeness.

And ultimately to the fullness of Christ. Is it doing that? The point at which we arrive is a very practical point for us all. It is not just to hear. Listen to what is said to us. What is brought to us by these various means.

Not just to receive all that they've got to give. Stores and stores of it. Test. The test of us to whom ministries come. By various instruments the test of us is. Are we quite sure that that's resulting in some increase of Christliness?

And that will necessitate an attitude and an action. The Lord has spoken today. The Lord has said something today. I'm listening intently to this brother. To this servant of the Lord. To see what it is the Lord has to say.

Listening to see what the Lord has to say. Because I'm being involved in a great responsibility by having ears at all. What's the Lord got to say? And now then. If I can in the spirit discern anything that the Lord has said to me.

I have to go turn that into life. Into character. Into history. I wonder how many of us do go after a message. Get before the Lord and say now Lord it's not good enough for me to have heard that. That only may work out for my condemnation as you said.

The words that I speak they shall judge you. The last day may only be to my condemnation. There's no guarantee that my hearing a lot of divine truth is going to result in my spiritual measure being increased willy-nilly.

I've got to do something about it. I've got to take this to the Lord and do something about it. You know dear friends how possible it is. For volumes and volumes over the years to be given spiritual measure results.

Very small. Reluctantly. But it is possible. The point is. Here it is. All these gifts are given for. The perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry. For the building up of the body of Christ till we all.

Attain unto. This is the essential service. You are not called to office. You are called to function. A lot of people are quite ready to begin to do something if you only put them into a uniform or stick a badge on them or call them by some title missionary or reverend or something like that.

They'll get busy about it then. But oh no. That's not what is here. The Holy Spirit through this apostle is speaking to the church. Till we all. Till we all. Till we all. He's speaking to the church. And he's saying that every one of the all.

Has to increase in the measure of price ministry is given. Through that increase something themselves to give. So that it is possible for people who are in need of light and life and help to say so and so has got something.

He's got something. She has got something. Those people have really got something. And it's something vital. Not just light as such. They count for something by what they have. It must be like that dear friends.

Esther’s Deliverance and the Church’s Ministry

This is the essential service. And to just refer to Esther again. Mention how it worked out. Because she came through grace. Marvelous grace. Abounding grace. Into the riches, the wealth, the glory of her marriage relationship with a king.

A whole nation derived the benefit. And was put in a rather quaint way isn't it at the end. And they had a good day. They had a good day. They kept the feast and they had a good day. Don't the Lord's people need a good day.

I trust we are having a good day today. But surely we covet for all the Lord's people a good day in this. Our devices of the enemy. The councils of hell. The verdicts of death. All the good that Esther came into.

That is the need. It's a really. Perhaps we are here today with some of the sense. Not only of that need but this is really what the Lord wants. I hope with all my heart. As we are here today. We are speaking to one another.

Your hearts are able to say now this is what the church needs. What I need what the church needs. This is it. I wish it were like that. I hope it is in some measure. Dear friends have that desire and wish in your heart.

Strong enough. Strong enough. And whenever there is a message comes through a messenger of the Lord. Anointed messenger of the Lord in whatever capacity or function he may fulfill his ministry. We will be listening.

What is the Lord saying today? What is it that marks this time as from the Lord? And do something about that. Do something about that. And that kind of attitude. Will bring into spiritual measure. Spiritual income.

Spiritual wealth. And lead on. Lead on. The least we can say is. Lead on to the ultimate objective. Attaining unto the measure of respect. Of the fullness if necessary. Burden us with this great sense of vocation.

Called to Minister Christ’s Resources

We are called to the throne. We are called to marriage union with the King. We are called to administer his resources to his kingdom. To his people. We are called now to be ministers. Ministers of Christ.

Perhaps in a much, much more real and wonderful sense. Than very often bind to that word minister. Have the name. And have the word. But the Lord only knows what it means. We are called to be a ministering church.

In every part. Now go. And get to it. Get to the Lord about it. Say. Well I know I'm nothing very much. I haven't got very much life. I don't know very much. I'm not very much good. But. Here we are. The Lord has said this.

I've got to do something about it. Small as I am. Mean as I am. Contemptible as I am. Worthless as I am. The Lord has said this to me. That I'm a part of his body. And his body is called upon to be a ministering body.

In every part. And I'm in the body. And that which every joint supplies. I've got to be in this supply. Supply. To other parts of the body. The Lord helps you. To really take that attitude. You will find in that way.

Your deliverance from so much. Not about trouble, dear friend. Paralysis. And what not. Is due to our being turned in. And a corporate introspection. Occupied with ourselves corporately. And our problems.

Oh it's a trick of the devil. I'll say more about it presently. But the Lord give us. The great vision. Of himself. And our calling. And blessed be God of his distribution. His distribution. Oh if I were to add a word.

I'd put it this way. You know. You do know. That in the New Testament times. The beginning. When people really came to the Lord. Really came to the Lord. And were saved and baptized. The apostles did lay their hands upon them.

And pray for them. And if you look into the matter. You'll find. That it was for this. For this. That by the Holy Spirit. They should become. Functioning members of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit distributed.

Gifts for function. Qualifying to be functioning members. The Holy Spirit doesn't recognize or accept. Any passengers. In the Church of God. Does not. Every. Single. One. Functioning member. By the Holy Spirit.

Who's been given to us. While that's a challenge. A statement that may worry us a bit. Remember. It is meant. To show us this. That the Lord has made provision for what he requires. He really has. And we do know.

The Holy Spirit does help us. In certain ways. This is the way in which the Lord is with me. This is the way in which the Spirit helps me. This is where I find. The Lord helping me. Yes that's. He has distributed.

According to his will. And it's for every one of us. By real exercise. To find out. What it is. That we have. To do and contribute. In the body of Christ. Don't try. To do what someone else is doing. But get it from the Lord.

And it will be right. We must leave it there for time being.