Message: Prophets and Apostles
Time: Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians deals with topics at the core of being a Christian - faith and practice, no matter the situation.
What the Lord is Saying:
As I continue to look at Ecclesiology - the doctrine of the church - I have thus far done 12 lessons the are broken down into defining the church as Christ's Body and the church we see (visible) and the church we do not see (invisible) and yet Christ knows. Then I looked at defining truths about the Church as seen from the Apostles Creed throughout time and history. The church marches on throughout time united as one people, holy, and one people from every tribe and tongue built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching. Then I saw that the churches today need to have core understandings of their mission. They need to be preaching the Word of God, Administering Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism) and they need to have a focus on church discipline. Going forward for the last 11 lessons, I will look at the key church leadership offices - apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, deacons and elders, though the latter will be touched on in a future lesson. Then several lessons on the purpose of the church and finally highlighting key pastors and theologians from church history.
In the Bible there are discussions about belonging to a church and in this belonging there is service. And in considering service there is talk of spiritual gifts. In a reading of the Old Testament, certain individuals had offices, but in the new covenant we are all to serve with Jesus as our example - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). There are various lists given of these gifts in Scripture: Romans 12:3–8, 1 Corinthians 12–14, and Ephesians 4:1–16 and First Peter 4:10–11. And yet there seems to be distinct gifts spoken of for the those that lead the Body. Today's passage begins to list these offices and it says in verse 12 -- to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Thus, I believe there are certain gifts for leaders. Today, I focus on Prophets and Apostles and the belief that while these officers are important they are foundational and therefore do not repeat throughout the age of the church.
Let's start with Ephesians 2:19-21 - So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. -- Thus, there is a foundation of how the church begins and that foundation is the apostles and prophets. The foundation is a part of the building and building is mentioned by Paul in speaking of the church (I Corinthians 3:9-10). The ministry of the apostles and the prophets and their lives seem to be the basis of the church. Matthew 16:18 speaks of one of the apostles -- And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
As Jesus called his disciples it seems they were to listen and follow and then as his ministry goes on he asks them to do the things that he has been doing. And it also seem significant that the apostles brought about the beginning of the church after Jesus ascended to heaven following His resurrection. Prophets is a little harder to navigate. Paul often mentioned Israel's prophets in his writings, and often in a sense of laying the foundation. But what is not clear from me if these are the prophets he is referring to here.
There are some belief systems that believe these role of prophets and apostles occur today. But with Jesus as our cornerstone, this distinction seems unlikely. It seems unlikely that there would be new information that would need to be told. And I have previously discussed this idea of the Church in scriptures and the belief of the invisible church only known by God. The foundation is the infallible word of God and I don't thing there are other source books that can be added later, like a Book of Mormon for instance. Or even raising up a certain leader that speaks such as the Pope.
Hebrews 1:1-2 says -- Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. The last days are the time of Jesus and therefore I don't think last days is extended to include other divine beings.
Naturally we have leaders in the church but I think we work collectively to define interpretation of the scripture and then applying it to our lives. The danger always is how we interpret it. Once again, I think there are central messages of grace and Jesus as Savior and Lord that cannot be altered, but perhaps whether there are prophets today or whether beliefs in how often the Lord's Supper is performed fall into negotiables. The challenge always then is figuring out what is essential and what is non-essential.
Summary: There is a foundation of how the church begins and that foundation is the apostles and prophets.
Promise: From Tabletalk, God gave the Apostles and prophets for the good of His people, and they fulfilled their task by delivering to us His infallible Word. If we want to benefit from what these officers have to offer us today, we must pay heed to what they give us in Scripture. There is no other place today where we can find God’s special revelation to His people.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for raising up people like me to deliver your message to all people. Thank you for showing us how these individuals were messengers and were not to be worshipped or set apart. It is you who is to be glorified and praised over and over throughout the ages. Help us always to have our focus centrally on You and the work that You are doing and have done and will do. Continue to help us not to be divided in our world, but to be about a people that is intent always on doing your will. Thank you for the church. Thank you for this Body that you have brought together and thank you for showing us the work that you do continually through us.
Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May, Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture; January, the doctrine of God.
Christ's Body
The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see.
Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed
Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church. One People Throughout History - God has only one people; throughout the world there are people that share doctrines and truths despite their being differences in where we attend or belong. God's Holy People - By being in Christ, though we still have a fallen nature, God has set us apart as holy, as his saints. True Catholocity - God's people includes men and women from every tribe and every tongue that hold to the biblical gospel. The Apostilic Church - we are fellow citizens with all people from all tribes and tongues throughout history, united by being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching, thus apostolic, with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone.
What the Church Does and Believes
Preaching Christ and His Commandments - A church needs to be committed to faithfully preaching the Word of God. Administering Sacraments - Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism especially) need to be part of a church existing, but they also need to be rightly administered. The Discipline of the Church - We need to be a people that encourage repentance to keep the church pure and set apart.
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