Message: Our Arena for Growth
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:
This lesson begins a series of lessons on the purpose of Church. At is core, the purpose of the church is to bring God glory. Yet, in this passage today, after studying in the last 2 lessons of church offices - the next verse in Ephesians is Paul calling to the Church leaders the goal To equip the saints for the work of ministry. So it is in the church that we become equipped. I was in a church that mentioned this often and yet they had so many people on staff doing ministry, it made me wonder at times if they were really equipping or simply enabling the church people to depend on the pastors.
I think my focus on church has often been from the words in Hebrews 10:24-25 -- And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. I suppose it seems that while the leaders are equipping the body is being challenge while also being encouraged. Living in our world is a challenge on many levels. We strive to keep fighting the fight (I Timothy 6:12) and yet even in this we need encouragement from one another.
I think our current church does a great job preaching and teaching. We are now in a large class after service. Again, great preaching and good people. And maybe the mere presence of being there is an encouragement but talking through life with one another, that remains a challenge. But no matter what, there is something special about being in church versus being alone and I think this is what the writer's of Tabletalk are emphasizing here. It is the place that encourages us and anchors us in spiritual growth. I don't think this means that all of our spiritual growth occurs at church but even as I think about in my life, the fellowship and the people in my life that have resulted in my spiritual growth have all come from church. Many people stay away from church for reasons that I have experienced, not liking the leadership, not agreeing with it. And yet in the process we miss out on what remains important, being taught, shepherd and encouraged.
Personal, individual study is good, but it is through fellowship with others and talking to others about these studies and being involved in life with others that growth happens. In my life, meeting with other men has been a church. Even my work in GMO is a church of sorts as we continue to engage in discussions around truth. I think there is even something mysterious about how this happens. There is an accountability that takes place. Overall, it is central to who we are.
I see this further in this passage. Leaders will equip the saints for the work of ministry and in this time at church we are coming together for building up the body of Christ. A building is one of strength and the community of believers is meant to have a strength. As the passage continues, church life recognizes that Jesus is not walking with us in physical form and yet as we have each other and are with each other we have this goal of 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 -- all of those words speak of maturity; our goal is to grow and grow together - focusing on the Son of God. We are not meant to always be young, 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. We are meant to mature so that the cares of this world do not have a stronghold on us.
Summary: It is at church, present, that we are to be equipped and build one another up in order to grow in maturity.
Promise: No amount of study that we do on our own, however helpful it may be, can substitute for the benefit we receive by participating in the educational ministry of our local church
Prayer: O Father God, thank you for orchestrating life as you have. In all times, the church has been the place we need to be taught, encouraged, and grow. Thank you for knowing that we need this and giving me always that desire to be involved. Thank you for the people you have placed in my life to do the work of ministry and being in fellowship. You have given me always a great love for church. I'm so thankful for my mom and her love for it and showing us at an early age the importance of being with one another. I always think of those Sunday evening potlucks and doing life together. We still need this. I still need this. Help me to continue to invite others into our home and figure out a way to be with one another in these ways.
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.
Church Leadership Offices
Prophets and Apostles - There is a foundation of how the church begins and that foundation is the apostles and prophets. Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers - Only mention of pastors in the New Testament.
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