Christ is building His Church

In this last day of a devotional series on the church, the devotional author wants the church of today to take another look at the early church and see how we need to be restored to that former condition. He is not talking about ‘doing church’ but about how we ought to be spiritually. That early church was filled with zeal, reaching out to everyone and not distracted by this temporary life. It was unified, growing, and making a difference in the world.

It distresses me too that today’s church is fragmented, looked down on, and having little impact, or at least so it seems. Some are not like that. I’m surprised at my defense for I am normally a glass half empty person, but the devotional writer’s low view has pushed me into a more positive stance.  

Besides, I continue to remember that the sovereign Lord is building it. Jesus promised that He would build His church and that “. . . the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) To be overly critical is to say that Christ does not know what He is doing. We tend to think that way with all sorts of seeming disasters, yet He promises to use “all things for good” (Romans 8:28). I don’t want to have my vision short and my faith is too small. While the church may not look good in many places, it is still His church.

What about being like that early church? God does tell His people to follow Him with our whole hearts. As for the old ways, there is value in them. He says, “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16) He also says, “Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14–15)

My gods were not the wood and stone idols referred to in Joshua. However, I can easily fall back into worshiping my own ideas, friends, material things, and whatever else that takes me away from giving Jesus Christ my total allegiance. I know that God says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30) This means any sort of idolatry puts me against God, doing things that are a liability in His plans.

Currently, various forms of idolatry are probably the biggest sin issues in this part of the world. People want what they want. Whole churches want what they want. Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and ________________.” (Luke 16:13) The original version fills in the blank with ‘money’ but it could be anything, such as: success or popularity.

My part in all of this is to stay true to the Lord with a focus on the gospel. I need to listen to the Word of the Lord and do what He says. I need to be sacrificial, caring for others more than I care for myself. This is not about whether we meet in building or home, do baptism with a cup or a tub, have altar calls or commitment cards. Doing church is about responding to the gospel in humble gratitude, letting Jesus be all that we need, and obeying Him with our whole hearts – because we know that He is keeping every promise He ever made, including the promise to build His church.

Christ is the Body-builder

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. (Ephesians 2:19–21)

A woman (not a Christian yet) had been in Africa. She told me that the local believers spoke of missionaries coming, starting churches, but then complained because the missionaries later left them. In the past, when missionaries stayed to run things they were criticized of colonialism. Now, when the indigenous church is established and they leave, they are accused of abandonment.

While we are to care for one another, I told her that it was important that these new churches learn to rely on the Lord, not on the resources of missionaries, which often happens in poorer countries. I also said that those churches must develop so they fit into their own culture. If missionaries lead the church that will not easily happen. She was still skeptical.

I could have told her that a new church is like a child. Eventually it must stand on its own, and the people who were involved it is growth need to let it go, trusting Jesus Christ to build it and care for it. While the ‘parents’ must not be heartless and totally abandon it, they need to be aware of the fine line between trusting the Lord and being controllers.

Jesus exemplifies this. He began a church, then left, at least physically. Luke, who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, also wrote Acts, the story of the early church. He begins with these words . . .

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen . . . (Acts 1:1–5)

He said, “all that Jesus began . . .” implying that there was more work to do and more truth to teach. Jesus was not done yet. This is true in the lives of individual Christians and true of the Body of believers known as the church. He will finish the job He started.

One note: I tend to read the New Testament very personally, but need to remember that most instances of the word “you” use the plural version. God is speaking to us, not just me. His promises are for the Body of believers, not just individuals.

Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi stating his confidence that God is capable of taking care of them: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:6–7)

He knew these people were Christians whose hearts were with him in his situation, but also shared the grace of God that he shared. For that reason, he could trust them to the Lord knowing that the Lord would bring them (plural) to maturity.

The writer of Hebrews encourages believers who are in a tough and touchy situation. They were pressured from the outside to the point they wanted to leave the faith, but he tells them Christ is better than anything they could run back to. He also points to the many faith-filled people who went before them. Since this “great a cloud of witnesses” surrounds them, he encourages them to “also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

We hold hands in this race because we run it with each other, but that is not the point made by the author of Hebrews. Instead, he tells the church to “look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

From all this, I see for myself a lesson: while relying on one another is important, my first priority is to rely on Jesus Christ. It is His church and He will take care of it, all of it. Whatever my role is, He is in charge and can be trusted to build the church and finish what He started in it, and in me.

Do my part…

Imagine an army with more generals than foot soldiers, or a battleship with more admirals than sailors. Imagine a nation with more presidents than voters, or a business with more CEOs than “human resources.” Wars may not be won. The ship will be stuck in the harbor. Industry might grind to a halt. 

Leaders are important, but the rank and file gets the bathrooms cleaned and the trash taken out. Without ordinary people doing ordinary jobs, nothing much happens. True, some leaders know how to sweep the floor and type a letter, yet as soon as they do tasks like that, some think they have stepped from the leader role, even though those willing to do so are often said to be humble people.

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5–7)

Last Sunday, our pastor challenged us with another man’s sermon. He played a video from this year’s Global Leadership Summit. The speaker challenged the rank and file to become more deeply involved with Christ’s work of building His church. He asked us to offer ourselves and all that we have to that great endeavor because the church is God’s evidence on earth of His grace and mercy.

We were given a prayer sheet as a sample. As I hold it in front of me and daily offer myself in whatever role God has for me, I realize the vital importance of ordinary people in the work of God. We do have many incredible leaders. Our own pastor is a godly, prayerful man who cares greatly for his church and community. He has a passion for people and it shows in all that he does. What if every rank and file were like that? 

What if the foot soldiers in the army of God did all that their leaders commanded? What if the spiritual battles that threaten the church were fought by every person on board? What if all citizens of the kingdom of God put the business of the kingdom before every other endeavor and interest in their lives? What if each person in the church got behind their CEOs (instead of criticizing them)?

My role might be cleaning toilets and taking out the trash, but if I function as God intends, I will do those jobs joyfully and with my very best effort. Humility isn’t just for those in prominent roles; it if for the rest of us who too often want to start at the top in whatever place we are put. 

Humility is about obedience and serving others, but it is also about leaving my worries at the feet of God. He cares about my reputation and status more than I do. He wants me to use all my skills to the very best of my ability but He also wants me to put His kingdom and His righteousness first. Humility is not about demeaning myself or putting myself down; it is about putting others above me. Humility considers the needs of others and does not think about itself at all. As Peter says, the way to be humble is to put all my concerns about “self” into the mighty hands of God — because He cares for me.

I can imagine the church where leaders and workers join arm in arm to build the kingdom of God. I can see all of us putting ourselves at the disposal of Jesus Christ whose plan it is to build His church, a church that the gates of hell cannot overcome. Now the task is doing my part to make that vision a reality.

God’s Impossible Plan

Our church has a book club. We met last night to talk about the latest volume on our list. In that conversation, we discussed how God’s ways are not rational. For instance, a sincere giver will discover that she cannot out-give God. The more that is offered in His name, the more He refills our account. This is not only about money, but about other treasures in our lives.
 

God’s ways are not our ways. He began the church with a small group of men and women who had very little going for them, at least in the eyes of their contemporaries. They were ordinary people who had jobs, families, and other responsibilities. Yet God entrusted with a great commission to go into the world with the gospel, and as they were going, to make disciples. 

Since that small beginning, the church of Jesus Christ has multiplied to millions of members. As the Bible says, there is no force on earth, human or satanic, that can overcome it. Eventually, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God (Philippians 2:10-11).

This seems impossible, even absurd. However, Jesus had a plan. This would not be accomplished by mere human power. Before He left, Jesus gathered His people and told them,

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

This then is the difference. To make all challenges melt before them, He gave them the Holy Spirit who alone means no limit to what God can do. For those who believe in Jesus, our strength is not in ourselves, but in and from Almighty God.

We don’t always cooperate. This is no secret. Our failures make far greater headlines than our successes. We fail when some of us move ahead with our own ideas of how to build the kingdom. Sometimes we disobey God with catastrophic consequences. Yet Jesus made this promise: . . . . I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) 

The building blocks are His people, admittedly a ragtag group at times. We stumble about, not certain of what we are doing, sometimes taking our eyes off the goal, sometimes not getting along, and often feeling weak and inadequate, yet this task has never depended on our power or expertise. It is about the power of the Holy Spirit who often works contrary to appearances and in spite of weaknesses and failures. Because of the power of God, He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine, even multiply and build His family when it seems that we are totally impotent and helpless.

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God, I’m amazed at You. You told Paul that Your strength is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), which makes no sense to the rational mind, but You do it. You can use anything and anyone to accomplish Your purposes, not only to astonish the naysayers, but to glorify Your Name. Help me today to cooperate with You in whatever You are doing and fit me into Your grand and amazing plan.

Building blocks . . . or a pile of rubble?

One concern that burdens my heart is trying to do the Lord’s work my way instead of His. I so easily rely on my own reasoning about what makes sense. I also fall into the rut of what is familiar rather than listening for His direction and willingly move as He leads me.

Our church is in the midst of an evaluation. Godly people came in and used surveys, discussion groups, interviews, etc. to ascertain our strengths and weaknesses. Then they offered a prescription for change and growth. These recommendations are based on biblical principles. However, we need to be careful. What happens in my life can also happen in a church. We can rely on our own reasoning. We can fall into the rut of “we always do it this way” instead of seeking the face of God and being willing to go in new directions. 

If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. (Exodus 20:25)

When the Lord gave direction for a place of worship, He told His people to use stones that were untouched by human skill or workmanship. This is a prefigure, even a warning against us using our own plans in an effort to build our church. This is not about a building but the Body of Christ and how we function.

Spurgeon says, “Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and more congenial with the depraved tastes of fallen nature. However, instead of improving the gospel, carnal wisdom pollutes it until it becomes another gospel and not the truth of God at all.”

Doctrinal truth is not to be messed with, but that is only one way we can rely on our own devices. Churches desire to grow, but some come up with very human ideas of how to make that happen. I’ve heard of one that offered free ice cream to children who came to Sunday school. Any gimmicks or such bribes are hewn stones.

Churches need what is called a “good governance model” these days, yet instead of going to the Bible for it, they look to business and modern management principles. Sometimes secular consultants are hired to create structures that supposedly will benefit the church. These also are hewn stones.

Other ideas abound. Make the church a place of entertainment. Use music and art to delight people. Put new people without faith into positions of leadership. Appeal to felt needs. How easily we can saw those stones, wielding our tools of reasoned appeal. We carve what looks nice and works to suit us. We attract people with what makes them feel good, a form of emotional manipulation. All of this falls short of Jesus’ plan.

His wisdom is that we have His heart and attitude. We are to care about each other and those around us, tell people what He has done for them, and let Him change their hearts. Those whose lives have been touched by the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ want to be with others who have had the same experience. Then those unhewn stones tumble together to build a temple for God, the Body of Christ. This temple is not always as neat and pretty as a building with sawn blocks, but God makes it fit together and can create from it a holy thing.

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. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19–22)

Again, it may not look “pretty” in the eyes of the world, but when God does the work, we become what we need to be to do His work. 

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4–5)

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Lord, I know that I reason too much and have too many of my own ideas. I want neatly cut blocks, not a bunch of lumpy and uncut stones, but Your plan is not like mine. It is simple and I must obey You. All of us must follow Your blueprint, not rewrite it to suit our own desires. I pray today that our church, Your church, will not be the work of our own hands. Even though we must labor, may our efforts be in obedience to the truths You reveal to us. Let us not rely on our own devices or methods. What You give us may seem as rough, unhewn stones, yet only these are fit to build a church that honors and pleases You.

Choosing to be foolish

In my self-focus, I’ve sometimes concluded a passage from the Bible was all about me because I didn’t pay attention to the context. One such passage is 1 Corinthians 3 where Paul warns his readers to be careful how we build on the foundation God has given us. In thinking that meant me, I assumed that my works could be precious or useless and I needed to be careful that I didn’t deceive myself. As some sermons, these are “good thoughts, but from the wrong text.”

1 Corinthians 3 is about building the church, not my Christian life. In Warren Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament, his explanation sums up those conclusions:

This section is one of the most misunderstood passages in all the Bible. The Roman Catholics use it to “prove” their doctrine of purgatory, that fire will purify people in the next life and make them fit for heaven; the modernists use it to “prove” salvation by good works; and many evangelical Christians interpret this section as applying to the judgment of individual Christians rather than the building of the local church. While this passage teaches that there will be a judgment of believers’ works at the judgment seat of Christ, the basic application is to workers and pastors of the local churches. The local church is compared to a building, or a temple, and the pastor is a builder whose responsibility is to keep the materials in the temple at their very best. Paul was the builder God used to lay the foundation at Corinth, and that foundation was Christ as preached in the Gospel. Along came Apollos, who built upon that foundation, and other pastors followed him. “Each one should be careful how he builds” is Paul’s warning. He then describes three kinds of Christian workers. . . .

When Wiersbe says that the local church is compared to a building, he means that the church is not a building but the people of God. Each one of us is a brick, as it were, in God’s temple, even though each one is also an individual dwelling place of God.

In the building of the local church, some leaders will use good materials and some will attempt the work with useless methods. Others may even try to destroy the church and its work of making it grow, reproduce and become that which glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 18 warns about the danger of using worldly methods for church development. “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

One church-building methodology is rooted in the bigger-better-more idea. This supposition assumes that a well-built local church is large to the point of monstrous. While a large church could fit into the plan of God, size isn’t a major focus.

Other methodologies include adopting modern business procedures, sticking to only one version of the Bible, focusing on a particular doctrine to single out themselves, making their pastor a media star, using goodies as bribes to encourage attendance, and a whole host of other ideas that are not based on anything in the Bible, but are contrary to biblical principles.

This is where verse 18 comes in. One commentary says that some church members have no idea that a local church cannot be managed the same way as a business. While we need to follow good business principles, the operation is not the same. The world depends on promotion, prestige, and the influence of money and important people. These things may seem to succeed, but will eventually turn to ashes under the judgment of Christ.

In contrast, the church depends on prayer, the power of the Spirit, humility, sacrifice, and service. The early church owned no property, had no influence in government and had no treasury. Their leaders were ordinary men without special education in the accepted schools. They held no attendance contests, did not bring in celebrities, and yet they turned the world upside down. All this might seem foolish in the eyes of the world, but this is the plan of God and because it works, Christians need to be willing to carry the label of fools.

Deception can be quite basic, as in me thinking these verses were only about me. However, deception can also be gross and destructive and take entire congregations off on a fruitless tangent. Those who pick up on what only seems to be wise may flourish for a little while, but as the Bible says, worldly wisdom is futile because it never accomplishes the purposes of God.

As I think about this, these verses do say something to me personally. I have a responsibility in ministry in my local church to do the very best I can, and to uphold and encourage a high standard in my pastor and in those of my congregation. When any of us seem to be lured by the wisdom of the world, all of us need to heed the words of 2 Corinthians 3:18 and become fools that we might be wise.