The Church is God’s creation. It is a living organism which receives vision from God and adapts to each cultural context.
THE CHURCH IS GOD'S IDEA!!! I thought it was my parents' idea. I don't quite remember, but I was taken to church when I was two weeks old. When I grew a bit older, I was told to get dressed in my "Sunday Best", shine my shoes, and wait on my sisters to join the rest of us in the car for the half hour trip to church. I really didn't have a choice. And I really didn't like putting on a tie and tight shoes. But I quickly learned that this was what church was all about.
It took me years and years to realize the creation of the Church being God's idea! My pastor didn't think it up. My denomination didn't think it up. Not even my parents! But God, HE, thought it up and today wants to see his church be the church. He desires to be known to your neighbors through extending himself through the church. It is HIS plan to see and provide all the necessary tools to see those who are captives to sin, to bondage, to hopelessness, to worry . . . be set free in and through the living Church!
God created the framework of His first human out of the dust of the earth. He began an idea of relating to others, his creation. Then, He breathed "Ruwach," the Spirit, the breath of God into the framework and it came to life! Adam lives with the Spirit, the breath of God. God and Adam in perfect relationship.
It follows that THE CHURCH IS A SPIRITUAL ENTITY. It took decades for me to come to the grips with the fact that the church is not the building on Westerville Road. But when Jesus says, "I will build my church" in Matthew 16:18, he is not talking about a building or an organization. He's talking about HIS PEOPLE! The Bride of Christ! The Body! That's the Church. And it is a result of God, himself, thinking it up and initiating it through Jesus Christ.
For thirty some years, Jesus prepared the framework for the church. After his death on the cross and bodily resurrection, Jesus' last command was to "Wait for the Spirit." He knew that only through the Spirit of God could the church come to life. While the 120 waited, God breathed the "Ruwach", THE SPIRIT upon them! The Church lives!
And so, Jesus NOW offers you, me, all of us, SPIRITUAL LIFE IN HIS CHURCH! "But now in Christ Jesus you who were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ!" Ephesians 2:13. NOW! WE! BROUGHT NEAR! And not just near but fellow citizens!
While growing up and out of my Sunday Best and going to the group of people on Westerville Road, I wanted to be close to God. Finally at age 13 in a large meeting for youth at some school auditorium, I could sense God calling my name. I, too, could be forgiven my sins and be in right relationship with God through Jesus Christ! What a joy! What a moment! I not only knew about God, about Church, about the people, about Jesus. But I personally began to know God the Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit! I began citizenship in the family of God! I became part of the SPIRITUAL BODY. "And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit" Ephesians 2:22.
God wills that no one perish but have everlasting life in His eternal, already established kingdom. Offer it! Tell it! The opportunity is for today! The people around you are dying to hear it! Don't believe their disinterested facade. Go for the heart, the spiritual center. (See Romans 10:13-17.)
Let's be the CHURCH! "His (God's) intent was that now, though the CHURCH, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" Ephesians 3:10‑11. MAKE IT KNOWN! MAKE JESUS KNOWN! May God breathe His "Ruwach" on us!
The Church is God’s creation. It is a living organism which receives vision from God and adapts to each cultural context.
· The church is the Bride of Christ! Is the bride ready to meet her groom?
· What would God really want for His Church in Europe?
· In what ways do you seek vision from God?
· Do you see and live in a dynamic, living, multiplying church?
CONCLUSION
My son and I love ice hockey. We set up places in the house, in the garage, anywhere to shoot a puck or a ball. One day we showed my little four year old nephew our garage with hockey sticks, balls and net. He was fascinated! He enjoyed shooting on net and trying to get the ball away from my son. But soon, he got frustrated and bored. He decided to make up new rules and control the game. At one point, when my son missed the net, the rule was to shut him in the car in the garage. So there he sat, and after awhile forgotten about as the rest of us played on. But my four year old nephew had control of the game! Until my son honked the horn and made all of us jump out of our skin.
It seems like we’ve locked the Master in the car. We have written new rules. Church leaders have been in control but where is the dynamic, Spirit led church? I hope that these seven Biblical principles will help guide us to be part of God’s church rather than making up new rules and having control.
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