Spiritual Exercise Prayer For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 Father in Heaven, we surrender our will to You. We long to hear and know Your voice. We commit to do what we hear. With the psalmist we pray, Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. We anticipate Your word accomplishing what You please. We pray that it would make us free. In Jesus name; amen. Introduction 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 In a previous lesson, we explored Christ s vision for the church He is building. Loving the Lord with all our strength involves practical action in accordance with the ways of God. We must put into action what we have heard (being doers of the word), and we must lead others into the loving and knowing of God that comes through the good works that we have been called to walk in. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. James 1:22-24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. James 2:24 As James has admonished, being a hearer of the word only, and not a doer of the work, leaves us deceived forgetting who we are. He later adds that faith alone does not justify us before God. In this lesson, we will briefly review Christ s vision for His church and then move on to explore how His vision should be worked out in this age and season. Definition Church (ekklesia): from ek, "out of," and klesis, "a calling", was used among the Greeks of a body of citizens "gathered" to discuss the affairs of State; a gathering of citizens called out from their homes; an assembly. Vine s Expository Dictionary 1 Copyright 2013 inlight Consulting, Inc.
Fellowship (koinōnia); fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse; intimacy; a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship. BlueLetterBible.org Outline of Biblical Usage The church our Savior King s Bride has been called out of something; and called into something. We ve spoken of this often; perhaps not often enough. But, it s time to do more than talk. As leaders in the Marketplace, we must decide: Will we go out to Him, or will we continue to compromise ourselves, our families, our fellowships and our communities? I am praying that the grace of God, the faith of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit will propel you into your destiny for the called out fellowship. Searching Out the Matter (All Scripture references, but those noted, are NKJV; Thomas Nelson, Inc.; footnotes excluded) Review from The Church He is Building Vision Before the beginning of time, God intended to have a people that He would inhabit. That which was lost in the Garden will be restored in the New Jerusalem. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:2-3 As we discovered in Ephesians 4:11-16, Christ gave gifts to the church for her restoration. This passage presents His vision for the church that will become His Bride: Equipped meaning repaired for its intended use (like a broken bone or tattered net). Unity of both the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, even unto perfection. No longer deceived by our enemies. Speaking the truth to one another in love. Maturing in all things, into Him. Knit tightly together (loosely knit bodies won t survive). Effectively working creating the operative energy of ministry. Every part doing its share (for the profit of all). A fellowship building itself up in sacrificial love. This is His passion; the subject of His intercession. And Her perfection is a prerequisite for His coming back to establish His Father s eternal Kingdom. 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. Revelation 19:6-7 Imagine yourself in this setting. Go ahead; close your eyes and imagine. This is our destiny: To marry the King of kings; to be given His name for eternity; to co-reign with Him. So how do we pursue this wonder of God s creation? Always, always, it must be God s way. 2
God s Desire for His Church The Church He is Building Model We are so far from Christ s vision for the church, it may seem impossible to get there. But nothing is impossible for God. It would be easy to throw in the towel to admit defeat. But that would be to admit a lie, for God has the victory in hand. Christ will have His Bride. We need only to enter into the way He is building His church. I suggest we look at the most successful building program in the history of the church a building program imbued with power. It s also happens to be the beginning of the one of which we are a part. Let s take a quick look at its creation and character. and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. Acts 2:41 And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. Acts 4:4 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul Acts 4:32 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women Acts 5:14 Throughout the history of Christendom, there has been much said about going back to the original church model. And this talk seems to be increasing as we draw closer to the end of the Church Age. In fact, there are groups (even in America) that are pursuing this example of healthy community living. And it s no wonder, look at the results. Thousands being added at a time! The Lord adding to the church daily! When was the last time any fellowship in America could claim such Great Commission results? It is time we dismissed the manmade programs for church building and growth, and embraced the tried and true process of the true First church. Those that buck the prevailing trends will discover the power of God that Christ exercises in building His church. God s Way in Building the First Church As we explore the way Christ built the first church, I remind you that He has not limited His building to our church facilities. He is also building His church in the Marketplace. The following prescription for church building applies there as well. Read Acts 2 and consider the following: 1. Those that would be the core of the church were waiting with one accord and in one place (v.1). God has placed a core group of dedicated believers within your sphere of influence. Begin by gathering together. 2. Wait expectantly for the Lord s anointing (vv. 2-12). It may or may not be as dramatic as that first outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but it will be noticeable by others. 3. Do not be surprised that some mock you and your group (v. 13). In fact, it is a good sign; even a blessing (Matthew 5:11). 4. Be bold in your response, sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom as the Holy Spirit directs (vv. 14-36). It is important to note that these may be unsaved individuals, those that claim to be saved, and those that are what they claim. 5. What shall we do? is always the pivotal question (v. 37). 6. Repent is always the best first response (v.38). It was the first thing commanded by John the Baptist, Jesus and now Peter. Why should it be any different with us? What we must remember is that repentance begins with the sin. It requires getting off the throne of our 3
hearts; that Christ might dwell there. It is a continual and progressive process, not just a onetime decision. 7. As we ve discussed, baptism is a work of God that has importance in the process of salvation (v. 38). The implications are too important to minimize. This, too, was commanded by John the Baptist, Jesus and Peter. 8. After repentance and baptism, the promised Holy Spirit must be received (vv. 39). The order and emphasis is critically important. God s promises are incredible and conditional. The church in America has minimized the conditions and oversold the promises. We have compromised the Gospel, confused and frustrated many, and weakened the church in the process. 9. Being saved from this perverse generation (v. 40) is required for the church to be true to itself the called out ones. Christ is outside the camp. In Revelation 18:4, He cries out, Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Compromise with the world is a death wish. 10. Verse 42 contains the first description of Christ s First Church. Should we be doing anything else until we are doing these things well? We have covered each of these in detail in other parts of this curriculum, with one exception: the breaking of bread. This is undoubtedly a reference to the sacrament of the Lord s Communion. As with the other sacraments, God is doing a supernatural work in Communion. He is abiding us in Christ (see John 6:56). It is out of this abiding, that His life and power flows. 11. What must it have been like for fear to come upon every soul (v. 43)! This of course is the fear of the LORD. In other words, God showed up!! And it was then, and only then, that many signs and wonders were done. Of course, the then means after these things. The order is important. It will do no good to begin in the middle; or at the end. God has a way of doing things. We must conform to His way if we hope to do things in the power of His kingdom. 12. For many, thoughts of the First Church go immediately to their sharing everything (v. 44-47). As we have now discovered, there is much that must happen before such a vibrant community is possible. Isn t it time we got started. Yes, go back to step 1; and BEGIN! One word of caution: While it is true that God has given us a prescription for building His church, we must avoid the temptation to turn it into another church growth program. God s ways and thoughts are far above our own. The minute we try to codify and control His way is the minute we lose the power that His dynamic life brings to it. The Marketplace Leader should consider this process as a framework that allows for liberty in response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Power of the Church There is no doubt that the church Christ is building is a church filled with, and operating in, the power of God. Luke was careful to record this for our encouragement. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Acts 2:43 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. Acts 5:12 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:16 This looks a lot like Jesus promise that those who believed would do these things, and even greater things. This is His promise for the church. For those that might say, The power of God 4
was manifested so dramatically for the first church because it was needed to get things started, I suggest you consider two things. First, consider the need of the church in America. Has the need ever been greater? Second, powerful moves of God have not been limited to the first century. Since the founding of this country, there have been two Great Awakenings, the Azusa Outpouring and other less documented revivals. God is moving powerfully in other parts of the world. Why not in the American church? Is it because we have settled for the results of a manmade church? As Albert Einstein said, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Conclusion Christ is building His church. His vision is becoming her reality. The evidence of the church He is building is the manifestation of great power and grace, signs and wonders, and incredible growth. Participating with Christ in building His church in the Marketplace is an adventure. Adventures are a mixture of excitement and fear. Deal with the fear and it becomes pure excitement! Application If anyone understands the need and dynamics of change, it is Marketplace Leaders. It is no coincidence that you have been elevated in this season of great challenge for the church in America. The need is not for invention, but for a return to the ways that work best the ways that draw on the resources of God. If you are one of those whose heart is loyal to Him, He will show Himself strong on your behalf (2Chronicles 16:9). Reckoning I have been intentionally positioned to participate in Christ s building program. Assignment 1. Review your notes and the Scripture passages from this week s module. Share the ones that are most meaningful to someone you are discipling. 2. How do you define church? Do you believe that your fellowship includes every area of church life? What if our paradigm was such that our activities in the institution were a subset of church done God s way? 3. Why do we call our congregations, denominations and institutions churches? How is this potentially confusing to those outside (and some inside) the ekklesia? 4. Make the following devotion a spiritual exercise for your group. Devotion From John Eldredge: Waking the Dead (pp. 190, 191) When he left Rivendell, Frodo didn t head out with a thousand Elves. He had eight companions. Jesus didn t march around backed by legions of angels, either. He had twelve men knuckleheads, every last one of them, but they were a band of brothers. This is the way of the kingdom of God. Though we are part of a great company, we are meant to live in little platoons. The little companies we form must be small enough for each of the members to know one another as friends and allies. Who will fight for your heart? 5
How can we offer the stream of counseling to one another, unless we actually know one another, know each other s stories? The reason counseling became a hired relationship between two people was largely because we couldn t find it anywhere else; we haven t formed the sort of small fellowships that would allow the stream to flow quite naturally. Is it possible to offer rich and penetrating words to someone you barely know, in the lobby of your church, as you dash to pick up the kids? Where will you find the Four Streams? The Four Streams are something we learn, and grow into, and offer one another, within a small fellowship. We hear each other s stories. We discover each other s glories. We learn to walk with God together. We pray for each other s healing. We cover each other s back. This small core fellowship is the essential ingredient for the Christian life. Jesus modeled it for us for a reason. Sure, he spoke to the masses. But he lived in a little platoon, a small fellowship of friends and allies. His followers took his example and lived this way, too. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts (2:46). Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Cor 16:19). Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house (Col 4:15). 6