* The Body of Christ; Purpose, not Privilege

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the 

beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; 

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be 

known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God. According to the eternal purpose 

which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Ephesians 3:9-11

God uses mankind individually and collectively as a method of sending. Out of love for us, the Father sent His own Son. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:16-17

Just as God sent Jesus, Jesus has commissioned us, as the body of Christ, to go forth with the Gospel. Every Church [body of Christ] should become a sending agent, going forth in love to a dying world.

God did not raise up the Church as special objects of His favor.

The Church is called to purpose, not privilege.

We are ministers of reconciliation.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  2 Corinthians 5:18

We are to follow the pattern established by God and set by Jesus. We are to go forth with the Gospel.

Every church is surrounded by multitudes without God and without hope. This is our first and greatest challenge.   Apostle Paul tells the Church at Philippi

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.   Philippians 2:15-16

Similar words were spoken to the churches at Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, and Colossee. The same message rings forth today.

 Apostle Paul summarizes the purpose of the Church:

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God. According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Ephesians 3:9-11

Jesus left His followers with a great task. They were to reach the entire world with the Gospel message. But He did not give them the responsibility without giving them the authority. He promised them special power to accomplish the task.

Jesus said His followers would receive this power through the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell within:

But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  Acts 1:8

Eleven men were given an impossible task. They did not form a committee to decide who would go where. They did not take up an offering to see how far they could book passage. They did not vote and follow the decision of the majority. They were not invested in putting together programs and choirs and departments selling dinners, having church bazaars or playing church bingo in order to raise money.  All of that is church work, not kingdom work.  These men went to an upper room and with one accord devoted themselves to prayer. Here, the Church was birthed in a great demonstration of power; the power they needed to accomplish their task.  Methods and tactics may change over the years, but one thing always was and always will be needed - the Holy Spirit!

®    Acts 2 

Records the coming of the Holy Spirit. This power of the Holy Spirit was directed power given for a specific purpose. The purpose was to reach the nations with the Gospel. 

®    Acts 2 

Also records the origin of the first Church. When the Holy Spirit was given in this new revelation of power, Peter preached a sermon which resulted in 3,000 responding to the Gospel. These people formed the first Church. The record of their multiplication and mission is presented in the remainder of the book of Acts.

To accomplish the mission of the Church, God established basic principles of organization. Members of the Church are related to one another as spiritual brothers and sisters. They are called "The Body of Christ,” of which Jesus is the head. The Church is to work together in unison just like a human body. They are to function under direction of the Headship of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

God sets special leaders in the church including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. 

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  Ephesians 4:11

God also gives each Spirit-filled believer a spiritual gift [or gifts] to be used for the work of the ministry.  (See 1 Corinthians 12)

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  1 Corinthians 12-7 

The book of Acts is the account of how the Church began to fulfill the Great Commission of spreading the Gospel to the world. Thousands were saved within just a few weeks after the events recorded in Acts 2. As time went on, the number of believers in Jerusalem greatly multiplied.

God allowed persecution to force the believers out of Jerusalem. They scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria:

. . . And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word. (Acts 8:1, 4)

®    Acts 8

One of the believers who went to Samaria to preach was Philip. This was the first cross-cultural mission. 

®    Acts 9

God raised up the apostle, Paul, to be an apostle to the Gentiles, a missionary to the nations of the world.

®    Acts 10 

Records the account of the conversion of a man named Cornelius. God gave Peter a vision which made him willing to go to the Gentile nations with the Gospel. 

®    Acts 11 

Illustrates the importance of the Holy Spirit in directing the mission of the Church to the world.

®    Acts 13

The real program of spreading the Gospel to the "uttermost part of the earth" begins. Apostle Paul and Barnabas are called to cross-cultural evangelism. They were to spread the Gospel to cultures other than Israel:

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the Word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.   Acts 13:48-49

The first missionary conference was held in the home church in Antioch - 

And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.  Acts 14:26-27

 - and about their first report to the Jerusalem headquarters:

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:2-4

Apostle Paul, assured of the purpose of God for the nations of the world, courageously carried the Gospel to cities, towns, provinces, states, to the educated and uneducated, to free and to bonded:

For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.   Acts 13:47

The early Church fulfilled the purpose of God with such zeal that it was said

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;  Acts 17:6

The purpose of God was accomplished as men of all nations were made one through the blood of Jesus:

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  Acts 17:26

The purpose of God has not changed.  The question today is:   are we, as the body of Christ, the church, fulfilling His will?  Are we turning the world upside down by spreading the gospel, by the power of our testimony, by and through the works and demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit residing within us?  Something to think about!

Biblical Studies

10/16/19

04/20/21