Church Essentials: Part Five
A Spirit-Filled Body: Acts 2:41-47
A New Testament church is a church in which God is present through His Spirit. The early church was effective because they were a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led body. Their teaching was Spirit-led (Acts 2:42-43 "they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.); their community was Spirit-filled (Acts 2:44-45 "Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.) As someone has said, "The power of Holy Spirit gave them new passions and priorities reordered toward God and each other." Their witness was spirit filled as evidenced by people coming to the Lord. (Acts 2:46-47 "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.) But what does it take to be Spirit-filled? God commanded us in His Word that we are "to understand what the will of God is and are not to be drunk with wine, in which there is excess (indulgence); but we to be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18) Dr. Ray Pritchard wrote that the filling of the Spirit is the most important doctrine of the spiritual life. He said it is foundational to everything else. He goes on to explain the correlation between being drunk with wine and being filled with the Holy Spirit. He said "There is a direct parallel drawn between being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. What precisely is the point of comparison between wine and the Holy Spirit? Doubtless the issue is influence or control. A person under the influence of wine experiences altered behavior. He may say or do things he would not ordinarily do. Emotions may be heightened for a brief period, causing the person to experience anger followed quickly by elation followed quickly by depression. If the person drinks enough wine, his mental processes will be affected and decision making ability radically altered-almost always with a negative result. Likewise, the filling of the Holy Spirit produces a change in behavior." To be filled by the Spirit is to be so filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit that He has taken full possession of and is in full control either of the individual believer or of the church. To be Spirit filled we must empty ourselves of ourselves.
In order to be in a place where God can fill us we must relaixe that...
I The Church is the Body of Christ - as His Body we must surrender to His headship
A Ephesians 5:23 "Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body."
B Ephesians 1:22-23 tells us that God " ...put all things under His (Christ's) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
C The church is a living organism, composed of living members joined together; through which Christ works, carries out His purposes. - copied
D Colossians 1:18 "He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."
E If the church as the Body of Christ is to be filled with the authority of Christ then it must be filled with submission to His leadership and will in every area of both our corporate and personal lives.
F When we accepted Jesus Christ as our “Lord,” that meant that He was supposed to become “person in charge” or “authority” over our whole life. We cannot be Spirit-led unless we yield that authority to Him.
II The Church is Christ's Peculiar People - as His possession we must recognize His ownership.
A 1 Peter 2:9 " But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (His own special people); that ye should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"
B God's people are "a peculiar people" (I Peter 2:9) which means "a purchased people." The Greek word here carries the idea of making a ring around something to mark it as one's own. Christ has made a ring around us and claimed us for Himself. - Havner
C 1 Corinthians 6:20 " For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
D As the slave who is purchased by his master for a sum of money is the sole property of that master, so you, being bought with the price of the blood of Christ, are not your own, you are his property. As the slave is bound to use all his skill and diligence for his master, so you should employ body, soul, and spirit in the service of your Lord; promoting, by every means in your power, the honor and glory of your God, whom you must also consider as your Lord and Master. - from A. Clarke
E Galatians 5:24 "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
F Charles H Spurgeon said, "Oh, Christians, if only you would know this, and know it fully! You are Christ’s men and women, God’s men and women, servants of God through Jesus Christ. You are not to do your own works; you are not to live for your own objectives. You are to say at all times, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). You are to take for your motto, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Sometimes I fear that nine out of ten professing Christians have never recognized this fact. They think that if they were to devote a part of their possessions, a part of themselves, or a part of their time, that would be enough. Oh, but Christ did not buy a part of you! He bought you entire—body, soul, and spirit—and He must have you, the whole man. Oh, if you are to be saved partly by Him and partly by yourselves, then live to yourselves; but if God has wholly set you apart to be vessels of mercy (see Romans 9:23) fitted for His use" - copied
III The Church is the Temple of the Lord - as His tabernacle we must be separated and holy
A 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."
B Paul states that the local church is a “temple of God.” There are two primary words for temple in the Greek New Testament. One signifies the entire temple, including the outer courtyard, which even Gentiles could enter. But the other word denotes just the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, which could not be entered by Gentiles or sinful Israelites, or anyone, for that matter, except the High Priest, and him only once a year on the Day of Atonement. The word “temple” (naos) used in 3:16-17 is this latter word. - Keith R. Krell.
C Note that Paul says "the temple of God is holy". In the Old Testament, the Holy of Holies was so sacred that anyone caught desecrating it or even touching forbidden objects was instantaneously judged. The local church is also holy to the Lord. If God judged the desecration of His temple in the Old Testament, do you think He will overlook the desecration of His temple in the New Testament? We don’t have any sacred objects that can’t be touched and we shouldn’t have any sacred cows that can’t be butchered, but we do have a sacred task to perform. Therefore, we must be holy in both our conduct and our calling. - Keith R. Krell.
D 1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"
E The great purpose of Christianity is to make men like Jesus Christ. As He is the image of the invisible God we are to be the images of the unseen Christ. He lives in us. We need to live like it.
IV The Church is His royal priesthood - as His priests we must serve obediently and selflessly.
A 1 Peter 2:5 "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
B Holy - hagios = set apart ones, separated ones, sanctified ones, holy ones) is literally a holy one and depending on the context refers to whoever or whatever is set apart (sanctified) for a special purpose.
C 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"
D Believers are not merely passive buildings where God dwells but are active participants in the worship service. And not just participants, but a special kind of participant - set apart as His priests! - copied
E Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
F Believers offer themselves as ‘living sacrifices’ and the sacrifice of service Philippians 2:17 and of praise to God (Heb 13:15).
G It is the privilege and duty of all believers to pray for one another in the name of Jesus Christ.
H It is our responsibility as priests to proclaim the Gospel to the lost When we do they are involved in the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)
I There is a priest in every Spirit-filled believer. A priest is one who not only brings God's message to man but brings men to God. With the Holy Spirit's priestly anointing upon you, you have an ability within you to love people and bring them to Christ.
