“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."
John 17:20-21
What is a church?
Webster’s dictionary defines it as: a building set apart for Christian worship. But the Bible defines it as: a group of “called out” Christian believers.
Here the Bible differentiates the church as people, a people of certain characteristics and demeanor, while the world views the church based upon its material nature, and there are a few churches that operate based on a material nature, treating it more like a business and profit center than a house of worship and Godly teaching.
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
Psalm 89:7
In this verse the Psalmist is letting us know that those of us that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He has done for our salvation, we do so as one body, an assembly. And the Word of God not wanting us to miss this point tells us again in Psalm 111:1
“I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:9 that the believers in Christ are the church of God. At that time, Paul, then known as Saul, went to people’s home to persecute them for their belief in Christ Jesus, this was before we had church buildings like this.
So, you see what I am trying get across? God’s church is a group of chosen people, called out for his glory. God is truly wonderful, as He has removed the limitations on what a church is and gave it it’s best definition…a collection of people called by Him for His glory, and for our benefit of having life eternal through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Since God’s church is not a physical building, but it is the people that gather in it. It becomes hard for the evil one to tear down the church. If he causes a problem to the church building, we can find another place and continue to gather for the glory of the Lord, and/or God will give us the resources to rebuild the building…but the loss of the building will not stop us from gathering and praising the Lord. If the evil one brings in people to wreak havoc in the congregation, we know that God can remove that party from the gathering of His people…better yet, He can change their hearts to no longer abide under the influence of the evil one. God can do that in two basic ways: by giving the children of God the patience to show love, kindness, and the preaching of the Word of God to them. The other way is that God can and will change their heart and mind to see the love He wants to give them. And these two cases we can find in the book of Acts: where the persecution of the church caused people to scatter, but in their scattering, it did not cause the church to crumble, but to grow under the power of the Holy Spirit. So, when you look at the big picture, God used Satan to grow His church…so as a church we have no fear of the evil one because all his activity will only cause us to grow stronger.
Also let us take note of a husband and wife named Ananais and Sapphira who tried to bring lying, deceit, and greed into the new church, and how God quickly took them out. Yes, the Holy Spirit convicted them of their actions and took their lives.
So, are you part of the group called out as Christian believers or are you just a person sitting in this building that the world views as a church? If you are the one that is just sitting in this building with no or a half-hearted relationship to Christ Jesus, then be careful, because you may become the next Ananais or Sapphira. Christ is going to bring His church home with Him one day…will you be in that number? When the saints go marching in, where will you be?
So just as Christ was one with the Father, let us also be one, coming together in one accord lifting the name of Christ Jesus.
The Church as One Body has a Structure.
Jesus is the head of the church.
“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”
Ephesians 5:23
Okay, so that we are clear that Christ is the head of the church, both physically and spiritually, we also need to know that Jesus has an order for His church…and strangely enough it is the same kind of order for a household. For the church Pastors and deacons are the leaders in the church, and as leaders we answer to Christ and you. Like I’ve said many times, although I am pastor I am not above being called to the mat if you think I am doing something wrong.
“Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
Hebrews 13:17
Along with that ,1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that we must have an orderly church because God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as should be in all churches of the saints. Christ put pastors in charge of the church here on earth, but in reading Hebrews 13:17 we read that we all must be obedient to Christ and be fair and loving with each other to not bring grief to those in leadership. But it goes without saying that leadership must be worthy of the position and show fairness and love to those they lead.
God deals with those who want to create strife and trouble in his church. In Numbers 12:1-11 we read the account of Moses’ sister getting leprosy because of her grumbling and complaining about the leader God had chosen for them.
Also, there is the story of Korah, his family, and another family that challenged Moses in who should be in charge. Moses took this issue to the Lord who said that He would judge who was in charge. Moses told Korah and his people to gather tomorrow morning and God would show who was in charge. When the morning came God told Moses to get the congregation way from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram…these were the ones coming against Moses and Aaron the High Priest. Once that was done God caused the earth to open under the families of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and took them and all their goods into the ground. But God was not finished. There was some 250 people who agreed with Korah about the change in leadership…those, God sent fire down to burn them up.
So, we see that it is God’s will for us to respect the structure and leaders he has placed over you. As Paul tells the church in Thessalonica: “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.”
The church as one body has many members and roles that need to be filled for the church to move along smoothly…notice that I said move along smoothly. Some of us believe that if we don’t come to church everything will come to a halt. Let me tell you that you are in for a big surprise if you think that. It will not come to a halt, and it may not run as smoothly but it will continue on.
Are you acting as a church as one body and obeying the leadership and structure of the church? Or are you going at it Rambo style, doing what you want, how you want with no regard for the pastor that has been assigned by God to watch over your soul?
Responsibilities of the Church as One Body
1. Harmonious fellowship
a. Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
2. To be watchman for each other.
3. To serve God.
4. To be a royal priesthood.
5. To love our neighbor as ourselves.
6. To give to those in need.
7. To encourage and support one another.
8. To follow the example of Jesus
a. “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You”
Jesus is the Head of the Church
9. He paid the price for us.
10. He suffered the pains and sorrows for us.
11. He stands between the Father and you, pleading your case.
12. He comforts you in your time of need.
13. He lifts you up when you fall.
14. He makes a way from no way.
15. He guides you through troubled waters.
16. He carries you when you cannot walk anymore.
17. He heals you when you are sick.
18. He wipes the sorrow from your heart and fills it with gladness.
19. He knows your needs and supplies them when you ask.
20. He shed his blood to give you life eternal.
Christ Jesus paid the price for us so that we could be called the children of God. And as children of God, we are commanded to love one another and to come together in fellowship.
• The church as one body can do great things, because Christ gave us the power.
• The church as one body will be gathered with the Lord one day. Are you a part of that body?
