✎ Winnie the Pooh is once took an evening walk with his friend Piglet. They walked for a long time in silence, but Piglet finally asked, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” Pooh responds, “And what do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today.”
Pooh’s first thoughts turn to his tummy, while Piglet imagines the possibilities that are before him; “What exciting thing is going to happen today?” I wonder, who are you more like, Pooh or Piglet?
I fear that too often we are just like Pooh. We concern ourselves with our own desires and needs. Our tummies want to be fed; our heads want a Tylenol to deal with the stress. With a singular focus our thoughts often turn to all the things we need.
As believers we sometimes forget that God has promised to provide everything we need.
+ Matthew 6:33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (MsgB)
Trust God and look for the incredible things He will do in your life each day. However, instead of “In God we trust,” our national motto should be, “What’s in it for me?” Let’s stop worrying about satisfying our tummies we should learn to be more like Piglet, “What exciting thing is going to happen today?”
Some of you will remember that last week I said beyond creation and the resurrection of Jesus Christ every miracle in the Bible involved a person. In other words, God doesn’t just show up on the scene and “poof” a miracle happens; God chooses to involve people in the process of a miracle.
God still works miracles in the same way today. God is looking for someone who is willing to do or say something to cooperate with God in a miracle. Our church will only experience miracles as we cooperate with God.
In last week’s message “The State of the Church” we looked at five truths as found in Matthew 16:18. Jesus said, “This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out” (MsgB). Quickly here are the five points from last week:
1. THE CHURCH IS ESTABLISHED BY JESUS. Jesus said, “I” (don’t miss the first word) “I will build my church.” Jesus is the ROCK upon which the church is built.
2. JESUS HAS A PLAN FOR HIS CHURCH. He said, “I WILL BUILD my church. Every building begins with the blue print. Jesus is the “HOUSE BUILDER” following the Master design for His Church.
3. THE CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS. He said, “I will build MY CHURCH.” None of us died for the church; Jesus let His blood be poured out to purchase the church.
4. JESUS WILL PROTECT THE CHURCH. He said, “I will build my church, and THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT OVERCOME IT.” Not even the very gates of hell will be able to stand up against His Church; Jesus will protect His Church.
5. YOU AND I ARE THE BUILDING MATERIALS OF THE CHURCH. Jesus is not using 2x4’s and bricks to build the church. The church is built as God transforms ordinary men and women into the image of Jesus Christ. We are the church.
God is making us into a great church. You and I have the opportunity to be a part of the miracle that is Praise A/G. Let’s not have a Pooh Bear “what’s in it for me” mentality. Let’s think like Piglet; “what exciting thing is going to happen today.” What miracle might God do THROUGH US as we choose to cooperate with Him?
Turn to Ephesians 4:11-16. My prayer is that Praise A/G will be a great church! Great churches are not measured by human standards. A great church is not measured by the number of people in the pews, the money in the bank, the programs offered, the building, or any other human standard you may think of. God says what makes a church great. I said last week a great church is one in which you and I become more like Jesus thus making Him known. Great churches impact their families, friends, communities and their world with the reality of the risen Christ.
This morning we are going to discover seven characteristics of great churches. As we look at Ephesians 4:11-16 we’ll discover what it means for the church to reflect Jesus and make Him known.
+ Ephesians 4:11-16 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV)
1. GREAT CHURCHES INVOLVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE! (Verse 11, 12a)
Take a look at the people sitting around you and what do you see? Is everyone a carbon copy duplicate or clone of you or me? Is anyone here just like someone else here? Of course not; everyone is a unique individual. No two people are the same.
Great churches are made up of people who are being transformed into the image of Jesus, but we still retain our identity as an individual. Each of us are unique and gifted with different abilities and talents. God uses us as we are.
Within the church God takes all kinds of different people and uses them in different ways. Some people are used as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and yet even those who are called to similar ministries are still unique. When God made me, “He broke the mold!” And aren’t you glad you won’t find more just like me out there!
God is not limited to just using some people in special ministries. The “SOME” are used to equip the “ALL.”
+ Ephesians 4:11-16 11[Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service. (NIV)
God wants to use you also. You don’t have to be “in the ministry” to be used by God. The Lord wants to use lots of different people in lots of different ways.
2. GREAT CHURCHES FOCUS ON JESUS! (Verse 12b)
The Bible says great churches involve lots of different people in the work of the ministry in order that “THE BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP.” Can I put it to you simply? The church is not about you or me, it’s about Jesus!
In Ephesians 1 the Bible says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for” (Eph. 1:11–The Message). The opening verses of Ephesians show us that we aren’t living for ourselves but for quote “THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY” (verses 6, 12, 14).
Great churches are made up of people being transformed into the image of Jesus. One way Jesus builds His church as you and I are made in His image. Jesus is the builder! We are not building our own little kingdoms; programs or ministries. Everything we do is about Jesus. APART FROM HIM WE ARE NOTHING.
+ Acts 17:28 We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ’We’re the God-created.’ (MsgB)
3. GREAT CHURCHES ARE UNITED IN CHRIST; WE’RE ONE! (Verse 13)
The Bible says that each of us who are God’s people are “to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until WE COME TO SUCH UNITY in our faith and knowledge of God ‘s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord” (Eph. 4:12, 13–NLT).
Real maturity in Christ is not shown by how great your faith is, nor by how much you know about the Bible. Maturity is really all about unity. Show me how well you relate with other believers, and I’ll show you how mature you really are.
If your relationships are divided, if you have unforgiveness, or bitterness towards other in your life then you are immature. You need to grow up in Christ! However, if you show love and unity within the body of Christ, then you have really grown up.
You have grown up in Christ, being transformed into His image as you grow in unity with other believers. We are one.
+ Ephesians 4:2-6 2Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace [be quick at mending fences (MsgB)]. 4We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. 5There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all. (NLT)
Great churches are united in Christ.
4. GREAT CHURCHES ARE DOCTRINALLY SOUND. (Verse 14)
You and I are not to be tossed by the waves or blown by the wind of false teachings. Great churches have an anchor which holds them steady; we are grounded in the Word of God.
The church God sees as great does not preach or teach its own opinion nor does it worry about trying to be politically correct. Great churches preach and teach God’s word without compromises.
+ 2 Timothy 4:3-4 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (NIV)
We live in times such as Paul warned Timothy about. We must be careful to remain true to God’s word. Rather than shaping scripture to our personal preferences, we must allow the Bible to shape us into the image of Christ through the power of His Spirit.
God wants to transform us into the image of Jesus. How does that happen? God changes us by the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word.
+ Ephesians 5:26 Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her. (MsgB)
+ [Christ makes the church] holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. (NIV)
Putting it simply, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY WE BELIEVE THE RIGHT STUFF; WE HAVE TO LIVE IT. If we are not living in obedience to the Word of God then we are still wearing the dirt of the world and need to be cleansed. Good doctrine is proved through good behavior.
+ James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (NIV)
5. GREAT CHURCHES ARE LOVING! (Verse 15a)
Great churches “speak the truth in love.” No stabbing one another in the back; no getting even. We love each other.
The Bible says that love is superior to everything else (1 Cor. 13:13). Love should be the motive for everything that we do. Loving churches are like Jesus making the love of God known to their community and world because “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
+ 1 Peter 4:7-8 7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. [But how do we do that? Verse 8 tells us how.] 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV)
I want Praise A/G to be a loving church, but don’t overlook the obvious! Churches are not made up of bricks and mortar; CHURCHES ARE MADE UP OF PEOPLE. Our church will be no more loving than how much you and I are willing to love one another. Peter said, “above all, love each other deeply.”
The litmus test of love is found in how we talk about each other. You can only imitate love for one another so long. If your love is an imitation–if you’re just a phoney, then before long it will be discovered in what you say about the people of the church.
6. GREAT CHURCHES REFLECT JESUS TO THEIR WORLD. (Verse 15b)
Great churches make Jesus known to their community and their world, not just through special programs or ministries. We are “growing up in Christ in all things.” Great churches will reflect Jesus daily in everything we do and say. We are His hands, His feet, His voice, His heart to those who do not yet know Him.
St. Francis said, “preach the gospel to all the world and if necessary use words.” Someone else has said that our lives may be the only Bible some people ever read. Are we living our lives in such a way as to not distort or misrepresent Jesus whom the scriptures make known?
Do people see Jesus when they look at you?
7. GREAT CHURCHES INVOLVE EVERYONE! (Verse 16)
We have come full circle. Not only do great churches involve lots of different people, but in a great church everyone is involved as “each part does its work.” In great churches there are no spectators; no one is just warming the bench. Everyone is involved!
What part are you willing to play in making Praise A/G a great church? We need you to do your part.
God wants to use each of you too! God will use the some–pastors, teachers, evangelists–He uses some to “prepare God’s people for works of service.”
God’s plan is to use the “church professionals” to prepare lots of different people to do the work of the ministry. A church that is built around a renowned or famous pastor or that depends upon the pastoral staff to do all the work of the ministry is not a great church. Great churches involve everyone–including those who sit in the pews.
Great churches:
1. Involve lots of different people;
2. Focus on Jesus;
3. Are united in Christ–ONE;
4. Are doctrinally sound;
5. Are loving;
6. Reflect Jesus to their World; and
7. Involve everyone.
CONCLUSION:
How do we get to where God wants us to go? HOW DO WE BECOME A GREAT CHURCH? The answer is “The State of the Church”; answering the question, “how can we get there” will show us the things we need to start, stop, and continue doing as a church in order to be the church God wants us to be.
Last week I asked you to complete a simple table on the back of your welcome cards:
➩ START:
➩ STOP:
➩ CONTINUE:
I encouraged you to fill in the ministries or things that make up Praise A/G that you believe we should START, STOP and CONTINUE. If you have not had the chance to do that, then I want to encourage you to take a few moments and do it this morning, or if you have thought of some other things you would want to include about the church please turn that in. I’m reading these and, want your input. Together we’ll talk about the direction of the church at our annual business meeting in two weeks.
This morning I want you to create the same kind of list for you as an individual. Together we are the church. What does God want to do in and through your life in order for you to reflect Jesus more? Collectively as we are transformed into the image of Jesus we become the great church God wants us to be, but the greatness of the church begins with you and me as individuals. As the old saying goes, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
Take a few moments and ask God to show you the things you need to START, STOP AND CONTINUE. Take another look at the seven things which make a church great. Are some of these things missing in your life? You may want to include it on your start list, or a wrong attitude on your stop list.
Someone turned in such a list last week:
➩ START: caring more
➩ STOP: saying one thing and doing another
➩ CONTINUE: praying
Some pretty good thoughts to help us better reflect the life of Christ in the way we live our lives. Let God show you what you need to do personally in your life, so together we can be the Great Church He is building us to be. WHAT SHOULD WE INDIVIDUALLY START, STOP AND CONTINUE?
