(My Anniversary message in Kaunlaran Gospel Church, Quezon City, Philippines)
From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which everypart does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Eph. 4:16
Proper care of the BODY produces strength for the body.
C – Committed to Christ (Becoming true to your calling)
A – Active Participation
R – Responsible membership
E – Encouragement
A. Commitment to Christ
From whom the whole body joined and knit together…
Jesus is the head of the church. And Jesus alone can give us strength. Its sola Christo!
Many Christians today are not committed in the ministry, they are like motorbike who has no battery—they need to force to move on. The power of the H.S. is not functioning well.
That’s why Apostle Paul told us--be true to our calling…vs.1
George Truett was one of the greatest preachers in Christian history, yet in the closing months of his life beyond measure from the disease that took his life in 1944. Though in his condition he had sought to resign his pastorate of the First Baptist Church in Dallas Texas, the church refuse to permit it. That 47 years of relationship was dissolve only in death.
Not long before Dr. Truett’s death, arrangements were made for his to preach his last sermon to his congregation by telephone from his bed. As the people listened over loudspeakers placed in the church auditorium, not one word of complaint over lot did they hear. They repeated refrain was “Be true to Christ. Be true to your calling.”
If we want to have strength, we need to be true to Christ because He alone can give us strength. That’s why New Century Version of the Bible is straight-forward to tell us “The whole body depends on Christ!”
To CARE means to become committed fully on Christ!
B. Active Involvement (Unity)
From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies…
Note the condition stated here, “the whole body joint and knit together by what every joint supplies…” The contribution of each part of the unit is important in attaining the full strength of the church.
But the problem of the Christian today is only 10% of the total membership are willing to cooperate. The other 15% is still needed to force into action, and the remaining 75% are idle.
Jesus once said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mk. 3:25).
A long time ago, a little child in an African tribe wandered off into the tall jungle grass and could not be found. The tribe search all day, but could not find the little boy. The next day the tribal members all held hands and walked through the grass together. This enabled them to find the child, but due to the cold night, he had not survived. In her anguish and tears, the mother cried, “If only we would have held hands sooner.” (Sermoncentral.com)
Try your best/make every effort to let God’s Spirit keepyour hearts the united (v.3)
The verb "to keep" indicates that it is fragile and needs to be guarded, kept carefully. We are not told to create this unity, but to preserve it when it is already there!
C. Responsible Membership (Spiritual Giftedness)
…according to the effective working by which every part does its share, …
What did the phrase means. It speaks of the given spiritual gifts. Each of us has given spiritual gifts to exercise…and the effective working of it, will help us to attain strength.
The problem is, most of the Christian did not know their gifts. Some knows their gift but they are not willing to exercise it to the church.
Consider the story told by Bernard Brown, Jr. President of the Kennestone Regional Health Care System in the state of Georgia: Brown once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water which spilled on the floor beside the patient’s bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed so he asked the nurse’s aid to mop it. The patient didn’t know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse’s aides while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital’s housekeeping group. The nurse aide decided the spill was large one and she called the house keeping department. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. A argument followed. Its not my responsibility, said the nurse aide, because its large puddle. The housekeeper did not agree. Well its not mine, the puddle is too small.
The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took the pitcher of water from his table and poured the whole thing on the floor. Its that a big enough puddle now for you to decide? He asked and that the end of an argument. (Sermoncentral.com)
Each member has given gifts in order for them to become responsible citizen of heaven. Each is given a task to perform.
In one of our meeting in ECC-Manila, I suggest to the leaders that if possible, all members should be given responsibilities to the church. E.g. tagahawak ng song sheets, taga ligpit ng Bibles at microphones, taga prepare ng Lord supper, etc.
In our mission Philippine Missionary Fellowship, the leadership is very different. The director does everthing he could and delegate only those he can’t.
Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong with love…NCV
God wanted us to become useful in the church. Our share is very important for the strength.
D. Encouragement
“When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need-words that will help others become strong.” (v.29)
Paul is the person who speaks with great encouragement. He doesn’t mention the negatives of the persons. He always seen the positive character of an individuals, their potentials rather than their weaknesses.
Our problem today is, many believers of JC who always seeking for the negatives of the persons… e.g. Bro. Lito Gimeno of S.K. ng Ligaya, even Pastors never escape.
…but say what people need, words that will help others become strong…
Maraming Christiano ngayon ang di na nga nakatulong, nagpapahina pa ng katawan ng Iglesia….walang ginawa kundi punahin at siraan ang kapwa mananampalataya.
Every Christian is prone to lose heart, even this great apostle Paul.
"But we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Help build your church…encourage your brothers to serve faithfully the Lord.
C-A-R-E:
THE CHURCH SOLUTION FOR STRENGTH
If the members are really caring for the church, they often not to ask, what do I need in this church? Instead they ask, what do the church need? How can I help in order to contribute to the strength of this church? Did you care for your church?
