The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 5
JESUS SAID “ I WILL BUILD THE CHURCH”
We know that the church is not a building but a community of redeemed people the Ecclesia (called out gathered ones) who will be the catalyst for change. The Bible says that we are “Living stones” ( illustrate stone walls in Yorkshire) notice we are stones not bricks.
Bricks are uniform in shape ( they all look the same)
Stones are different shapes
Jesus said “I will build my church” we do NOT build church Jesus builds the church. So what does it look like and will we recognise it? It is interesting that in Christian Book shops there are many books on how to build church few if any on the Kingdom.
First of all we need to understand that the church is God’s vehicle to usher in the Kingdom. THE RULE AND REIGN OF GOD His government. It is God’s plan A and He does not have a plan B. The church is the incubator for life and growth and expresses the divine nature of God. What is God the Father like?
The tabernacle
Jesus
The Church
We can conclude from the Statement by Jesus that He builds the church and if the church is people then His plan is build with us and in us. It is often said “I love God but I have problems with the church” this is bad news and theologically unsound. Paul said in Ephesians 5:25-30 “Just as Christ loves the church”.
The book of Acts is constantly saying “The church gathered together”. There is power when we gather as we corporately worship we make a sound that attracts Heaven! He is present when we worship and in that presence anything can happen! Scripture says “forsake not the gathering together and then adds especially in the last days”.
NOTE: One person is a Christian two or more are the church. We will be known to be His disciples by our love for one another, which is the visible expression of the nature of God. Whether the church is city wide, rural, urban, rich or poor free or persecuted it will always have visible characteristics.
These are:
A place of acceptance
A place for all ages
A place for all ethnic groups
A place of forgiveness
A place of healing physically, mentally and emotionally
A place of creative worship
A place of expectancy
A place that expresses family
A place where people walk out their destiny
A place of generosity and sharing
So if the church is people how does Jesus build it?
REDEMPTION
The cross to restore the first order of creation Adam – then Jesus the second Adam
EMPOWER
Frail humanity empowered by His spirit (the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead) Acts 1:8. The cross sets us free from the power of sin “It is finished” Jesus declared. We are not being changed from sinners into saints. We were sinners now saved by grace we are being changed not from sinners into saints but one degree of glory to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18 So that we will become like Him.)
