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How to Be God’s Church
Introduction: When we read the first three chapters of Revelation and the letters to the churches, the first thing that stands out is Jesus’ opening statement to the church at Ephesus: “The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.” In the previous verse, the lampstands were described as the churches.
They are called lampstands because their purpose is to be lights to the world, shining the knowledge of Christ everywhere. But the phrase that really stands out is that Jesus “walks among” these churches and he holds their destiny in his hand.
At the beginning of each letter, Jesus followed up with the words, “I know your works…” Those thoughts should be remarkable to us. Jesus always in our midst, always aware of our condition, and acutely aware of what we are or are not doing.
Even more notable is that though the Ephesus church was strongly commended for their labor, faithfulness, and stand for the truth, their lampstand was about to be removed because Jesus was not their first love. Yes, the Lord is walking among us, watching over us, and caring for us, but also warning us that we could be removed from his presence. If that happened, we would no longer be his church.
There is one other thing we should note: Jesus did not judge all the churches as a unit; he judged each individually. The faithfulness or unfaithfulness of other churches isn’t what matters. It is what this church does that matters.
They were all churches owned by Jesus, but five of the seven were in danger of losing their status with the Lord.
Therefore, in this lesson I would like to identify what it takes to be the Lord’s church. We so easily judge faithfulness differently than the way the Lord judges. This is especially the case when our primary criteria is whether the teaching is sound. (Titus 2: the teaching of “sound” doctrine said nothing of what was taught, but what was lived.)
Ephesians 4:1-3 “Walk worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
We have a great calling, to live in such a way that we fit God’s purpose of us being “to the praise of his glory.” Chapters 4-6 offer that description, but it all begins with our attitudes and interaction between one another.
It is significant that in chapter 2, Paul used the word “peace” four times to describe the very essence of the “mystery” planned before the foundation of the world. Do you know what that mystery is? It is bringing Jew and Gentile into one body and making peace. From Exodus on, the OT describes endless wars fought between Israel and the nations. But everything God planned from before the worlds were made was to bring peace between these two arch enemies. Jesus left heaven and died to create peace, and in this text, he asks us to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the body of peace. We would be an embarrassment to God if in this local church we cannot maintain unity and peace!
People talk about divisions over doctrinal matters and believe such divisions are justified. I will suggest to you that actually very few divisions are over doctrinal matters. In most cases the “doctrinal matter” was simply an excuse to divide. Long before the division, members had lost the attitude of humility, gentleness, and patience. They quit bearing with one another, and they certainly were not eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. If God can bring two of the greatest enemies of history together, surely a local church can be at peace.
Ephesians 4:11-16
This text easily deserves a whole sermon, but for our purposes, the key to the text is that mature, equipped Christians are to be equipping the younger and less mature. In a growing church, it is a continual process.
Paul gives three elements of maturity:
Every member growing to the unity of the faith and knowledge so that they are no longer tossed by every wind of doctrine.
This knowledge is to grow so that each Christian is able to “speak the truth in love.” Not just think the truth. Not just have a knowledge of the correct doctrines. And not just speak the truth, but speak the truth in love.
Third, maturity happens when every joint in the whole body is equipped so that every part does it share and is working properly, making the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. That is the growing picture of God’s church.
Shepherd Leaders; Shepherd Culture
In Psalm 23, when David described how God was his shepherd and extolled the attributes of God as his shepherd, one of those attributes was, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” In Ezekiel 34:15, when God rebuked the shepherds of Israel and proclaimed that he would come and personally be Israel’s shepherd, he repeated David’s words: “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down.”
The phrase, “I will make them lie down” seems peculiar to people who know nothing about sheep. How would one make sheep lie down? And why would I want to make my sheep lie down? The statement is first important because unless sheep can lie down, they will die. But sheep are of a character that no can force them to do anything. When sheep are treated harshly, they will die. Therefore, a shepherd will make his sheep lie down when he keeps them free from parasites and disease, provides them with good pasture and clean water, and has them in a safe environment where they are protected from predators. With that, sheep will lie down and thrive.
In a church, Christians need to “lie down.” They have all the same needs. When Christians scatter from a church, it is usually because they cannot lie down as a result of a diseased environment, poor spiritual food, or predators within the flock. It is a primary requirement of shepherds to make sure the flock will lie down. In fact, in 34:16, God said, “The fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”
It is also important for a church to have shepherd-like culture. As Ephesians 4:16 states, the whole body is “joined and held together by every joint…so that it builds itself up in love.” When we are God’s church, we all are accountable to each other and care for one another, meeting each other’s physical and spiritual needs.
“Be Holy, for I Am Holy” – 1 Pet. 1:14-16
As Peter wrote to a people who had been scattered throughout an adversely pagan territory, his first command was to live holy lives, not reverting to the lifestyle of their former passions.
In 2:9, Peter reminds them of who they are: “chosen race, royal priesthood, a holy nation…that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Our design is to be evangelists for God, proclaiming his excellencies in calling us out of darkness. We will not make good evangelists if we revert back to darkness and are not a holy nation.
Satan uses every opportunity to destroy a local group of Christians. The local church is his greatest enemy because we are God’s work of art, portraying his manifold wisdom and beauty. All it takes is one member or one family to allow sin to creep in and ruin holiness for Satan to win. (Remember Achan & family)
So, what does holiness look like in church in which Jesus walks in the midst?
Marriages are showcases for what our relationship with Jesus will be. Marriages are passionate, loving, tender, forgiving, exclusive, and permanent. Marriages reflect Adam and Eve prior to sin, not after.
Personal lives are lived with integrity, knowing that even if no one else is watching, God is watching, and we want him to catch us doing things that honor him. In that vein, the secret sin of pornography has infiltrated Christians everywhere. It is the basest kind of idolatry. It is powerful, strongly addictive, and will devastate your personal life, relationship with God, your marriage, and your relationship with other Christians. God allows no other passions but the one for him. And it is only coming to know God passionately that will give the strength to get out of this sin.
“The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength” Nehemiah 8:9-12
Many years ago I commented to an older Christian that one of my goals was to help people have fun serving the Lord. His reply shocked me when he said, “We’re not here to have fun!” Well, I don’t know how he interpreted “fun,” but we should be a people who enjoy the Lord and enjoy one another.
Ecclesiastes is filled reminders and joy in our labor under the sun is a gift of God.
Jesus began his kingdom manifesto with, “Blessed are…”
Nehemiah’s words are beautiful. The people are so struck by the words of God that all the people are weeping and mourning. Their tears are likely a combination of hearing the wonderful words of the Lord and realizing their own sins. But how wonderful to know that God wanted his people to stop crying and mourning and enjoy what God had done for them. This was the essence of the Feast of Booths.
The joy of the Lord is our strength because when we can appreciate and experience what God has done for us, having tasted the heavenly gift and tasted that the Lord is good, that is what will make us strong against the passions of the flesh. Who cares about the flesh when we have the blessings of the Lord, which are so much better.
Berry Kercheville