So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until 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.Then 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 people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From 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. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
The most important blessing we all must experience at every moment is salvation. Nothing is more dramatic than becoming the children of God. Nothing is more exciting than obtaining freedom from the law of sin and death. Nothing is more assuring than possessing the right to receive answers to prayer. Nothing is more rewarding than living a life of witness for Christ. And nothing is more privileged than becoming a member of the church of Jesus Christ.
God’s absolute plan is to build His church worldwide (Mt 16:18). He already laid out His plans to establish His church: Christ, His kingdom, and the Holy Spirit (Ac 1:1-8). To that end, God gathered a few who believed in His eternal covenant (Ac 1:14). And His church was born (Ac 2:1-47).
The only thing this church did was this: “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (Ac 5:42). This is the church God desires to establish even today.
God appointed His church leaders to continue the gospel movement (Ac 6:1-7). He allowed the persecution connected with Stephen to build His church at Antioch (Ac 11:19-30). Through this church, God opened the door to world missions (Ac 13:1-3).
The church of Christ was spreading all over Macedonia (Ac 16:6-40), Thessalonica (Ac 17:1-9), Ephesus (Ac 18:18-28), Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11), Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13), and Rome (Rom 16:1-23). These churches were established in someone’s home right in the heart of the mission fields.
God desires church, not just church buildings. Why did God destroy the three temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod? Why did God dismiss the churches in the Middle Ages? Why does God lament over today’s church?
A church without a courtyard for the Gentiles, a courtyard for healing, and a courtyard for the children, the remnants, is no church at all. This is why Jesus was furious when He entered the temple (Jn 2:13-19). That temple would not survive (Mt 24:2).
Throughout history, whenever the church of Christ lost its identity and missions, all kinds of disasters and calamities covered the world. Today, the number of churches worldwide is shrinking at an alarming rate. God called His church as a guardian of the message of the cross, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is disappearing, distorted, and water-downed. As a result, the entire world is suffering. This is the church’s responsibility.
Knowing the incredible power of the gospel, Satan raises false prophets and teachers to throw people into confusion, even the people of God. They do so by placing miracles and signs, legalism, myths, and religious lifestyles above God’s way of salvation through Christ alone. They are trying to invalidate the unconditional love and the unbounded grace of God. They are not ashamed of preaching the so-called “prosperity gospel,” which is really no gospel at all.
As a result, today’s believers live and act like spiritual orphans or babies. They are like people who are constantly changing, like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. They are influenced by new teachings from people trying to deceive them using clever plans and tricks to fool them into following the wrong way.
To this end, we must restore our true identity as a church and commit our lives again to the Great Commission Jesus gave to His church (Mt 28:18-20). But how?
We must first restore the blessing of worship centered on Christ (Ac 2:42). As the Early Church did, we must not stop teaching and preaching the gospel that Jesus is the Christ (Ac 5:42).
As Today’s Word admonishes us, we must prepare God’s people for the work of serving, making the body of Christ stronger. This work must continue until we are all joined together only in the gospel and experience Jesus Life and Jesus Power in our daily lives. Let us keep our hearts pure to the gospel and help the people of God stay strong in the faith without being swayed by different gospels.
Let us not forget who God called us to be. We are the support and foundation of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Let us continue to stand firm on the truth that Jesus is the Christ.
To everyone God brings to our lives, let us act on behalf of Christ (Mt 25:40). We are Christ’s ambassadors entrusted with the message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:20).
Christ is sending us to bring healing to all nations completely covered by darkness (Jn 20:21; Mk 16:15). We have the ultimate responsibility of passing on the gospel to the next generation of churches (Jn 21:15-17).
Most importantly, remember that you are the church (1 Cor 3:16). You are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit lives in you. That’s what makes you special and unique. You have been set apart for the work God has prepared for long ages past. Wherever you go, there goes the church, and the people will be blessed through you.
Also, we are the church (Mt 18:18-20). When you get together with brothers and sisters in Christ, He will be there. Christ’s church will be established among you. When this church prays in His name, anything is possible.
Find those who know the mystery of Christ. You will see the church of God being established among you. The power of hell will not overcome this church (Mt 16:18). Pray for your local church that they may devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching (the Word), fellowship, the breaking of bread (experiencing the power of death and resurrection of Jesus Christ), and prayer (Ac 2:42), so that a life-changing work of God may take place in your region.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for Your church. May Your church restore Your light and shine into the world completely covered by darkness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.