What is the goal of the church
and how is it to be realized?
Eph 4:11-16 ~ tom phillips
September 23, 2018
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What is the goal of the church
What is the Goal of the Church and How is it to be Realized
Ephesians 4:11-16
Tom Phillips
9-23-18
It's fitting this morning and since we’ve come together, here to talk about “church.” And when we use the word “church,” obviously we use in several ways. A couple days ago, Jan and Michelle came and cleaned the “church,” of course we’re just talking about a building. And the last week most of us attended “church”, and when we use it in that sense it's as if it's an event or an occasion. But we all know that scripturally, “church” refers to the called-out assembly of God's people. And of course it’s in that sense we want to look at it today. And I want to spend a few minutes upfront, just reminding ourselves of some things. When we think about the “church” as being God's called-out assembly, that's true whether it's referring to the whole, and what I mean by that, you recall in Matthew 16 when Christ said that I will build My “church.” When He said that He wasn't referring…He didn't say that with reference to any specific locality, any specific local assembly, but His church as a whole. And the writer of Hebrews says that we've come to that heavenly Jerusalem he says, “to that to the church of the firstborn” is the phrase. And so there we have again that reference to God's people, but it’s used in reference to the whole. But, of course, and maybe even most often in Scripture, you see it used with reference to local assemblies. In Romans 16, it talks about the “churches of Christ greet you,” he says the Roman believers. In 1 Corinthians, when Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians, he wrote it to the “church” that is at Corinth. Galatians was written to the “churches” of Galatia, so he was talking about local assemblies. But whether it's talking about the whole, or whether talking about the local church, some of the fundamental truths about the church that we all know, but that we need to--- but that it’s good to remind ourselves of, is as we’ve already mentioned first of all, that the “church” is the special and particular possession of God. And that you see this truth a number of times, you’re familiar with Titus 2:14, where it says that, “Christ gave himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people.” I think the phrase was used this morning, “set apart.” That's what the “church” is, people that God has set apart to Himself as a special possession. Peter talks about… calls…refers to us as, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. So, we understand that’s-- that's what the church is, this people out of all the peoples of the earth belong to God. James refers to believers, as it were, the first-fruits, the ones that are especially, particularly His, His very own. And in the same light we recognize that the church is the creation of God, Christ said, “I will build My church.” He’s the One who created the church. It's also the possession of God. He’s the One who owns the church, it belongs to Him. Paul, when talking to the elders at Ephesus in Acts 20, he was speaking to the overseers and he says that, “the Holy Spirit of God has made you overseers over the church of God which He purchased with His blood.” And, so the church is the possession of God, and the purchase of God. Also, in scripture, we recognize that the “church,” it sometimes referred to as God's household. If you think of this in Ephesians 2:19, where Paul says to specifically to let the Gentile believers in this case, he says, “So then no longer are you strangers and aliens, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's ‘household,’” is a term that he uses there, “are of God’s household,” he’s speaking about the church. And Paul when he wrote to Timothy in his first epistle, he says, “I'm writing these things so that one may know how they ought to conduct themselves in the ‘household of God,’ which is the ‘church’ of the living God.” So, the “church,” this body of called out saints, is God's ‘household,’ that's one figure we have in the New Testament. Another figure of course is “Temple” and again in Ephesians 2 and we have a reference to that, where--I will refine the phrase-- that were it were a “holy temple” in the Lord, a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Peter in his second chapter he talks about the fact that as living stones were being built up as a “spiritual house,” so the same idea. So, these different pictures of the church, God's “household,” His “temple,” His temple- His “dwelling.” Perhaps the most common picture of the church in Scripture is the “body,” the body of Christ, and we find reference to this so many times, and again the first-- the end of the first chapter of Ephesians. And, of course Ephesians and Colossians in particular speak so much about the church. But at the end of that first chapter Paul makes reference to the fact that Christ is “head of the church which is His “body,”” and so that-- that concept of “body,” the body of Christ. You find that again Ephesians 5 and in first Corinthians 12, it talks again about the “body,” that whole concept.
So, these are the ways that that the church is referred to. One other thing just by way of introduction, I think we all recognize, but it's good to remind ourselves of, the church exists firstly, primarily to worship God. That's why we exist. Christ told the woman at the well, you know that God is seeking people to be His worshipers. Those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. And that's what the priority--someone has said, that's the priority of the church. First Peter 2 were told that we are, “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God.” And in that same passage, a few verses later, he refers to us as, “a royal priesthood, in order that, we might proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light”. So, Peter refers to that fact, that that's what we've been called to do, that's the priority of the church. That's why we exist to worship God. And you see this also in Revelation chapter 5:9-10 where that, that song is sung to the Lamb, and they say, “Worthy art Thou,” as they’re singing to the Lamb, to Christ, “for You have purchased for God with Thy blood men from every tongue and tribe and people and nation and You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God.” So, you have that same concept. The church exists to worship God, that's the priority of the church.
So, as we think about the “church,” these are just a quick reminder just to help us to begin thinking about the church and the things we see in Scripture. And I hope that'll serve as just a little bit of foundation for what we specifically want to look at today and that is—I would like to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. And we want to read together of the passage in Ephesians 4, beginning in verse 11, and I’ll read down through 16. And if, I think that's accurate, if the priority of the church's worship and what we see in this passage we want to title it this way is, what is the primary activity, what’s the primary goal, of the Church, and we’d like to look at this passage in and see what were told here. I'll start reading in verse 11:
“and He, (that is our Lord Jesus Christ) gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies,
according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
And this morning, in a rather-- I think rather briefly, we’d like to look at this passage, we’re not going to examine everything in detail, to see what is the goal, to remind ourselves-- we all know this. But what is the goal of the church. And in verse 12, when we come to verse 12, you notice that God, that Christ has appointed in the church, these different positions; apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers—notice, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,” and now here's the goal, “to the building up of the body of Christ.” That’s the goal of the church. We meet together to worship God, but the goal of the church, the reason that God has designed the church--this is His means, it’s His method, that the body of Christ be built up and growing. That's the goal of the church. “The equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body.” This is the primary activity, this the primary goal of the Church of God of the church which Christ has purchased with his own blood. And let's, as we think about this goal, let’s just notice a few things in the passage. First of all, notice verse 13 he says, “until we ALL attain.”
The first thing we notice about this goal is that it includes EVERY member and EVERY saint. The goal of the church. The activity of the church is that every member, every saint, every member of the body of the Christ of every member of the body of Christ be growing--be attaining to this goal. It's--it's the same language you find that Paul uses when he speaks-- when he writes of the Colossians, he says of Christ, “and we proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, and that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Every man. So, it’s not just in general the building up of the body, it’s the building up of each individual saint. That’s the goal of the church as a whole, that should be the goal of our local assemblies, that each individual saint is being built up, is growing.
That's the first thing we notice. The second thing we notice about this goal is the picture that Paul gives to illustrate this, and you see that, and let's read in verses 13 and 14, he says, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God,” now notice, “to a mature man.” And the contrast with is the mature man, as compared to verse 14, “as a result, we are no longer to be children.” So the picture he gives us of the goal of the church is that the progress from immaturity to maturity, like the progress of a child to adulthood. That’s the picture that he gives us. We believers, just as child progresses and grows into an adult. That's a picture of what's to be taking place in the local church, in our assemblies.
Now we all remember that in some senses. Christ told us that unless we come as a child we can’t enter the kingdom of heaven. So, in some ways is good to be like a child, but in terms of maturity, it's not. And you notice in the passage here what’s stated specifically here in verse 14. A child, you know, they are guileless, there's the simple trust and faith that Christ commends--but the reason a child, one of the reason the child needs to grow up is because the child is also changeable, easily influenced, easily led astray, there’s a lack of stability there. That's part of, we who are parents know that as part of raising our children, were trying to instill these things in our children. And that's what's to be taking place in the church, in each of our lives--as a group, but again in our individual lives. Our lives are to be marked by a settled and fixed course. Again, the picture he talks about, every wind of doctrines, as if there's waves--our lives are to be marked by a steady and fixed course of sailing on an ocean that’s got all kinds of waves, but the life of the believer is to be steady--a fixed course. Ok, he’s not to be knocked about here and there. It says, “by every wind of doctrine.” So, through all the waves of human opinions, false teaching and ideas, the trickery of men, and so forth, the goal is that we as believers, each of us as an individual believer, is to be progressing so that our lives are marked by that -that -that settled that settled course of living, as it were. So, we’re to have settled views, settled understanding of truth. We’re to have fixed principles based on accurate knowledge of God's will so that we might walk in a manner pleasing to Him. That’s what he’s talking about here. The church ultimately is to bring glory to God not only in our worship but of course in our living. And if that’s to be so, then we need to become mature, there needs to be fixed and settled principles that we live by that we conduct our lives by, and those principles are based on our understanding, an accurate understanding of God's will for His people, as it's revealed in his word. So, the need is for firmness and steadfastness.
You might also add that firmness and that steadfastness, of course, needs to be accompanied by humility. We need to hold convictions until the point that we’re convinced by the word of God through the Holy Spirit that in some particular area we might be wrong. So there needs to be a change. But until that takes place, until there’s that firm change of understanding given to us by the Holy Spirit through His word, we need to have settled principles on which we base our lives --that were not going back and forth—okay. So, this is the picture that Paul gives us to illustrate what he's talking about. This is the goal of the church. This is what is to take place in each believer’s life. That's -that -that's the ultimate goal.
Now notice. Thirdly, the specific goal which we all know but let's look at it in verse 13, it says, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Notice the end of verse 15 it says, we’re “to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” So, we know this specific goal is Christ likeness for each of us, for each of us. This is the goal of the church. And notice he says. First of all, that we’re to be--he mentions this phrase, “the knowledge of the Son of God.” I would understand this to be an experiential, a personal knowledge of Christ. This is the goal that we as individual believers, learn to more and more--we know Him more and more, we know-- more and more, learn to walk with Him. You remember what Paul said towards the end of his life--what's his goal? “That I might know Him,” was his goal. And so, this, this is to be the goal for each individual believer, knowing Him, walking with Him in dependence, living our lives by faith in Him. Remember what Paul said to the Galatians, “For I have died, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God.” What's that mean? You and I are to be growing in our understanding what that means, to walk with Christ, to live by faith in dependence upon Him. HE-- living in us, and we recognizing that. I think a part of the verse that Terry read this morning, Ephesians 3:17. What was Paul's prayer? I think it has to do with this same idea, at least in part, where he says--where Paul's prayer is that will be, “strengthened with power through the Spirit in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” That's part of the picture there. This is part of this maturity. This is what it looks like. Then notice also talks about the “stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Notice that word, “fullness” of Christ. What a goal! We’re to be holy like Him. The stature which belongs to the FULLNESS of Christ. Holy like Him. That sounds unattainable. That sounds like that's not a realistic goal, but that's the goal, that’s the force. That's the goal to which we are pressing. That's the goal to which Paul was pressing. Again, if you look at the Philippians chapter 3--holy like Christ in obedience to the Father, holy like Christ in submission to the Father, in submission to, in dependence upon the Spirit of God. Do you remember, Christ came, obviously, primarily to reveal God to give Himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. But Christ also came as an example, to show us, as a man, how to live perfectly before God. That's why in Matthew 11 he says, “If anyone is weary and heavy laden, come unto me. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” He came as an example, and that’s to be our goal, we’re to learn, we’re to learn to live, in relation to God, lives wholly devoted to God, like Christ was-- complete dependence, complete submission, complete joy in serving the Father. So that’s-that is the specific goal. And just as Christ, as it was said of Him ahead of time in the Psalms, that He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. That's the goal that each of us as members of the body of Christ grow to the point where we’re genuinely, genuinely, we love righteousness and genuinely we hate wickedness. Our goal is to grow up to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ there.
Now the thing that we really wanted to key in on this morning is the fourth thing that we notice in this passage, and that is the “means.” How is this goal to be realized in the body, as a whole? How is this goal to be realized in each of us as individual believers? Look at the passage again. Notice first of all, verse 12, the “goal” is the third phrase in the verse, the “means” is the second phrase of verse 12, “the work of service.” And who does the work of service? Who’s equipped to do the work of service? What’s it say? “The saints.” That's us. That’s the “means.” Look down at verse 16, “from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together,” now notice, “by that which EVERY joint supplies, according to the proper working of EACH individual part.” And notice then, that's what causes the growth, at the end of verse 16. What causes the growth of the body? What will ultimately foster this building up, not only the body as a whole, but each individual believer? What --what really accomplishes? What are the means that God has ordained? The “means” is that the individual saints, you and I, are involved in the work of service. The means is that each individual saint is supplying. Each individual saint is properly working. And we have to understand that if this is not happening, or to the degree that this isn't happening, to the same degree the body is not going to be successful in their pursuit of this goal, as a whole, and as individuals.
Now I’ll stop for a minute and give you just an opinion here, excuse me, (sniffs) my opinion is that as believers in the church we have a tendency to at least partially forget how important this is. Again, that’s my opinion, ok-- that we have that tendency to forget how -how important this is. This is what the church is really all about—in this—in what we see in this passage. This is what it was designed to be. This is why you see such large sections of Scripture like the 1 Corithians 12, devoted to the working of the body—because this is what it’s supposed to be. We sometimes, I think, we slip into a pattern of thinking, that almost totally equates the life of the church with attendance and services and participation in programs. And in saying, that I understand and firmly believe that the services of the church are paramount to the to the health of the church and to the attainment of this goal, because in the services of the church and we’re gathered together, that's where, in particular, corporately, that priority of worship really takes place. That's also, it’s in the services, where a lot of the equipping is done, as we listen to God's word being taught. So, the services of the church there not to be discussed, that’s not what we’re talking about. They’re paramount, to have to be there, but, they are not sufficient, is the point. The church can be functioning correctly with wonderful services, with Bible centered services, but, if every member of the body is not properly exercising, not properly working, the body will not be growing as it should. They’ll be a lack. You and I will not be going further and further on in the attainment of this goal that’s been set before us. In a-- in a healthy physical body, no part, or member is idle, ok. If even the smallest member of my physical body ceases to function the health of my body, to at least some degree, deteriorates, even just a small degree, but it deteriorates. Every member of this body has been designed by God to function, it all has a part, and that's why, that’s one of the reasons why the Spirit of God compares Christ the church to Christ’s body, because it's made up of members and every member has to be functioning. So, the point is, that we need to give attention to this. That doesn't mean we aren't giving attention to it. All I'm suggesting is that we need to give MORE attention to this, we need to be giving constant attention to this, is what I'm suggesting. And again, an opinion, it seems to me, that perhaps in one sense, this working of the body this working of each individual member of the body, is in one sense, the most difficult part of church life to really do well--to do it naturally and genuinely. It's interesting, in Mongolia, the-- as we’ve seen God save people, as we seen churches established in different places, as we’ve been able to witness that, and sometimes visit groups of people, it's in—it’s very interesting—sad, that there is this tendency, for these are brand of relatively brand-new groups of believers sometimes very excited about knowing the Lord, but this tendency for them to fall into this thing almost immediately. If they get together for services, and that's church. And it doesn't go, sometimes much deeper than that. And they have-- sometimes they can be good services, and hopefully they are that the priorities as we already said, but, I guess what I'm saying is that's what I've noticed there. They, they, a lot of these people, obviously they have learned from us, you know, what church is, and so some of our baggage, you know, it affects them, it influences them, but it's-it's largely in that sense that I say, it seems to me this is one of the most difficult parts of church life, to do naturally and genuinely-- where every member the body is involved, where the church is functioning like a body. You know, this isn’t just Paul. The Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle Peter said much the same thing, “as each one has received a special gift,” “as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving others.” The Holy Spirit said through the apostle Peter in the fourth chapter of his first epistle.
So, a periodic question to be asked of ourselves, ok, and this the application, is: What specifically am I doing as a member of the local body in which God has placed me to benefit, to spiritually benefit other members of the body? That's a question I need to periodically ask myself as a member of local assembly. And I’ll ask it of you. What are you specifically doing, as a member of the local body that your part of, to bring spiritual benefit to other members of this assembly? That's a question we have to deal with. I don't think answering that's very easy sometimes, or maybe the “how” isn’t so easy, but that's a question we have to deal with. What am I doing? This is God's design, Ephesians 4. This is God's will. This is His plan to the degree, that I as an individual believer am not giving attention to this, it is harming the body, it is holding the body back, it is making my local body unhealthy, if I, as a member, am not involved in this way. How do we, how is it that we’re to help each other continue the fight in progress in the fight against self-centeredness and pride and lusts, and envy, anxiety, greed, worldly mindedness, slothfulness? How are we going to help each other, cause we each need help? We’re each this close to following all time. So, this is something we have to think about, how are we going to do this, to help each other in this. Do I have as a goal for myself, is my goal for myself what Paul's goal was for him. He says, “I want to lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of me.” Why did Christ lay hold of me?... to change me, to conform me to His image. And Paul says, that's my goal. So, is that MY goal is an individual believer, and furthermore, is that my goal for my brother? It has to be a goal for me, but has to be my goal for my brother. The person in the pew behind me on Sunday morning, ok. Do I, do I love my brother, do I love my sister enough to put out the effort to bear their burdens, (Galatians 6:2), to admonish them, (1 Thessalonians 5 and Romans 15), to encourage them to comfort them, (1 Thessalonians 5), to correct them, to restore them, (Galatians 6:1 James 5:19), to restore someone, when I see a brother get off track. Do I love them enough to put out the effort? James, James 5:19 talks about turning back, at least in the King James version. Do I love my brother enough to do that? In Ephesians 2:19 and Colossians 3:16 we’re told to be—why don’t we turn to those passages quickly, they’re familiar but it’s good to read them. Ephesians 5:19--Colossians 3:16, and in Ephesians 5, I’m going to start with verse 18,
“and do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”
Now notice that, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Notice Colossians 3:16 it’s much the same but a little bit more detail, a little bit more specific. It says this, and again this command of Colossians 3:16 is for each individual believer, ok.
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom.” Ok, let’s stop. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” It is the responsibility of each believer to let the word of Christ richly dwell within them, to be in the word, to be feeding on God's word. Why? “So that with all wisdom, we might be teaching and admonishing and exhorting and encouraging and comforting, and instructing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Ok. A lot times this can be done with songs, not just when we’re together. Do any of you ever go to each other's homes just to sing a couple songs together? Nothing wrong with that? There are good songs to be sung. And this is one of the ways that we do this, we minister to one another. So, one of the first questions, as I, as we think about this principle that we have in Ephesians 4 about the goal for the church as a whole, and the goal for each of us as individual believers--- The first question is, as I’ve already stated, a periodic question is: What am I doing? What am I doing? And we need to ask ourselves that question, I think periodically. What am I doing for others to really help them in this? Am I really desiring, ok, for my brother and for my sister this growth, this goal to be Christ-like?
Second question we need to periodically ask yourselves is this: Am I receptive and open to being stimulated, to being challenged, to being admonished, or do I hold other believers off at a little bit of distance? You know what the writer of Hebrews said, he says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Ok, Am I, as an individual believer, am I open to that? Am I my approachable? Do I make time for that so that others can put into me, or do I hold others at a distance? Do I, do I ask for help, spiritual help? Do I ask for that? Do I ask others for help? Do I confess my sins to others? (James 5:16). Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another. Most of us have, I know I do, I have a hard time doing that. I’d like most people think I'm doing all right. And so, it's a little bit, you have to be pretty vulnerable to confess your sins to one another. But that's part of how we help one another, that's part of how we minister to one another. So, do I confess my sins to-to others for the purpose of receiving help, for the purpose of receiving prayer, for the purpose of receiving counsel. Am I willing to do that? Now that phrase, that verse we just mention a few minutes ago, Hebrews 10:24, when he says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another.” My understanding at least one of my understandings from that verse is that it's--it's not easy. Just how do we do this? That's why it says, “Let us consider HOW” to do this. But the point is, are we giving attention to this? Are we being purposeful and intentional about how to help each other grow?
Now as we close up here, this is sort of the point in time where my message falls apart because I can't give you all kinds of practical ideas. I don't have lots of practical ideas, but, I’m going to give you a few that have just come to my mind. The point is that we’re to be considering how to do this. We’re to be giving our attention to this, because if we don't, the goal will not be realized. This is God's plan for how the body is to grow. Here’s just a couple things that come to mind, some ideas. And some of these things I know that some you are doing and that's great, but let's excel still more in these things. What about just getting together once every other week or something with somebody just to sit down for 45 minutes or an hour to read God's word together with somebody, and to discuss it. Don't necessarily have to put in my talking about a Bible study, where someone has had to prepare bunch necessarily, those are great to, just getting together, sitting down, thoughtfully reading God's word together. I did this with a couple of men last spring in Tosentsegel, and partly because they -they seem to have no concept for how to read God's word at all. They just sort of read it like a newspaper, and they’re done with it. So, I took the time to, with a couple men, and we just sat we read—we had no—we-we weren’t in a race to see out how much material we could cover--- just as we read we discussed, as we read we talked, and I was surprised that-- I was encouraged by especially the response of the one man. You know he -he just-- he said I've never understood how to read God's word. I’ve never understood these things. And just that time of reading together. I just called him up, he was available, I rode my bike over to his house, and we sat read God's word together for little bit. So that’s just one--one idea. What about getting together with somebody, as we’ve already suggested, these are obvious things, just to pray and sing. You notice that the church in Acts, right after the day of Pentecost, what were they doing? They were listening to the apostles teaching, they were committing themselves the fellowship, and what’s it say later, “house to house,” “house to house,” they were doing these things. In other words, it wasn't always assembled as a group, they were getting together a little group here, two or three here at times, to encourage one another, to worship the Lord together, to give thanks together. We’ve got to learn to do things like this to help each other. I know that some in this church are memorizing Scripture together. That's a great way to get help each other because as you memorize you are able to concentrate and think about these verses, then you discuss these things, sort of like reading God's word together. You know, everybody's got a phone --how much the phone can be used and when there's distances or times a limit, send a word of encouragement, a text. I know that's taking place, sometimes. Calling somebody up maybe to share a concern maybe asking for prayer. What about calling somebody up to tell them to, hey let's thank the Lord together, this is something that because I've seen God do. You’re asking them to come participate with you in worship, in lifting up the sacrifice of praise to God. These are just simple things-- or use the phone for word of exhortation, and so forth. So, the main point is, let us consider HOW to do this. Let us give attention to this. This is what-- this is what the church in Mongolia needs, little bodies of believers. They obviously need, we’ve talked about this a lot with you folks, they so much need to know the word of God. They need to hear it taught, they need to understand it, but they need to be reading it. But they also need to function as a body. Not just to go through the -the outward things of the church, and those things are necessary, they’re good, the services, the gathering together. But how to really function as a body, this is what the church in Mongolia needs. This is what the church here needs. And to whatever degree is being done, great! But let's excel still more. And I've said this three times, but I'll repeat it one more time, this is God's ordained means for the body to be built up, and is not just the building up of the body is the building up of every single believer of the body, and it requires the involvement, the work of every single believer in the body because that's when the body will be built up and grow. So, I trust that God will use these things we thought about and read, things we already know, we-- we all know these things, but to be reminded of these things that we might excel still more than we might really give attention to how we can be stirring one another up to love and good deeds.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Tom Phillips
9-23-18
It's fitting this morning and since we’ve come together, here to talk about “church.” And when we use the word “church,” obviously we use in several ways. A couple days ago, Jan and Michelle came and cleaned the “church,” of course we’re just talking about a building. And the last week most of us attended “church”, and when we use it in that sense it's as if it's an event or an occasion. But we all know that scripturally, “church” refers to the called-out assembly of God's people. And of course it’s in that sense we want to look at it today. And I want to spend a few minutes upfront, just reminding ourselves of some things. When we think about the “church” as being God's called-out assembly, that's true whether it's referring to the whole, and what I mean by that, you recall in Matthew 16 when Christ said that I will build My “church.” When He said that He wasn't referring…He didn't say that with reference to any specific locality, any specific local assembly, but His church as a whole. And the writer of Hebrews says that we've come to that heavenly Jerusalem he says, “to that to the church of the firstborn” is the phrase. And so there we have again that reference to God's people, but it’s used in reference to the whole. But, of course, and maybe even most often in Scripture, you see it used with reference to local assemblies. In Romans 16, it talks about the “churches of Christ greet you,” he says the Roman believers. In 1 Corinthians, when Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians, he wrote it to the “church” that is at Corinth. Galatians was written to the “churches” of Galatia, so he was talking about local assemblies. But whether it's talking about the whole, or whether talking about the local church, some of the fundamental truths about the church that we all know, but that we need to--- but that it’s good to remind ourselves of, is as we’ve already mentioned first of all, that the “church” is the special and particular possession of God. And that you see this truth a number of times, you’re familiar with Titus 2:14, where it says that, “Christ gave himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people.” I think the phrase was used this morning, “set apart.” That's what the “church” is, people that God has set apart to Himself as a special possession. Peter talks about… calls…refers to us as, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. So, we understand that’s-- that's what the church is, this people out of all the peoples of the earth belong to God. James refers to believers, as it were, the first-fruits, the ones that are especially, particularly His, His very own. And in the same light we recognize that the church is the creation of God, Christ said, “I will build My church.” He’s the One who created the church. It's also the possession of God. He’s the One who owns the church, it belongs to Him. Paul, when talking to the elders at Ephesus in Acts 20, he was speaking to the overseers and he says that, “the Holy Spirit of God has made you overseers over the church of God which He purchased with His blood.” And, so the church is the possession of God, and the purchase of God. Also, in scripture, we recognize that the “church,” it sometimes referred to as God's household. If you think of this in Ephesians 2:19, where Paul says to specifically to let the Gentile believers in this case, he says, “So then no longer are you strangers and aliens, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's ‘household,’” is a term that he uses there, “are of God’s household,” he’s speaking about the church. And Paul when he wrote to Timothy in his first epistle, he says, “I'm writing these things so that one may know how they ought to conduct themselves in the ‘household of God,’ which is the ‘church’ of the living God.” So, the “church,” this body of called out saints, is God's ‘household,’ that's one figure we have in the New Testament. Another figure of course is “Temple” and again in Ephesians 2 and we have a reference to that, where--I will refine the phrase-- that were it were a “holy temple” in the Lord, a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Peter in his second chapter he talks about the fact that as living stones were being built up as a “spiritual house,” so the same idea. So, these different pictures of the church, God's “household,” His “temple,” His temple- His “dwelling.” Perhaps the most common picture of the church in Scripture is the “body,” the body of Christ, and we find reference to this so many times, and again the first-- the end of the first chapter of Ephesians. And, of course Ephesians and Colossians in particular speak so much about the church. But at the end of that first chapter Paul makes reference to the fact that Christ is “head of the church which is His “body,”” and so that-- that concept of “body,” the body of Christ. You find that again Ephesians 5 and in first Corinthians 12, it talks again about the “body,” that whole concept.
So, these are the ways that that the church is referred to. One other thing just by way of introduction, I think we all recognize, but it's good to remind ourselves of, the church exists firstly, primarily to worship God. That's why we exist. Christ told the woman at the well, you know that God is seeking people to be His worshipers. Those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. And that's what the priority--someone has said, that's the priority of the church. First Peter 2 were told that we are, “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God.” And in that same passage, a few verses later, he refers to us as, “a royal priesthood, in order that, we might proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light”. So, Peter refers to that fact, that that's what we've been called to do, that's the priority of the church. That's why we exist to worship God. And you see this also in Revelation chapter 5:9-10 where that, that song is sung to the Lamb, and they say, “Worthy art Thou,” as they’re singing to the Lamb, to Christ, “for You have purchased for God with Thy blood men from every tongue and tribe and people and nation and You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God.” So, you have that same concept. The church exists to worship God, that's the priority of the church.
So, as we think about the “church,” these are just a quick reminder just to help us to begin thinking about the church and the things we see in Scripture. And I hope that'll serve as just a little bit of foundation for what we specifically want to look at today and that is—I would like to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. And we want to read together of the passage in Ephesians 4, beginning in verse 11, and I’ll read down through 16. And if, I think that's accurate, if the priority of the church's worship and what we see in this passage we want to title it this way is, what is the primary activity, what’s the primary goal, of the Church, and we’d like to look at this passage in and see what were told here. I'll start reading in verse 11:
“and He, (that is our Lord Jesus Christ) gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies,
according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
And this morning, in a rather-- I think rather briefly, we’d like to look at this passage, we’re not going to examine everything in detail, to see what is the goal, to remind ourselves-- we all know this. But what is the goal of the church. And in verse 12, when we come to verse 12, you notice that God, that Christ has appointed in the church, these different positions; apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers—notice, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,” and now here's the goal, “to the building up of the body of Christ.” That’s the goal of the church. We meet together to worship God, but the goal of the church, the reason that God has designed the church--this is His means, it’s His method, that the body of Christ be built up and growing. That's the goal of the church. “The equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body.” This is the primary activity, this the primary goal of the Church of God of the church which Christ has purchased with his own blood. And let's, as we think about this goal, let’s just notice a few things in the passage. First of all, notice verse 13 he says, “until we ALL attain.”
The first thing we notice about this goal is that it includes EVERY member and EVERY saint. The goal of the church. The activity of the church is that every member, every saint, every member of the body of the Christ of every member of the body of Christ be growing--be attaining to this goal. It's--it's the same language you find that Paul uses when he speaks-- when he writes of the Colossians, he says of Christ, “and we proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, and that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Every man. So, it’s not just in general the building up of the body, it’s the building up of each individual saint. That’s the goal of the church as a whole, that should be the goal of our local assemblies, that each individual saint is being built up, is growing.
That's the first thing we notice. The second thing we notice about this goal is the picture that Paul gives to illustrate this, and you see that, and let's read in verses 13 and 14, he says, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God,” now notice, “to a mature man.” And the contrast with is the mature man, as compared to verse 14, “as a result, we are no longer to be children.” So the picture he gives us of the goal of the church is that the progress from immaturity to maturity, like the progress of a child to adulthood. That’s the picture that he gives us. We believers, just as child progresses and grows into an adult. That's a picture of what's to be taking place in the local church, in our assemblies.
Now we all remember that in some senses. Christ told us that unless we come as a child we can’t enter the kingdom of heaven. So, in some ways is good to be like a child, but in terms of maturity, it's not. And you notice in the passage here what’s stated specifically here in verse 14. A child, you know, they are guileless, there's the simple trust and faith that Christ commends--but the reason a child, one of the reason the child needs to grow up is because the child is also changeable, easily influenced, easily led astray, there’s a lack of stability there. That's part of, we who are parents know that as part of raising our children, were trying to instill these things in our children. And that's what's to be taking place in the church, in each of our lives--as a group, but again in our individual lives. Our lives are to be marked by a settled and fixed course. Again, the picture he talks about, every wind of doctrines, as if there's waves--our lives are to be marked by a steady and fixed course of sailing on an ocean that’s got all kinds of waves, but the life of the believer is to be steady--a fixed course. Ok, he’s not to be knocked about here and there. It says, “by every wind of doctrine.” So, through all the waves of human opinions, false teaching and ideas, the trickery of men, and so forth, the goal is that we as believers, each of us as an individual believer, is to be progressing so that our lives are marked by that -that -that settled that settled course of living, as it were. So, we’re to have settled views, settled understanding of truth. We’re to have fixed principles based on accurate knowledge of God's will so that we might walk in a manner pleasing to Him. That’s what he’s talking about here. The church ultimately is to bring glory to God not only in our worship but of course in our living. And if that’s to be so, then we need to become mature, there needs to be fixed and settled principles that we live by that we conduct our lives by, and those principles are based on our understanding, an accurate understanding of God's will for His people, as it's revealed in his word. So, the need is for firmness and steadfastness.
You might also add that firmness and that steadfastness, of course, needs to be accompanied by humility. We need to hold convictions until the point that we’re convinced by the word of God through the Holy Spirit that in some particular area we might be wrong. So there needs to be a change. But until that takes place, until there’s that firm change of understanding given to us by the Holy Spirit through His word, we need to have settled principles on which we base our lives --that were not going back and forth—okay. So, this is the picture that Paul gives us to illustrate what he's talking about. This is the goal of the church. This is what is to take place in each believer’s life. That's -that -that's the ultimate goal.
Now notice. Thirdly, the specific goal which we all know but let's look at it in verse 13, it says, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Notice the end of verse 15 it says, we’re “to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” So, we know this specific goal is Christ likeness for each of us, for each of us. This is the goal of the church. And notice he says. First of all, that we’re to be--he mentions this phrase, “the knowledge of the Son of God.” I would understand this to be an experiential, a personal knowledge of Christ. This is the goal that we as individual believers, learn to more and more--we know Him more and more, we know-- more and more, learn to walk with Him. You remember what Paul said towards the end of his life--what's his goal? “That I might know Him,” was his goal. And so, this, this is to be the goal for each individual believer, knowing Him, walking with Him in dependence, living our lives by faith in Him. Remember what Paul said to the Galatians, “For I have died, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God.” What's that mean? You and I are to be growing in our understanding what that means, to walk with Christ, to live by faith in dependence upon Him. HE-- living in us, and we recognizing that. I think a part of the verse that Terry read this morning, Ephesians 3:17. What was Paul's prayer? I think it has to do with this same idea, at least in part, where he says--where Paul's prayer is that will be, “strengthened with power through the Spirit in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” That's part of the picture there. This is part of this maturity. This is what it looks like. Then notice also talks about the “stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Notice that word, “fullness” of Christ. What a goal! We’re to be holy like Him. The stature which belongs to the FULLNESS of Christ. Holy like Him. That sounds unattainable. That sounds like that's not a realistic goal, but that's the goal, that’s the force. That's the goal to which we are pressing. That's the goal to which Paul was pressing. Again, if you look at the Philippians chapter 3--holy like Christ in obedience to the Father, holy like Christ in submission to the Father, in submission to, in dependence upon the Spirit of God. Do you remember, Christ came, obviously, primarily to reveal God to give Himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. But Christ also came as an example, to show us, as a man, how to live perfectly before God. That's why in Matthew 11 he says, “If anyone is weary and heavy laden, come unto me. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” He came as an example, and that’s to be our goal, we’re to learn, we’re to learn to live, in relation to God, lives wholly devoted to God, like Christ was-- complete dependence, complete submission, complete joy in serving the Father. So that’s-that is the specific goal. And just as Christ, as it was said of Him ahead of time in the Psalms, that He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. That's the goal that each of us as members of the body of Christ grow to the point where we’re genuinely, genuinely, we love righteousness and genuinely we hate wickedness. Our goal is to grow up to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ there.
Now the thing that we really wanted to key in on this morning is the fourth thing that we notice in this passage, and that is the “means.” How is this goal to be realized in the body, as a whole? How is this goal to be realized in each of us as individual believers? Look at the passage again. Notice first of all, verse 12, the “goal” is the third phrase in the verse, the “means” is the second phrase of verse 12, “the work of service.” And who does the work of service? Who’s equipped to do the work of service? What’s it say? “The saints.” That's us. That’s the “means.” Look down at verse 16, “from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together,” now notice, “by that which EVERY joint supplies, according to the proper working of EACH individual part.” And notice then, that's what causes the growth, at the end of verse 16. What causes the growth of the body? What will ultimately foster this building up, not only the body as a whole, but each individual believer? What --what really accomplishes? What are the means that God has ordained? The “means” is that the individual saints, you and I, are involved in the work of service. The means is that each individual saint is supplying. Each individual saint is properly working. And we have to understand that if this is not happening, or to the degree that this isn't happening, to the same degree the body is not going to be successful in their pursuit of this goal, as a whole, and as individuals.
Now I’ll stop for a minute and give you just an opinion here, excuse me, (sniffs) my opinion is that as believers in the church we have a tendency to at least partially forget how important this is. Again, that’s my opinion, ok-- that we have that tendency to forget how -how important this is. This is what the church is really all about—in this—in what we see in this passage. This is what it was designed to be. This is why you see such large sections of Scripture like the 1 Corithians 12, devoted to the working of the body—because this is what it’s supposed to be. We sometimes, I think, we slip into a pattern of thinking, that almost totally equates the life of the church with attendance and services and participation in programs. And in saying, that I understand and firmly believe that the services of the church are paramount to the to the health of the church and to the attainment of this goal, because in the services of the church and we’re gathered together, that's where, in particular, corporately, that priority of worship really takes place. That's also, it’s in the services, where a lot of the equipping is done, as we listen to God's word being taught. So, the services of the church there not to be discussed, that’s not what we’re talking about. They’re paramount, to have to be there, but, they are not sufficient, is the point. The church can be functioning correctly with wonderful services, with Bible centered services, but, if every member of the body is not properly exercising, not properly working, the body will not be growing as it should. They’ll be a lack. You and I will not be going further and further on in the attainment of this goal that’s been set before us. In a-- in a healthy physical body, no part, or member is idle, ok. If even the smallest member of my physical body ceases to function the health of my body, to at least some degree, deteriorates, even just a small degree, but it deteriorates. Every member of this body has been designed by God to function, it all has a part, and that's why, that’s one of the reasons why the Spirit of God compares Christ the church to Christ’s body, because it's made up of members and every member has to be functioning. So, the point is, that we need to give attention to this. That doesn't mean we aren't giving attention to it. All I'm suggesting is that we need to give MORE attention to this, we need to be giving constant attention to this, is what I'm suggesting. And again, an opinion, it seems to me, that perhaps in one sense, this working of the body this working of each individual member of the body, is in one sense, the most difficult part of church life to really do well--to do it naturally and genuinely. It's interesting, in Mongolia, the-- as we’ve seen God save people, as we seen churches established in different places, as we’ve been able to witness that, and sometimes visit groups of people, it's in—it’s very interesting—sad, that there is this tendency, for these are brand of relatively brand-new groups of believers sometimes very excited about knowing the Lord, but this tendency for them to fall into this thing almost immediately. If they get together for services, and that's church. And it doesn't go, sometimes much deeper than that. And they have-- sometimes they can be good services, and hopefully they are that the priorities as we already said, but, I guess what I'm saying is that's what I've noticed there. They, they, a lot of these people, obviously they have learned from us, you know, what church is, and so some of our baggage, you know, it affects them, it influences them, but it's-it's largely in that sense that I say, it seems to me this is one of the most difficult parts of church life, to do naturally and genuinely-- where every member the body is involved, where the church is functioning like a body. You know, this isn’t just Paul. The Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle Peter said much the same thing, “as each one has received a special gift,” “as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving others.” The Holy Spirit said through the apostle Peter in the fourth chapter of his first epistle.
So, a periodic question to be asked of ourselves, ok, and this the application, is: What specifically am I doing as a member of the local body in which God has placed me to benefit, to spiritually benefit other members of the body? That's a question I need to periodically ask myself as a member of local assembly. And I’ll ask it of you. What are you specifically doing, as a member of the local body that your part of, to bring spiritual benefit to other members of this assembly? That's a question we have to deal with. I don't think answering that's very easy sometimes, or maybe the “how” isn’t so easy, but that's a question we have to deal with. What am I doing? This is God's design, Ephesians 4. This is God's will. This is His plan to the degree, that I as an individual believer am not giving attention to this, it is harming the body, it is holding the body back, it is making my local body unhealthy, if I, as a member, am not involved in this way. How do we, how is it that we’re to help each other continue the fight in progress in the fight against self-centeredness and pride and lusts, and envy, anxiety, greed, worldly mindedness, slothfulness? How are we going to help each other, cause we each need help? We’re each this close to following all time. So, this is something we have to think about, how are we going to do this, to help each other in this. Do I have as a goal for myself, is my goal for myself what Paul's goal was for him. He says, “I want to lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of me.” Why did Christ lay hold of me?... to change me, to conform me to His image. And Paul says, that's my goal. So, is that MY goal is an individual believer, and furthermore, is that my goal for my brother? It has to be a goal for me, but has to be my goal for my brother. The person in the pew behind me on Sunday morning, ok. Do I, do I love my brother, do I love my sister enough to put out the effort to bear their burdens, (Galatians 6:2), to admonish them, (1 Thessalonians 5 and Romans 15), to encourage them to comfort them, (1 Thessalonians 5), to correct them, to restore them, (Galatians 6:1 James 5:19), to restore someone, when I see a brother get off track. Do I love them enough to put out the effort? James, James 5:19 talks about turning back, at least in the King James version. Do I love my brother enough to do that? In Ephesians 2:19 and Colossians 3:16 we’re told to be—why don’t we turn to those passages quickly, they’re familiar but it’s good to read them. Ephesians 5:19--Colossians 3:16, and in Ephesians 5, I’m going to start with verse 18,
“and do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”
Now notice that, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Notice Colossians 3:16 it’s much the same but a little bit more detail, a little bit more specific. It says this, and again this command of Colossians 3:16 is for each individual believer, ok.
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom.” Ok, let’s stop. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” It is the responsibility of each believer to let the word of Christ richly dwell within them, to be in the word, to be feeding on God's word. Why? “So that with all wisdom, we might be teaching and admonishing and exhorting and encouraging and comforting, and instructing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Ok. A lot times this can be done with songs, not just when we’re together. Do any of you ever go to each other's homes just to sing a couple songs together? Nothing wrong with that? There are good songs to be sung. And this is one of the ways that we do this, we minister to one another. So, one of the first questions, as I, as we think about this principle that we have in Ephesians 4 about the goal for the church as a whole, and the goal for each of us as individual believers--- The first question is, as I’ve already stated, a periodic question is: What am I doing? What am I doing? And we need to ask ourselves that question, I think periodically. What am I doing for others to really help them in this? Am I really desiring, ok, for my brother and for my sister this growth, this goal to be Christ-like?
Second question we need to periodically ask yourselves is this: Am I receptive and open to being stimulated, to being challenged, to being admonished, or do I hold other believers off at a little bit of distance? You know what the writer of Hebrews said, he says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Ok, Am I, as an individual believer, am I open to that? Am I my approachable? Do I make time for that so that others can put into me, or do I hold others at a distance? Do I, do I ask for help, spiritual help? Do I ask for that? Do I ask others for help? Do I confess my sins to others? (James 5:16). Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another. Most of us have, I know I do, I have a hard time doing that. I’d like most people think I'm doing all right. And so, it's a little bit, you have to be pretty vulnerable to confess your sins to one another. But that's part of how we help one another, that's part of how we minister to one another. So, do I confess my sins to-to others for the purpose of receiving help, for the purpose of receiving prayer, for the purpose of receiving counsel. Am I willing to do that? Now that phrase, that verse we just mention a few minutes ago, Hebrews 10:24, when he says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another.” My understanding at least one of my understandings from that verse is that it's--it's not easy. Just how do we do this? That's why it says, “Let us consider HOW” to do this. But the point is, are we giving attention to this? Are we being purposeful and intentional about how to help each other grow?
Now as we close up here, this is sort of the point in time where my message falls apart because I can't give you all kinds of practical ideas. I don't have lots of practical ideas, but, I’m going to give you a few that have just come to my mind. The point is that we’re to be considering how to do this. We’re to be giving our attention to this, because if we don't, the goal will not be realized. This is God's plan for how the body is to grow. Here’s just a couple things that come to mind, some ideas. And some of these things I know that some you are doing and that's great, but let's excel still more in these things. What about just getting together once every other week or something with somebody just to sit down for 45 minutes or an hour to read God's word together with somebody, and to discuss it. Don't necessarily have to put in my talking about a Bible study, where someone has had to prepare bunch necessarily, those are great to, just getting together, sitting down, thoughtfully reading God's word together. I did this with a couple of men last spring in Tosentsegel, and partly because they -they seem to have no concept for how to read God's word at all. They just sort of read it like a newspaper, and they’re done with it. So, I took the time to, with a couple men, and we just sat we read—we had no—we-we weren’t in a race to see out how much material we could cover--- just as we read we discussed, as we read we talked, and I was surprised that-- I was encouraged by especially the response of the one man. You know he -he just-- he said I've never understood how to read God's word. I’ve never understood these things. And just that time of reading together. I just called him up, he was available, I rode my bike over to his house, and we sat read God's word together for little bit. So that’s just one--one idea. What about getting together with somebody, as we’ve already suggested, these are obvious things, just to pray and sing. You notice that the church in Acts, right after the day of Pentecost, what were they doing? They were listening to the apostles teaching, they were committing themselves the fellowship, and what’s it say later, “house to house,” “house to house,” they were doing these things. In other words, it wasn't always assembled as a group, they were getting together a little group here, two or three here at times, to encourage one another, to worship the Lord together, to give thanks together. We’ve got to learn to do things like this to help each other. I know that some in this church are memorizing Scripture together. That's a great way to get help each other because as you memorize you are able to concentrate and think about these verses, then you discuss these things, sort of like reading God's word together. You know, everybody's got a phone --how much the phone can be used and when there's distances or times a limit, send a word of encouragement, a text. I know that's taking place, sometimes. Calling somebody up maybe to share a concern maybe asking for prayer. What about calling somebody up to tell them to, hey let's thank the Lord together, this is something that because I've seen God do. You’re asking them to come participate with you in worship, in lifting up the sacrifice of praise to God. These are just simple things-- or use the phone for word of exhortation, and so forth. So, the main point is, let us consider HOW to do this. Let us give attention to this. This is what-- this is what the church in Mongolia needs, little bodies of believers. They obviously need, we’ve talked about this a lot with you folks, they so much need to know the word of God. They need to hear it taught, they need to understand it, but they need to be reading it. But they also need to function as a body. Not just to go through the -the outward things of the church, and those things are necessary, they’re good, the services, the gathering together. But how to really function as a body, this is what the church in Mongolia needs. This is what the church here needs. And to whatever degree is being done, great! But let's excel still more. And I've said this three times, but I'll repeat it one more time, this is God's ordained means for the body to be built up, and is not just the building up of the body is the building up of every single believer of the body, and it requires the involvement, the work of every single believer in the body because that's when the body will be built up and grow. So, I trust that God will use these things we thought about and read, things we already know, we-- we all know these things, but to be reminded of these things that we might excel still more than we might really give attention to how we can be stirring one another up to love and good deeds.
