The Engine of the Church
Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Intro re Synod…………… Synod has made me really think again. What is church really all about?
What does the church actually exist for? Some churches can feel just like a really nice club to belong to, nice and comfortable, and friendly. But there is of course much more to church than that.
What is the church?
A good place to start is always the Bible. What can we learn about the church in the Bible?
We often have a mindset that the church as a building - or somewhere we go on Sundays.
The apostle Paul doesn't agree. In Ephesians 1:22-23, he says the church is the body of Christ.
What does this mean? Paul says that it is Christ's believers who are the church. He doesn't say anything about a building. It is all of Christ's believers worldwide, who only by playing their individual parts - but doing that together - are able to carry out the mission of Christ. He said the church should make up the full expression of Christ - to be as Christ.
So that simply is what the church of Christ is.
It is each one of us - along with all Christ's disciples, together as one body, being as Christ.
What does the church exist for?
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 it is to prepare and build us up to maturity so that together we will do the work of Jesus, and share his gospel with others.
First of course Jesus taught his message to his disciples. He showed them how, and then he sent them out to put it all into practice. It is the same for us, and his message isn't at all difficult. It is all about love! (Jn.13:34-35). Jesus' love for us - our love for him - and our love for others. And then others will know we are his disciples!
So the gospel is very simple isn't it?! And the role of the church, and us as members of the body, is therefore very straight forward too.
Now Jesus actually commissioned us to undertake that role - so we are very privileged to be part of his plan. (Matt.28:18-20). He left that responsibility to us, as individuals, and as members of his body of believers, his church. He even told us how are we to carry out that commission (Acts 1:8). We are to start at home, and go wider and wider afield. But note that Jesus said we need the Holy Spirit to empower us to do this. No matter how gifted - no matter how motivated we are - unless we operate in the power of the Holy Spirit we won't be fully effective. So here at CPAC, we are part of the body of Christ and his work.
That should excite us!
Another consideration of what being the body of Christ means is covered by Paul in 1 Cor.12. Describe function of body …not fully effective if one part doesn't do its job.
God has gifted each one of us to contribute to the completeness of the body of Christ, the church. Each one of us is an essential part of the total body to enable it to function fully. We need to play our part - but work together in unity. It is only the total church body worldwide that can be as Christ - spreading the gospel right across the world. And then only by the empowering of the Holy Spirit is this even possible.
So that is what the church is for. It is not just to care for our own, although certainly that is part of its role. It is not just somewhere to go on Sunday, even if it is genuinely to join together to worship God. It is to be Christ's presence in the world 24/7. And if we are, then we will bring worship and glory to God all the time - not just on Sunday - and not only in a building.
Now we could debate whether you call this Evangelism or Mission. To me Evangelism is sharing the gospel in various ways, whereas perhaps Mission is being sent out to do that. But they go hand in hand. Whatever word you use, it is outward looking - and it is what must move the church in the way it should go. You could say it is the engine that drives the church.
The Engine of the church
Why do we need an engine? If we think of CPAC as a car …then we have a pretty nice model - when visitors come here they feel a warm welcome, and feel at ease. And that is great and absolutely the way it should be. But is it enough?
Certainly God is right into good relationships. He delights in each one of us having a personal relationship with Him. But it is His heart that EVERYONE should have the opportunity to know and enjoy such a relationship. So that is always the way God wants us to go - to give as many people as possible that opportunity to have a relationship with Him.
Now it is of no use if a nice looking car doesn't have an engine to make it useful ………and so it might as well be an old run down wreck that can no longer be used for what it was designed.
Therefore we must use what God has given us to be what He wants us to be. We do need an engine to get us moving.
In our reading from 2 Cor. we are told we have a treasure in jars of clay. We are the jars of clay - fallible human beings - but we contain a great treasure - the love of God and Jesus in our hearts. What a treasure we have! Ideally then all we think of or do should be motivated and driven by a burning desire - that the love of God in us will flow out to others. It should underlie all our plans and dreams. It is that which must drive us - it is that is what must be the engine that gets us going forward. It is the gospel of Christ - however we each are called to proclaim it. We each in our own unique ways are called to spread the gospel as members of Christ's church.
That is Evangelism - and that is our engine. Unfortunately evangelism usually hasn't cried out loud enough for attention - so it often has a low priority in the church. It needs to be in our DNA so that it naturally effects how we think and plan and move - so everything is done with that intent - not just for the sake it - but intentionally outward.
Don't go to Church, be the Church
It is not so much what we do, it is who we are. We must be the church - each one of us as a member of the body of Christ.
I really sense there is a widespread growing recognition of the need to really be Christ's mission to the world …to be what Jesus wanted his church to be. And that is exciting!!!!!
And evangelism is the engine that will drive us. God will even provide the fuel for the engine …the Holy Spirit. Jesus said we can do nothing effectively without him - that we need him to provide the power.
When this service ends, that does not also signal the end of church for the week. The last words spoken in the service are - "Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace."
And our response is - "Amen. We go in the name of Christ." Do realise that in saying that you are actually committing yourself to go out from here continuing to represent Christ wherever you are? When we go out from here and hop into our cars we will all end up going in different directions ……Tawa, , Johnsonville, Newlands, Churton Park, the city, etc. ……radiating out to our particular place in the world.
That is church! Each one of us, as members of Christ's body going out being part of his body, the church, wherever we are. That is how Jesus planned for his church to spread the gospel.
How well we play our part in Christ's body depends on our willingness. How willing are we to use the particular engine of evangelism God has given us? We each have our own particular people who God wants us to connect with for Him. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help and empower us to connect in the appropriate way.
Let us go from here with that assurance and confidence.
And when we do, God will bless us ……and bless others through us ……by being His church.
