The Church by Wayne E. Ward

It is extremely important to observe, then, that while Luke primarily uses the term "church" to designate the local congregation of disciples, he can also use it in a general reference to many of these congregations considered together.  He is certainly not referring to some regional organization which administered all these congregations, for there was no such thing.  And he is certainly not referring to some invisible or mystical "church" which is distinct from the local congregations throughout his region.  But he certainly is referring to the common life in Christ, which is shared by all these congregations, wherever they are gathered with Christ in their midst.

In other words, the church never exists apart from an actual fellowship of Christian believers, the so-called "local" church.  Yet this fellowship is not only local.  It knows oneness with Christ who is universal, and brotherhood with all who are truly in Christ.  Without this, it cannot even be the church.  The so-called "universal" church is always embodied in an actual fellowship of Christian believers.  It is always seen in a "local" manifestation.  It cannot exist in some kind of suspended realm of ideas, detached from time and space.  That is Greek philosophy, but it is not the Bible!"

The church in the book of Acts (and throughout the New Testament) is a gathered community.  It is Christian disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming salvation in Jesus' name.

Wayne E. Ward was professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1951 to 1991.  The above is a direct quote from his book "The Drama of Redemption," written in 1966 on pages 116-117.

The Real Definition of Church Membership by Wayne E. Ward

The foremost characteristic of this church is its dynamic unity (speaking of the church formed on the Day of Pentecost).  Membership in this community did not consist of a record book or an official letter which anyone carried.  Membership was actual presence and participation in the prayer, the witnessing, the fellowship, and the common life of the community.

That is what real membership in the church always is.  People who move away from their church community and do not promptly put their lives to work in a new church fellowship are not really members of the church in the New Testament sense of the word.  We say, "They have not moved their letter." But their "letter" is not their membership; it is simply a recommendation from brethren to brethren.  It means nothing unless it is used by actually joining the brethren.  Nor is membership simply the record of some former relationship to a congregation of Christian believers.  It is active participation in the living fellowship of the church.  

Its members shared a common life in Christ, and they were empowered by the one Holy Spirit.  This is the church that Jesus built!

(Wayne E. Ward was professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1951 to 1991.  The above is a direct quote from his book "The Drama of Redemption," on page 115 written in 1966.)

The Church is the Greatest Organization on the Face of the Earth

Read the title of this blog post again.  (I'm waiting...did you do it?). 

That's right.  You read it correctly.  There is no organization on the face of the earth greater than the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

It's founder is Jesus Himself. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church..." Matthew 16:18 

It was Jesus who gave His blood for the church. "Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."  Acts 20:28

He is the Head of the Church. "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." Ephesians 5: 23

Every church (no matter its size, location, or name) is equally important.

It is comprised of His saints on earth for a purpose.  I Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1 - all addressed to the saints.  Matthew 28: 18-20

According to Matthew 16: 16-19, it has been given the message that "even the gates of hell can not prevail against."

He is coming for His church - the bride. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."  Ephesians 5: 25-27

It's capabilities is not limited to the sum total of its faults, but instead is empowered by Jesus Himself through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Someone once said, "I'm surprised the church does as well as it does when you realize what it is comprised of."  I'm the first one to acknowledge my weaknesses ("clay pot") and lack, but God still chooses to use the "weak things" to acknowledge His strengths and enhance His glory.

There is only one thing bigger and better and that is the Kingdom of God but it is internal and eternal.  "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." 

A Word of Encouragement for the Pastors

The calling on a pastor's life is the highest calling beyond the call of salvation one can receive.  It is a unique call in that it is only for males, and it is one not achieved by human intuition.  I remember taking aptitude tests seeking to reveal the best job possibilities for me according to my interests.  But being a pastor is not a computer-based decision based on your interests or personality.  People with all types of personalities, strengths, and weaknesses will soon discover God can use them all in His call to ministry.

A pastor is not called by his parents or family.  Just because your father, grandfather, or brothers were or were not pastors does not make you or deny you the call yourself.  For me, no one in my immediate family was a pastor.

A pastor's calling is that call that drives his life day-and-night.  Even though for the sake of supporting his family he may have other income, it is the call that motivates him and moves him.

Charles Spurgeon said there is always evidence and signs of your calling in and through your life.

You have a high calling.  You serve under the headship of the Great Shepherd.  You serve the greatest organization on the face of the earth...the local church.  

So, pastor, be encouraged today.  God has called you and equipped you for this unique service.  It is the vision He has given you for His church that motivates you to get up, to stay up, and to get back up when knocked down.  That vision is the fuel for your life.  Without a vision, there is no motivation to keep going.  So treasure the God-given vision and keep pressing on.

"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry..."  I Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

The Place of Works in Salvation

Do works play any role in our salvation?  Are works important after one is converted?
As I wrote in my blogpost on Friday (3-21-25) our salvation is by grace, not works.  So are works out of the picture totally for a believer?  Do we just sit in the grace of God without anything further to do?
NO - the call to salvation is a gift of grace.  No one is ever converted until he has responded to the gracious call of Jesus to be saved.  It is through grace provided we are even able to respond.
But this call to salvation is also a call to follow and serve. It is a call to die to self and live totally and freely for Christ.  

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14: 25-27) NIV

Here it is...once converted, our entire life becomes our service.  There is no "service" that stands alone from the flow of our life that makes us a Christian.  Our entire life is now our service freely given over to Christ.  

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." (Romans 12:1) NIV

Our body incorporates everything we do, go, say, think...well, you get the picture.  Totality of who we are.

I remember hearing Dudley Hall say years ago that everything a believer does that is not sin is counted as righteousness because we stand in the righteousness of Jesus and our whole life is an act of service toward God.

And this is our "worship" which the old King James Version says, "Our reasonable service."  There is no one called to a higher level of service or commitment to Jesus than any other converted person because giving one's all - even to death - is what is required by one and all.

Once converted, we no longer control our life.  We belong to Jesus totally and freely.  So whether we continue as a nurse, a controller, an educator, or become a pastor....everyone who has been converted lives under the same policy - we are not our own.  

 

Come to Me and I will give you Rest

One of my favorite words of our Lord is recorded in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  The words...."I will give you rest."

Jesus wants us to have rest.  While that can be physical, I want to submit His words are mainly for soulish rest.  Its the kind of internal rest that can not be gotten through a good night's sleep, a week on the beach, or the absence of physical toil.  

Rest...oh, how precious the commodity of grace.

The most important rest Jesus offers is eternal rest.  And He is the only one who can give it.  The secret is found in Hebrews 4:4 "For He has spoken in a certain place on the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.'"

The rest is from "works." God rested "from all His works" referring to the six days of labor in creating the world and all we see today, and even what we can't see even through the most powerful telescope.  

The secret is in Hebrew 4:10 "For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His."

We are cease from our works.  Does that mean we no longer have any "work" to do?  We no longer have to serve, work, or labor in good works?  Hardly....other Scriptures clearly declare "we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works..." (Ephesians 2:10)

The rest in regard to our reason we work.  Because of the grace of salvation, we do not work for our approval and right standing (righteousness) before God with our works.  Instead, we "rest" in the person and position of Jesus as our full acceptance and approval for His grace.  We do NOTHING to earn His grace, approval, or Heaven.  It is "the gift of God..."

Has your soul found rest?  Solace? Peace?  

The old hymn "Rock of Ages" says it well:

"Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die."

I have written about rest previously .... check it out here.

July 3, 2023

June 12, 2023 and then June 19

January 21, 2013 and then January 22 

Grace Comes with the Person of Jesus

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed."  I Peter 1: 13 (NIV)

Our minds play some nasty tricks on us.  In our mind, we are made to believe we are not sufficient for this task given us.  In our mind, we are frightened by an approaching situation.  In our mind, we sense we are losers.  Our mind can cause us to be parylized.

But God says we have a responsibility to prepare our mind, not for sitting, but action.  God is moving us.

So in the midst of us preparing our mind, we are to control our mind by setting our hope, our ability FULLY - not partially, not half us and half God; but FULLY on....the grace.

Grace is not a pansy feeling of compassionate expression given to others to make them feel better.  Grace is action.  Grace is for the purpose of moving on to where God wants us.

This grace will be given us as we see Jesus in the picture.  Whenever Jesus shows up in our situation, grace is on its way to us!!!

In the Greek, this grace "is to be given to you" is an active verb meaning this grace is actively already on its way to you for every situation of life.

When we needed salvation, grace was already on its way.

When we needed power to endure, grace was already on its way.

When we needed provision, grace was already on its way.

When we needed rest, grace was already on its way.

For grace is Jesus. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1: 14 (NIV)

To see Jesus in our lives is to see grace on its way.