It is so often hard to know whether a church is doing well or not. We take a peak at the offerings, the attendance, the programs, the sound equipment, the facilities...and then we compare ourselves to the church down the road and try to measure how we stand compared to them. If we got more going on than they do in all the aforementioned categories, then we must be doing pretty darn well. But a word of warning is needed. From outward appearances things can look vibrant and healthy with all the nice facilities and amenities, but inwardly the church members can be anemic. Other times the outward appearance seems to be deficient in worldly goods but inwardly the church is rich in righteousness, faith, love and hope. The outer evidence is not always a great indicator of what God is really accomplishing inside of His people. You can be a wealthy church but in the sight of the Lord be poor, blind and naked. Conversely, you can be dirt poor and be rich in the eyes of the Lord. And His take on the matter is really the only one that matters.
That said, one can often wonder if a church is succeeding! Numbers go up. Numbers go down. Sanctification happens. Sometimes it looks like de-sanctification is happening. Is there any encouragement from Scripture as to whether or not our feeble efforts to serve the Lord in His strength are in vain?
Thank goodness we don't have to ultimately look to circumstances and our finite wisdom to assess the health and ultimate outcome of the church.
1. The Master Builder Will Build His Church And Hell Cannot Stop It!
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Oh, how weak are our efforts to "do something" for God...as if God needed anything from us. And when we do serve Him and the church, we serve in the strength that He gives. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Colossians. So even our service to His is really His working through us. We owe Him for our service! We are indebted all the more. He is building His church.
2. The Master Builder Will Sanctify His Church Through The Word Of God
Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
What a rough task it is to help our brothers and sisters grow in the Lord. We are called to edify one another. But here we see that it is the Lord that is ultimately sanctifying us by the Word. He does this for His glory and His good pleasure. That HE might present to HIMSELF the church in splendor. He's building the church. He's sanctifying the church.
3. The Master Builder's Power Will Ensure That His Church Will Be Victorious
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Why are we to go into the world and make disciples? Because all power and authority has been given to Christ. Therefore, GO! We see now why the church will prevail...the power of Christ ensures that it will.
So when you think the church if failing, faltering or flopping...think again. I've had to. From my view "under the sun" it appears--at times--that the church is struggling and failing. That's when I know that I need to take a step back and get a God-centered, Scripture-saturated understanding of the church. If I assess things from my view, then I have discounted the wisdom, power and promises of Christ to do what He said He would do. If I assess things from "beyond the sun" then I can rest in the grace of God knowing that His church will go on triumphantly.
I love the church of God. My mind is continually filled with great desires for it. Thank goodness the love and desires of my Lord are much more grand than mine. Be certain that His purpose and decree will stand. That doesn't discount the role that we play, it only reminds us that the Lord "Authored" our faith...and He will be the "Finisher" of our faith.
That said, one can often wonder if a church is succeeding! Numbers go up. Numbers go down. Sanctification happens. Sometimes it looks like de-sanctification is happening. Is there any encouragement from Scripture as to whether or not our feeble efforts to serve the Lord in His strength are in vain?
Thank goodness we don't have to ultimately look to circumstances and our finite wisdom to assess the health and ultimate outcome of the church.
1. The Master Builder Will Build His Church And Hell Cannot Stop It!
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Oh, how weak are our efforts to "do something" for God...as if God needed anything from us. And when we do serve Him and the church, we serve in the strength that He gives. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Colossians. So even our service to His is really His working through us. We owe Him for our service! We are indebted all the more. He is building His church.
2. The Master Builder Will Sanctify His Church Through The Word Of God
Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
What a rough task it is to help our brothers and sisters grow in the Lord. We are called to edify one another. But here we see that it is the Lord that is ultimately sanctifying us by the Word. He does this for His glory and His good pleasure. That HE might present to HIMSELF the church in splendor. He's building the church. He's sanctifying the church.
3. The Master Builder's Power Will Ensure That His Church Will Be Victorious
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Why are we to go into the world and make disciples? Because all power and authority has been given to Christ. Therefore, GO! We see now why the church will prevail...the power of Christ ensures that it will.
So when you think the church if failing, faltering or flopping...think again. I've had to. From my view "under the sun" it appears--at times--that the church is struggling and failing. That's when I know that I need to take a step back and get a God-centered, Scripture-saturated understanding of the church. If I assess things from my view, then I have discounted the wisdom, power and promises of Christ to do what He said He would do. If I assess things from "beyond the sun" then I can rest in the grace of God knowing that His church will go on triumphantly.
I love the church of God. My mind is continually filled with great desires for it. Thank goodness the love and desires of my Lord are much more grand than mine. Be certain that His purpose and decree will stand. That doesn't discount the role that we play, it only reminds us that the Lord "Authored" our faith...and He will be the "Finisher" of our faith.
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