“If we are The Body… “The Practical Purposes of the Church”

““If we If we are The are The Body…Body…

““The The Practical Practical

Purposes of Purposes of the the

Church”Church”

• If We Are The Body• It's crowded in worship today

As she slips in trying to fade into the facesThe girls teasing laughter iscarrying farther than they knowFarther than they know

• Chorus:But if we are the bodyBut if we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?Why aren't His arms reaching?Why aren't His hands healing?Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?Why aren't His words teaching?And if we are the bodyAnd if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?Why aren't His feet going?Why is His love not showing them there is a way?Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

There is a wayThere is a way• A traveler is far away from home

He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back rowThe weight of their judgmental glancesTells him that his chances are better out on the road

• Chorus• Jesus paid much too high a price

For us to pick and choose who should comeAnd we are the body of Christ

• Chorus• Jesus is the way

““The church is The church is an eternal an eternal

organismorganism in in the earth, the earth,

doing the will doing the will of God and of God and

accomplishing accomplishing the purpose of the purpose of

God.”God.”

““The The Eternal Eternal Purposes Purposes of the …of the …

““The The Eternal Eternal Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• To To proclaimproclaim

the eternal the eternal richesriches

of Christof Christ. . Ephesians 3: 8Ephesians 3: 8

““The The Eternal Eternal Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• To To RevealReveal the eternal the eternal MysteryMystery of of

the churchthe church. . Ephesians 3: 9Ephesians 3: 9

• Colossians 1:25-27 - “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the

dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath

been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made

manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the

riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ

in you, the hope of glory”

““The The Eternal Eternal Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• To To DISPLAYDISPLAY

the eternal the eternal wisdomwisdom

of Godof God. . Ephesians 3: 10-Ephesians 3: 10-

1111

““The The Eternal Eternal Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• To To ManifestManifest

the eternal the eternal gloryglory

of Godof God. . Ephesians 3:Ephesians 3:

2121

•Romans 11:36 – “For ofof Him, and throughthrough Him,

and toto Him, are all things: to

Whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

““The The PracticalPractical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …

““The The Practical Practical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• It is God’s It is God’s

vehiclevehicle to to getget us us

where he where he wants us to wants us to

gogo

•John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the wayway, the truthtruth, and the lifelife: no man

cometh unto the Father, but by

Me.”

• Acts 1:9-11 – “And when He had spoken these things, while they while they beheld, He was taken upbeheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their

sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so

come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I

am … the lifelife:…”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the

lifelife:…”• Acts 2:1-4 – “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from

heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they

were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy

Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them

utterance.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the lifelife:…”

• John 6:63 – “It is the Spirit that

quickenethquickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the

words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are

life.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am …

the truthtruth:…”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the

truthtruth:…”

•Acts 2:42 – “And they continued stedfastly in

the apostles' doctrineapostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and

in prayers.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the

truthtruth:…”• Acts 2:42 – “And they

continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrineapostles' doctrine and

fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

• John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through thy truth:

thy Word is truththy Word is truth.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the truthtruth:…”• Acts 2:42 – “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrineapostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of

bread, and in prayers.”• John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through

thy truth: thy Word is truththy Word is truth.”• John 1:1,14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of

grace and truth.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am …

the wayway:…”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am …

the wayway:…”

•THE THE CHURCH CHURCH

OF GOD!OF GOD!

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Philippians 3:4-6 – “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of

Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a

Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the churchpersecuting the church;

touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

•Galatians 1:13 – “For ye have heard of my

conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,

how that beyond beyond measure I persecuted measure I persecuted the church of Godthe church of God, and

wasted it”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Acts 8:2-3 – “And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation

over him. As for Saul, he he made havock of the made havock of the churchchurch, entering into every

house, and haling men and women committed them to

prison.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

•Acts 9:4 – “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul,

why persecutest persecutest thou methou me?”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Acts 22:1-4 – “Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) I am verily a

man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to

the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye

all are this day. And I persecuted And I persecuted this waythis way unto the death, binding and

delivering into prisons both men and women.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto

him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Acts 9:1-2 – “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter

against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of

him letters to Damascus to the

synagogues, that if he that if he found any of this found any of this

wayway, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound

unto Jerusalem.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Acts 18:24-26 – “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in

the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak

boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him

the way of Godthe way of God more perfectly.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am … the wayway:…”

• Acts 19:9Acts 19:9 – “But when divers were – “But when divers were hardened, and believed not, hardened, and believed not, but but spake evil of spake evil of that waythat way before before the multitude, he departed from the multitude, he departed from

them, and separated the disciples, them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one disputing daily in the school of one

Tyrannus.”Tyrannus.”• Acts 19:23Acts 19:23 – “And the same time – “And the same time there arose there arose no small stir about no small stir about

that waythat way.”.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the wayway, the truthtruth, and the lifelife:

… .”

•The churchThe church is our is our vehicle to vehicle to get usget us where God wants where God wants us to go. (us to go. (It’s the It’s the WAY to get thereWAY to get there))

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the wayway,

the truthtruth, and the lifelife:… .”• The churchThe church is our is our vehiclevehicle to to get usget us

where God wants us to go. (where God wants us to go. (It’s the It’s the WAY to get thereWAY to get there))

• The BibleThe Bible is our is our road maproad map to to show show

usus where God where God wants us to go.wants us to go.

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the wayway, the truthtruth, and the lifelife:

… .”• The churchThe church is our is our vehiclevehicle to to get usget us

where God wants us to go. (where God wants us to go. (It’s the It’s the WAY to get thereWAY to get there))

• The BibleThe Bible is our is our road maproad map to to show show usus where God wants us to go. where God wants us to go.

•The SpiritThe Spirit is our is our GuideGuide to to keep us movingkeep us moving in in

the right direction that the right direction that God wants us to go.God wants us to go.

““The The Practical Practical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• It is God’s It is God’s

doctrinal doctrinal resourceresource to to

TEachTEach us us what he what he

wants us to wants us to knowknow

• 1 Timothy 3:15 – “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou

oughtest to behave thyself in the house in the house of God, which is the of God, which is the church of the living church of the living GodGod, the pillar and the pillar and

ground of the ground of the truthtruth.”

•2 Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew

thyself approved unto God, a

workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly rightly dividing the word dividing the word

of truthof truth.”

C.I. Scofield- "A dispensation is a period

of time during which man is tested in respect to his

obedience to some specific revelation of the

will of God."

•Ephesians 3:2-3 – “If ye have heard of the dispensation of dispensation of

the gracethe grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known

unto me the mystery;…”

7 letters to 7 local 7 letters to 7 local churcheschurches

7 letters to 7 local 7 letters to 7 local churcheschurches PaulPaul

1.1. The church of the ROMANSThe church of the ROMANS2.2.The church of the CORINTHIANSThe church of the CORINTHIANS3.3.The churches of the GALATIANSThe churches of the GALATIANS4.4. The church of the EPHESIANSThe church of the EPHESIANS5.5. The church of the PHILIPPIANSThe church of the PHILIPPIANS6.6. The church of the COLOSSIANSThe church of the COLOSSIANS

7.7. The church of the The church of the THESSALONIANSTHESSALONIANS

7 letters to 7 local 7 letters to 7 local churcheschurches JesusJesus

1.1. The church in SARDIS- (Rev. 3:1-6)The church in SARDIS- (Rev. 3:1-6)2.2. The church in THYATIRA- (Rev. 2:18-The church in THYATIRA- (Rev. 2:18-

29)29)3.3. The church in PERGAMOS- (Rev.2:12-The church in PERGAMOS- (Rev.2:12-

17)17)4.4. The church of EPHESUS- (Rev. 2:1-7)The church of EPHESUS- (Rev. 2:1-7)5.5. The church in PHILADELPHIA- (Rev. The church in PHILADELPHIA- (Rev.

3:7-13)3:7-13)6.6. The church of the LAODICEANS-The church of the LAODICEANS-

(Rev.14-22)(Rev.14-22)7.7. The church in SMYRNA- (Rev. 2:8-11)The church in SMYRNA- (Rev. 2:8-11)

7 letters to 7 local 7 letters to 7 local churcheschurches PaulPaul

1.1. The church of the The church of the ROMANSROMANS

2.2. The church of the The church of the CORINTHIANSCORINTHIANS

3.3. The churches of The churches of the GALATIANSthe GALATIANS

4.4. The church of the The church of the EPHESIANSEPHESIANS

5.5. The church of the The church of the PHILIPPIANSPHILIPPIANS

6.6. The church of the The church of the COLOSSIANSCOLOSSIANS

7.7. The church of the The church of the THESSALONIANSTHESSALONIANS

JesusJesus1.1. The church in SARDISThe church in SARDIS

2.2. The church in The church in THYATIRATHYATIRA

3.3. The church in The church in PERGAMOSPERGAMOS

4.4. The church of The church of EPHESUSEPHESUS

5.5. The church in The church in PHILADELPHIAPHILADELPHIA

6.6. The church of the The church of the LAODICEANSLAODICEANS

7.7. The church in The church in SMYRNA-SMYRNA-

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ““For the Lord Himself shall For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the archangel, and with

the trump of God: and the the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be alive and remain shall be caught up together with caught up together with them in the clouds, to them in the clouds, to

meet the Lord in the air: meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be and so shall we ever be

with the Lord.”with the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 4:16-17 “For the “For the Lord Himself shall Lord Himself shall

descend from descend from heavenheaven with a with a shout, with the shout, with the

voicevoice of the of the archangel, and with archangel, and with the the trump of Godtrump of God: : and the dead in and the dead in Christ shall rise Christ shall rise

first: Then we which first: Then we which are alive and remain are alive and remain shall be shall be caught up caught up togethertogether with them with them

in the clouds, to in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the meet the Lord in the air: air: and so shall we and so shall we

ever be with the ever be with the LordLord.”.”

Revelation 4:1Revelation 4:1 ““After this I After this I looked, and, looked, and,

behold, a door behold, a door was opened in was opened in

heavenheaven: and the : and the first first voicevoice which which I heard was as it I heard was as it

were of a were of a trumpet trumpet talking talking with me; which with me; which said, said, Come up Come up

hitherhither, and I will , and I will shew thee shew thee things things

which must be which must be hereafterhereafter.”.”

Colossians- Colossians- LaodiceaLaodicea Colossians 1 & 2- Colossians 1 & 2-

DOCTRINALDOCTRINAL Colossians 3 & 4- Colossians 3 & 4-

PRACTICALPRACTICAL

Colossians- Colossians- LaodiceaLaodicea Colossians 3 & 4- Colossians 3 & 4-

(RELATIONSHIPS)(RELATIONSHIPS)• 3:1-17- with JESUS.3:1-17- with JESUS.

• 3:18-25- in the Family.3:18-25- in the Family.• 4:1-2- at the Workplace.4:1-2- at the Workplace.• 4:3-6- with Lost People.4:3-6- with Lost People.• 4:7-18- with the Body of 4:7-18- with the Body of

ChristChrist..

““The The Practical Practical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …

• It is the It is the making known making known

of Christ’s of Christ’s bodybody to to

developdevelop us the us the way he wants way he wants

us to us to growgrow

1 Corinthians 12:27 – “Now ye are the

body of Christ, and members in particular.”

EDIFIEDEDIFIED in the in the BODYBODY Ephesians 4:11-12 Ephesians 4:11-12 – “And He – “And He

gave some, apostles; and gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, some, prophets; and some,

evangelists; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, the work of the ministry, for for the edifying of the body the edifying of the body

of Christof Christ””

UNIFIEDUNIFIED in the in the FAITHFAITH Ephesians 4:13Ephesians 4:13 – “ – “Till we Till we

all come in the unity all come in the unity of the faithof the faith, and of the , and of the knowledge of the Son of knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of stature of the fulness of

Christ”Christ”

UNIFIEDUNIFIED in the in the FAITHFAITH Ephesians 4:13Ephesians 4:13 – “ – “Till we all come in Till we all come in

the unity of the faiththe unity of the faith, and of the , and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a knowledge of the Son of God, unto a

perfect man, unto the measure of perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”the stature of the fulness of Christ” Ephesians 4:2-3Ephesians 4:2-3 – “With all – “With all lowliness and meekness, with lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one longsuffering, forbearing one

another in love; another in love; ENDEAVORING to ENDEAVORING to KEEP the UNITY of the SpiritKEEP the UNITY of the Spirit in in

the bond of peace.”the bond of peace.”

SOLIDIFIEDSOLIDIFIED in the in the SONSONEphesians 4:13Ephesians 4:13 – “Till we all – “Till we all

come in the unity of the come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge faith, and of the knowledge

of the Son of God, unto a of the Son of God, unto a

perfect man, perfect man, unto the unto the measure of the measure of the

stature of the fulness stature of the fulness of Christof Christ””

FORTIFIEDFORTIFIED in in DOCTRINEDOCTRINE Ephesians 4:14Ephesians 4:14 - “That we - “That we

henceforth henceforth be no more be no more childrenchildren, tossed to and , tossed to and

fro, and carried about with fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by every wind of doctrine, by

the sleight of men, and the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”they lie in wait to deceive”

VERIFIEDVERIFIED in in LOVELOVE Ephesians 4:15-16Ephesians 4:15-16 – “ – “But But

speaking the truth in speaking the truth in lovelove, may grow up into Him in , may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the even Christ: From whom the

whole body fitly joined together whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which and compacted by that which

every joint supplieth, according every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in loveedifying of itself in love.”.”

VERIFIEDVERIFIED in in LOVELOVE Mark 12:30-31Mark 12:30-31 – “And thou shalt – “And thou shalt

love the Lord thy Godlove the Lord thy God with all with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first all thy strength: this is the first

commandment. And the second is commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt like, namely this, Thou shalt love love thy neighbourthy neighbour as thyself. There as thyself. There

is none other commandment is none other commandment greater than greater than THESETHESE.”.”

VERIFIEDVERIFIED in in LOVELOVE John 13:35John 13:35 -“ -“By By thisthis shall all men shall all men know that ye are know that ye are my disciples, my disciples, ifif ye ye have love one to have love one to

another.”another.”

““The The Practical Practical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …• It is God’s It is God’s

instrumentinstrument through which through which we we carry outcarry out

his commission his commission to to gogo

““Are Are YOUYOU an an active active participaparticipantnt fulfilling fulfilling the the Practical Practical Purposes Purposes of the …of the …