Christ, the Body Builder – part 1. Why Build?
If I asked what is the most valuable thing in the world to you, I imagine you would say “the salvation of my soul.” After this world, I will be taken to the next and live in eternity with Christ. I would agree. In connection with that, what would you say is the next most important thing or entity? If you say well it’s my husband, or my wife or my children – I know they should rank very highly.
A different question: What is the most important entity from God’s perspective? Surely our heart should focus on what He values most if we are to have a right view on life.
It doesn’t take too much searching to work it out. It is the very thing He died for. That is the Church, the body of people who call him Lord. This is His bride. When all other relationships dissolve, this one remains. Jesus had said, “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) The gates of ancient cities were the places of council and where a battle would be fought over. If the gates fell, the city fell. The council and the might of Hell would not prevail against the church.
This is God’s heart. We worship the God of the Church. His heart is for the church. The whole act of Christ on the cross was to redeem His bride, the church. He rose from the grave, confirming He has defeated sin and death and that His bride, the church will be with Him in Heaven for eternity. The good and health of the Church is at the very heart and mind of Christ, both when he walked the earth and even as He intercedes for the church now at the right hand of the Father.
When we say Christ is building the church, what do we mean? It certainly doesn’t mean a denomination or a group of people that only claim to be the church of Christ or God etc. Certainly, some denominations have distinctives that do not have anything to do with the God of the Bible.
The name for church in Greek here in the Bible is simply “Ecclesia”, where we get the word ecclesiastical, relating to the church. This word simply means ‘gathering of the called-out ones.’ This is what makes us holy; we are ‘separate’. We are “the ecclesia,” the called-out ones. Denominational distinctives confuse this. The ecclesia, Church, is the people, not the building. The building is where we gather. Church is anywhere where Christ’s people meet together.
What we see in the New Testament are disciples who met in separate geographical areas. As we read in our passage, they were simply referred to as believers, disciples, brothers. In fact, we are told the word “Christian” first appeared at Antioch. (Acts 11:25, 26) “So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” Christ’s followers gathering together.
Paul, having established churches right across the Roman Empire through what is modern day Syria, Turkey, Greece, wanted to head back to Jerusalem in time to celebrate Pentecost. This would ultimately lead to his imprisonment that would take him to Rome, but what did he do as he headed to Jerusalem?
He sought out the church. He gathered with believers. He encouraged them, they prayed with him. He taught them, they instructed him. The Apostle, who has been greatly used by the Lord, did not isolate himself but actively sought out other believers in every place he stopped on his way to Jerusalem.
These things characterised the first church. (Acts 2:42-47) “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
But it didn’t stay that way. By the time the book of Hebrews was written, the writer said, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24, 25)
The Body – the bride: Her struggle with the body builder.
Remember the curse from Genesis 3:17: “Your desire shall be toward your husband, And he shall rule over you” Because of sin, there is this continued tension and friction in marriage whereby there is a struggle between the roles and the required order of a husband and wife.
The phenomenon of churchless Christians is a blight on biblical Christianity, especially since Covid. When believers stop meeting together, it isn’t a move away from people; it is a move away from Christ and what He exalts as the most important body on earth with its various local parts, local churches, as we see in the New Testament. All Paul’s letters were written to local churches. The Revelation is written to 7 local churches.
But there is still tension within the marriage – why? Because His bride, we the church, are sinful.
Building the Bride’s Hope: Christ’s love
(Ephesians 3:14-21)
Building the Bride’s glorious future? (Revelation 21:1-5) John said in Revelation 21:3, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Build with Jesus, the personal body builder of the bride – the church. 1. Attend the church body 2. Speak life and health to the church body. 3. Feed and encourage others within the church body, the bride. 4. Pray with and for the body.
Make a decision to be in the body and support the body building program.
Practical ways to build within this local church: supporting current and emerging ministries.