Jesus in the Writings of Paul (3)
Pray Psalm 2.7-9.
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
Sing Psalm 2.7-9.
(Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High)
I will declare the LORD’s decree. He said, “My Son I have begotten Thee.
Ask Me, and I will give every land for You to rule as I have planned.”
Read Eph. 4.11-16; Col. 1.15-18; Col. 2.16-19; meditate on Eph. 4.13-16.
Preparation
1. What are the indicators of a church that is being edified as Christ’s body?
2. According to Ephesians 4.15, 16, how does a church become more like its Head?
Meditation
Each local church is a body of members of the Body of Christ worldwide. Jesus is the Head of His Church and of each local church. His intention is that His Church—and churches—should “grow up in all things into Him Who is the Head—Christ” (v. 15). Church growth must not be measured primarily in outward, material things—more members, bigger budgets, new facilities, and so forth. These are not reliable marks of a healthy, growing church.
Paul gives us two indicators which Jesus has chosen as measures of a body which is being edified in Him (v. 12), a church that is growing up into Him. In brief, these indicators are unity (v. 13a) and maturity (v. 13b). These are what Jesus is working to accomplish. Let’s have a brief closer look at each.
The unity our Head seeks is twofold: of faith, so that we all believe and confess the same Gospel of the Kingdom; and of the knowledge of the Son of God, true Christian conviction and experience in the eternal life of God (v.13; cf. Jn. 17.3). Thus unified, we may grow into maturity, no longer children who are distracted by every false teaching (v. 14), but able and eager to speak truth in love (v. 15), growing together by our mutual ministries as we use the gifts we have received for building one another up in the Lord (v. 16).
Jesus reigns in Zion as the Head of His Church, and He is clear about what He seeks of us. Let us look to our Head (Col. 3.1-3; 2 Cor. 4.6) and see in Him the beauty of true unity and maturity, that we may be edified together in the love of Jesus.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The Bible framed the idea of the Church, writ large, as a body, in fact, The Body of Christ.
Since the Scriptures brought it up, let’s think about it, for a moment, in terms of a successful physical body.
What does that look like? Is it one that continues to enlarge? Grandly seeking obesity?
One that gets bigger and more cumbersome with each passing day? Is bloat the goal?
Or is it to be firm? Healthy?
Less bloat, more taut?
If the answer to these queries is obvious, then why do we applaud the church that takes up more space with its overblown footprint, and with its blubbery obedience and flabby morals?
The taut/taught Body should have as its purpose the following:
1. The equipping of the saints
2. The work of ministry
3. The edification of all involved
4. The unity of the faith
5. The full knowledge of the Son of God
6. The fullness of Christ and the Holy Spirit
7. The maturity of the members
8. The firmness of beliefs
9. The speaking of truth in love
10. The growing up into Him Who is the Head—Christ (Eph. 4.12-15).
Nowhere listed is the idea of greater numbers being the goal of growth.
Multiple untended members bring paucity of dynamism, not vigorous righteousness.
This is growth in Christ: that we may “grow up in all things into Him Who is the head—Christ—from Whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4.15, 16).
And in that way, we grow with “the increase that is from God” (Col. 2.19).
God is forever whittling numbers down to accomplish great things, as He did with Gideon.
“The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands,
lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me’” (Judges 7.2).
God doesn’t need or want great numbers to accomplish His goals.
He wants sincerity of heart, love, trust, and obedience in His people.
The people that comprise the Body of His dear Son, Jesus.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
but to do justly,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6.8).
There He is! Jesus—The Head of the Church, The Justifier, The Merciful Savior, The Humble LORD—The One we are to follow and imitate (1 Cor. 11.1). And as we do, His Body will grow, “that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1.18).
Reflection
1. What is our responsibility to the Head of the Church?
2. What is our responsibility in the church to our fellow members?
3. How will Jesus “have the preeminence” in your life today?
Each member depends on his providential distribution of gifts. The supply of spiritual gifts occurs according to a due proportion, as each member effects the increase of the body. John Chrysostom (344-407), Homily on Ephesians 11.4.15-16
Pray Psalm 2.10-12.
Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is His Body. Praise and rejoice in Him, and commit yourself afresh, as one of His members, to discern, develop, and use your gifts for building your church in unity and maturity. Pray for the witness of your church throughout your community.
Sing Psalm 2.10-12.
(Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High)
Be wise, O kings, O judges, hear, and tremble with joy, serve the LORD with fear.
Embrace the Son, keep His wrath at bay, or you shall perish in the way.
His wrath is kindled like a flame at all who refuse to bow to His Name.
Beware His anger and judgment grim: How blessed are all who trust in Him!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Our current ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” is dealing with the time of our livesand how we make more of this for the progress of Christ’s Kingdom. In our Read Moore column, we continue working our way through the book, Understanding the Times. And I encourage you follow our Corsfigell series on Brendan of Clonfert, nicknamed “The Navigator.” Join us and find out why. Click the Articles tab on the home page to see all the selections available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
