The Significance of the Church, Week 1

we're going to discuss the significance of the church. So I say again don't you love the church? Amen. And tonight as our text we're going to turn to Ephesians chapter 3 and beginning at verse number 9 through verse 11 will be our text for this evening. And I was so encouraged as I went to study over the past couple days. The Bible just doesn't get old. It doesn't matter how many times you read it, how many times you have read a verse, studied a verse, preached from a verse, you go back and it just seems like there's still more to be discovered. And pastor's admonition to me was three questions. What is the church? What does the Old Testament say about the church? And what does the New Testament say about the church? And my, it's amazing how much you can come up with with just three questions. And so we better jump in. I'm aware of the clock and so let's let's

just jump into 90 Ephesians chapter 3 beginning in verse number 9. Apostle Paul says to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. A couple things that we'll jump into in more detail as we move through this study tonight that I want to highlight at the beginning. Paul says that it was his mission. He says God has given me grace to preach to the dent gentiles. And he says in verse 9 that all men may see what is the fellowship of the mystery. Now he draws a distinction in time. He says which from the beginning so he's pointing backwards he says was hid in

God. But then in the very next verse verse number 10 he says it was to the intent that now so he draws a line he is distinguishing what was from what is at present. He says it was in the past hid in God but he has received grace or revelation that now he may declare so all men may see. He is describing to us the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant or what is the Old Testament and the New Testament. And so the question tonight is what is the church. The words church or churches are found 117 times in the New Testament and all but one is the Greek word ecclesia. Ecclesia. It comes from two root words ec which means out of and callio which means to call or to summon. So the ecclesia or the English word church in your New Testament simply means literally it is to be the called out one to be summoned. Now we

are introduced to this term in the New Testament when Jesus uses it in Matthew 16. He tells Simon Peter he says I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We'll consider that in a little more detail at the conclusion tonight but this is the introduction of this word in the New Testament scripture. This is somewhat unique. We may glance over it at a quick reading but you may have heard this or be familiar with this that each of the four gospels was written to a particular audience. We understand every gospel is divinely inspired. They all speak to us even here tonight. There's relevancy to us thousands of years removed a culture that is so different because it is the word of God but contextually each of those four gospels was written to a particular demographic or cultural group and because of that there are certain elements of the writing that is significant. So it is in

the gospel of Matthew the audience is predominantly a Jewish audience and they are trying to show Jesus as this Jewish Messiah. That's why it is the gospel of Matthew unlike any other gospel that paints the genealogy of Jesus Christ in such extensive detail. And so when you consider this it's somewhat unique that Jesus would use this term ecclesia because in that early church culture this was not a Jewish term it was a common Greek term that spoke of a practice prevalent in Greek culture. When you read your New Testament there are other words used that would reference the tabernacle of old and so one might think well if you are writing to Jewish people wouldn't it not make sense that you would use one of these words that is common to the Jews to speak of the Old Testament tabernacle which would seem to be a common parallel to the church but he does not do that. He uses this Greek word ecclesia

and historically the ecclesia was a certain level of Greek government that was called the gathering of the summoned. This was not a casual or disorganized gathering it was intentional it was purposeful and it was procedural that meant there was a certain practice or custom that was executed when the ecclesia was called. They would gather at minimum 40 times per year and then as special needs arose and they were called the engine of Greek civilization. It was the gathering place of those who had been called out of their regular routine out of their homes and career they had been chosen for the service of the metropolis. Now as the ecclesia and the Greek culture it was their responsibility to assemble for the benefit of the good of the entire polis. This meant they carried a responsibility to serve all people. This responsibility was no small matter and the gathering was anything but insignificant. This is where the affairs of men were handled. The ecclesia

was entrusted with defining the laws of the city what is right and what is wrong. They would establish the procedures of import and export. They governed the rules of trade. It was the ecclesia that determined the rules of the procedure of military of defense and expansion. So you can see that in Greek culture the ecclesia was not a small or insignificant thing and so God in his divine wisdom of all the words he could have chosen to speak of this church that he was about to establish. He uses this culturally relevant word to describe the profound importance of his eternal plan. He didn't use a word that spoke of a tent and a wilderness. He used a word that had profound importance among that culture and so it is that this ecclesia the church. I'm not talking about the Greek ecclesia he uses that concept to speak to them of his church. His church the ecclesia is neither small or insignificant. It is

a high honor and a weighty responsibility to be a member of the church. In every New Testament usage when we see this word church or churches in Greek the ecclesia it can mean more than a gathering but it never means something unrelated to a gathering. Simply put there must be a physical gathering or there is no ecclesia. You say well what are you trying to say that watching on the internet is not an equal substitute for coming to the gathering or the assembly of believers. Are you saying we should get rid of the camera? Absolutely not. There's value there but it's not a substitute. Amen. I hope we get an amen on that. In order for the ecclesia to be the ecclesia in order for the church to be the church believers must gather. It is not optional. It's not circumstantial. It is a biblical mandate and it is the pattern of God. The word ecclesia is used in scripture exclusively to speak

of the assembly of believers. We find it in both a local and a universal context. What I mean by that are there are places in the New Testament where they may refer to the ecclesia or the church at such in place at Rome at Galatia at Ephesus at Corinth. There is a church in Tarahau. There is a church in Indianapolis. There is a church in Paris France and so the ecclesia can speak of this localized gathering but it's also used in a more universal sense. This speaks of the church that is not bound by time or space. It can speak to those believers who lived a thousand years ago and if the Lord should tarry the believers who may live a hundred years from now. It speaks to the church of all times and places. It is never used. I want you to hear me. The word ecclesia the church in your scripture is never used in reference to a building. You say

well I you being we just moved into this beautiful building why are you being hard on a building? I'm just being biblical I'm not being hard. This does not mean that the building has no value and it does not mean that the building should be disregarded. Now there are some who may acknowledge the statement I just made and they'll say well let's just do away with buildings. Building's not important. It's a waste of money. Let's just do away with this. I'm not of that opinion. I've given and will give to this house because the building holds value. Why? Because it is a valuable and a necessary tool that facilitates the assembly. It's not the only place the church is supposed to assemble. Now I've had conversations with people who've said things I just don't think all that's necessary. Well you know I just have a hard time with that. Because if we could fly some good brothers and sisters from from the church

in China to Terroho, Indiana on this Wednesday night and we say you know we just we've kind of decided that assembling corporately, gathering in the buildings not really that important to us anymore we just we just kind of do it in our homes periodically as we feel. I have a feeling that they would have a hard time with that because these are people that risk their lives to sneak into the basements of buildings to have some semblance of gathering because they recognize if the ecclesia doesn't gather it's not the ecclesia. If the church doesn't come together it's not the church and they risk life and safety and freedom to gather and small groups and places all over the country hoping to remain hidden and obscure and so while I acknowledge that the church must assemble at more than just this building we would be foolish to neglect the freedom that we have to assemble and there is power in the corporate assembly there

is momentum in the corporate assembly and so while we acknowledge that in scripture the church is never used in reference to a building that does not mean we are to be dismissive of this building it does not mean we are to be casual about this gathering if the church is going to be the church the church must gather. Amen? But thank God for buildings they're valuable tools that help us all facilitate the assembling of believers but the Bible is clear the church is the body of Christ. Paul makes that clear in Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1 as well as many other places in his epistles and so I'm advocating tonight that we maintain a high view of the church. Paul said in Ephesians 5 that God would present to himself a glorious church that word glorious means to be held in high regard he said this church is without spot it's without wrinkle he will present to himself a church that is without

blemish the challenges that we live and conduct ourselves in such a way that the church maintains the high regard that God has given it Paul tells the believers in Ephesus he says in Acts 9 to 20 part of me that God purchased this church with his own blood he has invested himself in the birth in the work in the growth of the church he has paid the price and because of this it's his prized possession and he would write to the church that was established at Ephesus sometime later in Ephesians 2 it's in your handout now note he's talking to Gentiles remember our text drew a distinction of a time past when the mystery was hidden but he says now I've come to let you see the mystery and he writes in Ephesians 2 to these Gentile believers he speaks to them and says there was a time when you were not of the commonwealth of Israel there was a time that you

were strangers of the covenant he said you are without hope and without God in this world but he talks about what Jesus accomplished through the cross and how the wall of partition has been destroyed him now he says this consequently because of this you the Gentiles are no longer foreigners and strangers but are fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household you might want to underline or circle that word household and just make note of this scripture first Timothy 315 because in first Timothy Paul tells Timothy he says the house of God which is the church of the living God and so what he's writing here he's saying you are now fellow citizens with God's people he's talking about you've been grafted into this covenant that that came through Jewish people and now you are also made members of his household which he says is the church here it now built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with

Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone now this is where brother Mike Hedges should come take over the Bible study because he knows more about the stonework than I do but I did a little bit of foundation work as a teenager and what I learned is that when you line that corner up you you want to be sure that corner straight because if that corner is just a little bit off by the time you get 10 20 30 40 feet down that wall you're gonna be in trouble you'll be off the footing course and now you got a real problem to deal with what's he saying is that the cornerstone that set the direction the doctrine the belief system the values the behavior of the church that the chief cornerstone the point of origin of this church is Jesus Christ and then it was built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets now we see other places Ephesians 4 Paul writes

about this five-fold ministry apostles and prophets these are not what he is speaking of in Ephesians 2 he remember there's a distinction here between a time that is past and the time we live in now while the ministries of apostles and prophets exist in the church today the foundational office of apostles and prophets has ceased what that means is while the ministry of the apostle or the prophet may work today in the body they don't have the ability to write Scripture what he's saying is we have these foundational apostles and prophets that walked with Jesus that that wrote the Scripture and this is the foundation of the church and now verse 21 in him in Jesus the whole building is joined together in rises to become a holy temple in the Lord and in him in Jesus you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit he's talking about the church begs the question

not well how then does somebody become a part of this church there's all kinds of buildings in the world today that have church on the sign that if you want to become a member they that you've got to take a class you've got to sign a form and all that may be good and well my only objection is that's not scriptural so do it if you please but that does not answer the question from scripture so we see that God is building this church but how then do you become a part of this church well there's a lot of scriptures we could consider Roman 6 he talks about being baptized into Christ Colossians 1 and 27 he talked about Christ being in you the hope of glory in 1 Corinthians 12 he said that it's by one spirit we are all baptized into one body it's verse 27 of 1 Corinthians 12 he says this you are the body now I want you

to remember this Paul's writing a letter to the church the assembling of believers in the city of Corinth so this is not like he doesn't have a photocopier to write one letter and distribute this to all the individuals in the city of Corinth the only way they hear this is if they come together in the leaders of the Ecclesia the assembly will read the letter and so what he's telling them in the context of a corporate get this is so profound to me what he's telling them in the context of a corporate gathering is you are the body you so I you know it's not yes it matters because if you don't gather you're not a part of the body he's saying when we assemble together corporately you are the body and members in particular so it is when these individual members come together that the church becomes the church by yourself you're not the church so you see the gathering is critical

the church in the Old Testament now we read in Ephesians 3 and 9 in our text Paul used this word mystery he said that from the beginning it was hidden in God this means that when we look back into the Old Testament we realize he's speaking of a time when though God was working it was revealed from the minds and the eyes of men and so it it may seem somewhat unusual when you when you encounter things like we do in Acts chapter 7 now Stephen is before the Sanhedrin they're about to stone him to death and this is his last word his chance at defense and he begins to proclaim to them of Moses he walks them through the Old Testament narrative to the present moment and so many words he tells them that Moses spoke of one who would come and that one is Jesus and if you do not receive Jesus you do not obey Moses so you you think

you're punishing me for following Jesus because you hold to the law of Moses but I'm proclaiming to you who Moses spoke of and if you don't receive Jesus you have rejected what Moses told you and in the middle of this you know profound theological discourse he speaks of this phrase the church in the wilderness now what's the wilderness he's talking about it's the Old Testament wandering and now all of a sudden it you kind of that we have this issue we've got to consider because we've never heard of a church until Matthew 16 the church wasn't born until Acts chapter 2 so how in the world can you talk about Israel's wandering in the wilderness hundreds thousands of years ago and call it the church in the wilderness well he's using that common word the Greek word Ecclesia for a known concept which was the Jewish assembly I put two scriptures there in your handout but there are dozens in the Old Testament

Deuteronomy 4 and 10 and Deuteronomy 9 and 10 4 and 10 is talking about the practice of the assembly how people would assemble together Deuteronomy 9 actually references what they called the day of assembly where people would come out from their tents and gather together corporately so what are we seeing we're seeing that the practice of the Ecclesia the word Ecclesia did not exist the word church did not exist but the practice of followers of God assembling corporately had always existed it was the church in the wilderness the assembly in the wilderness they were called where out of Egypt called to forsake those idols it began all the way back with a call to Abraham leave the Ur of the Caldees the calling out is pivotal to the formation of the church God called them out of Egypt out of idolatry and in to covenant with him alone they were to live according to his commandments and in doing so they would reveal

the one true God to the world and so here what here's what happens Stephen speaks back into the Old Testament narrative with a New Testament term the terminology is new but the concept is not God's concept of the church did not begin with the incarnation of Jesus Christ it's where we're introduced to the word but the pattern had existed for a long time the idea of the Ecclesia did not begin in Matthew 16 it existed before creation John 1 and 1 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the logos the thought the plan in the beginning God had a plan and the plan was with God and the plan was God he didn't consult anybody else in the formation of the plan it was in the mind of God alone hid from even the eyes and the mouths of prophets in the beginning he had a plan and it was with God and

it was God meaning when the fullness of time had come that God wouldn't it enact his plan that he would come as a man to establish a church where the assembling of believers was not just to those of Jewish lineage but for all people of all places in all times he did it himself and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us Paul wrote in Galatians 4 that in the fullness of time God sent forth his son not meaning a separate person it's speaking of the human body Paul said in 1st Timothy 3 16 that God was manifest in the flesh the spirit of God that used to dwell in the tabernacle of Moses and that tabernacle in the wilderness that they would come and assemble around now is present in the body of Jesus Christ and so the assembly is no longer the tent in the wilderness and it's not even just this local building the true assembly is in the

body of Jesus Christ I want you to see this now because the concept did not begin in the New Testament God had always desired his people practice assembling together but what we're seeing is they're looking back into the Old Testament and applying the word church or Ecclesia to that practice and so when we look back we're standing on this side of history we stand in what we would call the revealing or the revelation the plan of God has been revealed we have experienced that we've been baptized into Christ Christ is in us in us by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost we have light we have understanding tonight we have revelation so we get the privilege at this point in history to look back into the mystery with clarity and with revelation but in that Old Testament the mystery had not yet been revealed and they're looking into it but they lack clarity God would literally move by his spirit on the mouths

and the hands of prophets to to speak and to write pertaining to this mystery but they did not have comprehension of that which they said it was hid from all but Paul said now I preach to you that all men might see see what that the Ecclesia that the assembly is not just for the Jew but it's for the Gentile in all you that weren't part of the Commonwealth of Israel you had no hope you were a stranger of the Covenant he says I have good news for you that it's no longer in the tabernacle in the wilderness it's in the body of Jesus Christ this is the church and so it's places like this I don't know if I put this in your hand out but in Psalms 22 we have a messianic prophecy it says I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee now this is Old Testament prophecy this very

verse is quoted in Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 12 with one one minor change it says saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee what the Old Testament called congregation the New Testament called church why because it's the same thing it's the practice the discipline of faithfully assembling ourselves together but he was using this word Ecclesia because it was a wady word in that first century culture it was the engine of Greek civilization and he was trying to help them understand do you have any idea how profound and how powerful it is when the assembly comes together he was telling them that in the same way the Greek Ecclesia is the engine of Greek civilization that my body the church of the Lord Jesus Christ the assembly of those that have been baptized and filled with the spirit this is the engine this is the avenue by which God does

his work in the world I tell you tonight unequivocally there is no higher authority anywhere in the world than the church of the Lord Jesus Christ when the assembly comes together there's more power than the White House there's more power than the United Nations there's no name of president or prime minister king or royalty that has more power than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ there's no council of governors or leaders that has more power than the assembly then the church when the church comes together and so that's the Old Testament but Paul speaks to us of the New Testament when he says it's my mission he says I've been given grace by God to preach to the Gentiles that all men might see what is the fellowship of the mystery he's tell her for thousands of years they couldn't see it they could not make sense of it but he says I have been given grace so all men Jew and

Gentile may see they may know they may understand this mystery what was hidden is now revealed and God does this the scripture says we read so that he can show through his manifold wisdom to principalities and powers the Greek word for manifold wisdom is something that I'm not going to try to pronounce but it's the only time the word is ever used in the scripture and by definition this is what it means multi-colored marked with a great variety of colors where else have you heard of something many colors a coat maybe of many colors of that Old Testament Titan named Joseph who adorned himself with a coat of many colors given by his father this is a picture to us of the church what he saying is that the church the manifold wisdom of God is displayed this beautiful work of God the church is multicolored he's not talking about skin tone he's talking about the beauty of his work and just

just like Joseph's coat brought persecution the beauty of God's redemptive work in and through the church is going to bring persecution just go read Acts 8 but the Bible said is they went and scattered abroad everywhere they went they just kept preaching because you can't stop the church it is the highest authority on the face of the earth you say well shouldn't we then just go change the law and live how we want no because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal we don't deal in matters of civil and ceremonial law vote fulfill your American citizenship sure but as the church our governance is in the spirit and what he's saying is it's this redemptive work in the church it is the life of reconciliation that exists in the church it is the manifestation of God's love and God's healing that exists in the church this displays his manifold wisdom just like the coat of Joseph was beautiful and attracted the eyes

and even the persecution of others the church is beautiful not talking about the building I heard some testimonies just this week that blew my mind I wish I could tell you but I can't because they're in areas of the world that are too dangerous and too confidential but I'm just gonna tell you God is doing some beautiful things in the world the church displays the multicolored the variety of colors of God's wisdom it's beautiful the stories of redemption of healing of families restored of marriages saved of backsliders coming home of bodies being healed and minds being put back together all of this it shows all those principalities and powers that have ruled on the earth and governed countries and destroyed families and ravaged communities for centuries God shows them who has the power Peter writes in first Peter to he says we're lively stones built up to a spiritual house again just like Paul said he said Jesus is the chief cornerstone it's

the same revelation that Paul writes in Ephesians to Peter writes and first Peter to if you like a little Bible study I would encourage you to read those two chapters on your own time make a list of the similarity both passages reveal the mystery and that is this that the ecclesia was not just a Jewish assembly it was always God's will that the doors to his house would be open to all people it doesn't matter your social class or your skin color rich or poor black or white the language you speak it matters not your past doesn't matter all are welcome to come and receive of the mercy and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and it's not it's not in the tabernacle of Moses and it's not with the law of Moses it's by the gospel of Jesus Christ into the body of Jesus Christ and so he says in verse 9 he is literally describing the ecclesia which means the

called out ones the assembling of those called out he says that you should show forth the praises of him Jesus who has called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light see you're not the church if you've not been called out there is transformation that is necessary to be part of the church if you've not been called out you can't come in because you've got to come out of Egypt you have to come out of your tent you have to come out of your ways into his ways so he called you out that's the first part but then he brought you into his marvelous light that's that's the assembling together he is literally describing to them what the ecclesia is it's this glorious church and so there's a lot of things we could look at what the Bible says about what the church says most of the New Testament was written to churches about what the church should believe what the church

should preach how the believers should act we could spend years going through all these verses my objective tonight is simply to show you that what we are a part of tonight has been the plan of God from the foundation of the world this is not plan B this is not because plan A didn't work out and God pulled up his back up no this has been his plan from the beginning hid in times past but now revealed and Paul says God is giving me grace to preach so all men might see it is God's will that everybody would know the power of the church and so let's go to Matthew 16 which is probably without question one of the most popular and presumable scriptures we would turn to if we're talking about the church it's the first time we hear of it and it's in the future tense when Jesus begins to speak to Peter I say also unto thee that thou art

Peter and upon this rock what what's the rock the rock of the revelation of who Jesus is he said thou art the Christ the Son of the living God blessed start thou Simon Barjana for flesh and blood if not revealed this under thee you didn't just get this on a YouTube video you didn't get this from the book you ordered on Amazon no you got this from the spirit and so now he tells him because revelation there's a principle here the Bible says it's line upon line precept upon precept upon this rock the revelation of who I am Jesus says I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it so what do we do with such a promise because that's a pretty good promise Jesus said now if I said it as much as I love pastor and as phenomenal as a pastor as we have if pastor said it he's just a man but Jesus said

Jesus said I am going to build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it well gates to us a gate just it's a way in and it's a way out well you've got to put yourself in the context of scripture we're reading verses from from a culture that we're a couple thousand years removed from gates are not just a way in and way out in the ancient world city gates and ancient times were places of commerce judicial matters and even spiritual activity here are just a few examples in your Bible Genesis 19 angels visit lot at the gates of Sodom and Deuteronomy we read how instruction was given that if you had a rebellious son you would bring him to the gate of the city and the elders would examine the evidence and pass either judgment or declare him innocent in Ruth Boaz claims the role of the kinsman redeemer you know where he does it by meeting the

elders at the city gate because it was the place of judicial matters when Israel is entrenched in battle with the Philistines Eli the priest comes to the gate waiting for news on the Ark of the Covenant and inquiring on the fate of his sons who were in the battle for Samuel 4 King David he gives direction to soldiers from the city gate in 2 Samuel 18 or perhaps most notably especially in light of Matthew 16 is what we find in Genesis 22 God tells Abraham that the blessing of the Lord was that you would and I quote your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies this is to say that to control the gates of your enemy is to control the city that your enemy had the gate was a place where rulers met where counsel was given and Jesus says the gates of hell will not prevail against my church this means that every evil plan every demonic purpose though it

may come against us though it may persecute us it will never defeat the church so let me tell you how Satan works knowing he can't stop the church if they assemble he just tries to find a way to keep you from coming to the assembly he can't stop the church but if he could stop you he can keep you from partaking in the victory that the church is predestined for I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it even when persecuted in Acts 8 the Bible says they preached in the midst of being scattered from the large assembly they still gathered because the Bible says Saul would break into the homes so I don't deny that there is biblical precedent and it should be practiced in fact we'll have the opportunity here in the next little bit to practice the assembling together in smaller contexts in homes but that is not in exchange for this assembly we

have now if the government does something and we have to live like China then there is grace given for that moment but we would be foolish to neglect the freedom that we have and neglect the opportunity to assemble together in this great house so let me just tell you how Dan McLeod's house lives if there's church on Wednesday my family is gonna be here on Wednesday if pastor says we're having Sunday nights for the next four weeks we're gonna be here on Sunday night if pastor comes back on Sunday says you know what I just feel like we ought to be at the house praying for an hour for the next seven nights let me tell you who's gonna be here every night we're gonna be here because I know there is no higher authority in the world than the ecclesia when the body when the church gathers together I'm telling you there is something powerful that happens when the church gathers and

it was just four years ago we were dealing with all this stuff and you know everyone well when we finally get through this we're gonna we're never gonna let this happen again and then the Super Bowl comes around and this comes around and that comes around in the opinion that so many Christians were so strong about in the midst of COVID where are you now let me tell you why because COVID couldn't stop the church the spirit of the Antichrist is not going to stop the church so let me tell you what he does he takes his focus off the church at large and starts looking at those particular members because if he can keep you from the assembly he can keep you from your portion of the promise I will build my church he's talking about that universal church but this church New Life Fellowship is is the micro expression of that he wasn't talking exclusively about New Life Fellowship and Matthew

16 but because we are the micro expression we are the extension of that universal church in this city in this county those words apply to us I've heard some of the stories I pastors made mention of comments and things that people have said why you do this this isn't necessary this isn't gonna happen that'll never happen that evidently they've not read Matthew 16 because Jesus had something to say about his church and this church which is our church and it's this I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it he said and Ephesians one he's put all things under his feet gave him to be the head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all and all all things he says are under his feet in the body is the church which means the church is destined to walk in dominion but the church can only be the

church if they are called out and they assemble together because that is the very definition of the ecclesia or the church stand together with me why did he use this word ecclesia because he was trying to help them understand you see the prevailing Greek philosophy that's being exported out of this place he was trying to help them understand that just as significant as that Greek ecclesia was to that present day the ecclesia the church of Jesus Christ would be to the world until the end of time everything that God has made available through the cross is found in his body which is the church that's why Hebrews 10 says this let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering don't let go hold on to one God hold on to Jesus name baptism hold on to Holy Ghost infilling talking in tongues hold on to a life of separation and holiness hold on to the disciplines of prayer and fasting and

giving and hold on to this because I know sometimes it seems like you're losing and persecutions against you and cultures against you and the government's against you and I know it seems like hey didn't the psalmist say when I saw the prosperity of the wicked my foot had well nice slipped until I came in to the sanctuary because how you see changes when you get in the sanctuary sometimes it looks like you're losing sometimes it looks like there's no way out but hold on to the profession of your faith don't waver why because he who promised you is faithful so he says we have to consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works I've got to provoke you to live with love the right motive but also to good works the right behavior to do the right thing consider one another now he starts talking about how the Ecclesia should act why because the church can't be stopped but if

he can stop you he can keep you from your portion of this predetermined victory so consider one another colon verse 25 he's going to explain what he means by that last statement not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching what he's telling them is I've been considering you and I love you but I've got to provoke you to some good works and then he talks about church attendance which means the good work of godly people is you'll be in church God's patient God's long suffering sometimes it's a month sometimes it's a year sometimes it might be 10 years but you just mark this down anybody who becomes casual about the assembly is already on their way out the door he says I've considered you I love you but I've got to provoke you towards something good and it is that you should not

forsake the assembling of yourselves together some are doing that some are minimizing it our church is optional just one Sunday but yeah when you do it once it gets easy to do it again and you do it a couple times and now you've got a habit form and you think because God met you the last time you slacked he'll meet you again and that might happen until one day it doesn't I know some minimize it I know some tell you can just watch on the internet I know some say that's an equal substitute but the Bible is telling us we cannot forsake the assembling of ourselves together but we have to exhort one another encourage one another say oh it's so good to see you here today yeah it's I'm so thankful you're here tonight I'm glad we're a part of the same church family exhort one another so much the more so this is all I know however much they were doing

it then we better be doing it more now because we're closer to that day than they were back in that day simply put to be the church we must be called out and we must come together so Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 1118 he said when you come together as a church but but I'm always the church no you're not always the church you're a member of the church you're a particular part of the body but you're only the church when you come together that's why I'm telling you all this from pastors three questions this is why when Peter's about to be executed some good member of the church says we ought to pray why because there's more power when there's an assembly than when you're by yourself because it's the assembly whether that's five people in a living room ten people on the back deck of your home or seven or 800 people on Sunday morning or 400 people on Wednesday night

or whether it's a special prayer meeting on some off night because pastor says the church needs to pray when there is a call to come out and to assemble that is the highest dimension of spiritual authority and governance in the world so when you come together as a church because you're only the church when you come together the promise of victory may only be shared by those who are present it's gonna let that sink in for a minute wouldn't it be a bad thing for God to tell you one day you know I came on that Sunday to heal your body but you you weren't there you know you have been asking me to work in your family for so many years and that was the Wednesday night I was gonna do it and you weren't there I got I feel the Holy Ghost right now you've been asking me for a lot of years for that thing this is the April I

intend on doing it but when I came you weren't there you only get your part of the victory if you're present at the assembly he was trying to tell them that the influence of that Greek Ecclesia on this present culture is an example of what my church will be to all people into all places as time would roll by God would have to move on the rider to speak to those people and you know what the unfortunate thing is when John writes that revelation of Jesus Christ it's to the church that Paul talked about the mystery ethicists that he said you've lost your first love as someone who's who's pastor traveled and been around for a few years I know I'm not old but there's pretty strong indication to spiritual leadership when the first love is fading and it's when your passion for the assembly is diminished when your demeanor is casual when your expression has no expectation no joy that's why in

David's psalm of repentance he asked God restore unto me the joy of thy salvation because he knew the first indication my life was moving the wrong direction should have been when I lost the joy of being saved by God my prayer right now was that the Holy Ghost would baptize our hearts and every home of this church with a joy for the assembly I don't know how you live I'm gonna tell you how we live we plan our lives around the church that's what the Old Testament was you're gonna build your your houses your tents your dwellings around the tabernacle in the opening of your tent is gonna face the tabernacle and lot what did he do he pitched his tent towards the atom the principle is evident in the scripture you may not be there yet but where your facing is where you'll go may the face of our homes be filled with joy for the assembly would you just lift up

your hands lift up your voice let's thank God for the church come on thank God for the body thank God for the truth for baptism that washed away our sin thank God for the infilling of the Holy Ghost thank God for miracles of salvation and healing thank God for deliverance oh thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus I thank you for the church the church triumphant I thank you for a glorious church without spot a wrinkle I thank you for a church that cannot be stopped by persecution I thank you for a church that prevails in the face of communism I thank you for a church that's marching forward and victory in the midst of a culture that's confused it in moral decay I come tonight to declare that the church is significant the church is the most powerful spiritual force on the face of the earth and when we assemble when we gather together when we lift up our voice

something happens if you have a need tonight would you just lift up your hand if you have a particular need you need God to help you I want you to look around I want you to find somebody with their hand raised I want you to step out of your seat and go join with them we're gonna pray why because there's precedent that when they got together at somebody's house and they began to pray in one place an angel showed up in another place and Peter who who they had already determined would be decapitated the next morning is delivered why because there was an ecclesia an assembly of people that gathered together and prayed and that just so happens to be the height the highest form of spiritual dominion in the world come on lift up your voice pray for them pray for them say it's just Wednesday night I know it's just Wednesday night but this is the ecclesia this is the church

and when the church assembles we have power come on doors that have seen clothes can open right now people that were too far gone can come by the drawing of the spirit now yes yes call on his name invoke his name he is faithful that promised it his character is proven his word will not return void come on we are the ecclesia we can lift up our voice and something can happen he love yes yes yes we speak the name of Jesus over every circumstance every situation every problem into every fear may your body be healed right now in the name of Jesus Christ may your mind rest in the peace of his presence may you be strengthened may your faith be encouraged we're holding fast to the profession of our faith we're not gonna let go we're not gonna loosen our grip why because he who promised is faithful and until I see it until I hear it until my answer comes

I'm gonna be faithful to the assembly because I know my portion in his victory is determined on my presence in the assembly praise be to God would you just clap your hands lift up your voice let's give him praise hallelujah thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus hallo Bocoto Ricana by Satamahaya oh hallelujah don't you love the church I love the church but I love this church so as we make our way tonight why don't you find somebody and do what the scripture says exhort one another encourage them as good to see you tonight I'm so glad we're part of the same family the Lord bless you