Ephesians 3:20-21
God’s Essential Church
In the midst of Covid, quite a few secular powers have taken it upon
themselves to seize authority which is not theirs, including that of
the church’s. California is a prime example.
California governor, Gavin Newsom, decided in the early days of July
to ban singing and chanting in the worship services of that state.
While he was getting sued for doing that, he decided to go a step
further and ban all indoor worship services. Of course not everything
will be closed. Just what the governor thinks should be. It seems
obvious that churches are not essential to Governor Newsom.
But that is not shocking. What is shocking is many Christians seem to
agree with Governor Newsom. Not with their words, but with their
actions. To Christians, church at best, is optional. If we have
nothing else to do and nowhere else to be, we’ll go to church. That
is either extreme ignorance or open rebellion against God.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ
Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.
In our text, Paul made several important statements:
1. God is able to do above everything we can ask or think.
2. He is able to do this with the power that is already working
in us.
3. Glory is due to that God.
In making these statements, Paul stated one of the essential purposes
of God’s church, not just the duty of the individual believer, but
the purpose of the gathered believers. It is to give God the glory
that is due Him because of the power that he has.
I am of the persuasion that the church has lost its way. Too many in
the church do not know what the church is for. The church has
specific duties to perform and the Bible gives them to us. Let me
share a few. They break down along three lines.
1. Our essential purposes in relationship to God.
2. Our essential purposes in relationship to the world.
3. Our essential purposes in relationship to the believers.
I. In relationship to God?
A. To love God
Re 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
1. Revelation 2 was not addressed to individual believers.
a. It was addressed to individuals but to a church.
b. It was not addressed to the church at large but to a
local assembly.
2. But by stating this purpose, Jesus was charging every
church in every age with the same purpose.
3. The purpose of the church is to love God first and
above all else.
4. Some might ask, "Can the individual believers not love
God?"
a. Yes. And well they should.
b. However, there is something about a group of believers
doing a work together in perfect harmony that:
(1) Touches the heart of God.
(2) Impresses the soul of mankind.
5. In \\Revelation 1:12-20\\, John saw the Lord standing in
the midst of seven candlesticks.
a. In verse 20, the meaning of the candlesticks is
explained:
Rev 1:20 …and the seven candlesticks which thou
sawest are the seven churches.
b. A Jewish candlestick is called a menorah.
c. We might call it a candelabra, a single shaft with
several candles attached to it.
d. A menorah might have seven, eight, or nine candles on
it.
e. Why so many to represent a church. Could not one
candle do the job?
(1) Because 7, 8, or 9 candles can put out more
light than one.
(2) And because more candles would give the user of
menorah more of a feeling of satisfaction.
(3) The many in harmony can do the work that one can
not do.
(4) They reach more, and they can give God a greater
feeling of satisfaction.
B. To glorify God
1. It is right and necessary that we glorify God in our
individual lives, in our homes, in our places of
business, and elsewhere; but notice where Paul stated
it should take place and for how long.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory IN THE CHURCH by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without
end. Amen.
2. IN THE CHURCH… THROUGHOUT ALL AGES.
3. This is our purpose, and it is essential.
a. The Green Pond Baptist Church, every member in perfect
harmony, is to glorify the church.
b. This is something I fear the devil is stealing from us
even more during the Corona virus.
c. Many Christians were at best hit and miss in their
faithfulness to God’s house and to fulfill their part
in the church’s purposes.
d. I fear that many more will lose the understanding of
their role and the desire and drive to fulfill that
role in the church.
e. I understand some are more susceptible to a virus
than others so you may want to stay in your car;
but whether it is inside or in the parking lot,
every Christian should be in their place worshipping
and glorifying God for Him to enjoy and for the
world to see!
4. Please turn to:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.
a. This verse contains both a command and a condition.
(1) The command is not to forsake the assembling of
ourselves together.
(2) The condition is that this command is especially
needful if we are seeing the day approaching.
b. Questions:
(1) Can you see the day approaching? The day of the
falling away, the day of the return of Jesus
Christ.
(2) If so, where should you be? Assembling together.
(3) Did God know there would be Coronavirus when He
wrote this verse? Yes.
(4) Did God say we should be at the Lord’s house
except for when some deem it not safe? No.
(5) So where should we be?
c. Whether it is inside or in the parking lot, God’s
people should be assembling together.
d. This is the day for which that verse was written.
e. Don’t let the devil steal that truth.
C. To display God’s grace
1. I am not a hunter but I know some of you have mounts of
the best you have killed.
2. I am not a fishermen but I know some of you have mounts of
the best you have caught.
3. I am not an athlete but I know some of you have trophies
that you have collected over the years for your
accomplishments.
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus.
4. The church is God’s trophy case.
a. Here God gathers and puts on display some of the
worst that were so that He can show the devil and
the world how He can take the worst and make them
into the best.
b. Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night
is God’s bragging day.
(1) The devil doesn’t like to walk into heaven on
those days to accuse the brethren because God
beams with glory as He points down the churches
and tells the devil what a job grace did on
that one and this one!
(2) All the devil can do is crawl out of the throne
room, knowing that God’s grace exceeds man’s
sins!
c. Do you want to deprive God of His right to boast in
His power and grace?
d. Do you want to be the one who has removed a trophy
from God’s Grace Display?
e. This is essential purpose of the church!
II. In relationship to the world?
A. To evangelize the world
Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
1. The church is essential.
2. Without us, the world shall certainly perish.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall
die….
Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them
out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by
the flesh.
3. We have taken too much time off of the one of the main
purposes of the church.
a. I prayed about it and at the time, I felt I made the
right choices, but things cannot go on.
b. Death and hell have not taken time off due to the
virus and neither can the church.
c. But God’s grace, I will ask you to join with me in
doing three things:
(1) We will do a mailout.
(2) We will tag doors.
(3) We will meet to pray on Friday evening @ 7 and/or
Saturday afternoon @ 4.
4. Telling people about Jesus is an essential purpose of the
church.
5. I hope you will do your part.
B. To provoke Israel to jealousy
Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that
they should fall? God forbid: but rather through
their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles,
for to provoke them to jealousy.
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine
office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation
them which are my flesh, and might save some of
them.
1. God is not finished with Israel.
2. God has promised the people salvation.
Jeremiah 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved,
and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his
name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
3. That will happen in the future, but Paul’s desire was to
be used of God to move some to seek the relationship with
God right now!
a. Let’s show them how good God is.
b. Let’s show them how sweet salvation is.
c. Let’s show them where they missed the Messiah.
d. While we are provoking people, let’s provoke a few
Gentiles too!
4. Someone says, "But I am only one. They will not listen to
me!"
a. No. We are the church!
b. Together we can do what one cannot do.
c. We can show them the God they have missed.
d. Not alone. No by ourselves, but as the church!
e. Assembled together in perfect harmony.
5. It is the purpose of the church.
C. To act as a restraining and enlightening force in this present
world.
2Thess 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that
he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:
only he who now letteth will let, until he be
taken out of the way.
1. The Holy Spirit is in us, and we, the church, are in the
world.
2. Our purpose is to stop the raging tide of sin.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.
3. There are problems.
a. First, too many are missing from inside the church.
The church has too many gaps in its ranks in its
ranks to be effective at slowing the tide of sin.
b. Second, too many inside the church are missing the
point.
(1) Churches are more defending sin than defeating
it.
(2) Christ is all for loving the sinner, but we do
not have to approve the sin to show we love the
sinner.
III. In relationship to the saved?
A. To instruct believers
1. The Bible gives many Bible verses but one will do.
2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of
me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to
faithful men, who shall be able to teach others
also.
2. The Word of God is the manual, life is the class, the
Holy Ghost is the Guide, but the believers are to serve
as Teacher Aides to help others to understand the Bible.
3. This is the one duty of the church that in our modern day
we can do without actually being together today.
a. If we are educated and have books, DVDs, CDs, radio,
internet, and television, we can learn the Bible
while sitting at home.
b. Most will not but it is possible.
c. However, even that can only be done as long as the
churches exists to make at-home learning possible.
B. To edify believers
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ:
1. To edify is not the same as to teach or instruct.
a. To edify is to build up.
b. It is a construction worker’s term.
2. Paul went on to illustrate it.
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in
the measure of every part, maketh increase of the
body unto the edifying of itself in love.
a. To instruct is to give knowledge.
b. To edify is to shape a person.
c. Knowledge helps in shaping a person, but more is
required is required to build a Christian.
(1) Sometimes rebuke may be needed.
(2) Sometimes encouragement may be needed.
(3) Sometimes correction may be needed.
(4) Always love, patience, and concern are needed.
3. It is hard to build men and women into Christians of
character, but it is the purpose of the church to do so.
a. This cannot be done from home.
b. Neither can it be done when people get lost in the
crowd.
c. And it cannot be done by the pulpit alone.
d. This is an in-church task done in unison by a church
in harmony.
e. It is a church Christian craftsmen working to shape
the image of Christ into the lives of others.
C. To provide fellowship for believers
Ac 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Ga 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who
seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that
was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas
the right hands of fellowship; that we should go
unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
1. There is something about fellowship.
2. It is needed, helpful, and essential.
3. No one can go for long in isolation and not suffer.
4. It is the purpose of the church to provide such to one
another.
D. To care for its own in time of need
Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world.
Regardless of what anyone thinks, God did not create the church to be
a spiritual ornament for a carnal world. He created us to do some
things, to accomplish some purposes. These are not optional. They
are essential—especially at this juncture in this world’s demise.
May God help the Green Pond Baptist Church fulfill its purposes.
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