11
Apr
2010

The Church Family Pt. 2
We Are Family
Written by Pastor Eddie   
This blog is part 2 of the Church Family, in the series, “We Are Family” and I am going to continue speaking about the local church.

I already touched on the church the “ekklesia” representing all those who are brought by faith into a new relationship with Jesus Christ, and how they also find themselves brought into a new relationship with a host of other people, a gathering of people who have done the same.  That within the “ekklesia” there is a oneness that is supposed to resonate with all of God’s people as family.  Its not the building that make the church, it is the people that make the church.

However preceding the “ekklesia” coming together, you first have  a close relationship with God the Father.  When that is established it makes you closer to your brothers and sisters in Christ. Check out Acts 2:42-47 notice how the early church was so blown away by the love of God that it literally overflowed into each other’s lives.  Let’s look at the great testimony the early church had in the demonstration of the love of God towards one another.  I said this two weeks ago Lifegate Church is beginning to grow this as our testimony.  I believe that we at Lifegate Church, are really beginning to grow in our demonstration of loving.

Based on what we just read in Acts 2, would it be safe to say that the church, the “ekklesia” is a family, where brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ can help one another and show love to each other, encourage one another?  Would it be safe to assume that the church is an organized community, designed to help each other continually grow and develop, be a center of corporate worship and a safe place for unbelievers to come and be welcomed?  Finally, would it be safe to say that the church is supposed to represent the “body” of Jesus Christ on the earth, reflecting His spirit and submitted to His will.  

Putting all of that together, I come up with two words:  Advancing church.  As the children of God, having already been purified by the love of Jesus Christ, we are now partners with Him, and the reason He appeared, which was to destroy the works of the devil.  As He does that in our lives and the lives of others, and we live out Acts 2, we advance His Kingdom.

We are called to help reveal to our brothers and sisters that, at the cross, the works of the devil were destroyed and that by faith each one of us should be walking in victory.  Advancement is what Jesus intends for His family.  Where we once lived at this level, now as the children of God and as co-heirs with Jesus we are becoming that pure, spotless and victorious church!

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus told Peter that He would “build His Church.” Then He declared that there was something that would not overcome it – what was that? What was it that wouldn’t overcome Jesus’ Church? (The gates of Hell).  Now, you May or May not know this, but during this time, when Jesus is saying these words, there is an actual “Gate of Hell”.

Jesus was a Master at object lessons and here is a perfect example.  Jesus had taken His disciples to the region of “Caesarea Philippi” which was a major seaport and the center of the Gentile civilization, in the area of Judea, and one of the most thriving areas in Palestine.  However, it was also littered with pagan idols, “Pan”  the Greek god of fear.  His name and the word “panic” come from the same Greek word. Suffice to see, not the place a good Jewish man would have felt comfortable.

Additionally in that area, there was a large cave opening in a large rock face.   The Gentiles considered this cave to be the opening to the abode of the dead or the gate to hell and it was to this location that many scholars believe Jesus took His disciples.  Jesus, in order to demonstrate what He was going to do, “destroy the works of the devil” to His disciples to the very gates of hell, He took them to the very gates of pagan faith and of Satan’s power.  And there He proclaimed to Simon, you are Petros (a rock or a stone) and upon your confession Petra (a massive living Rock) I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Here is what I believe that Jesus was saying, "No matter how scary this place may be… no matter how powerful paganism may appear… no matter how imposing Satan’s place may appear. These gates WILL NOT stop the church that I am building."  Here is what you need to recognize, Gates don’t attack anybody. Gates are defensive tools, not offensive weapons. Their purpose is to keep people IN or OUT of a fortress or a stronghold.

Ok, so as much as we are to help one another and show love to each other, encourage one another; be an organized community, helping each other grow and develop; worship together and be a safe place for unbelievers to come and be welcomed.  It also means that Jesus created the church to be offensive and to advance on the the gates of Hell.  In other words, we by the word of our testimony and by the blood of Jesus, take the fight to the enemy.  The church, does all of these loving things, and in addition, the church is also training ground for war, not physical but spiritual.

Look at 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Our war is a war for lost souls who have never known God… Our goal is to advance on the gates of hell, knowing that they will not prevail, and rescue those who for all their lives have been held in Satan’s stronghold.  This task was given to the family of God, His church!  “Ok, how do we do that, I’m not a pastor?” Glad you asked.  

Check out Romans 10:13-15 Once you read that, notice the word “everyone” in the Greek.  That word is translated as “everyone”! That includes you.  Now notice, “hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” First you have it preached to you and then you preach it to someone else.  To put it another way, we have; everyone, been "called" to preach to those around us. Its not just me in the pulpit, it is each and every one of you. You have contact with people who may never listen to me, or darken the door of a Lifegate Church. But they work with you, live around you, and are friends with you.

And listen, every time you share your faith with those around you, you push open the gates of Satan’s domain one more inch and you break down his kingdom brick by brick.  Here is also the beauty of the Church Family, we don’t do it alone.  Jesus never intended you and I to take Satan on by ourselves.  Luke 10:1-3, 17  When the Jesus disciples went out 2 by 2 they took Satan on. They challenged his kingdom and it was in this “fellowship” that they walked in power to destroy the powers of the enemy.

Now look at Hebrews 10:24-25 We are called to “incite” even to the point of irritation, good works from one another, even through affliction and loss. 

Skip over to Hebrews 10:39 - Everyone is needed, everyone has a purpose within the Church Family.  As I blogged in Church Family part 1; the bible doesn’t recognize the Christian life as individual or as a solitary religion.  You and I need each other, in order to stand against the enemies attacks. Together, we can make a powerful difference for God.  Alone, we may be able to do ‘some’ things, but not nearly as significant for God’s Kingdom as we’d like.   The gates of hell will not prevail against us!  The Church of Jesus Christ will turn back the power of Satan in the lives of those held captive.  The captive will be set free!

You and I, are brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ and we are called to help one another and show love to each other, encourage one another?  As the Church Family we need to be an organized community, helping each other continually grow and develop, and as we gather together in corporate worship, we need to be a safe place for unbelievers to come and be welcomed.  

In addition to all of that, we cannot shy away from the image that Jesus gave us of an advancing church; advancing against the very gates of hell, partnering with Jesus, the Son of God, who appeared was to destroy the works of the devil, in our lives and the lives of those He came to save.
back to top