God's Intention for the Church

Introduction

A. My words are inadequate to fully express what I want to say this morning. Let me assure you at the outset that I am trying to convey to you the impact my study has made on me this week. I think our trust is enough that you know my heart and I yours. Here is the main point — the only thing that matters is that God looks good. Whatever else may be said today or you think I am intending, rest assured that the main point is really all that this is about. The only thing that matters is that God looks good. In the process of trying to communicate that point, my lack of communication ability may get in the way. Now that I have your attention, let’s look briefly at our text.

The Text

A. Our section is really a parenthesis. Paul begins in verse 1 with a prayer for the Gentiles, but quickly moves into a discussion about his role as a minister to the gentiles. The prayer resumes in verse 14 which we will look at next week. Recall that at the end of chapter 2, Paul demonstrates that through the death of Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles are now brought together into one body or building. No longer are they Jews and Gentiles. Now they wear the name of Jesus only. The wall which divided them has been brought down by the blood of Jesus. Jesus has made the law inoperative through his death. No longer are the demands of law necessary for us to keep.

B. Paul then wants to offer a prayer for the Gentiles but as he begins that prayer in 3:1, he is reminded of his own role in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul understands that his role is to bring the mystery of Christ to these non-Jewish people. The mystery is not the gospel itself. But as seen in verse 6, the mystery is that through the gospel Gentiles and Jews are co-heirs. They are one body. This is the mystery. The Jews never could have imagined the Gentiles enjoying the position that they enjoyed with God. And the Gentiles could not imagine ever associating with Jews who too often appeared prideful and arrogant in their relationship with God.

C. The mystery was that Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to share in God’s inheritance. Nor did the Jews have to maintain law in order to share in God’s inheritance. Both became sharers in the promise of Christ. Paul goes on in describing his role as preacher to the Gentiles that he was the least qualified for this privilege. But God chose him and Paul responded to God by preaching to all.

D. Then in verse 10, Paul gives us a glimpse into the mind of God. He describes that the plan of God in revealing this mystery through preaching was to allow the church (both Jews and Gentiles together) to be a testimony to the wisdom of God. Paul highlights that the testimony was intended to convince the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms that God was indeed wise. Paul says that from the beginning God’s purpose was that through Jesus the church would be established and then those associated with Satan would see that God is all wise. When the church functions as it is intended then God looks good. Paul then ends this section by calling on the Gentiles to remain encouraged because his sufferings are for them. He is in chains because of his preaching the gospel which resulted in their being a part of God’s family.

Lessons

A. Last week I mentioned that we need to remember that we are the church. That the idea of church is not a building or a place to go, but it is the demonstration of God’s unity, love, and peace in this world. I think on some level we understand that. But if we don’t have an appreciation for what Paul is saying in 3:10 then we stick there without really understanding that our calling is to make sure that God looks good.

B. Among many people the Church is viewed as an organization like a small business or large corporation depending upon its size. You see, to say the Church is people is to say too little. Some people therefore assume the Church is to be run like a business where everyone is a general partner. They reduce the Church to a democratic deliberation where the least offensive course of action is pursued — assuring the lowest common denominator of spirituality prevails. The Church is reduced to a social institution where the needs and preferences of the members are its focus. But that is not Church! It is safe, but it isn’t the church.

C. We focus on programs to draw people in. We want our children to have a good program that keeps them interested and invested. But don’t you see that such a focus is on our wisdom and talent and not on the wisdom of God. We want to get larger. But we set out to do that with a program that will draw people. We entertain. We try to have a good appearance for the world. And in the process we work hard to make ourselves look good. And we do a good job of getting focused on a building or location and then we fall into the trap of believing the church is a place rather than people. But this is not God’s plan.

D. God’s plan is that the church will exist in this world to reveal his wisdom. That means it isn’t about us; it is completely about him. Toscanini, the great maestro was talking to the orchestra in a rehearsal of a Beethoven symphony. He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am nothing — you are nothing — Beethoven is everything.” Saying that didn’t diminish their skills or their confidence in the least. He simply reminded them that their responsibility was not to draw attention to themselves, but to let Beethoven flow through them.

E. This is what the church is to be. This is what we are to be. We are to live in a community of believers who are interested in what others think — not about us, but about God. William Temple reminds us rightly that the church exists for the sake of its non-members. This text is about a number of things not least of which is to remind us that the way we grow is each person reaching out to those who do not know Jesus and telling them the great mystery. Our job is to demonstrate to the powers of evil that God is wise. When we do not live in hope and unity then we say God is unwise. When we focus on what we can do rather than reaching out to those who do not know Christ, then we proclaim God as foolish rather than his wisdom.

F. So let’s get practical. How can we fulfill this text?

1.  First, be in prayer and begin even now working for a racially mixed congregation in which other races serve as elders, deacons, and ministers. We live in a racially diverse world. Let it be seen among us who believe that God has destroyed the wall of hostility and brought all together in one body to wear his name. While we have some racial diversity we need to pray for more.

2.  Second, small groups support the idea of the church being people rather than a location. I envision a time when our small groups become places where we not only study the Bible but invite those who don't know Jesus. Places where can see the demonstration of God's wisdom and want to be a part of the body of Christ. A place that isn't associated with a building but with group of people who love each other and in unity pay homage and tribute to the one who tore down the wall.

3.  Third, we must make sure our thinking reflects pleasing God rather than ourselves. The Church is God's enterprise. This is why it cannot be run like a human organization. This new way of living calls us to deny self and to operate out of a different mentality. It calls us to lay down our lives. It calls us to do things that are impossible to do without the power of God. We must understand that we live in community, where our actions or inaction impacts the lives of all others. We are called to lay down our individual preferences, not simply for the preferences of the majority, but for the will of God. We're called to submit to one another in the Lord. We are called to forgive one another, to love one another, to serve one another, to support one another, and to encourage one another. None of this can be done by our power, or wisdom, and it certainly cannot be done by employing worldly strategies. And when He is allowed to be in charge, then we see what He had in mind.

4.  Invitation.

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