Acts 16:1-10, Our Purpose: To exalt Christ as Lord (4)

Among Jesus’ final words to His disciples, before His ascension, were to tell them: All authority has been given to Me (Matt. 28:18).  He understood that this was the plan of the Father.  Given that truth, what did He tell His disciples He wanted them to do?  Therefore (since I have all authority) go and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19-20)!  If our purpose is to exalt Him, and He has been given all authority, then we must come before Him as servants, asking Lord, what do you want me to do (Acts 9:6)?

With that thought, let us consider some of the aspects of Church life that need to be examined and properly ordered so as to exalt our Head, Jesus Christ.  In one sense, the entire NT is about what Jesus desires for His Church.  Certainly, Rev. 2-3 (letters to the seven churches) should be prime territory since they are letters from Christ to specific, representative assemblies.  Having said that, here are some starters for thought on this issue.

·       The “ordinances” are matters of obedience.  How we carry out water baptism and the fellowship of the Lord’s Table is important.  The appropriate passages that instruct us on this must be regularly reviewed and applied.

·       “Accountability” is a matter of obedience.  In the American (Western) Church people can be quite individualistic.  But Scripture teaches believers to submit to each other and to submit to the leadership.  How do your relationships in the body of Christ carry this out?  We are responsible for each other and to each other, in the context of our submission to Christ.  Church discipline is often missing from our churches; yet, done Biblically, we are responsible to Christ to reprove those who are choosing to live in sin. 

·       “Leadership” is a matter of obedience.  Do we choose leaders according to Jesus’ instruction, fitting the godly descriptions found in the Pastoral Epistles?  Are these men like the early leaders, like Paul in determining where Christ wanted him to go and preach the gospel, men who pray and who know how to hear what the Spirit of Christ is saying?  Is the regular meeting of Elders more like a corporate business meeting or more like an old-fashioned prayer meeting?

·       How we conduct church “business” is a matter of obedience.  There are various styles of leadership.  I happen to believe in Elder-led churches.  But many churches have some level of congregational involvement in the making of important decisions.  Whatever the style, are we asking what our Head desires?  Are we bringing the Word of God to bear on policies and programs?

·       “Response” to teaching is a matter of obedience.  Whether the pulpit ministry or the Sunday School teacher or the small group leader, the Bible can never be like the newspaper that we read and then toss in the pile to go out with the trash.  It always demands a response of obedience.  Is that how we are geared?