God’s Choice to use Ecclesias

1. God’s Choice to use Ecclesias The pillar and foundation of the Truth

2. 1 Timothy 3:15 (NKJV) 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15 (NIV) 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

3. God Chose to use Ecclesias:It’s His Choice – like Families • Ecclesia in the wilderness • Stephen refers to it this way (Acts 7:38) • Period of the Judges and Kings • First century ecclesias • Our ecclesias today too! God could have worked in different ways: Individuals or small families

4. Why Does God Use Ecclesias? • Helps us to keep on track when we go through trials or get discouraged. • Helps us to learn to extend beyond our own family and work with God’s family! • Helps to balance us when God brings together people from different backgrounds. • Helps us appreciate others in God’s family when He supplies members who have differing talents. • Provides us with an opportunity to serve others in love, like Christ has done for us • Brings Glory to God because the ability to make it work – function as one unit – is all of God!

5. Ecclesias help us to learn to work together as one family – God’s • God brings people together from different backgrounds so we can appreciate one another and learn to work together • No one person can do it all, or do everything right – learn to appreciate the strengths of others • The ability to make it all work – to function as one unit – is all of God!

6. No one can perfectly apply God’s principles in daily life Extended applications into daily life First Principles Extended applications into daily life First Principles

7. We try to extend God’s principles into our lives…..but…. We help to keep each other in balance! First Principles Each of us is out of balance in some area

8. Ecclesias let us practice working for unity Galatians 3:27-29 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Masters & Slaves Rich & Poor Educated & Uneducated Jews & Gentiles Males & Females Elders & Children

9. Ecclesia is our Extended Family in Christ Ephesians 3:14-21 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. We need to love and care about every member. Everyone is needed!

10. God builds our Ecclesial family • God brings into our lives the ecclesial troubles we need to make us face issues we need help with. • God gives us the brothers and sisters and young people we need • to get us through our trials • for us to help through their trials It’s all of God!

11. Biblical Models of Ecclesias God’s Field 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 • We are God’s fellowworkers! • Team effort: one plants….another waters • Results are all of God! Matt 13:24-30 • Wheat & tares – let them grow together until harvest • We are not the judges – Christ will decide • Also uses dragnet to illustrate similar point (Matt 13:47-50)

12. Biblical Models of Ecclesias 2) God’s Building, God’s Temple 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 • One lays foundation...another builds on that…& so on • It’s a team effort! One person can’t do it all. • Be careful about how we build! • Must be to God’s glory with Christ as the foundation! • We don’t know if we or others have built with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw • Day of fiery judgment will make it clear then • Vs. 16-17 show we are also individual temples of God

13. Biblical Models of Ecclesias 2) God’s Building, God’s Temple 1 Peter 2:5 • We are individual stones that must fit into greater building • Each is unique, special – but must conform to fit into building • We must keep our focus on the whole building and appreciate the other stones

14. Living Stones for God’s House 1 Peter 2:4-5 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Kings 6:7 7 And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

15. Biblical Models of Ecclesias 3) God’s Flock (leadership) John 10 • Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep • Goal: 1 shepherd who unites all the sheep into 1 flock Acts 20:28-29(directed to the Ephesian elders) • Shepherd the ecclesia of God which He purchased with the blood of His own Son • Guard the flock against the wolves 1 Peter 5:1-4(directed to the elders) • Shepherd the flock willingly • Be examples to the flock, not lords over them

16. Biblical Models of Ecclesias 4) The Body of Christ (unity) Romans 12:1-8 • Don’t think more highly of ourselves than we should • Many members – different functions • Individually members of one another (body of Christ) • Have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us

17. Biblical Models of Ecclesias 4) The Body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12 • Many members, but one body • God arranged the members in the body as it pleased Him • Members need to have different functions • One member cannot tell another “I don’t need you!” • God organized body giving greater honor to parts that lack it • He intended no schism, each should have care for the other • Body does not work without each part working together • Love is the key that permits it to work as one body (1 Cor 13)

18. Ecclesias provide an arena for developing God’s character • Meetings to read, pray & worship together • Exhortations to humble us • Opportunities to love & serve one another • Challenging situations where we learn to forgive & show mercy and kindness • Our faith grows as we learn God can bring good out of trying situations • Keeps us anchored in sound doctrines at times when we might stray

19. It’s God’s Ecclesia – not ours! • We don’t get to pick the members • God uses it to His glory & He will keep it going • Not our responsibility to do it all – at any cost • Beware of the “Elijah syndrome” – misguided zeal • Very zealous, but lost sight of God’s family • Rom 9:2 pleads with God “against Israel” • Didn’t care about Obadiah hiding prophets in caves • Didn’t care about 7,000 God had preserved in Israel

20. Biblical Ecclesias aren’t perfect – so don’t expect yours to be • Like families – kids don’t get perfect parents & parents don’t get perfect kids & spouses aren’t perfect either! • God can still work with imperfections & use them to His glory • Don’t complain & tear down imperfect ecclesias – work to make them better (like we do with marriages) • Service in imperfect ecclesias is what prepares us for service in God’s kingdom

21. Warnings about behavior in God’s Ecclesia • Don’t force your will on your ecclesia • You can still be a watchman • God won’t blame you for the mistakes of others, but He expects you to live like Christ • Don’t hold your ecclesia hostage, no threats • Don’t cause your ecclesia to become out of sync with the rest of the community

22. Lessons to take home • Thank God for our ecclesias • Appreciate the way they can help us through our troubles • Don’t expect them to be perfect • Build them up, don’t tear them down • Learn to appreciate the balance they bring to our lives • Don’t force our own wills on our ecclesias • Look for ways to serve in our ecclesias

23. The ecclesia of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the Truth Do your best to encourage & comfort one another