Practical Ecclesiology Class #4

The Biblical Mission of the Church: The Glory of God

Introduction: Just as a reminder

Next week is prayer week . I’ll touch on the topic of prayer briefly but we will be having corporate prayer .

Also you have two weeks to read the first chapter of “radical together” . There will be a quiz on this book March 3/1

And hopefully you already started to dive into the other “ Why on earth are there church”.

The Theme of the book of the book of Ephesians is the Ekklesia the body of Christ .

The book was written on Pauls second missionary journey . You can get a back history of this church in Acts 19.

Ephesus was a tourest attraction because of its Temple . The Temple of Diana.

Also The temple of Diana was important to commerce of the city because the Mediterranean world considered it to be such a sacred and impeccable instuition.

The temple of Diana became the chief banking establishment of Asia Minor.

Throughout the Book of Ephesians ( specifically 1-3 )you have this build up that speaks about the immeasurable blessings of the church.

He’s given us all spiritual blessings Eph 1:3

2. He chose us before the foundations of the worlds . 1:4 we are not an after thought in Gods mind He chose us .

3 . He made us holy without blame before Him in love 1:4

4. He predestined us to adoption . The highest form of love adoption Christ did this for the church.

5. vs 6 He accepted us in the Beloved . “ God the Father loves His Son; and believers, being in the Son, are also the objects of Gods love.

6. vs 7 We have remdeption through His blood and the forgivness of sins.

7. He sealed us with the Holy Spirit . 1:13

8. God made us Christ Body , so essentially we are apart of the Godhead 1:23

9. He made us alive 2:1

10. He made us alive together in Christ 2:5

11. He saved us by His grace . 2:8

12. We are seated in heavenly place 2:6

13. He made us His workmanship we aren't saved by good works but we are saved unto good works .

14. We’ve been brought near by The Blood of Christ. 2.13

15. He is our peace 2:14

16. through Christ we have access to The Father and The Spirit.

17. He made us fellow citizens and saints and member's of the household of God.

18. We are partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel. 3:6

19. The manifold wisdom of God is made known by the church and to the church.

20. We have boldness and access 3:12

This is the great build up to Pauls doxology.

Pauls doxology , The ascription of praise

The Climax of Everything that was aforementioned .

Eph 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is *able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

This wasnt a future statement, He was praising God what He’s already done .

This is the basis and mission of the Church the glory of God .

After everything God has wrought . Our only default is the Glory of God .

[ AMP ] Infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts , hopes , or dreams

Theres no limit to his power our very thoughts and words are limited but His power isn’t.

Able - means He is sufficient to meet every need and task .

God is able oppose to mans inability.

Gods ability

Matt 3:9 “and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.”

Mans inability

Matt 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matt 6:27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

Mans cant even make himself taller .

Paul just finished giving us a list in Eph 3 about Gods ability in-reference to the church age.

God was able to make gentiles fellow heirs with the Jews . Gentiles are now apart of Gods promises now .

The church on going and primary mission is to glorify God.

No human nor angel could predict that the Jews or Gentiles could function together in one body . Eph 3:10

Paul is giving God praise that this miracle was able to happen .

This great mystery has just taken place and he giving God praise.

Though naturally this couldn't happen where Jew and Gentile could function together . But God who is able has made it happen.

If God isn’t gettin the glory then man is getting the glory .

With out Gods glory we can look for glory amongst each other .

John 5:44 -How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

I remember at one church service I was talking to a Pastor he said look at that person singing I’m the reason why she’s up there .

I despise competition in the church. “ I plated this church in this country , I discipled this many men . I , I , I .

Bylaws

I remember I was reading different church’s bylaws . And I notice that a particular Pastor bylaws were very manipulative, and top heavy. This Pastor had full control and full reign of the church. He had roles for people but they had zero authority. This Pastor wanted complete control and he wanted the glory . He had a board but it wasnt a governing board it was just warm bodies.

But then I looked at Baltimore’s and Baltimores was perfect . They had a governing board . They had a voting process . There was check and balances in the church.

Whats does it mean to glorify God ? Or to do all things to the glory of God ?

But first lets survey the OT and how they used the word glory

Glory is used 221 with the Minium of 12 different root Hebrew words .

The Hebrew word Kabod which is translated glory 156 times is predominantly used with reference to the Lord.

Kobod means weighty or heavy . The idea is something being noteworthy or impressive.

What Kabod meant to the Hebrews can be best learned by examining how they used the word. Whatever possessed weight in the sense of dignity was called Kabod.. In each instance Kabod carries the ideas of importance, weight, honor, brilliance, splendor and fame.

Therefore it is not difficult to see how kabod would be referenced to God . God possesses weight , gravity ,, honor, fame, dignity, and spendor, hence He is a God of kabod. God of glory .

Gods glory has many different spectrums to it.

Gods glory seems to be associated with His works .

1. Ex 24:16 “Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.”

Moses is at the top of the mountain he’s receiving the decalogue ( Law written on stone) . And the glory of The Lord was on the mountain very present . The Glory of the Lord is His presence

2. ]=Several of the prophets of God remind of that The Glory of the Lord fills the whole earth. ( Psalm 72:19 “And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.”

Gods Glory always follows His works.

Examples of Psalm 72

He’s will judge with righteousness and will deal properly with the poor in justice vs 2

The mountains will bring peace to people vs 3

He’s saving children of the needy , he will break the to pieces of the oppressor . vs 4

He will deliver the needy He cries . The poor also who has no help vs 12

He will redeem their life from the oppression and violence vs 14

All of these lead to us giving God glory .

Gods not just demanding glory from us for the sake of demanding Glory . But He’s earned the right to receive glory from humanity.

Other verses on the glory of God in the OT.

Isaiah 6:3, Ezekiel 43:4-5,

The NT word for “glorify” is Doxazo is found fifty four times in the NT, while the noun Doxa is translated “glory” is found 145 times.

The word doxa is always used as a good opinion concerning one always resulting in praise, honour and glory .

How does the church give glory to God .

By our good works . Matt 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

a light is meant to shine and give direction . We as believers point people to the proper path . Directly to Christ and His ways .

Light radiating people live so that others see their good deeds and give praise not to themselves but to their Father in heaven.

We are not saved by good works but we are saved unto good works.

2. The believer glories God by bearing fruit. John 15:8 “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

Phil 1:11 “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

If you want to know if you are glorifying God or hearing from God ask yourself the question “is your life bearing fruit.”

3. Abraham was patience and trusted God for His promise gave God glory straight through. Romans 4:20 “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,”

You ever give God glory for a hope. A mere chance or possibility .

A life of faith is what gives glory to God .

Theres nothing more excited then when people are making faith decisions .

Make those faith decisions now while your young . Lam 3:27 “It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth.”

The older you get we tend to be more calculated and we have more responsibilities and tend not to take as many faith risks.

People that don’t want to take risk seem to be most miserable.

4. The local church is about to glorify God when its members are unified .

Romans 15:5-6 “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

What does it mean to be of one mind and one mouth ?

Means to live in harmony . A Unity Inward and outward.

What mind does Paul want the local church to have ?

The ming of humility and love. Being about to empathize with people

This is very difficult for the Christian . When the Body mourns we mourns. When the Body rejoice we rejoice .

Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

Phil 2:1-4 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”