The Church: God’s People, Christ’s Body, the Spirit’s Community

The Church: God’s People, Christ’s Body, the Spirit’s Community

The whole of Scripture unfolds the dramatic and redemptive work of God. Having created humanity in his image, God pursues relationship with us. Having sinned, and refusing his overtures of love, we flee from. Yet he pursues us.

The Biblical witness tells the story this way: Creator God enters into a covenant with one man, Abram, in order to prosper and grow him into a family, then a nation. Abram is a special man, a beloved man, a blessed man. He is blessed and through him all will be blessed. This nation, Israel, is a blessed and cherished nation, and a light to all nations. They are his people, indwelt by God’s divine presence, and intended to embody God’s holiness and righteousness. Yet Israel is rebellious and hard-hearted. But God pursues them. In Jesus of Nazareth, God becomes human and in a completely new way lives and dwells among us. Jesus of Nazareth: the embodiment of God in holiness, love, grace and truth! Crucified by sinful men, and three days buried, Jesus rises from the tomb bringing forgiveness and resurrection life to hopeless humanity. The body of Christ is alive, and he gives life to his Body, the church.

God’s Holy Spirit indwells his people, the disciples of the Christ, as they seek to follow in the way of Jesus. The church, the presence of God and the body of Christ, is blessed and beloved and gifted for service and ministry. God is indeed active in pursuing hostile humanity. He loves us and his work of redemption and reconciliation yet continues; the church partners with God in his redemptive work. The redemptive story God initiated in the past continues in our present and, by God’s grace, we are hopeful for the future. The Grand Story is by no means finished, the work continues!

Sunday morning, February 4, we continue our study of the nature of God’s church. Our task is to equip ourselves with sound teaching about the church, so that we can be the most faithful and effective church we can be. Join us for the study; join us on the journey.

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This was the first in a short series of bulletin articles I wrote for Central Church, inconjunction with a study I am leading on church growth for smaller churches.

I am working in large part from the excellent material by David Ray, especially his Indispensable Guide for Smaller Churches.

http://www.amazon.com/Indispensable-Guide-Smaller-Churches/dp/0829815074/sr=8-1/qid=1171639477/ref=sr_1_1/105-4724312-4300417?ie=UTF8&s=books