A Prayer for the Church: Part 2-2

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem.

All of humanity longs to be a part of something greater. God intended for us to be a part of the vast company of people gathered around the main point, the person of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1 15-23, Paul ends his prayer with this request, that we would grasp the beauty of the church and the greatness of our Savior. We are to be an intentional and accepting family in a culture of discipleship. In his message titled, A Prayer for the Church Part 2, Pastor Rich describes the beauty of the church when she devotes herself to the person of Jesus. Today we will conclude this message, preached on June 4, 2017.

Do you know the wealth of blessing that you have in your church? This, the church that we know and have today, is a prelude to our family reunion. A vast company of people gathered around the main point.

You want to know what the main point is? Read Revelation 4 and 5. There is a throne room and on that throne sits a person and the church is gathered around the main point. And this, as we come together, as the church comes together to worship, this is a prelude to that grand event in the future, gathered around the main point, worshiping with one voice. I remember Sam giving testimony last week to having been at Liberty University, 19,000 people standing up, singing at the top of their lungs and raising their hands and making much of God.

Folks, that is an awesome experience. We are, as God calls us, His elect, holy and beloved. We are the elect of God, holy and beloved. That's a title, a phrase right out of Colossians 3, 20. And to unpack that, God's elect, holy and beloved, what does that mean? What does that say of us? What does that say of God?

Because it is what is taught in Scripture, so we need to understand the usage of that word. And it is used always, it is used always in Scripture as a means of bringing great encouragement to the church, to the people of God. But the church is not only a beautiful thing because it is a family, the church is also a beautiful thing because it is a fragrance. The church is a fragrance. Christ came in grace and truth and He has sent us into our world with that same grace and truth. Jesus says very clearly, they will know that you are my disciples by the love that you have for one another. That is the fragrance of Christ. As they look at us and they see the forgiveness, the grace, the bold compassion, the encouragement, the life on life investment. Folks, do you know something?

The world longs for that. Many of them don't know it, but they long for that. And what better place to find it than in the church. We are a people described as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Do you know how powerful light is? We are also described by Christ as those out of whom will flow rivers of living water. It's a metaphor for living in the outflow of the indwelling spirit of God Himself. That we are a people in whom God dwells and we live in the outflow of that. We are called Christian. Did you know that that label Christian was first established in the first century? It was a term derived from observing the church. That's where that word came from. The church is a fragrance. It is a family.

It is a fragrance. Also, the church is a force. It is a force and a powerful one it is. Do you understand that? Do you understand what God is doing through His church? Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Gates are a defensive thing. The gates of hell will not prevail against the force of the church. Paul says to Timothy that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth.

Do we understand that? The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. We operate in the power of the spirit of God and it is a powerful force of truth and grace. Because the truth transforms. And we are agents of representation and introduction to the one who is in the business of transformation.

He's not in the business of judging people. He's in the business of calling people and transforming their lives. And the church is the agent in that. We are a powerful force. As this family with this fragrance of Christ, we are the force of His power. And every one of us has a deep craving to be part of something greater than ourselves.

Every human being has that. And spiritually, we, the church, are in a place higher than the authority of the God of this world. Do you understand that? Paul prays for the church to be the church. A product of fully grasping all that we are and all that we have in Christ. This is what Paul prays for. That we will grasp the beauty of the church, the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

So that it becomes indeed a life changing, a transforming truth. And when we grasp the beauty of the church, then it will look something like this. We are called to be the church. I want you to read this together with me. Be the church.

Read it with me. I am a child of God. I belong to Jesus Christ through faith because of His sacrifice. I am indwelt with His spirit to guide and empower me in obedience. I belong to a chosen people to proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. We are the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

An intentional community of grace that loves God demonstrated by loving people in a culture of discipleship. I will let His word dwell in me richly. I will draw near to God. I will abide in Christ. I will keep in step with the spirit and live in the outflow to exalt Jesus Christ for the glory of God. What if this was true of us? Let's let it be.

Because you know what? If you go back and read Ephesians 1 verses 3 to 14, this is true of us. This is true of us. And remember it is the apostles prayer that what is true of us will be seen in us. And it will not be seen in us unless we fully grasp all that is true of us, all that we already have in Christ. So the second thing that he prays that the church will know and understand, that we will know and understand, is the beauty of His church. Thirdly, very quickly, the greatness of His power. The greatness of His power. And this comes through salvation. His power is manifest in salvation. His power is championed in the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Let me quote John Stott here. If there are two powers which man cannot control but which hold him in bondage, they are death and evil. Man is mortal. He cannot avoid death.

Man is fallen. He cannot overcome evil. But God in Christ has conquered both and therefore can rescue us from both. And that is the church, folks.

That is who we are. That is how we need to understand the greatness of His power. This power is ours. Jesus rules over death and evil and we saw glimpses of this in His miracles, most notably the resurrection. And in Christ then, we who are in Christ, His history becomes ours. His power is available in us and through us. His power, the greatness of His power is not seen only in salvation but also in the exaltation of Christ. In the exaltation of Christ who is seated now on His throne of majesty, He is the head of the church. It says here in this, He is the head, the all exceeding greatness of His power toward us believing. Verse 20, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.

Head over all things to the church. Listen, in Him, we are more than conquerors. We have access to the arm of omnipotence. That's what prayer is about. And when we submit to Him, listen to this.

Are you ready? When we submit to Him, the enemy runs. Who does the running? The enemy does. The God of this world, the Prince of Darkness. When we submit to God, the enemy runs. Do you know the greatness of His power? The power of Christ. You see, we are His body and it says He fills all in all. Let me quote a classic expositor here, Marcus Barth. He says, the head fills the body with powers of movement and perception and thereby inspires the whole body with life and direction. Do you know that?

Do you experience that? You who are in Christ. I pray, I pray with the Apostle that you and I will grasp what is ours in Christ. The hope of His calling.

The beauty of His church and the greatness of His power. I call upon you today, folks, do not let these be relegated to lifeless doctrines. But know them, study them, meditate upon them. Let these truths fill your heart and mind. The only way these could become lifeless doctrines is if we simply neglect them. We just hear them.

Oh, that's nice. And then we go on and we dichotomize our lives. There's a spiritual life. That's what we do in church on Sunday.

And then there's the rest of my life. Folks, the Bible never makes that distinction. These truths are true of you and me, the church, those who are in Christ. These truths are true of us 24-7, 365.

We are the church. So I encourage you to meditate on these truths. Know what is true of us. Know what is true of God. Let these truths sink in, take root and transform us at the level of desire. And let's watch God do His work. You've been listening to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, lead pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Visit our church website to see upcoming events or to listen to more messages at www.gbcwinston.com. To discover how to live by grace, tune in with us on weekdays at 10 a.m.