WHY DO I NEED THE CHURCH?
Spirituality is not declining, but church affiliation is.
In this study, we will explore Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, and we will see how God’s encouragement of the first-century Christians still encourages our twenty-first century lives today.
During our time together, we'll discuss the following 6 lessons:
- We are joined together.
- We pray for one another.
- We support one another.
- We encourage one another.
- We strengthen one another.
- We stand together in spiritual battle.
Let’s dive in and see why we need the church – and why the church needs us with lesson 5 in our series.
I was
so embarrassed. I was at the gym, but at that moment I was hardly doing anything
productive. I was lying flat on my back with heavy barbells pressing against my
chest. No matter how much I tried to push, my arms refused to cooperate. They
had given up under exhausted protest. I knew the first commandment of strength
training and gym etiquette, but I had broken it—and now I sheepishly faced the
consequences.
When
lifting weights, always enlist a spotter—someone who both pushes you to persevere
and intervenes if your arms give out. Yet here I was, imprisoned by the weights
on my chest because I foolishly thought I could do it on my own.
I also
need a spotter in my Christian life—and you do too. God gave us the church to
be that help. Fellow Christians embolden us to persevere, and they intervene
when our souls are discouraged and we feel beaten and weighed down by life’s
troubles. As God’s Spirit works through us, He uses us to strengthen one
another in a world that calls us to follow a different path.
WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE SAY?
8 For you
were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and
truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to
mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the
light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14
This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will
shine on you.”
From the
beginning, people have tried to convince Christians that we can pursue Jesus while
still sinning like the world. But that cannot be! Note the contrast in verse 8
from the darkness we once were to the light we now are in Christ.
Question 2: What are some ways our culture calls the light darkness and darkness
the light?
The
challenge of holiness is seen in the twofold opposition we face.
- We battle temptations
from the inside, from our own hearts. Each of us has sinful desires
that come from our own sin nature. You and I may have different struggles and long
for different things, but the “old self” still draws us to sin.
- We face temptations
from the outside, from the sinful world. Others lure us to compromise
our faith by participating in things God opposes.
Like heavy barbells,
this multi-directional opposition weighs heavily upon us. But with “spotters”
like the Holy Spirit living inside us and the people of God walking alongside
us, we can stand against any opposition.
No matter how we may
think we can face sin on our own, it’s simply not possible. Why? Because God
never created us to withstand sin in isolation. He has hardwired into our spiritual
DNA a persistent need for spiritual support from the Holy Spirit and from the body
of Christ.
From this passage, we
see several ways we can strengthen one another in standing against the sinful
ways of the world.
- We can affirm the fruit
of the gospel in one another’s lives (v. 9). When we see our
Christian brother or sister exhibiting Christlike character traits like
goodness, righteousness, and truth, we should verbally recognize and affirm it.
- We can help one another
discern what pleases the Lord (v. 10). We don’t always see things as
clearly as we should. Each of us brings our own biases to the table, and we can
tire out spiritually on any given day. All of these things skew our
discernment.
- We can help one another
expose darkness rather than participate in it (vv. 11-12). The
ways of the world are very popular, and the truth of the gospel is not. Few
people enjoy being in the minority, but we find strength in numbers.
- We can help one another
shine the light of Christ (v. 14). It is remarkable how much darkness
just a little bit of light dispels. Like a candle, a Christian must be
different from those he seeks to influence. Let’s help one another shine in the
world.
The world will throw a
lot of temptations our way. But through Jesus and His people, we have the
support we need to endure.
Ephesians
5:15-17
15 Be very
careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of
every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Few
commodities are more precious than time. We appreciate its value because once
it’s gone, it can’t be replaced. What distinguishes us is not how much time we have,
but what we do with our given time.
We can reduce human
activity down to two basic approaches; people approach life from either a
worldly viewpoint or a godly viewpoint. The worldly approach is unwise, derived
from human thinking; the godly approach is wise because it’s based on God’s
Word. Here are three ways Christians should rethink our use of time:
- Live
wisely. Our lives matter, so we should “Be very careful,
then, how you live” (v. 15). We should use time wisely so our lives reflect the
wisdom of God. While the world generally lives only thinking of today,
Christians should live today while also thinking of eternity. The world wakes
up each morning and gets to work on the day’s business. Christians, though,
prioritize devotions with God before getting started on the rest of the day’s
activities.
- Live
intentionally. When Paul told us to make the most of
the time, he challenged us to take advantage of every opportunity we have to do
good. That means we should live life “on purpose.” Many people mindlessly
approach life simply checking off the “to-do list” and moving on to what’s
next. But Christians should seek to leverage every opportunity, every task, and
every relationship for the sake of the gospel.
- Live obediently. Rather than being foolish, Paul commanded us to “understand what the Lord’s will is.” In other words, we should know God’s Word. And knowing God’s Word always means obeying God’s Word too. In everything we do, every place we go, and every choice we make, we should strive to obey God and not blend in with the norms of culture. This doesn't mean everything we see the world doing is wrong, but it does mean we live by a different set of priorities.
As the body
of Christ, let’s meet our earthly responsibilities with eternity in view. And
let’s strengthen one another by being wise stewards of our time.
Question
3:
What are some ways we can honor God with our time?
Ephesians
5:18-21
18 Do not
get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing
and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out
of reverence for Christ.
We don’t
live in a kind culture. People shout profanities at strangers on the highway. People
are intoxicated with selfishness, pride, anger, and hate. In virtually every
part of our culture, we demonstrably live under self-rule.
We
shouldn’t think our culture is the first to personify such bad behavior. People
have mistreated one another and resisted authority since the beginning. Because
of sin, none of us perfectly thinks of others before ourselves or naturally
defers to another’s authority. That’s what makes Ephesians 5 remarkable. It
speaks as radically to our culture today as it did to the first-century
Ephesians.
Question
4:
What does
it look like for us to submit to one another as believers?
When Jesus
saves us, He also changes us. That change doesn’t happen through a few simple
tweaks; rather, it’s a total transformation of heart, mind, and will. The means
of transformation is the Holy Spirit of God coming to reside in us. Rather than
being intoxicated by selfishness, the Spirit leads
us instead
to worship and submit to God. To encourage a right relationship with God, the Spirit
transforms reckless living to righteous living. He also transfers the direction
of our worship from ourselves to God. When we are filled with Him, our love for
God manifests itself in praise directed to God, not ourselves.
To nurture
right relationships with people, the Spirit transforms selfish living into submissive
living: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (v. 21). Living submissively
is how God desires church members to live together. God doesn’t want His church
filled with self-centered people who seek to advance their own personal agendas.
Instead, He desires for us to speak
to one
another with holy words, songs, and prayers. And He wants us to treat one
another with grace. The church is strengthened when believers live submissively
by the Spirit.
Question 5:
What does being filled with the Spirit look like in the life of a church
or a believer?
BETTER TOGETHER
Choose one of the following images that best illustrates how
we strengthen one another. Explain your choice.
“There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers.”
J. VERNON MCGEE
LIVE IT OUT
How might God use you
to strengthen others in His church? And how might you allow His church to
strengthen you?
Choose one of the
following applications:
- Identify. Through
prayer and introspection, identify recurring sins and temptations that weigh
you down. Confess those things to God and ask Him to bring others into your
life to strengthen your walk.
- Influence. As you
experience strength and victory in your own life, look for opportunities to
influence others by being a selfless and submissive member of your church.
- Invite. Invite
another Christian or group of Christians to be a part of your fight against
temptation. Confess your temptations to them and allow them to confess theirs
to you. Stand together against those struggles.
God employs His Spirit
and His people to strengthen us against the ways of the world. Let’s be sure to
let His desires become our desires and to let them be lived out in our lives.
Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday!
God Bless,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
WHY DO I NEED THE CHURCH?
Spirituality is not declining, but church affiliation is.
WE STRENGTHEN
ONE ANOTHER
Point:
We strengthen one another to live as God desires.
Analogy
of the Spotter:
It’s
dangerous and foolish to lift heavy objects without help. Those who do strength
training with weights know the value of a “spotter,” a person who
supports you to do more than you think you can and is quick to intervene or
assist as needed.
Christians
should do that for one another. As God works through us, He uses us to
strengthen one another in the face of a world that calls us to follow a
different path.
Ephesians
5:8-14
8 For you
were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and
truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather
expose them. 12 It is shameful even
to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is
illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it
is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
How many of
you have heard the statement, “They are as different as day and night.”?
In this
verse, Paul is using the same kind of contrast between darkness and light when
speaking of the old life without Christ as compared to the new life in Christ.
We can
help one other stand against the sinful ways of the world.
- Christians
are to avoid participating in things that do not bring pleasure to the Lord.
- Christians
have a responsibility to take stands against evil.
- Christians can expose darkness by boldly shining the light of Christ.
- The light of Christ has the transformative power to convert one from
darkness to His light.
What
do you stand for?
Why is
the popular culture increasingly opposed to Christians?
- Examples
in the news where Christians are being shouted down in public forums …
- Bibles
are being publicly burned …
- Businesses
are being sued for not embracing what the secular culture says is OK …
- Others
are boycotted because their beliefs—not their practices, just their beliefs—are
at odds with culture.
- We
could pull out the Doobie Brothers’ song from 1972, “Jesus is Just Alright with
Me,” and culture would sing along.
- People
like Jesus. After all, He loves people. He blesses people. He heals people. He
forgives people.
It’s
all those Christians our culture has problems with. And why not?
· We’re
judgmental, anti-homosexual, and hypocritical.
· Instead
of pointing to a better way in Jesus, we have become too busy waving the flag
of what is wrong with “the other side.”
· The
world knows Christians more by what we are against than what we are for.
Don’t
get me wrong, we need to have strong convictions. We need to stand on biblical
principles, ethics, and morality. But we don’t need to be waving the flag of
biblical morality as if it is the all-important banner for everyone to stand
under.
Morality
is extremely important, but … Jesus stood for love and
grace. He addressed the matter of sin, but it was the love and light He
displayed that changed hearts and lives. He just shined the light of love and
grace … and the light revealed our darkness for what it is.
I
found it interesting that Joe Biden took note to this in his speech the other
night.
Joe
Biden’s speech Thursday night:
“Good
evening,” Biden began. “Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left
us with this wisdom: Give people light and they will find a way. Give people light. Those are words for our time.”
Baker,
who was not as well-known as some of her contemporaries in the civil rights
movement, grew up in the South listening to her grandmother talk of the horrors
of being a slave. It was a subtle reference, but Biden then used the aphorism about light and darkness — words made famous
by the granddaughter of an American slave — throughout his remarks: “I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness,”
“It's a moment that calls for hope and light and love.” He called on America
“to be a light to the world once again.”
This
happens to be Paul’s message to us this morning:
Consider
the truths In Ephesians 5:
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless
deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Many
interpret the command to expose the works of darkness as a call to scream and
shout against the sins of the culture.
But
Paul didn’t stop there.
12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in
secret.
If
it’s shameful to mention these things, how do we expose them?
The
answer is in the next verses:
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible — and
everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
Instead
of shouting against the darkness, we are to shine a light. The light of Christ.
Christians can expose darkness by boldly shining the light of Christ.
How do
we strengthen One Another to walk in the Light?
The challenge in this
for us is how to do so without becoming holier-than-thou, and judgmental in our
attitudes. How do we refuse to be involved in wrong practices and still care
deeply for the people whose lives are enslaved by them?
Back in the
revolutionary days, Benjamin Franklin tried to convince the citizens of
Philadelphia to light the streets at night to protect against crime and make
travel easier. His words had little 5 effect so instead he bought an attractive
lantern and placed it on a long stanchion in front of his house. Each evening
he lit the wick and his neighbors noticed and liked the warm glow it emitted.
Soon, his neighbors followed suit and eventually the city recognized the need
for lighted streets (Source unknown). As followers of Christ, may we be
proactive in letting our light shine before men so that others may be drawn
into the warmth of its glow.
The
answer, is to look to the cross. The cross means death to self. It reminds us
that “there but for the grace of God go I.” Sin is pervasive. It’s in us by
nature and it surrounds us in our culture, and yet, by grace, God has shone the
light of Christ on us. He has enabled us to believe the Gospel. We are
forgiven. And when that light shines through us to others, it invites them into
the light as well. The light of Christ shining through us says “you can be
forgiven too.”
When
we live and speak the love and grace of Christ, conviction will follow. To my
knowledge, no one has ever come to Christ or changed their ways by an
advertisement of what Christians are against. But when we lift up Christ and
talk of what His love and grace have done for us, change happens.
Jesus
said in John 12:32, “As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw
all people to myself.”
It’s
the cross where Jesus was lifted up that draws people. It’s the love of Christ
displayed on that cross that draws people.
What
do I stand for?
I want
to be known for what I stand for, not what I stand against.
It’s
not that I am in favor of behavior that is wrong, sinful, and out of step with
Scripture, but I am in favor of people—even
those who live lifestyles that are wrong.
That’s
exactly what Jesus did. He embraced “the wrong people” in
a very religious Jewish society; He hung out with them—He partied with them—without endorsing their sin.
What
do I stand for?
I want
to make sure people—both friends and strangers—know I stand for love and grace … that I stand with—and for—Jesus.
Jesus
is more than just alright with me!
