Jesus Intended the Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Gary McManus, 08/13/2023Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
August 13, 2023 Ephesians 4:11-16
From last time: God and the devil are having a hard
time finding followers in America in the 21st Century.
2023 Gallup Poll; five spiritual entities.
Belief dropping in all.
Pastor asks: “Do Americans believe in the church?” or even
“Do American Christians believe in the church?
Pastor hears: “No.”
Some may say: the church is not a spiritual entity.
But the Bible says the church IS a spiritual entity:
Revelation 1:20, 1 Corinthians 12:13
Although the church has a human institution, the church
is a spiritual entity; just as we have a physical human body
and yet we have souls and are spiritual beings.
Pastor looked up most preached Bible verses (latest available,
2021). “Church” was in none of the most preached.
There were suggestions of church. . .but there are other problems;
in those verses—incomplete translation.
You, plural = you all ! Even in today’s Bible verses:
Ephesians 2:8
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith
—and this is not from yourselves, (half the time the
version says just “you.”
Only the Phillips Bible version is clear:
“Grace gave US life TOGETHER. . .”
Why is this a problem? Two reasons it is a problem.
It isn’t a proper translation without the plural emphasized
because that is the way the Apostle wrote it.
That is the way our Lord intended it.
AND, among the most preached Bible verses—no Old Testament.
And there is a Second problem in the INCOMPLETE
translation: it allows Americans who are already too concerned
with their personal salvation and their personal relationship
with Jesus, that the whole idea of church is left out.
There was a popular country song 15 years ago: “Me and God”
God never intended and Jesus never intended that life
would be lived, “Me and God”
The other real problem with this is that most American Christians
don’t care. . .
There are examples from other arenas of American life:
gun control. Not the topic of gun control, but the way we
talk about gun control: “Do not deny me MY right to my gun.”
What about your American citizen neighbor who also has a
right to guns? Why don’t we argue for our neighbor’s right
to a gun. Why not? Because Americans don’t care.
There isn’t even emphasis on our neighbor’s Constitutional
rights on the streets of America, how are we going to find
emphasis on the ONE HOLY SPIRIT that makes us the church?
Pastor finds it easy to start blaming the America’s pastors
and evangelists for this American individualism.
(Pastor had a lot of respect for American Pastors, but has
been losing that respect in the 21st century.)
I often remind people at funerals: no one is going to be
by themselves in heaven. Why ABSENT YOURSELF
from the Lord’s communion table? The communion table
about which Jesus said, “DO THIS”? ( Luke 22:19,
1 Corinthians 11:24)
That is only ONE part of the problem of “rugged individualism”
in the church. The other is lack of self-esteem.
Watch, “It’s A Wonderful Life”; “Each person's life touches
so many other lives. . . .
We should all celebrate our presence at the church we
worship in. Jesus does.
“God gifts PEOPLE, plural, to equip his people (plural)
for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
The church is built by the Holy Spirit in service to others.
(Matthew 20:26).
Perhaps American Christians think that refusing to attend
worship is some sort of humility; feeling not good enough,
or holy enough or that they can’t participate for others benefit.
Jesus’ own words and the Apostles words suggest that even
if, like Pastor, you have doubted your own value in church,
remember, like Pastor remember, that maybe Jesus and the
Apostles know some things that I don’t know.
Jesus with the Apostles are so very glad you attend worship.
PTL. Amen.
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