The Only Church

Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:1-16

Belgic Confession Article 27
Cascades Fellowship CRC, JX MI
August 29th, 2004

Our Scripture for this morning - and Article 27 of the Belgic Confession - have really

made think this past week. Like many churches today, we are concerned about church growth

and have done a myriad of things toward that end. But I am beginning to wonder if the tail

isn’t wagging the dog.

I was struck again this week by how shortsighted we really are - how easily we lose

sight of the big picture. Our worldview tends to extend just beyond our noses and not much

further. We are so bloated with self-importance, self-reliance, and self-satisfaction that our

eyes only tend to look outward when they can rest on something to covet..

I am convinced that when it comes to the church, we are like the little girl on the

commercial for the Chevy Malibu. The ad starts with her standing beside the car wriggling her

fingers, saying things like “Ala ka-zam! Abra cadabra!” All the while hurling her spells at the

car to no effect. She gets louder and more animated. She seems at the peak of frustration when

her dad walks out behind her and smiles knowingly. He knows what she is up to and he knows

that he is the only one who can really make it happen. So offers her a suggestion - try it this

way, he says [demonstrate].

When the girl follows her dad’s instructions, suddenly car springs to life and she thinks

it’s because of her magic powers. But the viewer gets to see what really happens … the dad

hits the auto-start button on his keys.

It seems so often that we are like that little girl. We run around, trying every new magic

bullet for church health and growth. We wriggle our fingers, twitch our noses, dance, jig, jive,

and slide … we go through tremendous gyrations, only to scratch our heads and wonder, “Why
doesn’t it work?” Some smiling Jack, whose church exploded from 32 members - if you count

the dogs that hung out under the porch - to a multi-million dollar operation with eight services,

each with 5,000 in attendance, hawks his system. "If it worked for us," he assures, "it will

work for you." Yet, when the rubber meets the road, it doesn’t work. Resources spent are lost,

hopes invested are dashed and we all end up tired, muttering “What did we do wrong?”

Note the subject of the question. “We,” first person plural. We are sure that we could

have done something different to make it all work. But such a narrow view betrays a subtle lie

that has infiltrated the church. The spirit of enterprise in the United States haunts the halls of

our churches, convincing us that we are masters and commanders of the ship. That if we just

plot the right course, our church will prosper - the trick is to read the stars aright and plot the

correct course.

This morning, I want us to slow down for a bit and consider carefully if the bill of goods

we are being sold is really what we need. Whether church growth is a legitimate goal to strive

for or if there is a better way to use our resources and expend our energies. We are going to do

this by considering the question, “What is the church?” Using our text and the confessions of

the church, we will first look at what makes up the church. Then, we will think about what it

means to be “the church.” From there, we will revisit this question concerning church growth.

When you ask the question, “What is the church?” you will receive as many answers as

people you ask. Some will inevitably refer to a building, an edifice - some architectural

structure nailed, welded, and cemented together by the minds and hands of man. For some, this

is the church, it inhabits a certain geographical space. It is the place where you kill an hour on

Sunday morning as you wait for the football game to start. Somehow, being there for that hour

makes you a better person, fulfills some moral imperative so that the Creator of this world

continues to smile on you and pour out his blessings.

 Others will talk about a group of people that they gather with on Sunday mornings - the

building is really just coincidental. They may even meet with them some night duringthe week.

They will talk about dinners and fellowship, VBS and choir, small groups, maybe even a

missions trip. This church can also be a place in the sense that it is where the “ministry” takes

place - the food pantry or clothing bank is there for a ministry to the poor, but the focal point is

always the people who provide the manpower that make the ministry work. Church, in this

sense, is a voluntary gathering of believers who then commit there time and resources to do

“churchy” things.

But do either of these definitions rise to the level of a biblical explanation of what a

church is? If not, where can we find a usable definition? One of the places we can turn to help

us figure out what the church is and isn’t is the historic confessions of the church - in other

words, what the church says about itself. In Article 27 of the Belgic Confession we read, “We

believe and profess one catholic or universal Church, which is a holy congregation of true

Christian believers, all expecting their salvation in Jesus Christ, being washed in his blood,

sanctified and sealed by the Holy Ghost.”

Now, if you are anything like me, your knee-jerk reaction to that statement is “Sure!

What else would you say the church is? That’s what I believe, too.” But think about the

implications of what is being said in that little paragraph. We profess a catholic or universal

Church … of true Christian believers expecting their salvation in Jesus Christ…. What do we

mean by universal? Let’s take a look at Ephesians 1:4-10 to gain a little perspective.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-to the praise of
his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with
the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and
understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to
 his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the
times will have reached their fulfillment-to bring all things in heaven and on
earth together under one head, even Christ.

At first, blush, this passage doesn’t appear to shed much light on the question we are

asking, but a closer look provides us with profound insight.

Typically, when we read or consider Ephesians 1 (or the entire letter, for that matter) we

have a tendency to individualize it and therefore apply it in terms of our personal election into

Jesus Christ. A typical understanding would sound something like this, “For he chose me

before the foundation of the world … he predestined me to be adopted as his son through Jesus

Christ….” We personalize and apply the passage as balm against our doubts. This passage

brings us comfort because it reveals the depths of God’s love for me.

Such an understanding is warranted and reasonable, but it does not capture the full scope

- the real majesty of this passage. There are two elements we should keep in mind when

reading this passage. The first is that the election - the choosing, the predestination, however

you want to think of it - happened before the foundation of the world. Before the Reformation,

before the Incarnation, before the fall, before the garden, before the creation of the world -

before time itself existed, God chose the Church. He chose all those who would believe on the

name of Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Revelation and all the time in between, out of all those

who would exist God chose some for his own good pleasure to be the church.

So when we start talking about the catholic or universal church we begin by recognizing

that we are talking about all of those throughout all ages who are justified by faith. From

Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to David, to Daniel, to Peter, to John Calvin, to you and me - all

who have believed the promise of God - have been included in Jesus Christ. We are all part of

the same church. The Heidelberg Catechism states it this way - we believe “[t]hat the Son of

God form the beginning to the end of the world gathers, defends, and preserves to himself, by
his Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race, a church chosen to everlasting life, agreeing

in true faith; and that I am and ever shall remain, a living member thereof.”

So the church, according to the Scriptural witness far exceeds the boundariú ﾐ 0ªy ´!
ö ﾐ 5êv Dêv ”$’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ `J÷¿’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ `J÷¿’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ `J÷¿’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ `J÷¿’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ

`J÷¿’÷¿ÿÿÿÿ¨ñ ﾐ `J÷¿“Clay Libolt’s church.”

For those of you who were part of the church at that time, you know what happened

after that and I will leave you the guilty pleasure of sharing with those who weren’t here the

unfortunate events that followed. But I am convinced that if I had said, “the church in East

Lansing” or “across from MSU” the gross miscommunication that resulted could have been

avoided.

Now, that’s not to say that bad things happen when we say “so-and-so’s church.” The

point is that when we do that, we fail to recognize who is actually at work - we give credit

where credit is not due. One look at Ephesians 1 tells us who is at work in every church - who

the church really belongs to. Looking at vv.13-14.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a
seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his
glory.
In an age and culture where individual achievement is celebrated and emulated, the

church, too, has become enamored with producers. The North American imperative is “that

which works is good.” Utility is the god of our age and the church is no stranger at the altar.

We, too, measure our success by numbers, by what works. We have a quick eye for the person

who distinguishes himself by bringing in the multitude. We look at the masses entering the

doors of his church and we wonder, “What’s his secret?”

Do you see the subtlety there, how easily we are lead astray? We see people flocking to

a particular pastor and we ask the question “What is he doing?” We mistakenly assume that it

is because of the man that the church grows and succeeds. We immediately begin trying to

figure out his secret. We buy his tapes, we read his books, we attend live video feeds of his
seminars. Why? Because we believe in our heart that he is the author of his own success.

Where we should be giving praise to God for gathering, defending and preserving his

church, even against a world that rages against her, we praise the man and covet his success.

Where we should be marveling at the miracle of God taking an insignificant number of people

and building them into a church against all odds that impacts its community in profound and

redemptive ways, we stand in awe of the tool God used. It’s like praising the power tool rather

than the carpenter.

But Ephesians 1 tells us clearly that the church grows because God is at work, gathering

his elect - the universal church - bringing all things in heaven and on earth together under

one head, even Christ. You see, because the church is the gathering of God’s elect, no matter

what era, no matter what country, no matter what nation, tribe or tongue, it is God who is the

active agent in bringing her to life and causing her to flourish.

So what does it mean, then, to be “the church?” If it’s not about success and numbers,

what are we doing here? Take a look at Ephesians 4:11-14

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be

evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all
reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will
no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and
there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in
their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all
things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole
body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and
builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

You know, if you go into the Christian bookstore and look under Christian Living or in the

Religion section of the average bookstore, you will find plenty of books offering plenty of

advice on how to live the life of faith. Most of these books are reasonably good in content,

with carefully thought out messages. Millions of these books are sold every year to the
Christian community. It seems we are always looking for that elusive secret to growing in our

faith. We want to be nearer to God - to experience deeper intimacy in our relationship with

God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We want a relevant faith, so we read. We keep

looking for that obscure catalyst that will convert our leaden faith into a precious faith of pure

gold.

According to Eph 4:11-16 using the gifts God has graced you with in concert with the

gifts of every other believer to build up the faith of each member until we all attain the unity of

faith is what it means to “be the church.”

The image Paul gives us here is one of a body - one organism made up of diverse parts,

all working in concert for the benefit of the whole. When any part of the body begins to break

down, the whole body suffers. It is imperative that each member do its part if the body is to

thrive. The church is no different. What it means to be the church is to use the unique gifts and

abilities God has given each of us to benefit the body - to build up faith in the other members.

So, now back to our question concerning church growth. Is church growth - and when

we say growth we mean numerical growth - a legitimate goal to strive for? I have to tell you, I

have my doubts. The only thing that keeps me from offering an outright “no” is the Great

Commission. I will say, however, that there is a loftier goal, one more in keeping with the

Scriptures and the realization that Christ is the Lord of the church and he is the one at work in

us.

It is my heartfelt belief - and I am making an appeal here for continued diligence in the

case of some here this morning and renewed commitment for all - that if obey our Lord, if we

function as he created the Body to function, growth will come. As the grace of God is poured

out into each of our lives through the gifts of others, we will be conformed more and more into

the image of Christ. As we come to reflect - in spirit, to resemble - our Savior, we will draw
others to Christ. In short, we grow, spiritually and numerically.

People of God, there is no magic bullet. We don’t need another method or gimmick.

Growth comes when the Body obeys the Head - the church obeys her Lord. Our goal should

not be to grow in numbers, but to grow more Christ like. That’s the goal given to us in the

Scriptures.