Author: Pastor Mark

#2. My Daily Need

The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my conscience), and so incredible (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should.  There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemning of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the gospel.*

I Corinthians 1:21-23–For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the ^[a]message preached to save those who believe. ²² For indeed Jews ask for ^[b]signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach ^[c]Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

I John 3:19-20–We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will ^[a]assure our heart before Him ^20 [b]in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things

2 Corinthians 4:4–in whose case the god of this ^[a]world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ^[b]so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

*A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love, by Milton Vincent, p 14

On more than one occasion, I have heard people say that they are Christians or they love Jesus, but they have no use for the local church. When probing further into their meaning, their aversion to church is often tied to a specific denomination, pastor, or church that left them feeling dissatisfied or discontented. Others say that churches are hypocritical or only interested in financial gain.

However, a key emphasis in the New Testament is that God mediates His plan and program in and through the local church. He could have accomplished His will any way He desired. Jesus was clear after His resurrection—after He paid the price for sin and made new life available for every person who would repent, believe, and place their faith in Him—His people would then gather in churches. He told Peter in Matt 16:18, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Christ is building His church upon the confession of Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt 16:16).

The word “church” in Greek is ekklesia: Ek, meaning “out of” and kaleo, meaning “to call.” The Church is a group of people who have been called out of the world and given new life in Christ to accomplish God’s purposes on this earth. That is a great calling and a compelling purpose.

After the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts, there were several great missionary journeys during which the Gospel was proclaimed. Many came to believe in Christ and then organized into local churches. Apostles sent letters to some of those churches—letters which were ultimately canonized into the New Testament (Rome, Corinth, Philippi, etc.).  Additionally, epistles were addressed to pastors, deacons, saints, and church members. The church was on the move, turning the world upside down for Christ. There were heartaches as well, but Jesus was keeping His promise; He keeps his promise of building His church so that the forces of evil, the gates of hell, will not overpower it.

Christ not only established the Church. He gave Himself up for her (Eph 5:25).  The Apostle Paul also tells us that “Christ is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Col 1:18).

If indeed God has chosen to accomplish His plan through local churches, we should not disrespect the very thing that He established and for which He sacrificed Himself. It would be wise to not only know it well, but to cherish it because of the framework God gave us through His Word.

“Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them. ”
–John Calvin

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44).

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (Eph 6:18).

Brethren, pray for us (1 Thes 5:25).

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:14-16).

“True wisdom consists in two things: Knowledge of God and Knowledge of Self.”
–John Calvin

If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given you.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:5-7).

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:17-18).