Being the Church

I been asking myself the question, "What does it mean to walk out "Being the Church"? I know the word Church means different things to different people. To some, the word church refers to a building with stained glass windows and a steeple. To others it means a denomination. Then to still others it can mean something that you watch on television. The reality is though, none of those pictures actually touch the true significance or true meaning of the word Church.

Over 100 times in the Second Testament the word Church is used and each time, it is the translation of the Greek word “ekklesia” (ek - out of + kaleo - to call = The ones who have been called out). This word, given by God through the Holy Spirit, describes God’s people under the

New Covenant; its where we get the word “ecclesiology” which is the study of the church, the theology that is concerned with the nature, constitution (how we are governed), and functions of a church. In other words, you and I as a part of the Body of Christ the “Church” should be operating in Jesus’ nature; we should be governed by His Word and we should practically function as Jesus functioned; that is what is means to be a part of His Body and Being the Church.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Here we see Jesus making a declaration to Peter and the rest of the disciples, “I will build My Church - the ones who have been called out; who operated by My nature, who are governed and function as I function and we will be a force that not even the gates of Hell will prevail against!”

“I will build my church” - First, who is the I? Jesus. What does He say that He will do? He will build. What is He going to build? His Church. So how do you build a church? First, you lay a foundation and Jesus chooses to lay His foundation on the apostles and the prophets, according to Ephesians 2:19-22. Jesus Himself is the Chief Cornerstone and the building He is building is you and I. We “BE” the church. We are the temple of God - the new man and all of us together make up His Body. We Jesus builds His Church - you and I are empowered by His Holy Spirit, we become His witnesses in all that we do, then we come together as a community of believers “the ones who

have been called out” that gathers together to worship the Builder.

With that same thought process, listen to these passages: Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church (The ones who have been called out) and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church (The ones who have been called out) to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Ephesians 1:22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Who is the fulness of Him who fills all in all? His body, the church (The ones who have been

called out).

Can you see thru these passages of scripture how important the “Church” is to God? Now notice how vitally important the church is important to and I: Ephesians 4:11-15 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we

are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Once again you see Jesus working to build up the Church, His Body, so that we would grow up in the stature and fullness of Him. And in the process, speak the truth in love and grow up, joined together and held together by every joint with which we are equipped. As we are

equipped we begin to work properly and that causes everyone to grow so that everyone of us is built up in love.

Listen, Being the Church means that you recognize how you are seen, not by your neighbor but by God, His Son and His Spirit. Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of

Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

That is how God sees you and you need to see yourself in that same light if you are to participate in Being the Church. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy

him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Being the Church means that you recognize that in God’s eyes you are His temple and His Spirit dwells there; take care of His temple and recognize that because you are His temple you have been made holy.

Jesus made you holy through His sacrifice and through that sacrifice you became “ekklesia” His Body. Not just His Body, His bride and when He ascended into heaven He sent His Spirit so that we could have fellowship with Him and we could be empowered to minister through Him. In

order to fully function according to God’s plan in The Coming Season, we have to know how to operate in Being the Church. We have to understand who we are, whose we are and then what the nature of Being the Church looks like. First, the church is visible and at the same time invisible. Here is what I mean: As we are gather here today are we operating according to Jesus’ nature; are our lives governed by His Word and the leading of His Spirit and do we function as Jesus functioned? Are we saying what we here the Father saying and doing what we see the Father doing.

Understand we can be gathered here together in this building having church, but God knows who the Church really is! 2 Timothy 2:19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

When you build the foundation, you first have to check the soil, is it in the right condition to build on? If not, then you have to recondition the soil so that it will be prepared to received the foundation. Once the soil is prepared and the plans have been engineered to lay the foundation, the contractor receives a letter with the stamp of approval telling him that the soil is ready and the plans are a approved for the foundation to be laid according to the specifications outlined by the engineer. Cylinders of the foundation are also taken to determine that the rating for the foundation has met the qualifications for the structure that is to be built.

We must be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (their teachings), with Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone - When that foundation is laid it receives the stamp of the Holy Spirit bearing the seal: “ The Lord knows those who are his” - That this speaks to God’s divine sovereignty, meaning (preserving - to keep safe from harm or injury) and (persevering - meaning to continue on in the Lord even in the face of difficulty, even when you see little hope for success.) We walk by faith and not by sight. Being the Church means that we have a responsibility to get rid our our own sin and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

As we begin to operate on Being the Church in The Coming Season, we will see community (common unity) begin to birthed within and throughout Lifegate Church. A 1) community centered on Jesus, seeking to have the Kingdom of God rule in every area of our lives. 2) An

apostolic community where our commitment to missions expands and more people are reached and equipped. 3) A Kingdom community working with others who are called out to partner with Jesus and to build what He is building. 4) A redeemed community, seeking to be continually cleansed by the washing of water with the word, so that Jesus might present “the ones who have been called out” to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that we might be holy and without blemish.

Being the Church means that we see ourselves as holy, separated to God and called out in faith to embrace “The Coming Season” to receive and inheritance. Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Abraham was called out, he allowed the Kingdom of God to be established through him, even though he didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t use his sight, meaning it didn’t matter what he saw or didn’t see; by faith, trusting in the nature of God, allowing the Word of God, his

constitution to govern him, and functioning according to the promise that God had given him. Abraham looked forward to what God was going to do in his coming season and so should we. We look forward knowing that our foundation is built, it has God’s stamp of approval and Jesus is the builder. We are the“ekklesia” the ones who have been called out. You and I are a part of the Body of Christ the “Being the Church” and we operate in His nature; we are governed by His Word and we function as Jesus functioned, because we are a part of His Body.

In The Coming Season we must see ourselves as Being the Church; divinely created (birthed) by God through the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are built upon that foundational truth, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.” Being the church is not a building with stained glass windows and a steeple; its not a denomination or something you watch on television. I have spoken today, what has the Holy Spirit been speaking to you? Do you see yourself as Being

the Church - as one who has been called out?

Just a thought!