Faithful on Fridays Blog

Part Eight

The first half of the Book of Acts shows us how Jesus fulfilled His promise:

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. Matthew 16:18

Peter was the first of these builders and has faded out in order to shine the light on Paul. The gates of hell have attempted to overpower the church but God’s Spirit has been poured out and filled believers everywhere. They weren’t passive but aggressive in sharing their faith and spiritually building the church.

Peter, Paul, and others were sent by the Spirit to lead the churches by strengthening and building their faith. They brought Spirit-filled organization to serve one another that has lasted two thousand years:

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:27-28

The image of the body of Christ shows a unity that is powerful against the enemy when we stand together. The positions listed above, as well as the gifts of the Spirit, are precisely for that purpose: to care for one another. God arranged gifted members in the body as He chose (1 Cor. 12:18) to guard and feed:

So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood —over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. Acts 20:28

The Holy Spirit also gave gifts that we saw demonstrated in these first twelve chapters. These gifts, as well as the God-appointed positions, have not changed. Paul’s teachings on the gifts are beautifully described at length in 1 Cor. 12 and 14 but what stands out is, again, the purpose we find in Eph. 4:11-12:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

We are His victorious Body and Christ Himself anoints and appoints those whom He chooses. The word for church is ekklesia, the ‘called out ones’ standing together with purpose and our desire is to serve Him as we serve the ekklesia.

Jesus’ bride, the church, is filled with Him (Eph. 1:22-23) and the hope of His return is reserved for that beloved bride.

… Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. Ephesians 5:25b-27 NLT

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”