Podcast
[0:00] Hallelujah! We thank God you've tuned into this message by David Entry at Caris Church. No hand can help you with the fulfillment of your destiny but the Word of God. May God's hand align you further into your destiny through this Word.
[0:15] Acts chapter 2 verse 42, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
[0:30] Amen. They continued. They continued talking about the church. This is what is called the church life.
[0:42] Last week I was mentioning a few points that in the book of Ephesians, if you really want to know, if you really want to understand, if you really want to have a proper definition of the church, you have to go to God.
[1:06] And if you want to know God's proper description and portrait of the church, you have to look at the scriptures and it's littered all over in the scriptures, but particularly in the book of Ephesians.
[1:24] And I mentioned how Ephesians in general is the portrait of God, of the church in the sight of God. So the definition or the explanation and the presentation of the church from heaven down.
[1:40] So looking at the church from heaven's perspective. Ephesians. Ephesians primarily focuses on looking at the church from heaven's perspective. Ephesians chapter 1 focuses more on what heaven did to produce the church.
[1:58] And Ephesians chapter 2 focuses on the human elements that ended up becoming the church. So what God did with the human elements.
[2:09] So chapter 1 talks more about stuff God has done, God has done and accomplished. And for that matter, church is born or church is produced. And chapter 2 is how God did, what God did with fallen humanity to produce the church.
[2:26] It's very important. Now, there are quite a few portraits of the church in Ephesians. For instance, when you look at Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19, it presents the church as a family.
[2:42] We are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.
[2:53] So it uses the household of God. We are members of the household of God. And then it's all that same text. You can see that the church is depicted as a nation.
[3:09] We are a holy nation according to Ephesians chapter 2. So the church is depicted as a nation. And we are members of the nation or better still, a kingdom.
[3:21] And we are the citizens in the kingdom and are subjects in the kingdom. And God is the king over this kingdom. And you also find out in Ephesians chapter 1 that the church is depicted as chapter 2, the same chapter 2.
[3:39] The next verse particularly, we read verse 19. The next verse, verse 20. It says that having been built on the foundation, so the church is a building. A building.
[3:50] A building. And it has the foundation. The chief cornerstone is Christ. And the foundation is whatever was revealed to the prophets and the apostles.
[4:01] So we've noticed that the church is a family. The church is a kingdom. The church is portrayed as a building. In John chapter 15, the church is portrayed as branches.
[4:15] We are the branches. Jesus is the vine. Okay. And then you also see that the church is portrayed as a flock with Jesus as the chief shepherd.
[4:27] A flock. So it is the flock. The church is the flock of God. It's not an insult for us to be called sheep of God. Even Jesus himself is the lamb of God.
[4:39] As we are only receiving a promotion. Because a lamb is a baby sheep. All right. So we, the church is also portrayed as the flock of God.
[4:51] And when you look at, and then one important portrait of the church in the scripture is the church being the bride. The bride, according to Ephesians chapter 5.
[5:06] The bride. Verse 25. The bride. Or verse 27 and 28. The bride. So the church is the bride of Christ. Now, watch this.
[5:18] All these imageries I've mentioned. What are the imageries I've said so far? The portraits. I can't hear you. Family. Kingdom.
[5:32] Branches. So a tree or plant with branches. Yeah. Flock. Flock. The bride. The bride. A building.
[5:45] Kingdom or nation. Now, everything the church is, practically everything the church is portrayed in the New Testament has a corresponding reflection in the Old Testament between Israel and God.
[6:02] So Israel, at a point in time, God said, I betrothed you. Or God said, you are my wife, so to speak. So Israel was said to be the wife of God in a metaphoric sense.
[6:18] Israel was said to be the family of God, the people of God. Said to be the nation of God. It's a special nation. In fact, that second, 1 Peter chapter 2. The 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, where it says, 8 and 9, where it says that you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
[6:39] That text is quoted from Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, which was actually written concerning the Jews. So much of what the church is, you can find its reflection.
[6:54] Deuteronomy 7, 6. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. A chosen, God has, the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special, it's treasure to him.
[7:08] So most of what is, the church is depicted in the New Testament is, you can see the reflection in the Old Testament. There is one that never has been a reflection in the Old Testament, which is the church being the body of Christ.
[7:29] Ephesians chapter 1 verse 23, 22 and 23. He put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.
[7:41] What is the church? What is the church? What is the church? Says who?
[7:54] Says the Bible. So, the church is the body of Christ. Shall we all say that together? Please say it again.
[8:07] Now, I've taught this a few times. Because when we say it's the body, we are not talking about body in terms of like a body of lawyers. A body of doctors. That's an organization.
[8:18] A body of nurses. A body of prisoners. A body of, you know, comedians. A body of politicians. And that, no.
[8:30] When they say the church is a body, or a body of parliamentarians, it's not the body in that sense. But it's a body in the sense as the human body.
[8:42] The difference between your body and the body of parliamentarians is the body of parliamentarians is an organization. Whilst your body is not an organization. How many of you know your body is not an organization?
[8:54] Whilst your body is an organism. And what makes it an organism is it has one life. Whatever life flows in the head is flowing in their toe. So, they don't need to.
[9:05] In fact, they just, even if they pull a strand of hair, they can check and tell it's your strand of hair. Because it's part of your body. It grew out of your body. Your DNA can be traced there.
[9:18] So, what makes you a body is life. The life you have. In the same way, what makes the church a body is the life of Christ. Bible says that Christ is our life.
[9:31] Colossians chapter 3 verse 4. When Christ, who is our life, when Christ, who is our life, appears. When who is our life appears. Who is our life?
[9:41] As the church, Christ is our life. This is very important to understand. So, Christ is the life of the church. And so, because Christ is the life of the church, the church is the body of Christ.
[9:58] It's not just anybody, but it's not a body of Christians. The church is not a body of Christians, but it's the body of Christ. There's a difference. We are not a body of Christians.
[10:09] You can, yeah, a body of Christians have gathered here. But the church is the body of Christ. Not a body of Christians. It's the body of Christ.
[10:21] Somebody shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. And because the church is a body, it thrives on ministry. Not just meetings, committee meetings.
[10:34] Ministry. I heard one great man say something about 25 years ago. I think I read it. And I've never forgotten about it. He said a true friend, one wise man.
[10:46] He said a true friend is like the blood of the body, which rushes to the area of wound without being invited. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 12.
[10:57] It tells us, it says that for us the body is one and has many members. But all the members of that one body, being many, are one body.
[11:11] So is the church. Right? No. So is Christ. Christ is also one body, but many members, including you. Who somebody doesn't deserve?
[11:22] That somebody thinks you don't deserve to be in church. Many members, but one. The next verse. The next verse continues to say, for by one spirit, we were all baptized into one body.
[11:36] Wow. Whether Jews or Greeks. Whether slaves or free. Slaves or free, that means employed or unemployed. Or legal or illegal migrant.
[11:47] Status. Social status. Because that doesn't matter here. And have all been made to drink of one spirit. Verse 14. For in fact, the body is not one member, but many.
[12:00] That's why you cannot choose who can be part of the church. The fact that you don't like somebody doesn't mean they cannot be part of the church. Especially people who have been wicked against you.
[12:12] Now, we human beings don't have what it takes to define the boundaries of the church. You can't define the boundaries of the church by human organization.
[12:24] So if you are not in that church, you are not part of the church. No. If you are a Japanese, you can't be part of the church. There are Christians everywhere. Christians in prison.
[12:35] What makes you a Christian is not behavior. It's what you believe. So, you can't define the boundaries of Christianity by human organizations. It's very important.
[12:46] Now, the scripture we read, it says that they continued in the apostles' doctrine, apostles' fellowship. In 1 Corinthians 12, verse 14, let's go back to the verse 14, as I was saying.
[13:01] 1 Corinthians 12, back to the verse 14. It says that, For in fact, the body is not one member, but many. This is going to get interesting.
[13:14] The next verse. If the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? The next verse.
[13:26] If the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
[13:39] What would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? This is a very interesting text. But now, God has set members, each one of them, in the body just as God pleases.
[13:56] God has set members in different places, different churches, and different abilities, and different graces, just as he pleases.
[14:08] We all cannot, when we come to church, I do not imagine we come to church and we all start preaching. God has set in the body as he pleases.
[14:21] Look at the next verse. It's getting interesting. If, and if they were all one member, where would the body be? If all the bodies, the children's got two.
[14:33] You see, a whole thing is like, cucumber is, that's all. Or, ear can be a body and get legs and be walking. He said that it doesn't work like that in a real body.
[14:45] The next, the next, you see, the people who say, me, I'm a Christian, just between me and God, I don't belong to any way. They don't understand the Bible. They've not, actually, they don't be reading their Bibles. But now, indeed, there are many members, yet one body.
[15:02] Let's all say that together. There are many members, and yet, one more time. There are many members, yet one body. For the last time. There are many members, yet one body.
[15:13] The next verse, verse 20. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you. Nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
[15:25] Wow. We are one body. Let's go to the next verse, then I'll move on to that. No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
[15:36] If you read it from other translations, it's going to be interesting. All right, let's look at the next verse. This is going to be... And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, and then we bestow greater honor.
[15:51] Because you have less honorable parts, which you bestow a lot of protection over. Yes. So even in the church, we have to learn how to cover the less honorable ones.
[16:04] So, we are a body. And you see how the body functions? Every part is necessary. Tell somebody, I need you, you need me in the church. Say to another person, I need you, and you need me in the church.
[16:19] I need you in the church. Yes. Yes. So when you read the scripture, it says that they continued in the apostles' fellowship.
[16:30] Now, because the church is a body, it thrives and functions better on fellowship. Because, you see, the blood that is flowing in the toes is the same blood that is flowing in the ear.
[16:43] The same blood that is... It's fellowship. Something must be... It's koinonia. The Greek word is koinonia, used about 18 times in the New Testament.
[16:55] Koinonia means a couple of things. It means participation. It means fellowship. It means partnership. It means joint ownership and joint sharing.
[17:07] It means... Actually, one... In fact, I was... A time ago, I was studying and I found out that the actual proper depiction of koinonia is Siamese twins.
[17:23] Siamese twins. They are working together with their heads. They are working... In fact, some of them, they share one shoulder. Yeah. Yeah. So, they are two people, but the right hand is on the other one, and the left hand is on the other one.
[17:38] Now, in the spirit, when we say we have fellowship, we have koinonia, that's what it means. We are inseparably tied together by virtue of redemption.
[17:51] We see things from the same perspective. We are one. We are one. And so, the scripture talks about how we... It's one body. Endeavor to keep the bond.
[18:04] Sorry, the unity. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 3. The unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Because it's the unity of the spirit. In fact, better translations put it, endeavor to keep the oneness of the spirit.
[18:19] Oneness of the spirit. So, when we get born again... That's the amplified version. Okay. Keep the oneness of the spirit. So, we are a fellowship. This is very important.
[18:31] The church is a fellowship. It's partnership. It's koinonia. It's oneness. Join sharing together. Your pain is my pain. Your breakthrough is my breakthrough. Your shame is my shame.
[18:43] Your celebration is my celebration. Because of the nature of fellowship. The nature of koinonia. Koinonia means that we share the same thing.
[18:54] We are sharing in the... We are partakers. In Philippians chapter 1 verse 5. It says that you are partakers of... You have...
[19:04] Okay. For you have fellowship in the gospel from the first day on to now. That's koinonia. So, whatever we are sharing together... Whatever we are sharing is the same.
[19:16] You have fellowship in the gospel from the first day. You have fellowship. You see... Now, I want to explain some things about our Christian fellowship.
[19:28] Number one... I want to explain the basis... On what grounds do I have fellowship with you? The basis of our fellowship... Then I'll just mention the nature of our fellowship.
[19:40] What is the basis of our fellowship? What makes us have fellowship together? Is it based on race? No.
[19:52] Is it based on education? No. Is it based on gender? No. It's not even based just on theology. It's not based on theology.
[20:05] It's an endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit. So, we all come to the unity of faith. It's... In the verse 13. But verse 3 says... There exists a unity before we get to the unity of faith.
[20:19] The unity in the verse 3 is not human generated. So, it's not based on our culture. It's not based on our friendship or community.
[20:31] Maybe we are all in the same community. No. That is not what gives us the fellowship. In 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 14... The Bible says that...
[20:42] May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ... The love of God... And the Bible calls it... The fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The fellowship of...
[20:54] Shall we all say that together? The fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Say it louder. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit. In Philippians chapter 2 verse 1... It causes the fellowship in the spirit.
[21:06] It says that... Therefore, if there be any consolation in Christ... If any comfort of love... If any fellowship of the spirit... So, this fellowship is not created by man...
[21:19] But it's generated by the Holy Spirit. That's why the Bible says that... Continued in the apostles' doctrine... And the apostles' fellowship. Don't spoil the fellowship.
[21:32] The Ephesians says... Endeavor. Oh, come on. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 3... Endeavor. Putting an effort. One of the translations said...
[21:42] Make every effort... To keep the unity. You have to pay a price. Go any length. Do whatever lies within your ability and power.
[21:54] If you are a Christian... To keep the unity of the spirit. It's the unity of the spirit. Now, on what grounds do we have this koinonia?
[22:05] On what grounds... On what basis do we have this koinonia? In Acts chapter 2 verse 42... We read it. Then when you read...
[22:15] Let's go. We are going to verse 47. Verse 43 says that... Then fear came upon every soul... And many wonders and signs... Were done through the apostles.
[22:27] Now, all who believed were together. Say together. And all had... And had all things in common. Say in common. That's fellowship. Let's move on. It says that...
[22:38] And saw their possessions and goods... And divided them amongst all... As anyone had the need. Now, this doesn't... This is not suggesting communism.
[22:51] Communism is government imposed. Fellowship... Or that... What was happening in the Acts... Was not government imposed. It's self-will. They were happy.
[23:01] And they... Based on the need and who has what. Now, the verse... The next verse says that... So continued daily in one accord... In the temple...
[23:13] And breaking of bread from house to house... They ate their food... With gladness and simplicity of our... One of the things that can strengthen revival...
[23:23] Is unity among the brethren. Oh, it has to... Wait. You... You... Listen. Let's all read this verse again.
[23:34] Read it again. Let's go. Let's go. Breaking of bread from house to house... They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of our...
[23:46] As soon as you hear this text... Or you see the text... Listen to me, brother. Listen. Something... It sends some... It's like a group of people doing something.
[23:57] It says they... They continued. They... In breaking of bread... In house to God... You are not part of it. This is reporting... Some people were doing something. As soon as you read it...
[24:08] You feel like... Wow. This is a group of people. Now... How do you get... Become part of them? Do you understand what I'm saying? When you see them... In fact... If what is happening amongst them...
[24:20] Was so exciting... The next thing is... I want to be part of them. Because... Right from the word go... You know you are not part of them... The Bible is talking about... A particular day... It didn't say...
[24:30] We all... Continue from temple to temple... Or from house to house... Some people are doing something... This tells you... The unity amongst them... There was a flow...
[24:40] There was unity... Amongst them... So... Continue daily... With one accord in the temple... One accord alone... Sends a signal... Of unity... They were united in their approach...
[24:52] This is true koinonia... They were together... In one accord... And... In the temple... And breaking of bread... Even when they left the temple...
[25:04] You could tell... That they were still together... Alright... So... They continued... In the apostles... Fellowship... Now... The verse 6 says that...
[25:14] And they had... They ate their food... With gladness and simplicity... Of heart... Now look at verse... 47... Praising God...
[25:25] And having favor with all the people... And the Lord... Added to... And the Lord... Added to the church... Who? So you can't join them...
[25:36] The basis of being part of them... Is salvation... God... Added... See... You can't... Wow... These people are happy... They are eating their food...
[25:47] With gladness... They are being... Nice to one another... They care about one another... They protect one another... They encourage one another... They forgive one another... They marry amongst themselves...
[25:58] They really are amazing people... They give to one another... They share things... Amongst themselves... They celebrate one another... You feel like... And they are happy... Eating their bread... With gladness...
[26:09] And you see them... In different... House to house... You'll be seeing them... That's what... Care group is about... You'll see them... From house to house... And you feel like... You know what... I want to join these people... I said...
[26:19] Wow... I didn't even realize that... People see what we are... I didn't even know... Sometimes... You become so used to what you have... Yeah... Yeah... Yeah... Yeah... Sometimes... When you move away from a healthy church like Carys...
[26:30] That's when you see... How much you have lost... Yes... During the lockdown... Those of you who back... Who backslid... You remember... You remember... Some people backslided... They didn't...
[26:40] In fact... You came back... Two years after the lockdown... Or three years... You could tell... You are lost... Especially...
[26:51] One day... If you hear any church song... Then you remember... Oh wow... Evermore my heart... My heart will say... Then you remember... Above all...
[27:02] I live for... And you are... You are... You are in the wrong bed... With big cigar...
[27:12] In between your fingers... So... We had it...
[27:23] And we have it... Do you know... Sometimes people... Enter here... They feel like... Wow... I like this atmosphere... But we... We are used to it... People...
[27:34] What people keep saying... About our church... Is... Our joy... Our youthfulness... Our excellence... So... The basis of our fellowship...
[27:45] Is salvation... You have to be saved... To be part of fellowship... Now... Let me say this and end... In 1 John... I like this... Chapter...
[27:55] 1... Verse 3... Verse 3... And then... Verse 6 and 7... Chapter 1... Verse 3 says... That... That which we have seen... And heard...
[28:06] We declare to you... That... Uh... Oh... Why are we preaching... Said... That which we have seen... And heard... We declare to you...
[28:17] Why are we declaring to you... That... You may also... You also may have... Fellowship with us... The objective...
[28:54] Heavenly objective... For the preaching... Of the gospel... Is so that someone... Can be part... Of this Christian fellowship... Which no man generates... But the Holy Ghost... He said...
[29:04] Truly... Our fellowship... Is with the Father... And with his... With Son... Jesus Christ... So... We already have... An existing fellowship... Watch this...
[29:14] He should have said... God the Father... God the Son... God the Holy Spirit... But he said... Our fellowship... Is with the Father... And the Son... And then... In 2 Corinthians... I quoted... In 1 Corinthians... Chapter 13... Verse 14...
[29:25] With the grace of our Lord... Jesus Christ... The love of God... And the fellowship... Whatever the Father... And the Son... Are... And have... It is the fellowship... The Holy Spirit... Makes it...
[29:35] Really applicable to us... In fellowship... It's the Holy Spirit... Who is the chief... Instrument... Behind our fellowship... So once you believe... In the gospel... And you are saved...
[29:45] Guess what... The Spirit baptizes you... The Spirit... Inducts you... The Spirit incorporates you... Into fellowship... And we have to keep...
[29:55] Endeavor to keep... That fellowship... So now... They continue... The apostles fellowship... Not because... They are all... From the same tribe...
[30:07] But because... They were saved... The basis of our fellowship... Is saved... Look at verse 6... And then verse 7... And I close on that... Verse 6... 1 John chapter...
[30:18] 1 verse 6... If we... Oh... Let's aren't reading... All how... Let's go... If you say... That you are... If you are forgiven... And how will you... An overt وقت... We live... Throwning... Of God has a victory...
[30:30] I have forgiven you... Yes... If you will... 갖고 rent... You will delete...
[30:41] That tells... us that fellowship only belongs to light, those in the light. If you're in darkness, you can't be part of this fellowship.
[30:55] He said it, verse 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, that's not true. Because fellowship only belongs to those in light.
[31:07] That's interesting. It's getting interesting now. Fellowship belongs to only those in light, those who are saved. It's justification that entitles us to fellowship.
[31:20] Fellowship belongs to only those who are in the light. And it says in verse 7, verse 7 says that, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, the fellowship exists.
[31:34] What fellowship has light got to do with darkness to do with light? 2 Corinthians chapter 6. So, it says, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins.
[31:49] Koinonia. Fellowship. Watch this. It's, when you become a Christian, you have not become, ah, ah, last week I was going to say that, I didn't get to say it.
[32:00] Thanks be to God. Now watch this. Everything about the church is against independence. Everything about church.
[32:12] Church does not, the, the church life by nature does, is not compatible with independence. That's the right, thank you.
[32:24] The right word I'm trying to use is not the independence. Please, those who are writing independence, let's leave that. It's correct, but the right word is privacy. Privacy glass.
[32:39] Nowadays, privacy has become everything. Privacy. It becomes everything. You can be in a, you can be sitting in a crowd, but you are in a different way.
[32:51] No, that's why you go on the chief. As soon as, people are walking and they are hearing, there are times people are in church and you have earphones, you hear, I'm wondering, what's wrong with you? Are you an instrumentalist?
[33:04] Or there's, there's, there's, someone is doing translation for you. And last week I said, that the threat to our society and healthy society is not large screens.
[33:19] Large screens means, let's, let's join together. It's fellowship. The problem is, the problem is the small screens. And some of us with the small screens have even added privacy glass.
[33:33] No one, no one can see from an angle. No, is there anything wrong with it? No, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm not saying there's something wrong with that. But the point I'm making is, the screen has become so small that you can create your own world wherever you are.
[33:49] And you have your earphones or headphones and that's it. You can create, it is becoming part of our lives to the extent that, I keep saying this and I'm going to say it again, parents, your child is becoming super addicted to screens.
[34:06] What do you think from him or from me? In church. In church, for goodness sake. Every time, every time, every time, like a zombie.
[34:19] Every time, what are you doing to that child? Even in church, even in public church, we've come for fellowship, they are still having the phone. And because you don't want them to cry.
[34:33] You want them to cry. But you want their destiny to cry. I know what you're thinking. No, my child will be a computer genius.
[34:45] I'm starting in. Regulate the access to phones. They create their own world.
[34:59] No good school will allow any child to bring a phone. I'm just telling you how bad. their child's school is. They allow the child to come to school with phone and you can call them anytime.
[35:11] Can you see anytime? Of course, the essence of parenting is to impose restrictions. The reason why we have a lot of people in prisons from a certain community is because of what I'm talking about.
[35:25] No parental restrictions. But you, the parent, the parent, should be in charge of the home and your children. It's not everything they can watch.
[35:40] Collect the phone. Let them cry their eyes out. Collect it. Go to bed. Switch off the light. Let them sleep. If there's a spider in the room, let the spider chill them. Go to bed.
[35:51] Can I say that again? Everything about church life fires privacy. You can't be with somebody and know it's no one's business.
[36:02] It's someone's business. Somebody saw you somewhere. It's their business. What were you doing? What's your car doing at this time behind this house? It's their business.
[36:13] It's their business. You can't say it's nobody's business. No. Once you are part of the church, you don't have the privacy. It's our business. It's called fellowship. It's called koinonia.
[36:24] It's called partnership. I am in a partnership with you. I have to be able to ask you what were you doing over there? I saw your car somewhere.
[36:36] I saw you online at a dating site. But you're already married. So what are you doing there? Someone has to call you and ask you, bro, what's going on?
[36:52] What's going on, bro? Why? I don't want anyone in my business. I don't have this check, check, check, thing, thing. Because you don't understand Christianity. If you understand Christianity, you will realize that as soon as you become saved, you have lost your independence.
[37:08] Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. We pray you have been strengthened and enlightened.
[37:19] You can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms, including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Caris Church app.
[37:32] Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed. Be blessed.