Weekly Pursuit – Week 1 of July
Verse:
Eph. 1:22-23 “And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.”
Excerpts:
We all need to see the vision of the church…. If we read the New Testament carefully, we will see the importance of the church. The New Testament reveals that without the church Christ would be isolated and unable to do anything. The New Testament especially reveals that the church is the heart’s desire of God. God’s desire in this age is to have the church. (The Heavenly Vision, chap. 2)
The church is composed of those who once were ruined, corrupted, and damaged. Before we were saved, we were vipers, poisonous serpents. Furthermore, we were dead in trespasses and sins. Moreover, we were scattered and divided, utterly unable to be one. Thus, all the members of the church were in a hopeless situation. Nevertheless, God in His wisdom is able to make us the church. Now we are not only redeemed, saved, cleansed, freed, liberated, and regenerated—we are also united. We are one with God and with one another. Therefore, we are the church.
The church is God’s greatest boast. Although you may not care that much for the church, God cares very much for the church. Sometimes God may say, “Look, Satan, I have taken the very people whom you have ruined and I have made them into the church. Do you have the wisdom to do such a thing? You do not have this wisdom, but I have it.” (Life-study of Ephesians, msg. 31)
In the eyes of the Lord, Satan has already been defeated. If we have this insight, day by day we will sing, “Hallelujah for the victory!” …The Lord Jesus said if people destroyed His body, He would build it up in three days (John 2:19). The more Satan destroys, the more Christ will build up. His destroying is just a preparation for the Lord’s building up. We need the vision of how the Lord will use the church to defeat His enemy and to recover the whole earth. (God’s Purpose for the Church)