THE BIBLICAL ORDER OF THE CHURCH #3

Mat. 16:16 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

INTRO:  We have studied the last 2 lessons on the Biblical Order of the Church.  1)It is   founded on the Rock; 2)It has a firm foundation; 3)An Apostolic Foundation; 4)It has a five-fold ministry; 5)The Structure of the Church; 6)It’s essence; and the 7)The Ministries God has placed on the Church.

We will continue in this study on how they should complement on each other.  For this is not an individual kingdom but the Kingdom of God.  If we follow the patterns of the Scripture, then we won’t have the problems that have rising in this church and other churches. 

My wife asked me late one night this week: “What do you think are the Strongholds in this city?”  I answered her without hesitation and as I shared this with some ministers yesterday, they were impressed in what the Spirit of God had revealed to me.  When I shared this with my wife, she answered: “Now all we have to do is start tearing them down.”

This are those strongholds: 1)A Religious Spirit of Beliefs; 2)A spirit of Isolation; 3)A Controlling spirit and 4)A spirit of Seduction.

I.      THE MINISTRIES GIVEN BY THE LORD JESUS

1.      Eph. 4:11 “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,” Y él mismo constituyó a unos, apóstoles; a otros, profetas; a otros, evangelistas; a otros, pastores y maestros,

II.      THE MINISTRIES PLACED BY GOD IN THE CHURCH

1.      1 Cor. 12:28 “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.”

III.      THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS MINISTRIES

1.      The first one is to prepare God’s people for work of service

                                                  i.      Eph. 4:12 “to prepare God’s people for works of service….”  a fin de perfeccionar a los santos para la obra del ministerio, para la edificación del cuerpo de Cristo,

2.      The Second is for the church itself

                                                  i.      1 Cor. 12:;28 “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.” Y a unos puso Dios en la iglesia, primeramente apóstoles, luego profetas, lo tercero maestros, luego los que hacen milagros, después los que sanan, los que ayudan, los que administran, los que tienen don de lenguas.

3.      What two ministries are missing between the work of service and the work within the church?

                                                  i.      Pastors and Evangelists

4.      Why?  My opinion.

                                                  i.      These are ministries of overseers and not of functions

                                                ii.      The Pastor’s role is to oversee the work of the rest –

1.      Acts 20:28 “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Por tanto, mirad por vosotros, y por todo el rebaño en que el Espíritu Santo os ha puesto por obispos, para apacentar la iglesia del Señor, la cual él ganó por su propia sangre.

                                              iii.      The Evangelist role is to preach the Good News and they oversee the converts

1.      Acts 8:39-40 “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.” Cuando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe; y el eunuco no le vio más, y siguió gozoso su camino. Pero Felipe se encontró en Azoto; y pasando, anunciaba el evangelio en todas las ciudades, hasta que llegó a Cesarea.

5.      What other calling is missing?

                                                  i.      Deacons and Deaconess – Greek: Servant

                                                ii.      What Bible Scriptures are for deacons?

1.      1 Tim 3:8; 10, 12 Phil 1:1;

                                              iii.      Why are they missing? 

1.      This ministry is place in “service”

2.      Rom 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28

IV.      HOW DO THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER

1.      First of all we are not in competition but we are competent

                                                  i.      2 Cor. 3:5,6 “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” no que seamos competentes por nosotros mismos para pensar algo como de nosotros mismos, sino que nuestra competencia proviene de Dios, el cual asimismo nos hizo ministros competentes de un nuevo pacto, no de la letra, sino del espíritu; porque la letra mata, mas el espíritu vivifica.

2.      We are joined together

                                                  i.      Eph. 4:16 “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” de quien todo el cuerpo, bien concertado y unido entre sí por todas las coyunturas que se ayudan mutuamente, según la actividad propia de Cada miembro, recibe su crecimiento para ir edificándose en amor.

3.      Each one has their own ministry

                                                  i.      1 Cor. 12:18 “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” Mas ahora Dios ha colocado los miembros cada uno de ellos en el cuerpo, como él quiso.

4.      Each one has their own talents

                                                  i.      Mat. 25:15 “To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.” A uno dio cinco talentos, y a otro dos, y a otro uno, a cada uno conforme a su capacidad; y luego se fue lejos.

5.      It is not our kingdom

                                                  i.      1 Cor. 2:10-13 “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” Pero Dios nos las reveló a nosotros por el Espíritu; porque el Espíritu todo lo escudriña, aun lo profundo de Dios. Porque ¿quién de los hombres sabe las cosas del hombre, sino el espíritu del hombre que está en él? Así tampoco nadie conoció las cosas de Dios, sino el Espíritu de Dios. Y nosotros no hemos recibido el espíritu del mundo, sino el Espíritu que proviene de Dios, para que sepamos lo que Dios nos ha concedido, lo cual también hablamos, no con palabras enseñadas por sabiduría humana, sino con las que enseña el Espíritu, acomodando lo espiritual a lo espiritual.

6.      We do it unto God and not men

CONCLUSION: