Fulfilling Purpose...on Purpose!

I remember watching an old episode of the "Beverly Hillbillies", a 1960's American TV comedy about a poor backwoods family who strike oil and become instant millionaires, and move to Beverly Hills, California, but still maintain their simple lifestyle and practices, while living in a two storey mansion. It takes them a while to even figure out that the second floor of the mansion also belongs to them, and there isn't actually another family living up there.

They have never seen such opulence and wealth, and everything is new to them and they are not familiar with any of the "new fangled gadgets", like the lawn croquet balls, that they think are just extremely hard eggs, or the big "cement pond" that is their swimming pool. In one episode, "Granny", one of the main characters, tries to light a fire inside the electric oven, thinking it is some type of strange wood burning stove, and the whole kitchen is filled with smoke. In another episode, the Clampetts eat on top of the pool table, thinking it is a fancy dining room table, and that the pool cues are pot passing sticks to make it easier to pass pots of food to someone on the other side of the table.

Using pool cues through the pot handles, to pass the food, worked for the Clampetts, but it wasn't exactly what the intended use was for the cues, any more than that the pool table was supposed to be used for fine dining. If you don't actually know the function of a tool or device, you might find an alternate use for it, but it is probably better to use it for its intended design.

Ephesians 1: 20-23 refers to God's power, "...which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and has put all under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all"

These verses talk about the exaltation and authority given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fact that this authority is invested in the "Church" of the Lord Jesus, which is His body, and His representatives in the earth, containing all of His fullness.

"Church" is an interesting English word, apparently derived, not from the Greek word that it is used to represent, but from another Greek word, (Kurios), "Lord", and was used to designate, "that which is of or pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ".

The actual Greek word that is used, which the English translates as "Church", is (ekklesia), 1577, [Strong's number]. This is a compound Greek word from (ek), 1537, meaning "out of", [we get the English word "exit" from this prefix], and (kaleo), 2564, from the prime root (kello), meaning to "urge"; "incite"; or "call", by an order.

Jesus chose this word very specifically when he told Peter that on supernatural revelation, He was going to build His own (ekklesia), and the gates protecting cities, areas, or territories, of demonic influence, would be broken down by this group of people, with the implication and understanding, that His (ekklesia), would take over, rule, and have authority, in these city-states, that they had just broken through the gates of. (Matthew 16:13-20).

The only other use of (ekklesia) in the Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John], is found again in Matthew, where Jesus tells His disciples, that this body of Believers have a legal right to effect change in the earth, and that WHATEVER they decide on earth, is going to be established as governing law, in the spiritual realm. He emphasizes again, that if even two of this governing assembly make a determination, [because, legally, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor.13:1), or brought into legal force], then, it will become spiritual law, and "it shall be done by my Father who is in heaven" (Matt.18:19) [presiding over the heavenly or spiritual realm]. Why will their decisions become law? The reason is because they are carrying out this action in the name, and under the express authority of the head of the (ekklesia), the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! (Matt.18:15-20)

It is quite obvious that there would be limited use of the word (ekklesia) in the Gospels, because Jesus had not yet established this governing body, because He was still here, physically present, to execute the Father's will, but he said He was physically leaving the earth, but all authority had been given to Him, in heaven and earth, to execute change, and so He gave that authority to His (ekklesia). (Matt.28:16-20).

In fact, He declared that supernatural manifestations would follow the announcement of His will through His (ekklesia), and "He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God" (Mk.16:19), [the position of authority and right to rule], and His (ekklesia) went and announced His will "...everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mk.16:15-20).

There has been a misconception about the "church", and an erroneous thought, that whether taught, or caught, that the church is "called out", from the world, to live holy, separate lives, uncontaminated by worldly influence, isolated and sheltered away, protected from evil, among it's group of exclusive members, who have gained this superior position of privilege, and gather weekly, to celebrate this unique relationship, usually in a building, also referred to loosely as the "church", although nowhere in the New Testament scriptures, is the word "church", ever used to identify a building.

Originally, (ekkaleo) was used for the summons to the army to assemble, to prepare for battle. The (ekklesia), which is derived from (ekkaleo), specifically referred to the group of citizens within a city that had the legal right to execute change, for the benefit of everyone in the city. Every city, especially a port city, had a constant influx of people, and many permanent residents, who were not officially citizens. They lived there, and did business there, but the legal right of determining policy and legal decisions rested with the (ekklesia), the citizens of the city.

The (ekklesia) "...elected and dismissed magistrates and directed the policy of the city. It declared war, made peace, contracted treaties and arranged alliances. It elected generals and other military officers. It assigned troops to different campaigns, and dispatched them from the city. It was ultimately responsible for the conduct of all military operations. It raised and allocated funds...its powers were to all intents and purposes unlimited" (New Testament Words, William Barclay)

It is also interesting, that every citizen, that formed the (ekklesia), had an equal voice, and an equal right and equal duty, to speak on any decision that was made, for the betterment of the city. What is crucial to understand, is that the (ekklesia) were the controlling body within the city. They were not a passive group, like people at a sporting event, off on the sidelines, watching the game being played, as spectators, and not as participants. The (ekklesia) ran all of the affairs of the city-states and determined the political direction; military action; financial funding, and every aspect of life, within the city, and they did this for the betterment of the whole city, not just for themselves.

When the (ekklesia) was going to be convened, a herald, (kerux), [2783], or preacher, would go through the city and call the citizens out, from among the general populace, to assemble for important matters of decision. The meetings began with prayer and sacrifice, to the god(s) of the city. Once this necessary aspect of worship took place, the business to be addressed was brought forth, and everyone had the right, and was expected, to voice their decision regarding the matters to be dealt with.

The (ekklesia) existed over 500 years before the birth of Jesus, and its function and effectiveness among the Greeks was well known. Jesus specifically chose this word, and said He was going to build His own (ekklesia), and no demonic opposition would be able to stand against the actions of His (ekklesia). To think about the parallel, and yet stark contrast, to the concept and function of the "church" today; we have allowed religious ideology, void of scriptural content, to dictate our understanding of "church", apart from any biblical basis.

To return to the intention, of the "Lord" of the church, we too are to meet and offer prayer and sacrifices of praise and worship, to the one and only true God, speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph.5:19-20), and then we are to exercise our spiritual authority, over the cities and communities that we have been given the responsibility and mandate to govern, so that when we come together, every one of us has a song; has a teaching; has a prophetic message in tongues; has a revelation; or an interpretation (1Cor.14:26), to give direction; to create; and to maintain spiritual governance and order.

This is the vision, purpose and function of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not an anemic passively palatable body. In every community, we have the legal right spiritually and responsibility, to govern and control the direction; health and function of the cities in which we live. We are to exercise that right to effect change and bring into effect, spiritual law, for the betterment of all, within the city or area in which we are positioned.

We can continue to do "church" as usual, which may be an alternate function, but not the vision of the Church, or we can fulfill the passion and purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the Church.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours