Belonging to God as his treasured possession and so that our joy might be full, we are sent to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ through the scriptures, good works, and our fellowship, so that all may be conformed into the image of the Son of God and that we might share in the increase of his kingdom on the earth.
1.Belonging to God
When we seek to understand who we are, we must begin with the fact that we are not our own. Not only were we created by God, but we have also been bought by God. Thus, the challenge is not to forge our own identity, but to enjoy the freedom of relying on our Creator and Savior for who we really are.
2.As his treasured possession
We are God’s people because he chose us. Left to ourselves we would never choose Him. As Peter says, we are a “chosen race” and “a people for his own possession.” He loved us not for anything in us but because he loved us (Deut. 7:6). We need the power of the Holy Spirit to know the greatness of God’s love for us (Eph. 3:16–19).
3.So that our joy may be full
A close reading of the Scriptures shows that Christ came to give us joy. Satan would have us settle for lesser pleasures in every temptation. However, Christ has given us His promises that our “joy may be full” (John 15:11).
4.We are sent
Even as God sent Christ, so Christ sends us. In the Old Testament, the nations were invited to come and see, in the New Testament we are tasked to go and tell the good news. We are not just recipients of grace, but witnesses of it.
5.To proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ
Each person’s testimony will vary in its details, but at its core is Jesus. We encourage one another and witness to the world by proclaiming His sufficiency and perfections. He is the ultimate focus of all Scripture, the reason for our hope, and the answer for our deepest longings.
6.Through the Scriptures
Some have referred to the church as a “creature of the word.” By this, they meant that apart from theWord the church would have no shape or purpose. The Scripture reveals who we are and what we do and the church is where the reality of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection is played out. It is through the Word that we are born again (1 Peter 1:23), come to know Jesus (John 5:39), and are equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16).
7.Good works
The grace of God leaves a mark. We are saved by grace not works, but that grace allows us to perform the good works God has planned for us. How this grace plays out will vary, but as Paul tells Titus:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14)
In a similar way, Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
8.Our fellowship
It would be impossible to overstate the role of fellowship for the Christian. This means more than just chatting with one another weekly—although that is not a bad place to start! The New Testament is filled with “one another” commands. We cannot obey these commands unless we are sharing our lives with each other. It is interesting to note that for Jesus, our unity and love for one another is a witness to the world that He is from God (John 17:21). Sincere love for one another carries with it a strong evangelistic element.
9.So that all
Christ’s rule and reign is a present reality and the church is the vehicle God has chosen where they would be manifest. Therefore, our goal is that our community reflects, to the extent that God’s grace allows, what the perfected kingdom will be like. For Paul, in the book of Ephesians, one of the best ways this is illustrated is that those who have long been separated by race and culture have been reconciled. It would be a small thing if God were to just gather some people that already had much in common. Rather, God is creating for himself a new community based on Christ. This new community will be made up of people from every tribe and tongue (Rev. 5:9). Our desire is that the local body reflects this spectacular diversity.
10.May be conformed into the image of the Son of God
God’s ultimate desire for his people is that they become like Jesus. We are to take on the family identity, with Jesus as our elder brother. Living upright and moral lives is part of this process but it must not end there. Love for God and his people must be our distinguishing characteristic.
11.That we might share in the increase of his kingdom on earth
The kingdom of God is at hand. The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that His reign has begun. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. . .” (Isa. 9:7). This is very good news for a world where so much seems to be coming apart. The local church is an outpost of this new kingdom. For all of our very real concerns, our ultimate comfort is that God is building his church. God has put all things under Christ for the church so that God’s wisdom would be made known.
1Rom. 14:7–8; 1 Cor. 6:19–20; 2 Cor. 5:14–15
2Exo. 19:5–6; Deut. 7:6; 26:18; Eph. 3:16–19; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9
3Ps. 35:27; 67:4; John 15:11; 1 John 5:3
4Matt. 10:16; 28:18–20; John 20:21; Rom. 10:13–17; 2 Cor. 5:11, 18–20
5Acts 5:52; 8:35; 9:20; 10:36; 17:3; 1 Cor. 1:23; 2 Cor. 4:5; Eph. 3:8; Phil. 1:15–18; Col. 1:28; 1 Peter 2:9
6Luke 24:25–27, 44-45; John 1:45; 8:31–32; Acts 2:42; Eph. 4:11–16; 2 Tim. 3:14–16; 2 Peter 3:1–2, 18
7Isa. 58; Matt. 5:13–16; Eph. 2:10; 1 Tim. 6:17–19; Titus 2:7–8, 11–14; 3:1–2, 8, 14; Heb. 10:24–25; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:16
8John 13:34–35; 17:20–23; Acts 4:32–35; 1 John 3:10–14; 4:20–21
91 Cor. 9:19–23
10Rom. 8:29; Gal. 4:19; Col. 1:28–29
11Isa. 9:6–7; Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 1:8