The Word of God reminds us that God is the Sovereign King, and He rules over us, His covenant people. Our God is called not only our King but also called our Father and Our Good Shepherd. (1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 13:20).  We are precious in His sight and He leads and guides us. He rules over us through His Word. God’s Word is infallible and inerrant and is the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. It instructs and governs in all areas of our lives, even our church life.

Our Lord is building us up spiritually through the instruction of His Holy Word. Romans 15:4 states that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Our responsibility is to submit to God and obey His Word.  “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). We have this assurance from our Lord Jesus Christ that He will build His people at His Church.

God also rules over us through His people. The Word of God gives us two church offices, namely Pastors/Elders and Deacons/Deaconesses. Pastors and Elders are overseers and are given the ministry of preaching/teaching God’s Word and prayers. The Apostle Paul left Titus in Crete to ordain elders to oversee the local Churches - “that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city …” (Titus 1:5). God appoints spiritually qualified Church Officers and charges them to oversee the affairs of His people in accordance with His Word. Ephesians 4:11b,12 - “And he gave some,… pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”. We need God-fearing faithful men and women who will give themselves to God and take on the task of building up a His people as God-fearing faithful believers.   

How can we cooperate and do our part even as the Lord, who builds, helps, and guide us through His word and His leaders?

Let us have clean hands and pure hearts. God requires us to have clean hands and pure hearts. “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4).Unless and until our hearts are humbled, convicted of our sins, and we get right with God, we cannot serve Him acceptably. Let us do our part by getting right with God.  James 4:8 exhorts us to “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Let us love God wholeheartedly. Our Lord Jesus summarised it for us in Luke 10:27 – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, an with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself”. This is total devotion to God. We achieve this by reading His word, fellowship with Him in QT and Prayer and put Him first in our decisions. It seems difficult  as times but “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Loving God is a response to God’s unchanging love for us His people.

Let us be faithful to God.  We must understand that God saved us in Christ so that we serve Him faithfully as God-fearers. Hebrews 10:23 exhorts - “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)”.  Can we say that we are faithful to God? May the Lord find us faithful, for one day we will have to give an account of ourselves unto Him one day.

Let us labour on till our Master comes. It is my prayer for you that we will always continue to labour on in purity, love, and unity, serving Him fervently until His soon return. Each one of us must do our part, getting involved in the work of God individually, as a family, and as a Church. As the hymn writer says, let us labour on. “Go, labour on; spend, and be spent, Thy joy to do the Father’s will; It is the way the Master went; Should not the servant tread it still?

The Lord is building our lives, our family, and our Church. The Psalmist declares “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:” (Psalm 127:1). A solemn reminder to us that the Lord who raised, enabled and sustained us to build His people here at this church through our labour. If it were not the Lord then our efforts all would amount to nothing. But if we continue to have faith in God, trust Him, love Him, obey His Word and labour for Him, we would be spiritually fruitful and blessed.    

On this Lord’s Day, we come in humility and reverence before God to worship Him. The Word of God reminds us that God rules over us, His people in the local Church of Jesus Christ. Let us be challenged to follow the example of our Lord Jesus, who will build His church according to His Word. 1 Corinthians 14:40 - “Let all things be done decently and in order” according to His Word to the Praise and Glory of God. Let me just conclude with the words from the beautiful Hymn ‘The Church's One Foundation.”

‘The Church's one foundation. Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation By water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her To be His holy bride;
With his own blood, he bought her, And for her life, he died.

Elect from every nation, Yet one o'er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.

Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious Shall be the church at rest.

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14 Bedford Square, Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia 5041