WITNESSING 1- CHRIST PLAN FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS CHURCH

CHRIST PLAN FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS CHURCH - Matt. 16.
The first appearance of the word “church” in the NT was in Matt. 16 where Peter expressed the revelation of whom Jesus is. The claim of Jesus there was that flesh and blood has not revealed the knowledge to Peter, and that upon the revelation that was expressed His church shall be built. It seems as if this to the contemporary church means that we’ve got nothing to do than to trust in the Lord for the building of His church.

The Meaning of the Word church
When we talk about the church of Christ it is good to know what is meant. The word church does not mean the building and not necessarily the organization/denomination. It has to do with the people – the called out ones. People who are called out of the darkness/world into into God's marvellous light.

The promise of Christ Concerning the Church
The promise of Christ was to build his people. That means to construct/to confirm, to have the church built into an edifice. It is for this reason that he gave leadership gifts to the church and us all for one another for mutual edification. To build also by inference would mean to enlarge or increase: one of the ways Christ confirms his church is by increasing it – Acts. 2.47; He builds his church into an edifice and confirms it by granting her visibility on earth.

The Desire of Today's Church
Today’s church wants this increase and visibility for many reason. The first reason could be because Christ wants it – Jn. 10.16; 12.32. Another reason could be because we want it, even much more than the former, for self aggrandizement. Pastors wants to boast of their big churches; members are proud to be associated with such big churches; but unless we want the increase and the visibility because Christ wants it, we may not have true growth/increase. If we want it because he does, then we need to know how he wants His church to grow/increase.

The Plan of Christ for the Growth/Increase of His Church.
Not only did He promised to build his church, He also left instructions for the church - definite instructions. The instructions are related to the mission he came to this earth for - Matt. 1.21; Luk. 19.10; the instruction has to do with work – Luk. 19.13; Jn. 14.12-14. The works which He did, which we can do if we believe in Him; the works concerning which we can do something greater; an opportunity comes to us because Christ is going to the father. It must be for this reason that He gave the promise that whatever we ask in His name He shall do. The work also has to do with Him sending us as the father sent him – Jn. 20.19-23, to witness him or His redemptive work to the world – Acts. 1.8, a work which we must do in the power (with the collaboration) of the Holy Ghost. Jn. 15.26-27; Acts. 5.30.32.

This was the strength of the early church for increase and visibility; they witnessed Christ from Jerusalem … to the ends of the earth; creating a better society, not by merely praying nor merely believing, nor by flashy public relations. This was the example (Jn. 4.34-38) and the instruction from Christ; adhered to by the early church.

The modern church cannot claim him as its Lord if we do not what he commanded.



There is peace and contentment in my Father's house today,
Lots of food on His table and no one turned away.
There is singing and laughter as the hours passes by,
But a hush calms the singing as the Father sadly cries,

My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.

Push away from the table.
Look out through the windowpane,
Just beyond the house of plenty
Lies a field of golden grain.
And it's ripe unto harvest,
But the reapers, where are they?
In the house,
Oh, can't the children hear
the Father sadly say,

My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.