TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 3:1-11
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known. - Ephesians 3:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
One common misconception people have about the church is that it is a building down the street.

It's not hard to understand where people could get that idea. After all, ""church"" is the term we apply to our places of worship, and most people take the name literally because a building is easy to see and identify.

Chances are, some believers think of the church as a building, too. But we won't get very far in the writings of Paul without having that notion corrected. One of the most basic declarations we can make about the church is that it consists of people, not property. The church is a living entity--a body that is alive because it is attached to its living head, Jesus Christ.

It's true that on several occasions the New Testament uses the metaphor of a building to describe the church. Paul does this himself (Eph. 2:19-22), as does Peter (1 Pet. 2:5). But the emphasis in these passages is on the people who make up the church, not the structure in which the people happen to meet. Even as a building, the church is unique because it consists of ""living stones,"" as Peter calls us.

If this talk of a living church seems mysterious to the world, that's not surprising. It was a mystery to believers themselves until Paul and God's other ""holy apostles and prophets"" (v. 5) were given this revelation by the Holy Spirit.

We sometimes hear the phrase ""the church in the Old Testament"" as referring to believers living under the Mosaic covenant prior to the cross. But Paul distinctly says the mystery of the church was not made known to previous generations. It was ""kept hidden in God"" (v. 9).

So the church was a new revelation, a further unveiling of the multifaceted wisdom of God. The startling news that Jews and Gentiles would now be equal members in a new body revealed the high point of God's redemptive work.

Thus, the church became a testimony of God's power and wisdom to ""rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms"" (v. 10). This realm of various demonic authorities saw in the church a divine work that no other mind could have conceived, and no other power could have achieved.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Does your attitude toward your church match the high view of Christ's body that the Bible gives us?

If it does, that's great! Thank God that He has given you insight into what His body is all about. If not, maybe it's time to focus on the body of believers at your church that God has given you to encourage you in the faith. Why not take time throughout this week to pray for your church, that it would become all that God intended?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 3:12-21
I pray that you...may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. - Ephesians 3:17-18
TODAY IN THE WORD
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the California gold rush that sparked the greatest migration in U.S. history. But some people are not content merely to celebrate the historic discovery of gold by James Marshall in 1848. They are prospecting for gold themselves. One man, panning for gold in a river just ten miles from Los Angeles, explains his work by saying he is convinced those early miners did not get all the gold in California. He is determined to strike his own mother lode--he's been at it for twenty years.

If these modern-day prospectors are willing to work long and hard for a few ounces of gold, how much more should we be eager to pursue all that God has for us? There is no question that when it comes to the spiritual wealth we have in Christ as members of His body, the store of treasure is inexhaustible.

Paul probably better understood this than anybody, so he wanted the believers at Ephesus not to settle for anything less than everything God had for them. Paul prayed that they would understand and enjoy the blessings that were theirs as children of God.

Paul was explaining the nature of the church as a new body composed of Jews and Gentiles when he started to pray (3:1). But the wonders of God's plan prompted him to recapitulate his part in unfolding the mystery of the church.

Paul returned to his original thought in verse 14, after which follows a powerful series of requests we can pray today. According to these verses, all three members of the Trinity are involved in the blessing of the church.

First, we can know the power of the Holy Spirit (v. 16) within us. We will see tomorrow that the Spirit's indwelling us is one of the distinguishing marks of the church.

The incomparable love of God's Son is another facet of our spiritual riches. Paul prayed that we might know the love of Christ, which is beyond knowing. That irony suggests that we will spend the rest of our lives, and all of eternity, trying to grasp the greatness of Jesus' love for us.

Finally, we need to be filled with the Father's power so that we can bring Him glory forever. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are committed to the church's empowerment and blessing.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The power, love, and fullness of God available to us are more than adequate for any problem we might come up against.

When we're dealing with something difficult, we are usually content for God to remove the problem. But Paul says God wants to do more for us than we can imagine--which means that God may be at work in your problem in ways you can't see. Today, why not ask Him to show you not just how to get around the problem, but what He wants to teach you through it?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 14:15-18, 25-26; Acts 2:1-13
You know [the Spirit], for he lives with you and will be in you. - John 14:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari made about 1걄 violins, cellos, and other instruments during his long career. He inscribed the Latin version of his name on the label of his

masterpieces, making the name Stradivarius synonymous with excellence in instrument craftsmanship. That's still true today, more than 200 years after Stradivari's death.

Jesus Christ also put His name on His masterpiece, the church. We still carry His name today, more than 2ꯠ years after our Lord walked the earth with His apostles--His earliest followers and the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20).

Jesus knew that His time on earth would be limited to the few years He was with the Twelve. So on the night He was betrayed, Jesus explained His new relationship to the body of people who would soon become the church. His visible, temporary presence on earth with His disciples would be replaced by the invisible--and eternal--ministry of the Holy Spirit within each disciple.

We said yesterday that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers is a distinguishing mark of the church. If you're a veteran in the body of Christ, you have heard this truth taught many times. It's hard for us to appreciate what a revelation and departure this was for those first believers.

The apostles were stunned and even fearful in the upper room when Jesus announced that He would be leaving them. But Jesus' teaching that night on the Holy Spirit shows that every need His followers could ever have is met through the Holy Spirit's work.

Those first believers needed counsel, as do we: The Holy Spirit is our Counselor. They needed to know the truth, as do we: He is the Spirit of truth. The assignment for all believers is to understand what Christ has taught us, and the Holy Spirit is our tutor in the things of Christ.

On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit came to indwell God's people as Jesus had promised. The disciples in Jerusalem were filled by the Spirit for witnessing, serving, and holy living. This is the same Holy Spirit who lives within us today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The church has the greatest teacher ever in the Holy Spirit, since He is God. What's more, He is a permanent resident in the heart of every Christian.

We know from 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the Spirit's help is absolutely essential to understand spiritual truth, because it cannot be grasped by the human mind alone. This includes the teaching we share with you day by day in Today in the Word. If it is not your habit each day to ask the Spirit to be your teacher, these studies on the church would be a great time to make this prayer a part of your daily devotional routine.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-21
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. - Romans 1:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
The paper industry has come a long way since ancient craftsmen produced this highly usable product. Some modern papermaking machines are so big and so sophisticated that one writer said the machine operators looked like they were standing on the bridge of a spaceship.

Despite the technology of the multibillion dollar paper industry, and the countless varieties of paper available, the essential ""recipe"" for paper has not changed since the earliest days. It is still made with water and cellulose fibers.

There is a lesson here for the modern-day church. Compared to the first century, the church today is immeasurably larger, far more technologically complex, and more widespread. Jesus' Twelve disciples and later church leaders, such as the apostle Paul, would not recognize the church of 1998. But the message God gave the church to deliver hasn't changed since Pentecost.

Paul called it ""the message of the cross"" (v. 18): the good news of Jesus' death for sin and resurrection to prove the validity of His claims. The church has always gotten in trouble whenever God's people allowed other things to overshadow the cross.

The church is told not to be ashamed of the gospel, and yet many people still are. To people who are lost without Christ, it seems foolish to put their confidence in a man nailed to an instrument of death and humiliation. And to the proud intellectual, it is insulting to think that a person has to admit personal sin and helplessness before receiving God's acceptance.

We'd like to think that all of those who reject the message of the cross are outside the church. But the fact is that some who deny the gospel wear clerical robes and carry titles of religious authority.

That brings up the issue of the difference between the true, invisible church and the visible organizations of religion that people call the church. Sometimes the two correspond, but not always. We'll discuss this more later on. For now, it's important that we never lose sight of the church's unchanging message: ""Jesus Christ and Him crucified"" (1 Cor. 2:2).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There's a good chance it would be difficult to find many readers of this devotional who would deny the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But all of us can deny the gospel by our neglect of lost people around us and refusal to share the good news of Christ. If your heart is stirred by the thought of all that Jesus suffered for you, make it a point to tell someone about Him. And if you need courage to share the gospel, ask for it the way Paul did (Eph. 6:19).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 12:3-8
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. - Romans 12:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scottish pastor Alexander Maclaren said, ""Many Christians fall prey to a spurious kind of humility that surfaces when they are asked for any kind of Christian service. They reply, ""I do not feel at all competent. I am sure I could not teach. I do not know enough about the subject. I have no abilities for influencing other people.' ""

Maclaren is right on target. We are so used to hearing about a Christian's need for humility that we can forget the nature of biblical humility.

Real humility is not denying that God can do anything worthwhile with us. It involves a balanced, soberminded assessment of our place in the body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit has given all Christians special aptitudes and calling for His service. The Bible calls the God-given abilities spiritual gifts, and they include the power to be used for the benefit of the entire body. These gifts are another identifying mark of Christ's body.

In the process of introducing the Roman church to the subject of spiritual gifts, Paul delivered two crystal-clear verses on the nature of the church (vv. 4-5). The church functions just like the human body is designed to function: many distinct members are joined into one unit, each member doing its part to make the body work. Moreover, every member of a healthy body takes its cue from the head.

Since the church is called to worship, serve, teach, and evangelize, it makes sense that Christ's body would include many kinds of gifts. And it follows that God has the right to choose which member will be given which gift (1 Cor. 12:11).

Paul includes a partial list of spiritual gifts to illustrate his point. We are not told whether the New Testament lists of spiritual gifts include every possible gift. We do know that the gifts mentioned here, and those we will study tomorrow, are sufficient to meet any church's need.

Although spiritual gifts and ministries differ among individuals, gifting never ""excuses"" us from doing things to which everyone is called. For example, we are all called to serve and encourage. But people who are gifted by the Holy Spirit in a certain area will often excel in that type of service, sensing special confirmation from God as they exercise their gifts, and blessing the entire body in the process.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have ever been confused about spiritual gifts, you're in good company.

Part of the confusion comes from the idea that a spiritual gift is really only a natural interest or ability raised to a higher level. But the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts as He sees fit, to fulfill God's plan for each of us in the church. Whatever your gift or gifts, thank the Lord for making you a useful member of His body.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 1 Peter 4:10-11
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. - 1 Peter 4:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Talking about spiritual gifts and their use in the church brings to mind the late symphonic conductor Leonard Bernstein's reply when asked which was the hardest instrument to play in an orchestra. ""That's easy,"" Bernstein replied. ""Second fiddle.""

It's hard for some people to play second fiddle in the church, too. The problem is not that such a position actually exists in the body of Christ, but rather the application of our culture's ""celebrity"" mentality to the topic of spiritual gifts. Because of this, the church has made certain believers appear more prominent or more important than others.

There is no denying that some spiritual gifts involve a more public role--teaching, for example--while others are exercised behind the scenes. But even using these terms to categorize spiritual gifts is invalid because the Bible doesn't make any such distinction. Instead, God's Word affirms the universality and the mutuality of the gifts God gives His people.

As we said yesterday, every Christian is gifted. The Holy Spirit gives gifts ""to each one"" (vv. 7, 11)--no one is left out. Gifts are also for ""the common good"" (v. 7). They are designed for the ""body's"" mutual benefit, which means that believers should never consider their gifts as superior. According to Peter, the only legitimate use of gifts is to serve others.

And since the Spirit allocates gifts ""just as He determines"" (v. 11), there are no mistakes. In fact, ""God's gifts...are irrevocable"" (Rom. 11:29).

Do you see anything in today's verses that would lead any believer to feel second-class, or a ""second fiddle"" member of Christ's body? Pride and prejudice simply aren't part of the spiritual gifts equation. The world may distinguish between the ""stars"" and the rest of us, but that thinking was never meant to invade the church.

Since God's requirement of us is faithfulness (1 Cor. 4:2), no matter what our gifts, we all have an opportunity to shine in His work. God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, distributes spiritual gifts and provides the power to use them for His glory. We can be thankful He didn't leave that up to us.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We now have a pretty good picture of what it takes to use our spiritual gifts the way God intended.

First, it takes a soberminded view of ourselves, not allowing pride to inflate us or false humility to deflate us. Then, we need a servant's mentality, seeking the good of our fellow believers rather than our own glory. Finally, we should serve with an ""attitude of gratitude"" for the gifts God has wisely chosen to give us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-19
God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. - 1 Corinthians 12:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
A recent study of twelve- to eighteen-year-olds revealed that well-adjusted teenagers tend to eat more meals with their families than poorly adjusted teens. One reason suggested that family meals produce a sense of togetherness and fellowship that helps teenagers deal with the challenges of adolescence.

What happens in a wellbalanced family is also what should happen in a well-balanced body of believers. Each member of a family is a distinct person, yet vitally connected to the group. In the same way, each member of Christ's body is distinct, yet vitally connected to every other member.

As you read today's verses you can see why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to compare the church to the human body. Our bodies have thousands of different parts, and we need all of them. But these parts are meant to work as a unit.

When certain parts of a body quit functioning, or ""rebel"" against the rest of the body, it is considered to be a disease or abnormality. Too often, Christ's body is plagued either by nonfunctioning members or by members who decide to ""freelance"" and go their own ways in disregard of the ""common good"" (see v. 7).

That's absurd--just as a human body that is composed of all eyes or all ears is an absurdity. In verses 4-11 Paul has established that every Christian has a spiritual gift and a place to exercise it. Therefore every Christian is necessary for the church's healthy functioning.

In today's reading, we find that the apostle emphasizes his point again through the body illustration. As gifted members of Christ's body, we cannot enviously look at other ""parts"" and quit the program.

Paul keeps bringing us back to the central issue, which is that the church is God's work from beginning to end. Anyone who doesn't like the way the church is arranged needs to take it up with the Head.

Verse 13 is the true ""membership requirement"" for the church. Everyone who is saved by faith in Christ is baptized by the Spirit into Christ's body. People who have not been born again have not experienced Spirit baptism--and are disqualified from membership in Christ's body, whatever else they may claim for themselves in terms of religion. No one can simply attach onto the body without coming through Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Maybe you know another member of Christ's body who needs your ministry right now.

It could be a spouse who needs your encouragement or reaffirmation of your love; a child who needs to know that you are on his or her side; or a Christian friend who could benefit from a listening ear. Whatever the need, your help will be an act of worship and service to Christ that will help strengthen His body--because we are members of each other.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:20-31
You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. - 1 Corinthians 12:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
Depending on the type of calendar you use, you may have in front of you today a small example of the great diversity that marks God's world. In America, today is the official celebration of Columbus Day, honoring the voyage and discovery of Christopher Columbus on these shores. This is also Thanksgiving Day in the great nation of Canada. Around the world, this same day commemorates a great diversity of events.

The body of Christ is as diverse as the countries that God has sovereignly placed in His world. Paul has established that truth beyond any doubt in 1 Corinthians 12. The diversity is part of Christ's plan to make His body the church function effectively, because a body needs many different parts.

But the church's diversity is designed to enhance its unity. The better we understand that every believer has an important place to fill in the church's ministry, the better the church will fulfill its purpose.

The mutuality that should mark us as believers in Christ is very apparent in today's reading. Paul addresses the issue we brought up several days ago: the idea that some members of Christ's body are more useful, more honorable, and more important than others.

The apostle deflates that ego-centered piece of nonsense with a few well-aimed verses. Far from being less honorable, verse 23 shows us that the parts of the body which we think might fall into that category are given special honor by the Lord. This is not, however, so that they will feel superior. The goal of mutual honor is that the body's members will have ""equal concern for each other"" (v. 25).

You won't find a better example of mutuality than verse 26. The human body is wired in such a way that all the other parts can't help but suffer when one part is injured. And when something good happens to us, everyone rejoices!

When Christ's body is operating the way God designed it to operate, no one has to worry about being overlooked or left out. There is room for every member to serve Christ, and everyone is needed.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Yesterday we suggested several ways to put truth into action by reaching out to another Christian in need.

Another way we can serve others is by releasing them from our unrealistic expectations. It's easy to try to force those around us into the mold we have created for them. But Jesus Christ places each member in the body as it pleases Him, and we need to allow others the freedom to find their place. We don't have to condone sin, but neither should we judge our fellow Christians according to our private agendas.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 4:7-16
From [Christ] the whole body...builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. - Ephesians 4:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Dwight L. Moody came to Los Angeles for a series of meetings, one of his hearers was a young man whom God was preparing for His service. Henry A. Ironside, better known as Harry, was stirred by Moody's message. Ironside began a ministry of preaching and teaching in 1886 that eventually led him to the pulpit of Chicago's Moody Memorial Church in 1930. He served as pastor there for the next eighteen years, preaching through every book of the Bible and using his gifts as a storyteller and illustrator to bring God's Word to life for many. Additionally, Ironside wrote sixty books.

The Moody-Ironside connection is another fascinating illustration of the way God uses gifted people to build the church. The first verse of today's reading reinforces a reality we have emphasized for the past few days. Jesus Christ has portioned out ""to each one of us"" the spiritual gifts necessary for the ministry of His body the church--the new work of God made possible by Jesus' death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension.

Ephesians 4 shows us another wonderful facet of the multifaceted grace of God (see 1 Pet. 4:10). The term grace in today's reading and in 1 Peter is not a reference to salvation, but to the gifts Jesus Christ has graciously given to His body. But instead of focusing on the gifts themselves, Paul is concerned with the gifted people who serve for the benefit of the church.

The apostles were foundational to God's work. Their centrality is not just hyperbole on Paul's part. The names of the apostles will be carved into the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14).

The church needed the ministry of prophets in a special way in the early days before the Scriptures had all been written. The picture is completed by the gifts of evangelist and pastor-teacher (the original language suggests these two terms go together).

The genius of God's blueprint for the church really comes through in verses 12-16. The apostles were not ""celebrities"" but disciple-makers, preparing the members of Christ's body for service. Pastors are charged with the same divine assignment today. It's our responsibility to follow their leadership, not sit back and expect them to keep us interested.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's disappointing to see an adult act with the maturity level of a two-year-old.

With that in mind, here's an interesting question to think and pray about along the way today. If your spiritual maturity level was suddenly reflected in your physical appearance, would you see a healthy, growing person in the mirror today--or a child in an adult's body?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57
TODAY IN THE WORD
Pastor and Moody Press author Tony Evans says that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, the powers of hell threw a victory party. It looked to them like they had won. Their archenemy was dead; heaven's agenda had been overturned.

But Satan's apparent victory was actually his moment of final and eternal defeat, because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God. What appeared to be sure defeat was in reality the most glorious victory in the universe.

It's hard to read today's passage and be nonchalant, isn't it? What we have here is another part of the divine mystery that Jesus stated in summary form and Paul revealed in detail: ""Because I live, you also will live"" (John 14:19).

Jesus' resurrection means that we also will be raised someday even though our present bodies are ticketed for the grave. The church will be the first among God's people in all generations to be resurrected. We believe this incredible privilege will become reality at the rapture, when Christ comes back for His own prior to the tribulation (1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:13-18).

Paul lays out the details of the resurrection, using the analogy of discarding a worn-out piece of clothing for a new one. The victory comes when death, our last enemy, is devoured by eternal life. Our future victory over sin and death is such a thrilling thought that it's not hard to become excited about it.

If we had been writing this passage, we probably would have stopped at verse 57, the high point of the story. But there's another side to the story.

For those in the body of Christ, victory doesn't start at the rapture. The church's ""winning streak"" began at the cross and the empty tomb. We are already ""more than conquerors through Him who loved us"" (Rom. 8:37). The Holy Spirit who lives within us brings with Him all the power any of us will ever need to live a triumphant Christian life.

It's one thing to try to claim a victory that is up for grabs. It's entirely another thing to be guaranteed of victory even before you begin. We can serve Christ with everything we have, because everything we do for Him counts for eternity.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 58 should be required reading for Christians on a regular basis.

Read these words again and let the sweetness of victory soak into your soul for a few minutes. This is not wishful thinking or hollow hype. Whatever your spiritual gift, and wherever God has placed you in His body, you can make someone's eternity different because Jesus Christ will not let your service be in vain! If that makes you feel like praising Him, go ahead. Better yet, share the blessing with a friend today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. - 2 Corinthians 9:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
George Williams was a young businessman in nineteenth-century London who also had a burning passion to win others to Christ. George's skill in business showed as his cloth-selling business prospered. His commitment to Christ and organizational skills also bore fruit in the ministry he founded--what we know today as the YMCA. The more Williams gave to charity and God's work (sometimes as much as two-thirds of his income) the wealthier he became. Queen Victoria knighted him in 1894 for his service.

It won't surprise you to learn that Sir George Williams also gave lavishly of his time to the Lord. He would spend his Sundays visiting London slum dwellers, bringing children and adults to church to hear the gospel.

What a great example for the body of Christ! It's obvious that George Williams understood--and lived out--the grace of giving in a way that only a relative handful of Christians ever achieve.

It's beyond argument that the church is called to practice the ministry of giving. The familiar example in today's reading involved a specific need, the poverty of the believers in Jerusalem, that the rest of the church was to meet by its generous giving.

Paul used the gracious giving of the believers in Macedonia as a challenge to the Corinthian church to do likewise. The Christians in Macedonia were poor themselves, but they willingly gave out of what they had to meet the needs before them--and that's exactly what God expects of us (v. 12).

The perfect example of giving, of course, is Jesus' willingness to trade heavenly riches for the rags of human existence so that He could lavish all the wealth of heaven upon us. In light of what Jesus did, anyone who is worried about turning loose a few dollars simply doesn't understand grace.

It's worth repeating: The church is designed to be a place where many different needs are met. The genius of God's plan is that those who give when they are able can expect God to meet their needs when they are on the other end of the equation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Whether the issue is money, time, or something else, being the kind of giver who pleases God has nothing to do with the size of your bank account or the importance of your job title. It's the size of your heart that matters.

Try this simple exercise to see how you're doing as a giver. Sometime today, take a glance through your checkbook. Can you trace in your transactions a pattern of gracious, systematic giving to God's work? Does your schedule reflect the priority Jesus Christ has in your life? Why not talk to the Lord about what you find?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18
Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. - Galatians 6:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Today's generation of grandparents can tell stories of the hardships they endured during World War II as supplies were rationed and people did without some necessities to contribute to the war effort. One reason for those sacrifices was the necessity of feeding and equipping the troops. No one expects soldiers to pay their own way to the front lines or buy their own gear. As Paul put it, ""Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?"" (1 Cor. 9:7).

This self-evident truth helps set the stage for a very important principle the Bible teaches us in our reading for today. If God cares enough to make sure a work animal benefits from its own work, how much more does He care about the welfare of His servants?

This has to be a tough topic for pastors to address. No matter what the approach, the message comes out as ""pay the preacher.""

Our response to this should be, ""Amen!"" Forget all the jokes about keeping the preacher poor and humble. Those who provide spiritual leadership to the body of Christ and work hard at preaching and teaching His Word ""are worthy of double honor"" (1 Tim. 5:17). That means both respect and fair financial treatment. Come to think of it, that's what we want at our places of work, too.

The way the church takes care of its leaders says a lot about our obedience and the value we place on Christ's work. Anyone can cite a handful of examples in which spiritual leaders' right to ""receive their living from the gospel"" (v. 14) has been abused. But the exceptions only prove the rule that when people are spiritually blessed, they have an obligation to return the blessing in a material way.

That was the guiding principle for Paul (1 Cor. 9:11). He refused to take support from the Corinthians because he knew that some would use that as the basis for an accusation of greed. But when it came to the open-hearted Philippians, Paul gladly received the support they sent (Phil. 4:18).

Most of us don't have any qualms about taking care of our own needs. Let's show the same enthusiasm in taking care of the dedicated people who regularly feed us God's Word. Jesus said that without shepherds the sheep will be scattered.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We often urge Today readers to write their pastors and other spiritual leaders notes of encouragement.

Why not do that this weekend for your pastor, Christian education director, worship leader, or other church staff members? Let the person know how much you appreciate this ministry in your life, and offer your continued prayer support. Also, try to include several specific ways in which this leader's ministry is making a difference in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. - Matthew 28:18-19
TODAY IN THE WORD
If there was ever a collection of people who had become confused about their purpose on earth and needed direction, it was Jesus' eleven surviving disciples in the days after His crucifixion and resurrection.

The disciples' own ""master plan"" for the future--Jesus' triumph over the occupying Romans and the arrival of the kingdom age for Israel--had been shattered by Jesus' announcement of His death and soon departure back to the Father. Now, Jesus' disciples didn't know what the future held. They needed to hear from the master Himself what He had in mind for them.

What Jesus had in mind for the disciples, and for us, was an intervening age before His return that we call the church age or dispensation of grace. The Lord gave His followers the basic strategy for this period just before His ascension.

Sometimes the church today seems as confused about its mission as the apostles were in those early days. There are plenty of voices telling us what the church ought to be: moral crusader, social reformer, even political power broker. But none of these captures the essence of the church's assignment, which, according to Jesus, is disciple-maker.

It's possible for us to hear the Great Commission quoted so many times that we lose the force and the finality of what Jesus told His body, the church, to be doing. The force of what Jesus said comes through in the command to ""make disciples.""

This is not an option for us. Christ's body is to reproduce itself the way the human body was made to reproduce itself and sustain the race. The church is to practice spiritual obstetrics, bringing new spiritual children to birth.

The church is also to be a nursery and a school where new disciples are nurtured, taught, and brought to maturity. We can make disciples by going into ""all the world"" to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15), baptizing those who respond in faith, and teaching the new disciples everything Jesus taught us.

There's a definite finality to the commission Jesus gave us. He promised us His presence throughout this age, but His instructions have never changed. Whatever else the church may do must conform to Jesus' command.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Using the term ""disciple-maker"" to describe yourself may seem out of place when you look at the circumstances in which God has placed you.

But obeying Jesus' commission is not reserved for the most gifted or eloquent members of Christ's body. It's an assignment given to every member. No matter how you spend the majority of your time, you can influence someone else for Christ by your example and witness. Ask God to help you be a disciple-maker with the people around you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Galatians 2:1-10
It is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved. - Acts 15:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Yesterday we observed that there are plenty of people around who have their own ideas of what the church should be doing. Alongside them are others with rules and regulations they believe God's people should

live by.

The result of listening to the former group can be a loss of the church's true mission. The result of trying to conform to the latter group's rules can be a loss of the church's freedom. This was the issue at stake in the church at Galatia. We need to hear what Paul said on this important occasion because, as we suggested, the problem he dealt with is still alive and well in the church.

The issue, in a nutshell, was freedom versus slavery (v. 4). In its formative days, the church was plagued by a group of people who tried to ""[put] on the necks of the disciples a yoke"" (Acts 15:10)--the rules and regulations of the Mosaic Law. These had been set aside when Jesus fulfilled the Law.

The problem was that some people could not accept the fact that, in the church, God was doing a brand new work that superseded all of the old rules and relationships (Gal. 3:28). So these self-appointed authorities followed the apostle Paul around trying to make Gentile believers feel obligated to the Law.

Paul didn't let them get away with it. He had gone to Jerusalem for the first church council years earlier (Acts 15), and there defended his work as an apostle to the Gentiles and a revealer of the mystery known as the church. But he still had to deal with those who wanted to impose the Law on believers in places like Galatia.

Does all of this sound a little historical and remote? Not at all. The church is still plagued by those who want to put the shackles of false teaching and legalism around the hands and feet of members of Christ's body. Some of these people are cult members who will come to your front door offering you literature and a friendly invitation to study the Bible with them.

But even in ""legitimate"" church circles, people are given the impression that they can earn God's favor by affirming certain teachings, following prescribed rituals, or avoiding taboo behavior. But anyone who trades freedom in Christ for a set of rules is accepting the shackles of spiritual slavery.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Spiritual freedom is a scary thing to some people, because they're afraid it will lead to out-of-control behavior.

But Paul put that fear to rest when he told the Galatians not to use their freedom for sin, but for service to one another in love (Gal. 5:13). Your spiritual freedom in Christ is a precious gift. The best way you can use it is by following Jesus' example, when He willingly laid aside the privileges of deity to become a servant (Phil. 2:5-7).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42
TODAY IN THE WORD
In what was called ""a landmark victory for Greek evangelicals,"" Christianity Today magazine reported last April that the European Court of Human Rights in France upheld the rights of three Greek Air Force officers to freely evangelize. The officers had been convicted of unlawful proselytism by a Greek military court.

This case was similar to those in other countries where Christians have been harassed, arrested, and sometimes even killed for sharing the gospel with nonbelievers. The issue is vitally important, because the New Testament teaches us by command and example that evangelism is one of the church's non-negotiable ministries.

We can see the church's basic mission being carried out as early as Acts 2, which describes the birth and infancy of Christ's new body. Today's reading gives us a real-life glimpse into what the church is all about, almost as if we were standing outside the meeting room looking in through the window.

A variety of terms may be used to define the church's mission, but there seems to be general agreement that it includes these four foundations: teaching or instruction, worship, fellowship, and evangelism.

Those first believers were devoted to the apostles' teaching the Word of God as it was first spoken to the body of Christ. We, too, have the apostles' teaching, complete and bound together for us in one convenient volume.

Fellowship is also a part of the church's life. Biblical fellowship has nothing to do with whether ""food and fun"" are present. The issue is the sharing of spiritual life with one another.

We know that worship was also a dynamic force in the early church because the Bible describes some of those first services. The Lord's Supper and prayer were key elements of worship for the first church, as they are for us today.

Evangelism was also taking place regularly, as these Christians took Christ with them all over Jerusalem. People were being saved every day (v. 47), an incredible standard of faithfulness and obedience to Christ that we are still striving to meet today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Passages such as this help to explain why every member of Christ's body needs to be attached to a local church. A detached body part is cut off from the flow of life.

Think about your church for a minute. Do you know someone who used to be an active part of your church's life and ministry, but who has been ""missing in action"" lately? You may be the friend who can reach out and draw that person back into the life of the body. If you are willing for God to use you in this way, tell Him so.