How Jesus Cleans His Church

Keeping the church building clean is everybody’s job. When I eat something in the parish hall, I need to clean it up so that no one else has to be burdened by my mess. But there are some messes that are too much for anyone to clean. I can wipe up spilled coffee and clean bread-crumbs off the table well enough, but what about my self-centeredness, my pride, my unforgiveness? I’m pretty helpless when it comes to those things. And the bible teaches that you are too.

Adding to that, we all have these sinful messes in our own individual lives and hearts and God brings us together as one body, one church, in Christ. So instead of a lot of little messes running around the world, God gathers us all together in one place so that we can all make messes together. Sooner or later my mess spills over into your life and yours into mine. What are we to do? Give up the church? Jesus doesn’t give us that option (Hebrews 10:25). So it looks like we’re stuck, doomed to be miserable together forever and ever. Or maybe not.

We’ve been thinking a lot over the last few weeks about the importance of bible study in the life of the church. During class yesterday we read a section from Ephesians 5:26-27

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Jesus uses his word, scripture, to “cleanse” “sanctify” “wash” his church. He uses his word to wash away things like selfish desire, un-forgiveness, malice, greed, lust, addiction—all those things that hurt our relationship with God, with each other, and ultimately steal our joy and make us slaves.

Sometimes Christians begin to study the bible with enthusiasm but, over time, when they do not experience the expected emotional rewards, they fall away. But as Christians we do not follow our hearts. We follow Jesus. We let him, not our emotions, determine our actions. 19th century Anglican Bishop JC Ryle wrote:

“Do not think you are getting no good from the Bible, merely because you do not see that good day by day. The greatest effects are by no means those which make the most noise, and are most easily observed. The greatest effects are often silent, quiet, and hard to detect at the time they are being produced.

Think of the influence of the moon upon the earth, and of the air upon the human lungs. Remember how silently the dew falls, and how imperceptibly the grass grows. There may be far more doing than you think in your soul by your Bible-reading” (Ryle, Practical Religion)

If you’ve fallen away from studying the bible or if you’ve lost all desire for it, pray. Ask God to awaken a desire and a hunger for his word and then commit to read regularly. The study of scripture will necessarily produce fruit in you. God has promised to use it to change your heart and change your life and make you clean.

The more we read and study the bible the more we open ourselves up to the sanctifying work of Christ and the less self-centered, prideful, and unforgiving we are—the dross is scrubbed away and the image of Christ in each of us shines through more brightly.

This cleansing is not merely an individual/personal cleansing…he sanctifies the church, together, as one body. While it’s important for you to study scripture on your own and come to church and hear the sermon, it is equally important to join with other believers in small groups to study the bible. In a small group you are able to share your insights and gifts as well as the difficulties and struggles of your life and others are able to do the same in the context of reading, studying and discussing the very thing—the word—that Jesus uses to make us more like him. During your own personal study you often run across questions and difficulties that, by yourself, you cannot resolve. Listening to a sermon you can’t ask questions or discuss what is being preached. A small group allows you to do all these things. 

At Good Shepherd, as most of you know, we have 4 small group bible studies called Mission Groups that meet in people’s homes and 4 bible studies that meet at the church. You can read about Mission Groups here.

And you can read about Bible Studies here:

If you are not in a group now, I’m writing to encourage you to join one. The Mission Group contact is Joe Kovac. You can email him here: JosephBKovac@gmail.com. Or you can contact me if you are interested in one of the bible studies that meet at the church by writing to lambeth98@gmail.com or calling 723-8032.

It may be that you really want to join in but none of the small groups meet on a day or time that you are available. If that is you, please let me know by responding to this email or giving me a call. We’re hoping to launch some new groups but to do that we need to know who’s looking to join one so please let me know.

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