A Superior, Stronger, More Capable Body

I would tend to believe that all of us would enjoy a more capable and stronger body. They say that size doesn’t matter, but if it come to sports like football or basketball; the bigger and taller, the better. I would believe the same may apply to wrestling or boxing, as well. In days of old, I would consider that soldiers on the battlefield that were engaged in hand to hand combat would have the advantage if they would superior in size, strength, and skill.

I know that this standard isn’t always set in stone. David was on the small size and yet he was able to defeat the giant Goliath. None-the-less, if I was in the market for worriers for the battlefield, I would consider the stronger, superior, and more capable fighters over those who would present themselves as less.

Now when it come to the Bible, there are occasions where God intervened on the behalf of the underdog. You see, God wants us to understand that he is in our corner and nothing is impossible for him when it comes to providing for his people. Yet within the scriptures, there is an area that God expects us to become superior, stronger, and more capable to do the task he calls us to do. That task is the development of his church.

The Apostle Paul was part of such a process in the book of Acts. After his conversion, Paul began to preach the gospel message and not only did he grow in the Lord and became more powerful, the church grew greater, as well. Acts 9:19-30 tells us that,

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. ³⁰ When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Though there was great persecution of Paul and the Church, they continued to proclaim the message of Christ and looked to disciple the believers to build the church. Sure, it was a risk, but the believers of that day held to the fact that God would provide everything they needed to succeed. That stands true today. God expects the church to grow and he commissions his followers to do their part to nurture the growing process.

So here’s the question: Are we doing all that is necessary to grow the church? Are we working out by reading God’s Word on a regular basis and communing with him through prayer? Are we looking to use our strengths to increase the body of believers? Are we seeking every opportunity to reach people for the Kingdom of God? When it comes to a stronger, superior, and more capable Body of Christ (the church), it requires the followers of the Lord to do their part in order to grow and build the Kingdom of God. Are you in?