Purpose in Building — Stephen Kaung

Christ’s Promise to Build His Church

Will you please turn to Matthew chapter 16. Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18. And I also I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and Hades gates shall not prevail against it.

Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3. We will begin with verse 9 through verse 11. And to enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God, who has created all things, in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the church the all various wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And finally Isaiah chapter 14. Isaiah 14 verse 24. Jehovah of hosts has sworn saying as surely as I have thought so shall he come to pass and as I have purpose it shall stand. And verse 27. For Jehovah of hosts has purposed and who shall frustrate it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back.

Let's have a word of prayer. Dear Lord, we live in the days where thy words are few and our vision is rare. So we just look to thee for mercy that thou will show mercy to thy people that thou will speak thy word to us and reveal thyself to us.

Lord, we need thee. We need to know thee more than anything else. In these last days, Lord, if we do not have thy word, if we do not see thy glory, we will not be able to stand. So we just come to thee this morning with hearts of hunger and thirst after thyself.

Do fill us with thyself, speak to our hearts and bring us to the place where thou want us to be. Lord, we just put this time into thy hands and look to thy spirit to do the work that he is sent for and it is all for thy own glory.

We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus. One day I was meditating on Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 and the word build caught my attention. So this time I feel that it is of the Lord that we should consider together on this very important word build.

Our Lord Jesus himself said on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Now brothers and sisters, when you hear the word build, what impression does it give you?

Of course, it cannot be something that is being done without any thought, without any consideration, consideration, something that you just do it and without any purpose, without any idea and without any use.

The very word build is a technical word. It is often used in construction construction. So it gives you an idea that it is something that is well thought of, well planned and it is being faithfully done.

So the thought came to me that maybe as we think when our Lord said I will build my church, now maybe we need to understand what does he mean by I will build my church. I really feel that we live in the days hopefully that the building of the church is in its final stage and I do believe that it is in the final stage and because it is in the final stage I think we need to understand what the building of the church really means so that we may cooperate.

We may not in any way delay and postpone the work of God but rather we may speed up in a sense by the grace of God his coming. Now this word build you find the first mentioning in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 2.

In Genesis chapter 2 verse 22 there you find God said he took out something from Adam and he built the woman and presented it to Adam. This is the first mentioning of the word build in the word of God and usually you find that when the word is first mentioned it does give us the basic and most important thoughts about that word.

So when you see that word build for the first time in the Bible now what does the word tell us? I feel there are at least five things there. Number one you find there is purpose there because in the same chapter in verse 18 God said it is not good for man to be alone I will make him a helpmate his like.

In other words you find that that idea of build coming from God it is not good for man to be alone I will make him a helpmate his like. So there is a purpose there. The purpose is to give Adam a helpmate his like and then you find the second thing there is a pattern for the building.

Where do you find a pattern for Eve? Strangely you find after God said it is not good for man to be alone I will make him a helpmate his like. In the intervening verses you find God brought all the living creatures to Adam and Adam named every one of them.

Now why is it so? I feel probably it is that God let all these animals passing through Adam let Adam see if he could find his helpmate in any one of them. But all these animals passed by Adam, Adam could name their names and that is to define them to show them that what they really are but he couldn't find his like his helpmate.

Now God already knew what he was going to do but Adam didn't know so he tried to give Adam the opportunity to see what God already saw and when Adam could not find his helpmate in any of these living creatures then you find God show Adam that a pattern of the woman is found nowhere but in Adam himself.

So Adam is the pattern for Eve and after that you'll find there is preparation. God began to prepare and God put Adam to sleep and then out of his sight God took out something of Adam and with that there is a process.

God began to build with that something taken out of Adam into a woman and then finally you'll find God presented the woman to Adam. So in this word built I feel that at least there are these five principles involved.

Purpose, Pattern, Preparation, Process and Presentation and in the building of the church I believe that these five processes, five things you find very clearly demonstrated. So if the Lord's will I feel probably we will use these mornings just to consider together on these few points.

God’s Purpose Governs All His Works

Now this morning we would like to consider this matter of purpose. Our God is the supreme will in the universe. He never does anything without exercising his will. He does everything according to the good pleasure of his will.

Before he does anything he always has an idea. He always set a purpose. That is the way that God always does things. He is not like man. Sometimes we do things by chance without thinking over beforehand or sometimes we are just being pressed by our circumstances and then we act or react without any preconceived idea.

And also when we do things we learn by mistake and after we have made many mistakes then probably we hit the right thing. Now that is the way with human beings but God is never like that. Before he does anything he already has a thought, an idea.

What he is going to do? Why does he want to do it? There is a purpose behind his all actions. That is the way of God. Now of course we know that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and God's will, ways are higher than our ways.

So sometimes we find that he does things. Maybe we think that why should God do such a thing? We cannot see the idea behind it. We cannot see the end. But God knows the end from the beginning. He knows what he is doing.

So in Isaiah we find that when God has purposed he always finishes it. There is no one can frustrate him, can stop him for accomplishing what he has conceived beforehand. Now in this matter of the church, the church as we see it in the Word of God is not the thought of man.

The church is the thought of God. The Bible tells us that even before the ages, that is before the foundation of the world, in eternity God purposed a purpose in Christ Jesus. This you find in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 11.

God purposed a purpose in Christ Jesus before the ages. It is called a mystery. Why? Because it is something hidden. It is hidden in God throughout the ages until the fullness of time when God is able to reveal that secret to man.

You know our God is love. And because he is love he wants to express his love. He has only one son. His only begotten son. His whole heart is towards his begotten son. He loves his son so much he wants to do something for his son.

You know even in the creation of heaven and earth he did it as an expression of his love towards his son. In the book of Revelation chapter 4 you'll find when the 24 elders and the four living creatures, they are praising God for his work of creation.

And they said it is for thy will they are created. The heavens and earth are created with purpose. There is a will behind the creation of the heavens and the earth. It is not something that just happened.

God created them with a definite will. Now what is that will? We understand that God created the heavens and the earth for the sake of his beloved son. He wants to give everything to his son. He wants to express his love towards his son.

So he created the heavens and the earth to allow his son to inherit all things. That is the purpose of creation. But even after he created the heavens and the earth he knew that his son was still not satisfied.

His son could enjoy all things but there was nothing in heaven and in earth, in all the things that have been created that could really answer to the very heart of his beloved son. There is nothing that is really like him.

Nothing that can understand him. Nothing that can really commune with him and be united in one with him. Not only to enjoy everything with him and also to bear responsibility together with him. There is nothing in all the things in the heavens and the earth.

And the father understands. So for this very reason you find God, even before the foundation of the world, he purposed a purpose in his beloved son. And that purpose is he wants to give his son a helpmate, his life.

That is the desire of the father towards his son. So dear brothers and sisters, we find that the church as we know it from the word of God, is the greatest gift of God the father to his son. Put it in another way, it is the one gift from the father that really satisfied fully the heart of his son.

That is what the church is in the eternal purpose of God. In our Ephesians chapter 3, we find that this mystery was hidden throughout the ages. God had already conceived this thought before everything, anything was created.

But with this thought behind it, God began to work, began to create. He created the heavens and the earth. The heavens and the earth are not the primary purpose, they are secondary. God prepared them as it were for the coming of that which will really answer to the heart of his beloved son.

God moves in a mysterious way. After he created the heavens and the earth, in the first creation, we know that there was no man created. The highest creation were the angels. There was rebellion in the heaven.

Lucifer rebelled against God. He wanted a place of God's beloved son. He was not satisfied with what God had made him. And because of that, Lucifer turned himself into the adversary of God, Satan. And because of the fall of the angels, from what we can understand today, the territory that God had given Lucifer to rule for God entered into judgment.

And that's why we find in the word of God, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And we believe that when God created, it was perfect. It was done. God spoke the word and it was done.

God never does anything incomplete. So in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing into all things. It must be perfect. Because the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

But unfortunately, we find in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2, we find that the earth was in emptiness and in ruin. Covered with water, judgment came upon this earth. So we can only understand that most likely it was because of the rebelling of that fallen angel.

But God never gave up his purpose. So we find that the spirit of God brooded over the face of the deep. In other words, the love of God, the power of God, worked upon this ruined earth and restored it to be habitable.

Now why did God do such a thing? Why did God restore this ruined earth, our universe, to make it habitable? Because on the sixth day he created man in his own image after his likeness. Now, brothers and sisters, when God created the heavens and the earth, he spoke a word and it was done.

But in the creation of man, you find there was a counsel among the Godhead. Let us make man. Let us create man in our image according to our likeness. Why was man created differently? Why was man created in such a glorious way?

Even in the image of God, there must be a purpose, a will behind it. And that will, of course, God has already decided that the man he created will be the helpmate of his beloved son. Now, I believe the reason why man was created in God's image and after his likeness is that he has the capacity to receive even the life of God into him.

And with the life of God coming into man, man will be able to be united with his beloved son, to be his like. But unfortunately, again, we find how our forefather fell in the Garden of Eden. Instead of eating the fruit of the tree of life, in the center of the garden, we find that how man was tempted and ate the forbidden fruit, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now, personally, I believe that in the Garden of Eden, there was no bad tree. It was a garden of pleasure. God made that garden full of fruit trees for the body of man. And in the midst of the garden, there was the tree of life.

And God's purpose of planting that tree in the midst of the garden is that his idea is to give his life to man, eternal life, God's own life to man, so that man can fulfill the purpose of his being created.

But by the side of that tree of life, we find the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not a bad tree. As a matter of fact, there is no knowledge in this world that is higher than the knowledge of good and evil.

Scientific knowledge, philosophical, ethical, whatever it may be, you find that the knowledge of knowing good and evil with its ethics, that is the highest knowledge in this world. And yet, God knows without the life of God.

This knowledge will bring us to death instead of to life. And that's the reason why God forbade man to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Sure enough, on the day that you shall eat thereof, you shall surely die.

Adam, Eve, on the day they ate the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, what happened to them? Immediately, they discovered they were naked. Glory departed from them. When they heard the voice of God, they hid themselves.

Their conscience convicted them. Instead of doing the good, you find that it really brings them into death. Even though physically they live hundreds of years, and psychologically speaking, you find they begot sons and daughters.

But on the day that they ate, their spirit was dead. We have a spirit, human spirit. That spirit was to commune with God, the Spirit. But that spirit was dead. It was not annihilated. It was there. But it has lost its proper function.

It couldn't communicate with God, the Spirit, any longer. And that is death. And this death began to work in man until his soul and his body, the whole being, entered into eternal death. So, dear brothers and sisters, without the life of God, knowledge is dangerous.

Even the best knowledge will only give death instead of life. Now, not because of that. God's purpose was frustrated. Or God gave up his purpose. No, God continued to work. When his purpose is set, he will see it to the end.

And thank God for that. So, brothers and sisters, you'll find that throughout human history, God is working steadily towards that purpose. But people do not know it. Because it was a mystery. It was hidden in God.

But that doesn't mean that because it is hidden, God did not drop some hints here and there. Because in God's working throughout time, he has that purpose behind it. So, somehow, you'll find it is being leaked out, as it were.

But we have no understanding about it. For instance, in Adam and Eve, in that type, that purpose is already there. You'll find that how God says it is not good for man to be alone, he says, I will make him a helpmate.

So, it is God's will to give Adam and Eve. And this Eve has to be his like. Exactly like him. And only that which is taken out of him can be united together with him as one. So, you'll find that even in the type, in the very beginning of human history, God has already put that thought there.

Adam and Eve are types. The reality is found in Christ and his church. Because in Ephesians chapter 5, you'll find that after Paul talks about the relationship between the husband and the wife. Husband, love your wife.

Wife, submit yourself to the husband because the husband represents Christ and the wife represents the church. And he said, the marriage of man and woman is a mystery. But the mystery is great. He said, I'm not speaking on man and woman.

I'm speaking on Christ and his church. So, brothers and sisters, God does drop his hints here and there and everywhere. The whole idea of the church comes. You know, I think this is very important. Because today, among God's people, we do not see the church as God sees it.

The Church as God’s Eternal Purpose

Even for us, believers, probably in our spiritual pursuit, our whole attention is really upon, how can I be spiritual? It seems as if this is the very end of our spiritual seeking. Now, there's nothing wrong with that.

We should. Because this is related to the building of the church. The church is built with the spiritual life of God's people. And if our life does not grow, the church cannot grow. Very true. But brothers and sisters, this is not God's idea.

Somehow, you'll find there is still that self-centeredness there. Why do we seek for spirituality? You want to be somebody. But God has no idea to make us monuments, standing here and there for people to admire.

God's purpose is for the church, a helpmate of his beloved son. So, brothers and sisters, we feel that among God's people, there is such a lack of appreciation of the church, as if the church is nothing.

Oftentimes, you'll hear people say, My Lord and I, I don't care about anybody else. It is only between my Lord and I. Now, in one sense, that is very, very good. But in another sense, where are your brothers and sisters?

Where is the church? In other words, it is so individualistic that we do not care about the church. As if without the church, we can't live. And with the church, we are in trouble. So many people who are being burned, as it were, by the church, they try to live all by themselves.

But this is God, not God's purpose. You are living outside of the purpose of God. Because God's purpose is to give the church to his beloved son. Now, to God, the church is very, very precious. To our Lord Jesus, it is the treasure of his heart.

For the sake of the church, he is willing to give up everything. Now, you remember in the parables that our Lord Jesus used in Matthew chapter 13, when a merchant seeking for treasure, and when he finds a treasure, how he sold everything in order to get that treasure.

And oftentimes, we use this parable and said, the treasure is the Lord Jesus. And the merchant is we, the believers. And we find our Lord Jesus. And for the sake of the Lord Jesus, we sold everything in order to gain him.

Now, it's very, very beautiful. But I remember Brother Sparks, T. Austin Sparks, whenever they send this hymn, he always omits the first verse. He always started with the second verse. Because in the first verse, I found a treasure.

And that is the Lord Jesus. Now, it's unscriptural. So, he always began with the second verse. Brothers and sisters, here in this parable, what our Lord was really speaking is, he is the merchant man.

He alone knows what treasure is. And the treasure is the church. Hidden. But he found it. And for its sake, he sold everything in order to gain it. So, dear brothers and sisters, the church is very, very precious to our Lord Jesus.

It is God's idea. Think of that. Something that is conceived even before the foundation of the world. Something that is behind all the working of God throughout time. Something that is the best God could give to his beloved son.

Now, brothers and sisters, if we see this, can we ignore it? Can we say that the church is nothing? Can we say that the church is the idea of man? Somehow, man began to conceive this idea of the church.

Of course not. So, brothers and sisters, I deeply feel that there is a lack of appreciation of the church among God's people. And the reason why we do not appreciate is because we do not understand where does it come from.

It originates in God himself. And why is it? It is God's best gift to his beloved son. We should be very thankful that in his mercy and grace that he should involve us in the church. So, you find throughout time, God is working towards his purpose.

Israel, the Tabernacle, and God’s Dwelling Place

And even after you remember God delivered his children of Israel out of Egypt, God called his people out of Egypt. And after he got them to Mount Sinai, there he began to reveal his mind to them. Why did he deliver them out of Egypt?

He wanted them to be his peculiar people, his own people. And for that sake, he gave them the law. But then, in Exodus chapter 25, verse 8, God said, Feel me, that I may dwell among you. So, brothers and sisters, you find the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt.

For what purpose? Not that they just enjoy, can enjoy their freedom. They were slaves. They have no right. They have no freedom. And now God delivered them out of Egypt and set them free. And surely, they were set free.

And so that they can do anything they like. They can be their own masters. And they have, can exercise, demand their rights. That is not the purpose of salvation. God delivered them out to bring them to himself.

And God want them to be his people. Give them the law to make them his people. But why did God want to make them his people? The purpose is, he wants to dwell among them. Make me a sanctuary. So, brothers and sisters, this whole idea of the tabernacle does not come from man.

It does not even come from Moses. It came from God himself. Oh, how God wants to dwell among his people. Now, in order to dwell among his people, his people has to be suitable to God. Because God is holy.

Therefore, we need to be holy. Now, people may say, well, if you come to the temple, the idea of the temple seems to come from David. You remember David? After he became king? How he took Jerusalem, make it the capital of the nation?

Not because of his strategic position, Jerusalem. But because it is the place that God chooses to put his name there. And after he took Jerusalem, the next move was to bring the ark into the city of David.

God be the center. Of the nation. And after that, he told Nathan, his prophet, I live in a palace. And God's ark was in a tent. I couldn't stand it anymore. I want to make him a permanent. Now, of course, Nathan felt that this was God's will.

So, Nathan said, well, you go ahead and do it. But God told Nathan today, David. And God said, through all these times, I travel, I wander with the children of Israel. And after they settled in Cana, God had never said to anyone, build me a temple.

But here David had the idea of building God a temple, a dwelling place for God. God's heart was deeply touched. Even though he did not allow David to build it. But you can see how God appreciated what David thought about.

But did the thought come from David? David is a man after God's own heart. Because David has a heart for God. He knows God's heart. So, in other words, the thought of the temple did not come from David.

But because David knew the heart of God. He knew how God wanted to be permanently settled among his people. And sensing God's heart, he was just expressing what was in God's heart. And that really touched the heart of God.

So, dear brothers and sisters, you find that in the Old Testament types, the thought of the church or the tabernacle or the temple did not come from that. It came originally from God himself. Now, when our Lord Jesus was on earth, he came for what purpose?

Christ, Sonship, and the Revelation of the Father

The Bible says in the fullness of time, he came under the law from a woman. In order to deliver us out of the boundaries of the law and to receive sonship. Now, dear brothers and sisters, it is true when our Lord came into this earth, he came to seek and to find, to save the lost.

But what is really behind his mind when he came to this world? The gospel of John tells us the hidden things, the secret things of God. Now, when you read Luke, you find the gospel of Luke ends with that you go preach the gospel for the remission of sin.

And that is the gospel that we have all received. We believe in the Lord Jesus, we believe in the gospel, and we have the remission of our sins. Thank God for that. But that is just the, I would say, the borders.

What is the really center, the heart of the coming of the Lord Jesus on earth? You can find that only in the gospel according to John. And there you find our Lord Jesus came upon this earth as a bridegroom.

Coming to earth to find his bride. But he couldn't find his bride anywhere. All he met was the blind, the deaf, the crippled, the dead, the sinful. He couldn't find his bride anywhere else. And because of this, he had to create his bride.

So throughout his days on this earth, you find he was there doing goods, working, calling disciples to him. But never did he mention even the word church. Now, if we say he came for the church, why is it that he did not mention it?

Surely there is something that is very dear to your heart. You cannot help but say it over and over and over again. We cannot keep that secret. But our Lord Jesus didn't say the word of the church. Not until towards the end of his life.

He was rejected by his own people. Now, he retreated to the border of Caesarea Philippi, a Gentile city. And for the first time, he uttered that word on this rock. I will build my church. And Hades' gaze shall not prevail against it.

Now, why? Because at that time, he had Calvary in view. At that time, he was going to the cross. And there on the cross, he will accomplish the work of redemption. And by that work, the church can be built.

So, brothers and sisters, God was not able to reveal that secret that has been hidden in him before the foundation of the world. Not until that. And even so, it was still a mystery to the disciples. The disciples couldn't understand it.

You know, our Lord, when he was on earth, he used the word church only twice. One in Matthew 16 and the other in Matthew 18. The disciples couldn't understand it. Not until his work of redemption is done.

He was risen, ascended. And then, by the Holy Spirit, he revealed it to the apostles and the prophets. So, in Ephesians chapter 3, you find the apostle Paul. He said, you can see how I know the mystery of the Christ.

It is being hidden throughout the times. But now, it's being revealed to the holy apostles and the prophets. So, dear brothers and sisters, today, this is an open secret. And being an open secret, every one of us who are the Lord's ought to know it.

Knowing the Son and Entering the Reality of the Church

Brothers and sisters, the greatest revelation you'll find in the whole Bible is the Father's revelation of his beloved Son. Our Lord Jesus said to his disciples, whom do men say that I am? And some said, you are John the Baptist coming to life.

Most likely, he was Herod. His conscience told him that. And others say you are Elijah, the great prophet. The greatest of the prophets. You are Jeremiah, you weep a lot. Or you are the prophet that Moses mentioned in Deuteronomy.

And our Lord was not satisfied. He said, who do you say that I am? And thank God, Simon Peter. He said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And our Lord said, Simon, you are blessed. Because this is not something that flesh and blood can tell you.

It is the Father who is in heaven who has revealed it to you. Brothers and sisters, this is the greatest revelation in the whole universe. The Father reveals the Son. Without the revelation of the Father, no one could know the Son.

We may have a mental knowledge, biblical knowledge. And yet, we do not really know the Son until the Father reveals Him in us. He pleases God to reveal His Son in us. That is the greatest revelation. And dear brothers and sisters, this revelation is so great that it will continue on to eternity.

Do not think that because you know Jesus as your Savior, therefore you know Him, know Him all. Not at all. We just begin to know Him. There is so much in Him. He is infinite. The knowledge of the Son is infinite.

Today, we are beginning to know Him. And in eternity, we will continue to know Him. Brothers and sisters, this is the thrill of being a Christian. There is no end to it. Know Him. That is the passion of the Apostle Paul, to know Him and the power of His resurrection.

Fellowship with His suffering, being conformed to His death, that we may attain at our resurrection from among the dead. The greatest revelation. And on the basis of that greatest revelation, the Son reveals.

Brothers and sisters, without the first revelation, we cannot have the second revelation. No Christ, no church. You cannot have church without Christ. You cannot make the church greater than Christ. No Christ, no church.

You have to know Him. The more you know Him, the more you know the church. But the church is the revelation of the Son. Great revelation. Do not think that we can know the church by ourselves. Some say, we are brought up in the church.

Now, what do you mean by that? Others say, I go to church every Sunday. What do you mean by that? As our dear brother said, some say, I forgot my umbrella in the church. Now, what do you mean by the church?

We do not really know what the church is until the Son. He pleases the Son to reveal it. So, brothers and sisters, do not think that because we are brought up in the church, we know the church, we play the church all our lives.

That's not the church. The church is something so much more glorious. It has its origin even before time in God. Do we know that? Do we know how much is the church to God? How much is the church to Christ?

He gave Himself. He loved the church, gave Himself for it. And brothers and sisters, do we have the same feeling when we mention the word church? The Lord said, I will build. So, dear brothers and sisters, this morning, this is all that I feel like to share with your dear brothers and sisters.

The only burden of my heart is that we do not think that we already know the church, or that we may humble ourselves before Him. Acknowledging that, because we know so little of Christ, therefore, we know so little of the church.

We have to acknowledge that without revelation, we will not be able to know the Son. Likewise, without revelation, we will not be able to know the church. If we can be brought to this place, that we really desire to know it, and yet we have to depend upon the Spirit of God to reveal it to us, then brothers and sisters, we are in the way of really entering into the reality of the church.

So, may the Lord, dear Heavenly Father, we worship Thee, because Thou art doing something so great, so glorious, so precious to Thee and to Thy beloved Son, and even doing it in us. O Lord, we acknowledge that we oftentimes do not, are not conscious of it, and because of this, we play in the church.

How little is being built. O Lord, have mercy upon us. We come before Thee this day. Our whole desire is, Lord, as we want to know Thee, we also want to know what is dear to Thy heart. Lord, we want to love Thee and to love that who is Thou lovest.