Scripture Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Memory Verse: Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40
Lesson Aim: To explore the relevance and importance of having order in the local church.
Key Points
- Everything in life has its proper place and its proper fit in God’s scheme.
- God is not the author of confusion.
- When things are lined up as ordered by God, the Spirit of the Lord can move freely.
Order! One of the definitions for order in Webster’ New College Dictionary is, “A state or condition in which everything is in its right place and functioning properly.”[1] Everything in life has its proper place and its proper fit in God’s scheme of things. Each of us has our proper place in the Body of Christ. Order is necessary – in a family, a church, a mathematical problem, or a time sequence. Order allows people and relationships, systems and processes to work together. Disorder creates problems – from various levels of dysfunction to chaos and confusion.
Order is important in God’s house. God is a God of purpose, design, and results. The Scripture clearly states that God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Order is necessary for the good of the church. Whether it is individual ministry, corporate worship, or community outreach, without order, the ministry is bound to come short.
Throughout the Bible we can see God establishing order. In Genesis, He arranged the world. In Exodus, He set up order among the Levites. There was order in sacrifices and order in the priestly functions. Throughout the Pentateuch, He established order in how the Israelites should live. In Chronicles, we see David and Solomon establishing order in worship ministry. In Ecclesiastes, the preacher lets us know there is a time for everything. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would order His Kingdom and establish it with judgment.
When something is “out-of-order,” the immediate result is dysfunction, a decline in usefulness. It does not work as intended. Lack of order reduces productivity and effectiveness. Purposes are thwarted, results are not achieved, and dreams are not reached.
Understanding order in God’s house today requires awareness and willingness for us to recognize and follow God’s order. Reverencing God’s sanctuary and His presence is a part of that order. Submitting to God’s authority in the home and the church is also a part of that order. God moves in order. When things are lined up as ordered by God, the Spirit of the Lord can move freely.
Just as the world has come up with its own order, the modern church has produced its version of order. We must be careful not to reject God’s blueprint to try our own. The result will always be inferior to God’s way. Establishing God’s order in our lives and in the church is a matter of co-laboring. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, but there is also self-restraint because the fruit of the Spirit includes temperance.
Submitting to God’s order requires personal self-restraint, responsibility, and accountability. From the pulpit to the pew, there has to be a new emphasis on doing things properly. We can no longer offer God our sacrifices and our services just any way. We should be careful not to use our liberty as a root for disorder. Every man cannot be left to do what is right in his own eyes. We must be careful that whatever we do in God’s house should fulfill God’s purposes of edification, deliverance, and transformation.
[1] Agnes, Michael. Webster’s New College Dictionary. Cleveland: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007. p. 1014
Questions and Discussion
- Why is order in the Body of Christ necessary? Psalm 37:23; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12, 33; 2 Thessalonians 3:11; Titus 1:5
- Reverence is a part of order in God’s house. What is reverence and what does it mean to reverence God’s sanctuary? Leviticus 19:30; Exodus 28:42-43; Nehemiah 8:5; 2 Chronicles 29:3-5, 15-19, 28-29; Ecclesiastes 3:7(b)
- What does it mean to reverence God’s presence? Psalm 100:4; Habakkuk 2:20; 1 Kings 19:11-13; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3
- What is the importance of following instructions and doing things God’s way? Joshua 6:3, 10; 1 Samuel 13:8-14, 22-23; 1 Kings 13
- Why is it necessary to balance our liberty with order? Proverbs 25:28; 1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:23-26, 29-33, 37-38, 40; 1 Peter 2:13, 16