Step 1

Intro: Ask around and you will get a lot of answers to the questions: “What is the Church?” For years people have been pushing towards a definition that goes something like: “a religious place of worship that is welcoming to all.”

Part of my problem with that definition is that it is pushed by secular and unsaved groups. It has no Bible text as its basis. It is much more of what the world expects the church to be.

When we look at Scripture, it has a lot to say about the church. It establishes it; defines it; describes it; limits it; explains it guides it, and so much more! Over the course of this year I believe it is my spiritual responsibility to preach on the church. Over the 12 plus years we have been here, I have preached a lot to help mature us as individuals and as a group. If I have lacked in one area, it has been on this subject of the church. Today we begin!

The Apostle Paul writes in

1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

1. What Is the Church?

a. the Greek word ekklēsia, a term meaning “those who are called out.” MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R., eds. (2017). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (p. 740). Crossway.

In the ancient world, the ekklēsia referred to a group of citizens who had been “called out” to administrate civic affairs or to defend the community in battle. ibid

Rome would use this word for people called to building projects, and even ancient politicians sometimes referred to themselves as an ekklesia.

Today we have clubs for anything and everything. There are sports clubs, kids clubs, woodworking clubs, gardening clubs, musical clubs, RSL clubs, recreational clubs and so much more. Each of these clubs has a focus. Garden clubs don’t insist that their members can sing - only be interested in a garden; woodworking clubs don’t insist their members are good at a sport. You get the idea.

So:

We are in this together! Individuals being individual do not make a church!

It is important we look deeper at what makes our called out group distinct from every other group.

b. Used in a specific New Testament sense

i. the church of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 1:2; 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:14; 2 Thess. 1:4; cf. Rom. 16:16)

Acts 20:28 NKJV

28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

It is not the church of entertainment, the church of the leadership, the church of the mob or attenders nor is it the church of some documents like a constitution, doctrinal statements or bylaws. This will come up over and over again in our study of the church together. First and foremost, the Church belongs to God!

ii. refers to the community of those who have been called out by God from their slavery to sin through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 5:10; cf. Rom. 8:28).

1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

The call of salvation is the call to the church. I believe that the New Testament teaches that every believer should be in a church. The two should never be separated. While evangelism can happen apart from the church

iii. The Church is made up of those who are those whom He predestined in eternity past, called and justified in this present life, and promised to glorify in the future (Rom. 8:30; cf. Eph. 1:11).

Ephesians 1:11 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

The Church is about the people in whom God has and is continuing to work.

iv. Consequently, the Church is not the physical building where Christians meet, nor is it a religious institution, an ethical organization, or a sociopolitical association.

Rather, the church is the assembly of the redeemed—those who have been called by God the Father to salvation as a gift to his Son (John 6:37; 10:29; 17:6

John 17:6 ESV

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

, 9, 24). It is the corporate gathering of those who have been transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of Christ

Colossians 1:13 NKJV

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

so that they are citizens of heaven and not of this world (Phil. 3:20; 1 Pet. 2:11). MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R., eds. (2017). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (p. 740). Crossway.

2. The Church must be in it’s proper position.

a. In a proper theology God is first; Scripture is second because it tells us of God and His activities; Following Scripture is the understanding of Salvation; and from that groundwork we build our understanding of the Church.

You may not have thought about it before, but first we believe God exists, then that he has communicated with mankind. That communication tells us that He has a plan of redemption. Those redeemed are His whom He has called out.

b. Placing the Church 4th does not belittle the Church as some would believe.

It first establishes the how and why.

Our society is finding the pitfalls of not knowing the “How and Why” answers before changing definitions. For example - Racism is no longer what it was when I was growing up.

No it is not diminished! In fact, I believe the Church is God’s most precious creation.

c. This does not over elevate the church

The Catholics hierarchy tends to say that you can’t know anything about God or the Scripture without the church. Catholics are not the only one’s who do this with their religion. Islam tends to also say that you cannot believe what you read unless it is in the original and is explained by an Imam or above.

i. During the Reformation, one of the biggest areas of disagreement was on the nature of the church. The Reformation emphasized the fact that there is no Church apart from the redemptive work of Christ and from the renewing operations of the Holy Spirit; Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology (p. 553). Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co.

ii. The reason we preach so much about knowing God, holding true to Scripture is to reinforce the foundations of the church. We don’t spend much time on psychology, or politics, or culture. Those things have their value, but they are not the things at the foundation of the church.

3. The Church is the bride of Christ.

A. Jesus, who serves as the Church’s bridegroom, loves His bride by offering Himself as a sacrifice for her.

Eph 5.25-27

The New King James Version Chapter 5

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

The main reason I stand against changing the definition of marriage is because marriage itself is a picture of how God relates to His Church. Paul called it a mystery. I agree! Figuring out marriage is mysterious! So too is figuring out out relationship with God!

But don’t loose sight of the picture here. Christ will do all necessary to protect His bride both morally and physically. He has done so to his own physically excruciating harm. He loves the church that much.

B. In response, the Church submits to Jesus and remains faithful to Him as His bride. (Eph 5:22–24, 31–32).

The New King James Version Chapter 5

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

The New King James Version Chapter 5

32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church

There must be a response from the church towards Christ. Think about it. We respond in many ways. Some respond in:

indifference

Apathy

avoidance

With a argumentative spirit and attitude

Love

submission

respect

gratitude

Conclusion: The Church is a group of people called out by God. Salvation is evidence of the calling, and those saved make up the body of that universal Church.

Now there are also churches that meet in places, in cities and in areas. It is the local church that God uses to shepherd His flock and mature Christ’s bride. So often when a person wants to identify only as a member of the universal church and not a local body it is because they don’t want to grow, be accountable, submit, of be hurt by people within a local body that still sin in many ways.

We believe this church exists because God wants it to. We believe the Scriptures teach us how we should view ourselves and what we should and should not do when we are together; We believe we work in conjunction with one another in order to help each other become a better bride of Christ.

1. How does being called out impact the way we think about each other?

2. Do we, as a group, keep our focus on God as the one who has formed us, or do we thing we formed ourselves?

3. Are we acting like a bride in love with our groom?