"Let the Church Be the Church"

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon Exalt the Truth like a Pillar (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 5:42; 1 Timothy 3:15–16)

Exalt the Truth Like a Pillar

Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 5:42; 1 Timothy 3:15–16

Preaching Themes: Church: Nature, Evangelism, Truth, Victory

It is the duty and the privilege of the church of God to exalt the truth into the open view of all mankind. Possibly you may have seen the column of Trajan, or the column in the Place Vendôme in Paris; these may serve as illustrations. Around these shafts you see the victories of the conqueror pictured in relief, and lifted into the air, that all may see them.

Now, the church of God is a pillar that lifts up and publishes, far and wide, the achievements of our conquering Lord, saying to all mankind that God “was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Tim 3:16).

Main Idea of the Series

We must always bear in mind that the primary purpose of our work is not to get people to join the church, or to give up their bad habits, or to do anything else than this, to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, the one who bore their sins in His own body on the tree, and the one through whom they can have immediate and entire forgiveness. #LetTheChurchBeTheChurch

The Importance of the Church in Mainstream Culture

Is the church important in mainstream culture? Contrary to popular belief, the church is still important to the mainstream culture. People ask why we have a church, or why do we even need the church? Some believe that people in the church are no better than the people in the world, as it seems that some people in the church are just as manipulative and toxic as those in the world. Do I have to attend church to feel closer to God? There was a time when questions like that were unheard of, but now those are real questions. Some would argue that church is optional because they can live spiritually without attending a worship service. The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in April 2020 and found that “more than 90% of regular churchgoers in the United States saying their churches had closed their doors to combat the spread of the coronavirus, with the vast majority saying that worship services had moved entirely online.”[1] It seems the relevance of church diminished during this period when church was considered non-essential by governmental agencies. As the world gradually settles into a new “norm,” the church finds itself at a crossroads because worship facilities remain somewhat empty that refused to adapt to the changing time Leaders and pastors assumed that people would naturally return to church, but that was not the case. One sign of the changing times is the belief in the absolute word of God. Chaves believes the “Generational turnover is an important part of this trend, with more recently born individuals much less likely to believe in an inerrant Bible than those born longer ago. Almost half of Americans born before 1910 believed that the Bible is the literal word of God, while fewer than one-third of those born after 1940 believe that.”[2]

[1] Gjelten, Tom. “How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Changed Worship: NPR.” Houston Public Media. Last modified 2020. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/20/858918339/things-will-never-be-the-same-how-the-pandemic-has-changed-worship. [2] Carl R. Trueman and Rod Dreher, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Wheaton, IL, Il: Crossway, 2020), 42.

Purpose of the Series

“Let the Church Be the Church” is designed to educate, empower, encourage, and equip the local church to be the type of church that is: (1) evangelistically engaged, (2) dedicated to discipleship, (3) faithful in fellowship, (4) faithful in followship, and (5) community centric. Jesus built his church with the intent of carrying on of Jesus’s earthly ministry of making disciples. As members of the Christian community, it is important to understand the church’s (1) importance, (2) influence, and (3) impact not only now but for generations to come. A true understanding of church is needed to operate in the Spirit as we seek to expand God’s kingdom, and ensuring that the gates of hell do not prevail. The church is more than songs, sermons, and staff meetings. The church is more than events and programs. It is God’s mobile army against the wiles of the devil. The four volume series will look at the: (1) Inception of the Church, (2) The Institution of the Church, (3) The Influence of the Church, and (4) The Impact of the Church through Evangelism and Discipleship

Propositional Argument

Jesus the architect and maintainer of a community based on a sure foundation that is a formidable force and full of power to be victorious in this world.

Formidable Foundation: “On this Rock, I will build my church”

The word ekklesia is only used three times, all in Matthew, here and in 18:17. The church is an orderly community specifically of those who trust in Jesus as the Messiah; all believers across the world understood as if a singular assembly, sometimes of all believers throughout time. Jesus uses Simon’s declaration to provide Peter and the disciples with a promise of an expansive and victorious community. This verse is not the basis for an extensive study on the ecclesiology or establishing Peter as the first pope of the Catholic church. Jesus’ play on words petros, petra is worth our consideration as both words deal with the rightly confessing Peter. Cephas became the Greek translation name Petros or Peter. Simon was his given name and Cephas was his nickname. The word rock here is petra, is a noun meaning bedrock (possibly covered with a thin layer of soil). Jesus establishes the foundation of this community on Simon’s demonstrative declaration of his person, and from this revelation Jesus reveals his ultimate end game and that is the church. Peter is the foundation of the church in the sense that it began with him and his confession, but ultimately the the church is built on Christ and depends on Christ , not on Peter. No man is the architect, builder or founder of the Lord’s church; the Lord himself is the architect, builder, and founder of his church. Jesus, however, implies nothing here of any particular church structure or government; he merely promises that he will establish a gathered community of his followers and help them to grow. Two things standout: Jesus uses a personal pronoun as he is the subject and a pronoun that identifies him as architect and maintainer of this community. Christ’s “church will comprise the “community of people who submit to God’s kingly rule.” “If you cannot submit to God’s kingly rule, then, you will have problems submitting to those God charges to his kingdom community.”

The popular view that the church is somehow to separate itself from society, based on the derivation ekklesia from ekkaleo (to call out) affords a classic example of what linguists call the etymological fallacy. Words often develop meanings over time that differ from their roots. The only sense in which the word church in New Testament times means those who are called out is that believers routinely gather together by leaving their separate places of residence or work. The idea here is that Christology is the central doctrine of this community of faith. Another idea is that Christ is the keystone of the new edifice of the Christian Church, paralleled in 1 Peter 2:4-8 and Ephesians 2:20. Charles Spurgeon said: “My friends, it is one think to go to church or chapel; it is quite another thing to go to God.” Jesus did not create the church for Christians to come and be exhibits; Jesus built the church for us to come to God. “The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better people.” Contrary to popular belief the church is not built on a person or personality. Local churches that depend on persons, personalities, and politics will not last. The modern church is an afterthought as it concerns itself with events, membership, fighting for positions, toxic Christianity, and a distorted view of who runs the church. The modern pastor is more concerned about the content of their “reels” than the content of their sermon. Members are worried about how they can manipulate other members to destroy leaders. Churches are concerned with click, likes, and hearts than presenting Christ. The modern church operates in offense against one another defending the gospel. Members search for their own authenticity rather than being authentically in Christ. Toxic Christianity is celebrated while accountability is weaponized against individuals that pose a threat.

“Jesus built his church purposely in a polarizing culture with the intent for his community to be the polar opposite. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Formidable Force: “Gates of Hell”

Jesus seems to be saying that through His power, the Church will overcome the powers of evil and death itself. The gates of Hades refers to the realm of the dead in general---similar to the Hebrew word she’ol. Jesus and his disciples are at Caesarea Philippi, located at the base of Mount Hermon. This region is affiliated in ancient Near Eastern, Jewish, and Greek literature with the gateway to the underworld, the gods, and other spiritual beings. The OT or also affiliates the region, called Bashan in the OT, with an evil giant clan and idolatry (Deut 2:10-12; 3:1, 10-11; Josh 12:1-15). The church is called to serve this present age where postmodernism and post COVID have drastically altered the landscape of our culture. Pluralism and secularism create options for people to choose spirituality over God, not realizing that God is the only answer. Jesus did not say he would build a building, but a community within a culture that sees God as an option. The modern church vaguely resembles the early church that valued community, discipleship, and prayer. Instead of the church as a formidable force, it has become the butt of bad jokes and content for reels on Facebook and Instagram that make people questions the validity and value of the church. The church spends more time trying to be formidable against one another that we allow our adversary and enemies to hold the church hostage. Jesus built his church to be a force in this world, but we minimize that because we want more people in the seats. “More people in a building does not make a church effective; it just makes it full.” An effective community is a formidable community that stands up not just for the kingdom of God, but for the underserved as well… “If hell is in the church, then one must only look at themselves and ask did he come with you”

“The amount of hell that comes at you is counteracted by God of heaven that your

Formidable Strength… “Shall not Prevail”

“The true Christian is one who knows God’s power working in himself, and finds it his true joy to have the very life of God flow into him, and through him, and out from him to those.”

Psalm 62:11 ESV

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

Gates are seen as defensive protection, while “overcome” suggests an army on the offense. What is Jesus saying? Is Hades cannot conquer the church or that it cannot resist the church’s advances? Is Satan on the defense or offense here? In other Jewish literature “gates of Hades” is frequently idiomatic for “powers of death” based on Isaiah 38:10

Isaiah 38:10 ESV

I said, In the middle of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years.

This interpretation fits better into the historical context of the increasing hostility against Jesus and his small band of disciples. The parables of the mustard seed and yeast have already promised surprisingly large results and a widespread impact despite inauspicious beginning. Similarly here Jesus encourages his followers that irrespective of how Christianity may be attacked in a given place and time, the church universal will never be extinguished. Sects and cults which claim that true Christianity entirely disappeared from the world during certain periods of the church history contradict Jesus’ teaching here.

What does this mean for the church today? Jesus built a community that through the Holy Spirit they would be victorious. Just because God keeps us in perfect peace does not mean the gates of hell are just going to roll over for you, but yet it does mean that. The phrase “shall not prevail” is katischyo (κατισχύω) means to prevail over something or some person so as to be able to defeat, with the implication that the successful participant has greater strength; to have the capability to defeat, win a victory. Shall not in the Old English means “must” and if we look at what Jesus is saying to Peter that his community must win at all cost. Winning and victory is not an option, it is a requirement for this community. The Message Bible described this community as a “church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep out.” The gates of a city were a symbol of the city’s strength. Jesus was saying, “My church is unstoppable. Satan cannot corral it. Nothing can overpower or silence my community of faith, not even the power of death itself. My church will go on, even if its individual members should die. This church, this community Jesus built has staying power through the Holy Ghost.

“The church should act like the victim when Jesus is the Vindicator of the church.”