The Lord's Church; Past, Present, and Future Part 2

Psalm 100 / Matt 16:13-20

Building for what Purpose?

Evangelism - the keys

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

What keys open the gates of the Kingdom of heaven for blood-washed sinners, if not the very Gospel of Jesus, that IS the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes!

Community of Faith - the rock

1 Peter 2:5 “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

Of all the things that could separate us, the reason God’s people are united is their shared hope in Christ Jesus. This allows us then to mutually submit to one another in a local community.

Kingdom Representation - The Gate

Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We have the history of OT Israel failing to righteously represent the kingdom of God, and the knowledge that the NT church does the same, but it doesn’t diminish the degree to which we are called to be and do just that; live lives set apart to God as His representative people.

Thanks be to God for His Grace and to have a community to support us in this.

Purposely Building

Who’s the Boss?

“The Preacher and the Song leader”

Colossians 1:18 “And {Christ Jesus} is the head of the body, the church....

Revelation 1:12-13 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.”

Revelation 1:20 “As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.”

Israel demanded a human king, and thereby rejected God. The Lord has given the teaching and leading office of Pastor, but any church or pastor who thinks that makes him king is equally rejecting the direct Lordship of Jesus over His church like OT Israel did in 1 Samuel. I serve at the Lord’s leading, and your good pleasure. We as a church answer directly to Jesus Himself .

Necessary Distinctions

John 18:36 “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.””

No state or national churches

Not even well-intended godly traditions bind the church of Jesus!

Our charter, authority, and instructions all come from outside this earthly kingdom. They are sealed with the royal seal of Lion of the Tribe of Judah

Equipped for Ministry

Ephesians 4:11-12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”

1 Corinthians 1:7 “so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

We are ill-equipped to be much of what people have tried to make churches into over the years, but we are perfectly equipped for the heavenly assignment we have been given in the time and place that the Lord has set us!

Looking Forward

One thing we do need to note is that just as the assembly of the Old Testament was not the final form, so too the local New Testament churches are a means, not the end.

Revelation speaks of a single congregation of innumerable size from every nation, tribe, and tongue. There is much we do not know in detail, but a few things we can know:

We’ll be with Jesus

We’ll be with all the saints

We’ll all be together

Church Family, there is much more to say about the Church the Lord is building, but let wuse be encouraged as we remember how He has laid a solid foundation, given us clear instructions, equipped us for the work, and promised us more to come!