What is a Church? Part Two
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And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Introduction
Introduction
Jesus says, “Go, and do thou likewise.” The work of the Samaritan is what Christ did for us as we lay on the side of the road. Perhaps people have left you in your trouble. Maybe you have had times when even the spiritual people have forgotten you or turned away from your circumstances.
The man was not helped by those who should have been there for him. But, the Samaritan, who never would have had anything to do with him, was the one who took compassion on him. The church has been left here on earth to continue the work of Christ. Part of that work is service to others.
1. At Church, We Serve God with other Christians
1. At Church, We Serve God with other Christians
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
We serve God through our worship as we sing praises to Him in our services. Singing may not be something that you enjoy doing. But, singing is one of the ways that we serve God. We are lifting our voices to praise Him for what He has done for us. How many times have we sang selfish or worldly songs? How many times have we praised ourselves with our voices? Let’s praise the Lord!
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
We serve God through using our musical talents as we play our instruments for His Glory. Instruments contribute to the singing that we do at church. Sometimes, we have just instruments or just voices. Throughout the Bible, we see times when instruments were used in the praise of God.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: Praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
We serve God through setting up for the service and preparing for times of fellowship. Jesus was the pattern for this. Jesus came to earth to be a servant to other people. He didn’t come to be praised or honored. In fact, the reaction was the opposite. He was willing to serve others.
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
We serve God through welcoming new visitors and greeting returning attenders. A hearty welcome is one of the most pleasant gifts we can give to others. Think of the signs we put on our front porches. Think of the mats that we buy for our doorways. At church should one of the most welcoming places we frequent.
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
We serve God through our giving by tithes and offerings. Giving is serving God through the resources that He has given us. Each day at work, we are serving God where He has placed us. This is how we should view our work ethic.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Serving God is something that anyone can do. You might not be able to do what someone else can do. You might not be able to do what you used to be able to. Christ wants us to serve how and where we are.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
We are commanded to serve God through the local church. In order to serve, we must attend the services. You cannot serve God from your couch!
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
There are always more ways to serve God. Today, you can be involved in service to God with other Christians. When we serve God, we show our thankfulness for His service to us. He served us through coming to earth to die and rise again in our place. Think of what the greatest service anyone has ever done for you and the service of Christ is greater. Service is one of our primary reasons for being on earth after salvation.
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
2. At Church, We Receive Strength for the Journey
2. At Church, We Receive Strength for the Journey
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
We live in times of trouble and trial. Wickedness is exalted. Goodness is condemned. There are hard times all around us.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
The tough times are not just out in the world. They often affect us in our own lives. We go through times of discouragement and we feel lonely. We are sometimes depressed. We might feel like we are all alone serving God.
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
This is not how God intends us to live. God has created us to be social creatures. We need people around us to encourage us. We need to be strengthened in our relationship with God.
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
We receive strength through the preaching of God’s Word. Preaching is an exhortation to growth. If you are discouraged, look at how much you have grown. Growth doesn’t happen on its own. It takes work. Preaching reminds us of the work of Christ for us.
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
We receive strength through the encouragement of other Christians. Part of the job of the church is to encourage others to obedience. We must be in the presence of other Christians to do this. Goodness not evil ought to be the content of our communication.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
3. At Church, We Receive Healing from our Hurts
3. At Church, We Receive Healing from our Hurts
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
We all have been hurt in our lives. We have been hurt by people or circumstances. Maybe, we even have been hurt by people in a church. People are sinful. They are fallen and often choose to do evil instead of showing the love of Christ. I cannot know how you have been hurt. I don’t know what you have gone through. I can never know, but He does.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
God never intended the church to be a place of people who would hurt others. God has designed the church as a place that we can receive healing from our hurts. The church is a hospital for hurting people. Christ is the Great Physician. He is the healer of our hearts. He desires to bring you to a point of recovery and active service for the kingdom of God.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
Come and allow the healing to begin through God’s power. Be a part of a place that will give comfort and help. The comfort is not from man. It is from God. What does Paul say?
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We see here that the church is a place that we can serve God with others.
The church is place where we receive strength for the journey.
The church is to help us find healing for our hurts.
All three of these have in common the the topic of people. People will fail you. People will disappoint you. People will cause you hurt and anger. God will not fail you. God will not disappoint you.
God has commanded us to be part of a local church. At church, we are learning to show these truths to others. Come and be a part of a church that is seeking to be more like Christ.
Like the Good Samaritan, we must be looking around us for other people who we can help. We are called to Love God, Love Others, and Lead the Lost to Christ.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?