4.3.29 6.16.2024 Doctrine Matters

Start:

Entice: This sermon is

not just a doctrinal sermon,

but

a sermon about doctrine

or more accurately why we need more doctrine in our sermons, lessons, studies-our lives.

This is not something you expect to see in the contemporary church. Lots of people think that doctrine is above their heads, boring, pointless, “for the experts.” I often wonder why.

Do we want a church filled with uninformed people? What does that prove exactly?

Is our only answer to the philosophies of the age to shout louder? Which is better deeper understanding or volume?

How do we compare what we think with our ancestors of faith, and how do we intend to explain ourselves to our descendants?

Engage: Every time I preach there are what I think of as meta-goals regardless of text, title or theme.

I want to address your emotions at some level because our Gospel should make you feel something.

I also want to speak to your will, your volition, because there are choices, we must make about how we will live the life of a disciple.

I want to speak to your mind. Doctrine is a part of the process which turns God’s story into our story. It helps to translate the words of God into the vocabularies of humanity. It is how God’s people carry our conversation with Him into the fallen world of theories, philosophies, cultural trends, and social mores. “The Bible says.” Relays God’s voice. Correct doctrine is what the Church says and does, what we show and tell—what we ultimately teache based upon God’s revelation of Himself. You’ll notice that when I preach, I’m not trying to entertain. My goal is not to give you a bunch of practical answers which really are not addressed in Scripture. Your heart, your mind, your hands committed to discipleship.

Expand: This. Is. Risky. It can be dangerous. We are told by James…

James 3:1 ESV

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

the warning is balanced by the mandate.

Titus 2:1 (ESV)

1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

Doctrinal preaching is also necessary evangelistically and apologetically.

Most of the world’s great religious traditions are comfortable with their holy writings being

mysterious,

nebulous,

magical,

and

beyond understanding.

That’s not how God sees it.

The Bible, particularly the New Testament is to be read and understood. That means responsible leaders framing the Biblical message in categories that help people understand. As complicated as it sounds that is what sound doctrine, accurate Theology is.

Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV

11 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, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Explore: WE are the Body of Christ!

Doctrine is important because it strengthens the Body’s immune system.

Expand: There are several indications that a church has a strong immune system. First of all, that strong immune system provides

Body of Sermon:

1 Clarity

1.1 Universal.

Ephesians 4:11 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

(catholic)

Apostles. The first century, Apostolic ministry, found in the complete NT serves as the basis for faith and practice for the Church until Jesus returns at the end of History.

1.2 Local

Ephesians 4:12 ESV

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

1.2.1 Elders. (Shepherds)

1.2.2 Various preaching disciplines

Evangelists

Teachers.

The job of Shepherds is to make things clear to the flock. This is done as a body of leaders speaking through the designated prophet-evangelist-teacher proclaims scripture, reminding everyone of the universal doctrines which all have always believed.

Next, a strong immune system demonstrates

2 Maturity

Ephesians 4:13 (ESV)

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

2.1 Unity of the faith.

Divisiveness begins with misunderstanding what the faith teaches…

Correct doctrine is not a club for winning arguments it is a salve for the wounded and weary brought into a saving relationship with Jesus.

2.2 Knowledge of the Son of God.

Most of the stuff that Public Evangelicals proclaim as important is manufactured to stir controversy and provoke culture wars not to promote knowledge of the Son of God. Our job is not to counter any agenda “woke” or otherwise. Our job is to promote Jesus. Most evangelicals, until 4 years ago couldn’t even spell “W O K E” if you spotted them the “O” and the “K”. I have had it up to here with ignorant, un-Christlike, so-called “Christians” who do not know Jesus and who have no investment in His Body giving lectures about Christian Doctrine.

That brings us to the next mark of maturity in this verse…

2.3 Mature personhood.

“All growed-up”.

Mature believers do not whine.

Mature believers do not act entitled.

Mature believes follow a crucified Lord who emptied Himself of privilege to save us.

Grown-up Christians do not assert their rights they embrace their responsibilities.

Grown-up Christians are ready to lose it all for the Master.

Grown-up Christians don’t necessarily have nail-scars, but they are known to have marks on their backs from carrying their crosses.

Christian maturity has one source and objective.

2.4 Measure of the fullness of Christ.

Finally, A strong immune system has

3 Stability

3.1 Protection from error.

Ephesians 4:14 ESV

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

3.2 Profession=Speaking the truth in Love.

Ephesians 4:15 ESV

15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

3.3 Promoting healthy body-life.

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Shut Down

Most people are taught to avoid, ignore, or mistrust doctrine in the Church, how ironic? Doctrine is treated like an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that we only rarely need. We treat it like when we need helium to inflate a fancy balloon.

Theological doctrine is more like oxygen. We need it to live.

My job isn’t so much to make it exciting as it is to help you embrace it.

Doctrine gives us the thinking-basis for living life in Christ.

Right Doctrine gives good footing.

Right Doctrine helps us to know how to grow-up and how grown-up we really are.

Right doctrine proclaimed by Godly leaders prevents the Church from becoming captive to it’s culture-even when the culture is “smothering us with kindness.”

Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom He founded the Church as the presence of Kingdom in the world until the consummation. Doctrine reminds is that our priorities should be His, not our own.

Right doctrine keeps the body healthy. How you feeling?”