Introduction

Matthew 16:18 CSB

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

INTRO—

**This book was written/published in 2021!

I believe we all know the context within which they undertook this project… (when we so often heard this word— ‘essential.’)

I believe what Hansen & Leeman have written is of timeless value and worthy of consideration (…as I also believe we find ourselves in a similarly significant ‘redo’ of 2020 in this day).

Given all the chaotic nature of the world in which we live…the growing ‘secularization’ (though nothing new exists under the sun) of society…the antagonism to truth (absolute, et al.)…the convenience of online (podcast, live stream, radio, TV) teaching & worship…

We face a serious and legitimate question—which the authors highlight on page 13 of their book:

“A Future for the Church?” [p. 13]

“A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble.” [p. 11]

YES, THERE IS!

BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS THE FOCUS OF GOD’S AFFECTION

Ephesians 5:25–27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.”

[[Ephesians 5:29–30 “For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, since we are members of his body.” ]]

[p. 15…next to last paragraph]

No matter how much, how little, or not at all anyone else in our lives does…God loves us! That’s the only lasting place to base assurance of love in our lives.

EVEN THOUGH THE CHURCH IS A BUNCH MISFITS

[In the world’s eye, certainly…]

1 Corinthians 1.26-31 “Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption —in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (U = vv. 26, 30a)

[…& in honest reflection, too!]

We have been called by God for the glory of God…most specifically shown through our incompetence…inferiority… inability…

No matter how incredible, or unincredible we think we are…God has a plan that INCLUDES us! (Carrying his Kingdom work forward!)

BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.”

Romans 12:4–5 “Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.”

A perfectly sound body…in CHRIST [p. 17…first paragraph indention]

This body needs all its parts…and the parts God will add…to be completely what he wants us to be as his church—his body, today. (AND…we need each other since we are all different parts and never the whole body ourselves.)

SO THAT GOD’S BEAUTIFUL PLAN CAN BE SEEN

A Beautiful Diversity

Revelation 5:9 “And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

(I just happen to think that we will all sing new songs [of varying ethnic styles]…and that we will all still look—white, black, Asian, Hispanic, Arabic, Jewish….)

[[Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.” ]]

We have (& always will have) the blessing of fellowship with so many different people…all created in the image of God…all called to be one in Christ…all commissioned to proclaim the good news of Gospel redemption and a shared everlasting life…TOGETHER.

A Beautiful Inclusion

James 2:1–4 “My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

[[James 2:5–8 “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you? Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.” ]]

Having little. Having much. Being uneducated. Being highly educated. Being well known. Being relatively ‘unknown’… we all can rightly and confidently claim that WE BELONG in the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the people of God…The Church—and our local representation of the bigger picture of all that truth means.

CONCL—

“Beyond all that...” [p. 18…last paragraph]

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Let’s keep moving from here!!

INVITATION:

Salvation

Encouragement

Conviction (…not in favor of a truth; openness to correction & improvement)

Revelation 5:9 CSB

And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.