Why Church?
Why Church? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
HONOR
Buckle up - because we are going to be covering a lot of Scripture today.
Let’s start with 2 Sam 6 …
Today I want to ask the question - “Why Church?”
How should we, as the NT church, focus on Church?
What priority does the weekly gathering of the Saints hold for the NT church?
Paula and I are a month away from 7 years of marriage … and I think I’ve learned the hardest part of Marriage. Its the other person.
I’m kidding!
No, what it actually is — is ME!
It’s me dealing with my selfishness
Being a parent is the same thing
But something I have learned to be true of EVERY RELATIONSHIP IS:
The closer you get to people the more opportunity there is for offense.
But also the more opportunity there is for truth and growth!
Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
You see, the degree to which other people love us is the degree to which they will be truthful with us.
Their friendship determines their willingness to give us a “wound” with the truth.
I’m thankful for my wife, Paula, who loves me enough to tell me the truth I need to hear but never want to hear.
God loves me, and because He loves me, He plants me in relationships. He plants me in a family. He plants me in a marriage. He plants me in a church.
People are hard. Relationships are hard. And because its hard, it has made Church hard for people.
I’m worried our culture has developed a “Yelp review Christianity.”
Meaning we look at church as something to be judged off of MY preferences, not the relationships God has called me to.
I’m worried we view church like the gym.
Using church for MY Christianity.
And because it’s just and only just MY PERSONAL FAITH — I really don’t need to go to church because my relationship with God is just between me and Him
No, you’re apart of a community / family.
You need a dad.
I need a dad.
Your faith is personal but it is never isolated and God has called you to a spiritual family and to a Pastor, who is to be your Spiritual Father.
There is an anointing that only comes when the Saints, the Priesthood of God, gather together and offer spiritual sacrifices together.
Because God loves to visit prepared places.
CONTEXT
17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
David has prepared this place for God’s Presence and then He, King David, is offering sacrifices.
HE IS NOT A PRIEST.
Only the Priests were supposed to do that
We also know David ate of the showbread
6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.
What is David doing or what is David acting as a precursor to?
You see, King David - in the Old Testament, before Jesus came and died on the cross
Was operating in a KINGLY AND A PRIESTLY ROLE
In the OT — it was super important who did what. Only the Priests were allowed to do certain sacrifices and decide where the Tent would go and all this stuff
So God is allowing David to operate in an anointing that Christ will one day operate in — and is operating in now — AS OUR KING AND OUR PRIEST
You see, God has always wanted a nations of priests
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
It was always God’s desire that ALL people would have access to Him and everyone could come into His presence and Worship Him.
Not just the Levities
Not just the sons of Aaron
Not just Pastors
NO - THAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH! The NT Church is the Priesthood of God!
Amos 9:11–12 (ESV)
11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,
12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this.
The booth of David - Or tent - or Tabernacle — The Greek is “Skinay”
What is this?
It’s a dedicated place of worship.
It’s a prepared place.
In 2 Sam 6 — After David messed up and Uzzah died because they weren’t carrying God’s presence the right way (it was meant to be carried by the Priests - NOT A CART!)
And that Priesthood created a dedicated place - A Tabernacle - A Sanctuary - Where they would offer up Right and Acceptable Sacrifices
James quotes Amos 9 at the Jerusalem council as Gentiles are now coming into the church
Acts 15:16–17 (ESV)
16 “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things
This sanctuary of worship, IT IS the same for us today …
There is this idea that the NT church was nothing but house churches.
The book of Acts was a bunch of house churches and it wasn’t until Constantine legalized Christianity that it became institutionalized - and in some people’s view corrupted— and that’s why you shouldn’t trust organized religion.
Church in Acts is not mean’t to be a house church.
They always started in the synagogues and then only went to homes because they were kicked out!
Acts 2:46 (ESV)
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
The church became family — But they still met in and taught in the temple. In the synagogues.
Acts 9 - Paul’s first time to preach wasn’t in a home small group, but church. The synagogue
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Timothy led a church of 20,000 people!!!
Sorry to break it to you but The church in Acts was an organized religion.
They had councils and staff meetings and everything! LOL
The Apostle Peter wrote …
1 Peter 2:4–5 (ESV)
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
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.
If you are a Christian, you are a part of this priesthood!
The writer of Hebrews knew this
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
This isn’t a new idea or describing a house church.
This is describing what they have been doing since the Tabernacle of Moses in the wilderness and the start of the Priesthood.
Hebrews 8:3 (ESV)
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
You are a priest!! This is part of your job as a Christian!
This happens IN CHURCH
Why Church?? Because this is the order God has set in place for His people to Worship, Equip, and Reach
We minister to God - WORSHIP
We minister to each other - EQUIP
AND FROM THERE we are ABLE to minister to the World - REACH
Your faith is personal but it is never isolated and God has called you to a spiritual family and to a Pastor, who is to be your Spiritual Father.
There is an anointing that only comes when the Saints, the Priesthood of God, gather together and offer spiritual sacrifices together.
This is the Tabernacle of David
Because God loves to visit prepared places.
We are gathered to be a holy priesthood
What do priests do? They offer sacrifices?
What kind? Acceptable ones. We give God what God wants.
Like the Psalms say - we sing
we shout
we dance
we lift our hands
we play instruments
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
So we see - you wanna worship God?
Cool, you’re a priest! Here are your modes of worship
Bring your sacrifices
It’s giving
It’s doing good to your brothers and sisters in Christ
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
Paul received a gift and calls it an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Do you notice — ALL OF THESE HAPPEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE!
ALL OF THESE HAPPEN IN CHURCH AND WITH THE CHURCH
All of this happens with a Spiritual Father leading a group of gathered believers
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
This is being written to Jews — This is being written to a people with a context of the Tabernacle of Moses. That there is a central location where worship and sacrifice happens. It doesn’t happen alone in your room or in a coffee shop with a couple of friends. It happens together with your people and with your pastor.
our faith is not meant to be done alone.
This is the idea I am coming against today … There is this mindset that my faith is this personal, intimate thing that no one has the right to see or even know.
I can love God how I choose and I don’t have to be held accountable for how I love God.
My favorite line: “I’m spiritual but not religious” — Which simply means I like the idea of God but don’t want to be held accountable for my actions or beliefs.
“Only God can judge me.” My faith with God is just personal
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
We don’t judge the world - God judges the world
But we are to trust our leaders and have our Elders and Pastors guide and shepherd us.
Being mad at your gym coach/trainer … I asked you to do this.
Wisdom comes from external voices.
Something outside of yourself.
You need a coach, a father, a pastor - someone to speak into your life.
20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
You need Godly men in your life that are led by the Holy Spirit to speak to you and help you understand the Scriptures.
Like Hebrews 13 said — “Obey your leaders” — Spiritual hierarchy
Everyone needs a dad. Everyone needs someone in their life - spiritually- who can tell them no.
And honestly church, I think this is the core of the issue.
This is above all, an authority issue.
Its not about WHERE we meet — its about are we staying planted in the relationships God has called us to and to the leaders He has placed in our lives
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Your faith is not your own!!!! WE ARE A PART OF THE FAMILY!!
Your faith may be personal — but it is never isolated
God uses people -He uses Pastors and Elders to speak to His people.
the Holy Spirit does 90% of His work on the road of friendship. Relationship.
Christianity cannot be isolated
I think part of the issue is that the Gospel is preached through crooked teeth.
Pastors and Leaders fail.
There is something beautiful knowing I am a part of a body, I am a part of a family, that has existed for 2,000 years.
That I have, spiritually, in my ancestry such giants in the faith.
God will build HIS CHURCH — and the gates of hell wont prevail against
Brothers and sisters in Unity
Under submission
Following after Christ
We need each other.
My wife can be a hard voice to hear sometimes because I don’t want to hear it — but she is also sometimes the most clear voice of God I hear. Because God uses her to tell me truth.
We need each other. We need church.
We must love what God loves. God loves His Bride. God loves His Church.
We, the church, are His hands and feet on this earth
Your faith is personal but it is never isolated and God has called you to a spiritual family and to a Pastor, who is to be your Spiritual Father.
There is an anointing that only comes when the Saints, the Priesthood of God, gather together and offer spiritual sacrifices together.
Because God loves to visit prepared places.
… PRAYER …