Protect This Church!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Protect this church!
I. The Living God Dwells Here (v. 16)
I. The Living God Dwells Here (v. 16)
A. Corporate Not Individual
The Church (capital C) is comprised of gatherings of believers called churches (lower-case c).
The temple of the living God is seen both in the individual believer (1 Corinthians 6:19) and in the gathering together of believers.
The individual Christian is the temple of the living God.
The local gathering of Christians is the temple of the living God.
The global Church is the temple of the living God.
How do you know Paul is speaking about a local church?
Every analogy in this passage refers to the local assembly of believers.
First, Paul refers to them as a field.
Then, Paul refers to them as a building.
Now, Paul refers to them as a temple.
There are two words for “temple” in the Greek.
One of these words means the temple complex as a whole.
The other word, the one used here, refers to the “holy of holies,” the place where God dwells.
What is interesting is that Paul still uses this word to describe a local assembly of believers who are living very backward lives.
B. Can the World See This is Where the Living God Dwells?
Paul sarcastically asks the church in Corinth:
Can’t you see this?
It’s so obvious, isn’t it?
Have you forgotten the obvious?
By the way that the Christians in Corinth were living, it appears they have forgotten the obvious.
The Christians in Corinth were living independent of the One who lived inside them.
How many of us do the same thing? When the world sees the local church, can they see this is where the living God dwells?
When the world sees the local church outside of Sunday morning, can they see this is where the living God dwells?
When people attend a local church, can they see this is where the living God dwells?
Why does God care about the church so much?
Because God has made the most costly, eternal investment in His people, and it is where His name dwells.
In the 10 Commandments, the third commandment is this:
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
In the Hebrew, the word “take” means to carry or to bear.
As a Christian,
Whose name did you take on?
As a Christian, Whose name do you bear?
As a Christian Whose name do you carry?
You bear the name of Jesus Christ.
Does your life reflect the Name you now bear?
Does the church you attend and serve alongside reflect the Name they claim to represent?
C. Protect this church!
Why?
Because the local church is about the reputation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Protect this church!
II. Or God Will Begin Renovations (v. 17)
II. Or God Will Begin Renovations (v. 17)
A. God Cares About His House
Verse 17 is a challenging portion of Scripture, but the preceding verse puts it in context for us.
If the local church is the temple of God, are there any lengths God would not go to to ensure it represents Him?
For those of you who are homeowners, you probably dream of all the renovations you could do to make your home just the way you want it.
And given enough time and money, two things that are difficult to come by, those dreams might one day become reality.
Maybe you want to paint the house a different color, or you want to knock down a couple walls to open up a space, or you want to redo a bathroom, or you want to install a new garage or driveway, or you want to redo the landscaping.
Those renovations may increase the appeal or the function of your home, but often they aren’t necessary. Your house will still serve it’s primary purpose even if these things don’t change.
Then, there are renovations that need to happen immediately, because some core function of the home has been compromised.
As a new homeowner with a young family, I can tell you that almost all of the renovations in our house have happened out of necessity, not convenience.
There’s a problem that needs to be fixed right now.
When there are problems in God’s church, problems that will destroy His church, He addresses them immediately.
Who is causing the problems?
Lots of pastors and commentators attribute the destruction Paul speaks about in verse 17 to non-Christians. That doesn’t make sense for two reasons:
The first reason it doesn’t make sense is because when Jesus tells Peter He will establish His church on the foundation Jesus Christ, He says this:
18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
If the gates of Hades will not overpower God’s church, nothing will overpower God’s church.
In fact, all throughout history we see that outside persecution against the church strengthens Christians, not weakens them.
The second reason it doesn’t make sense is because every portion of this section of Paul’s letter deals with Christians, not unbelievers.
Verse 12 - if any man builds on the foundation - Believer
Verse 14 - if any man’s work that he has built remains - Believer
Verse 15 - if any man’s work is burned up - Believer
Verse 18 - let no man deceive himself - Believer
So verse 17 can be read like this:
If any Christian destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that Christian, for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are.
This is a warning to Christians, because there is more danger of God’s church being perverted and maligned from within than from without.
B. How is God’s Church Destroyed?
The word for destroy means to corrupt or defile.
False Doctrine
There’s an entire book in the New Testament, the book of Jude, devoted entirely to warning against the destruction of false doctrine and false teachers.
We can all think of churches or pastors that are Christian in name only, but there are also churches who preach portions of truth, because the best lies always have elements of the truth.
Much of our American pulpits today fit this definition, and if you want to learn more about it how it is impacting the American church today, I would encourage you to read Shepherds for Sale by Meghan Basham.
But what about Christians with correct, true doctrine? So let’s look at some other ways Christians can destroy the church.
Has there ever been a time when you have participated in gossip toward an church, any pastor, or any individual in a church who is devoted to serving the Lord?
Participating in gossip is more than just speaking about someone, it also means listening to someone else gossip.
Have you ever had a poor attitude or motivation in your service for Christ?
Don’t ask me to serve, don’t ask me to give, I’ve done enough.
You would never say that to Jesus, because Jesus would look at you at say, “I gave everything for you.”
Have you ever put your personal agenda first?
It’s not that you don’t love the church, it’s just that all your desires better be met first.
Have you ever harbored unforgiveness in your heart toward another believer?
Before you say, “Of course,” do you still say things like:
“I’m still bothered by …”
“I’m still hurt by …”
Do any of these resonate with you?
Any of these, and a mile long list of many others, is what destroys, maligns, and misrepresents the bride of Christ, the church.
C. God is a Good Father
Jesus Christ came for His church, died for His church, and loves His church, and so when there are problems that compromise the integrity and mission of His church, He steps in to resolve them.
But I thought you said He loves His church?
Of course He does, which is why sometimes discipline is necessary. Every parent understands this. Just because you love your child unconditionally does not mean they can do whatever they want.
Sometimes Christians fall into a worldview that says, “I’m saved, God lavishes grace, and I can live however I want.”
In the book of Romans Paul says, “May it never be!”
So how can God love His church unconditionally and still discipline them, sometimes harshly, to resolve issues?
There are many places in Scripture that would work for this example, but I want to give you an example out of the book of Ezekiel.
In Ezekiel 5 God says:
Ezekiel 5:11 (NASB95)
11 ‘So as I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare.
The next several chapters illustrate how God will carry out His judgment on the nation of Israel. Most people would read this or experience this in and ask, “How is this loving?” But God demonstrates it was His love that guided His actions in Ezekiel 11.
19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.
Did the nation of Israel ever cease to be God’s chosen people?
No! But God also did not hesitate to destroy the nation of Israel with the desire to breathe new life into the people when they turned to Him once again.
All throughout the Old Testament there is evidence of God’s judgment, and it is often accompanied with the phrase, “Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”
God desires a genuine relationship with His people that transforms their heart and their way of thinking. If Christians are defiling the bride of Christ and compromising the mission of the church, God will not hesitate to destroy those individuals, He always does so with a purpose and the desire that they will one day return to Him.
D. How Does God Destroy those Who Destroy His Church?
Excommunication
Excommunication means exiting out.
I thought Jesus welcomed all sinners?
Jesus does welcome all sinners. If He didn’t, you wouldn’t have a pastor, no church would have a pastor, in fact the church wouldn’t exist!
All sinners are welcome, but if there exists within a church unrepentant, habitual sinners who are hurting the body of Christ, the church has a responsibility to remove them from the fellowship so that they may recognize their sin, repent of their sin, and return to Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father.
By the way, this isn’t something done on a whim. We read about the process in Matthew 18, and in 1 Corinthians 5 you will see an example of this in action within a church.
Loss of Rewards
In the previous verses we saw that God will test the quality of how each person builds upon the church that God has established, and the measure by which they do determines the heavenly rewards they receive.
Some will remain, some will be burned up.
How tragic will it be for you as a Christian when you one day stand before Jesus but you have nothing to present to Him because you hated His church?
Sickness
Can God make you sick?
16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 26:21 (NASB95)
21 King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord.
If you are sick it does not mean you are not walking with the Lord. There are many godly Christians who suffer from sickness, disease, and pain.
But as Christians if we have chronic illness or pain, we should seek to examine our hearts and see if somehow through sin we brought it on ourselves.
Well that’s just Old Testament.
In 1 Corinthians we will see an example of this with people in the church who are taking the Lord’s Supper in an unholy way. It says:
30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
Death
Ananias and Sapphira
Were Ananias and Sapphira saved?
Most likely. This happened in the context of Acts 4:32 which reads:
32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.
But what we learn from this account is that God takes believers out of the way who are stopping the work in His church, and whenever this happens, whether it’s by excommunication, or loss of rewards, or sickness, or death, the result is always that the church learns to fear the Lord.
E. Protect this church!
Why?
Because Jesus Christ loves His church, and He will do whatever is necessary to see her be used effectively for His mission.
Protect this church!
III. The Living God Alone Provides All Things for His People (vv. 18-23)
III. The Living God Alone Provides All Things for His People (vv. 18-23)
A. People Will Fail You, God Will Not
This whole chapter highlights the incapability and the failure of man.
The world has problems, the church has problems, you have problems, but no man or woman can ever solve your problems.
Jesus Christ alone can solve your problems, and the church’s problems, and the world’s problems, and He has given you everything you need to do so.
Just lean into the Lord! In 2 Peter 1 we learn that God has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Paul highlights some of those things here:
He has given you leaders in His church to serve, shepherd, feed, and grow you.
He has given you the world.
God will meet all your needs in this world. He may not meet every want, but He will meet every need.
He has given you life.
In Jesus Christ you have found true freedom, hope, and life.
He has given you power over death.
No Christian need fear death, because in death you are transported into the presence of the living God.
He has given you things present and things to come.
No matter what today holds, no matter what tomorrow may bring, God’s got you.
All things belong to you, you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
The King of the universe says, “You’re mine!”
B. Protect this church!
Why?
Because Jesus Christ has provided everything His church needs, and we should give everything we can to build it for His glory!
