What Is The Church?

Back To The Basics

Matthew 16:13-20; Acts 2:37-47; Ephesians 2:19-20; 4:1-13

Thesis: To be able to define the church and know what our role and responsibilities are as members of the church.

Introduction

When you hear the word “church,” what do you think of?

Where we go to worship God; a place; all believers across the world

Church Definition (Matthew 16:13-20)

What is the “rock” in v. 18?

Peter’s confession and what it means. Jesus is the Messiah, God in the flesh, Who has come to save the world from sin

Have you heard any other interpretations of what “rock” could mean?

Catholicism - Peter is the first pope (issues - different in Greek [Petros and petra]; Peter in his writings does not refer to himself as the foundation but refers to Jesus as the foundation)

Have you heard of the local church and the universal church? If so, what about it?

Is the church local and visible or universal and invisible? (Acts 2:37-47 answers this question)

The church is definable (number - v. 41, 47), visible (v. 44-46), and local (v. 47)

The idea of a universal (invisible) church that we usually think of comes from Catholic doctrine. In Catholicism, every church preaches the same sermon no matter where you are in the world.

The biblical view of the universal church is still seen in Scripture, but it is not currently present in time. Think about this, if the universal church involves every believer in the world, how can we all meet together, break bread together, or effect one another with how we serve (I can’t use my spiritual gifts at a church in a different location if I’m in my location).

The universal church will exist when we are all raptured together at the coming of Christ and all believers from all of time are gathered together with Christ

Church (ekklesia - gathering; assembly): “An organized assembly, whose members have been

properly called out from private homes or business to attend to public affairs. This

definition necessarily implies prescribed conditions of membership” (B. H. Carroll)

“The community of reconciliation” (Whitlock)

Ephesians 1:9–10 “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him”

Includes the idea of the goal of reconciliation; reconciliation on a universal scale (rapture - the bride fully reconciled to Christ)

The Essence Of The Church - “she is the visible location of the body of Christ on earth, the place where the body resides, reconciled with one another and with God. This is why the unity within the church is an emphatic, primary concern within the NT documents. Christ is not divided, His church is the great place of reconciliation” (Whitlock)

“Visible, local congregation of believers that form the community of reconciliation” (Whitlock)

Marks of the church (What makes a particular church a NT church?):

What are some things you should look for in a church for it to be considered a church?

(Rhetorical for understanding of the topic to be discussed) How do I find a church? What do I look for? How do I know they’re following the NT expectations of church?

5 things to look for:

The Gospel Must Be Presented And Believed

Believers must be gathered

The Bible Needs To Be Proclaimed

If the church stops gathering around the word of God then they cease to be a church

God Is Exalted

Not talking about “forms” of worship (type of music, hymnbook or powerpoint, etc.)

The Ordinances Are Observed

As close to correctly as possible

A Mutual Covenant Is Claimed

An agreement and common element with intentionality gathering as a church

The Operation Of The Church (Acts 2:37-47)

Leadership Roles:

Pastors - 1 Tim. 3, Titus 1, Eph. 4

Deacons - 1 Tim. 3, Titus 1, and Acts 6

The role of deacons is to serve; they help the pastor serve the people so he can focus on preaching the word to equip the saints and edify the body

Member Roles:

There is an aspect of membership we see in Acts 2:37-47

An agreement and common element with intentionality gathering as a church

Roles in serving (preschool, children, students, young adult, worship, connection, etc.)

Practice the Ordinances:

Who knows how you can become a member at Northside?

Baptism or transfer of letter (statement of faith)

Regeneration is required for membership; a lost person is not a member of the church because they have not submitted to the Head of the church Who is Christ

Our Responsibilities (Ephesians 4:1-13)

Pick one church to attend and serve: (church-hopping is unbiblical, we have fellowship with one another and partner together in the Gospel but are not members of the same local body - it doesn’t mean that going to other Bible studies or services is wrong in and of itself, but it shows a lack of true commitment to a local church)

How do I find a church? What do I look for?

Practically how you can know where a church stands theologically and missionally: (applying the 5 marks of the church)

Their mission statement (recite our church’s and our ministry’s)

Their worship, evangelism, and discipleship (What is it centered around? Is it just another Bible study? Is it shallow? Is it proclaiming something over the Gospel?)

This should not be the defining factor but can help in finding a church that values people - What do they offer for my age? Do they have a young adult/college ministry? Is that ministry isolated from the rest of the church (feels like its just added on), or is it involved in the church and encouraged to serve in the church?

When you do find a church, start serving and commit

Practice Spiritual Gifts : (1 Cor. 12:4-13; Rom. 3-8; Eph. 4:7-13)

Serve and find out what they are. We have a responsibility, out of our unity among one another and collective desire for the proper function of the body, to practice what God has given us. Without it, the body will be hindered.

Church Discipline (Matt 18:15-20):

Process of discipline:

Privately - one-on-one

Two or Three - go as a small group

Bring before the church - tell the entire church in a spiritually mature manner (should be done by the pastor or someone in authority), not for the sake of shunning but for the sake of reconciliation

Treat them like they’re lost - contextually they seem to be a true believer, but that believer has fully given into the world without repentance and our prayer is for them to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit

v. 20 - not talking about church gathering; “Jesus reiterates that actins of Christian discipline, following God’s guidelines, have His endorsement. This remains true even if they come from a very small fellowship, including but not limited to the ‘two or three’ gathered in v. 15-16… God is of course omnipresent, but He is uniquely present in every Christian gathering as His Spirit indwells believers. In context v. 20 then assures God’s blessings on action properly taken to try to reconcile believers to one another.” (NAC: Matthew, 281).

We have the responsibility to hold one another accountable in living a life faithful to Christ

Why Is This Important?

The purpose for knowing what the church is goes with how we practice or faith together and how we see ourselves as functioning members of the same body under the same Head. If you don’t have a place to serve or have not fully connected with a local church that has Biblical doctrine, is mission-minded, and is unified, then you need to find a church to connect with them. Commit to one and let God use you where He chooses to plant you.