What is the Church?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
What’s the difference between a local church and a Christian school or university?
Place
People
Purpose
Presence
Place (Where?)
Place (Where?)
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The ministry of Christ is incarnational. It’s personal and in a particular place.
By extension, the nature and ministry of the church is incarnational. It’s personal and in a particular place.
We live in a day and age where almost everything is available in a state of isolation.
We don’t go to the movies anymore. We just watch movies at home nowadays.
You don’t even have to go to the grocery anymore. They’ll just deliver it to your door.
You can work from home. No need to go the office.
For some time now you can get a Masters Degree from Southern Seminary completely online.
As of last year you can get a PhD online.
I’ll admit I love that my kids can video call their grandparents, but it’s nothing like seeing my dad walk around the yard with Caleb.
There’s nothing wrong with any of these things mind you. They provide the service they’re intended to provide. They accomplish they’re intended purpose.
We need recognize that the church cannot accomplish it’s intended purpose by being dislocated. The nature of the ministry of Christ and the nature of the ministry of the church is extraordinarily local. In no time at all the church is going to be even more unique than it already is because we’re going to be one of the few places where people gather regularly, and the reason we’re gathering is because we’re accomplishing something in Christ that no one else can accomplish: The transformation of whole people, mind, body, and heart by the Word and the Spirit as we teach one another, sing to one another, encourage one another, and spur one another on to love and good deeds.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
In the same breath about the wonderful hope we confess in Christ, the writer of Hebrews says don’t forsake assembling together. Why? Because you’re not alone in the hope you’ve been given. You need to stimulate others toward the works consistent with their faith. You need to others to stimulate you toward to the works of faith. Similarly, you need to encourage the faith of your brothers and sisters, and they need to encourage your faith.
It’s absolutely essential we hold onto the gathering, the place that defines the church because no Christian can grow or thrive in isolation.
What is the church?
The place where Christians gather.
People (Who?)
People (Who?)
The ministry of Christ is incarnational which means it creates a recognizable family that works together.
The church is likewise an incarnational ministry that creates a recognizable family that works together.
The ministry of Christ which gave birth to the church did not create a bunch of lone ranger Christians who are expected to grow on their own. We’ve been born into a family an identifiable people in an identifiable place that works for the good of one another because we’re family.
Bear with me for a moment, but I’d like us to see this from a number of the epistles. Paul wrote to churches, families of believers, and called them to be a family. To love one another and grow together, not isolated.
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Where is the family?
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Where is the family?
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Where is the family?
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Where is the family?
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Where is the family?
If discipleship occurs within the church then it needs to be family oriented.
By nature we ask ourselves,
How can I grow? It’s a good question to ask, but if that’s the only question we’re asking then we’re not really living like a part of the family.
We need to be asking, “How can I help my brother or sister grow?”
How do my gifts help my family grow?
The example we’ve been given in Christ should lead us to ask, who can I walk with to help them grow?
What is the Church?
The people who devote themselves to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Purpose (Why?)
Purpose (Why?)
Equipping for Mission and Christlikeness
Christlikeness
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Firstly, Paul’s ministry is a ministry of the church and for the church.
In all of Paul’s apostolic pursuits
bringing the gospel to the far reaches of Europe
Planting churches in Asia
Raising up pastors to lead those churches
His ministry is for the church!
His ministry is to bring about what end?
to present every man complete in Christ.
Mission
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
What is the mission of the church?
-Preserve the unity of the church in love for one another.
-Seek the peace of Christ together.
-Share the Word of Christ with each other.
What is the church?
A people with the purpose of growing in Christlikeness and displaying Christ to one another in love and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Presence (How?)
Presence (How?)
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
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No other institution has been granted the purpose of being the dwelling of God Himself in the Spirit.
All that we do as the local church is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Our love for each other is a fruit of the Spirit.
Our gifts which we employ for the good of each other are gifts given and empowered by the Spirit.
Our understanding we seek in the teaching of the Word is given by the Spirit.
Our very salvation is the Spirit’s work in us to repent and believe.
If our ambition in discipleship is to build up the church, we need look to the Spirit to accomplish that work. The Spirit has devoted Himself and His presence to the church and we do well to do the same in our efforts toward discipleship.
What is the church?
The temple of the Spirit built by the Spirit.
Discipleship is most effective in the church!
Where Christians gather together
2. With people who are devoted to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ
3. When the purpose is oriented toward Christlikeness and the proclamation of the Word of Christ
4. With the presence of the Spirit.
