The Church (SF)
Christian Doctrine • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
Hey good morning!
My name is Jamie, I’m the Discipleship Pastor at REVO! I’m so glad I get to be here with you!
Man I’m glad to be in the house of the Lord today talking about the house of the Lord!
We are continuing our Christian Doctrine series and today we are going to look at the Church
Before we dive into the sermon lets go to the Lord
Prayer
Prayer
Father your words not mine
Bless this time
Let us focus on you today
Be with Nathan
Be with Matthew
Be with pastors all over the area
What is the church
What is the church
To begin talking about the church I want to look at the first place the church is mentioned in the NT
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus looks at Peter, after Peter declares that Jesus is the Lord, and says this
He declares that He will build his church
He is building it on Peter's confession. The church is built on confessions of faith
The Greek word for “church” here is the word ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia)
This word can mean a variety of different things:
Church
Assembly
Those called out
When Christ uttered this phrase He ultimately created what is the church today
The church is the assembly — as in the local body of believers that are gathered together
Notice that Christ when he describes the church says that “the gates of hell shall not prevail”
Quite literally this new thing will be greater than Satan!
Paul said this about the church:
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
If you believe in Jesus you are part of a faith family
You are part of the “church” or body of Christ
It is made up not of people who attend the Sunday morning worship service, but instead of those who are “called out”
Those who trust in Jesus as Lord!
The unique think about the church is that it isn’t just the local body
The church also means the global church — that is everyone that is a believer in Jesus
The book of Revelation gives us a picture of what this will look like:
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
John gets a vision about the church with members from every where
So when we are talking about the church, here is what we are talking about:
The church is the body of believers both locally and globally
When we think of the church today we need to understand that the church is local and global!
We are all a part of Christ and His body!
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
We are the church!
The body of Christ!
No matter what location someone goes to we are all part of the same body of Christ so long as we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life!
Rather you are at REVO South Fork
Or North Campus
Or Walkertown campus
Or Two Cities
Or First Presbyterian
Or churches in China, Belize, St. Lucia
If we name the name of Christ as Lord and Savior we are one body
We are the church!
That means there must be a level of unity and love between us
A level of respect and service!
The church is the body of Christ!
We are the body locally and globally
What’s the purpose?
What’s the purpose?
So if the church is the body of believers
The next logical step is very simply, what’s the purpose of the local church?
Why did Jesus intend to set up this new entity the church?
Well the church is connected immediately to the mission of Christ, and that mission plays out in four main ways or purposes:
Upward — Glorify God
Upward — Glorify God
The first reason Christ set up the church:
To Glorify God
The first purpose of the church is to glorify God.
This means our worship, lives, everything must point back to Him!
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
As the church Paul tells us that we are called to sing songs and hymns of praise
We are called to admonish each other
And most important we are called to give thanks to God!
We are called to glorify God in everything!
The church is meant to glorify God! As the body and church itself we are called to join together and glorify God!
We are called to do this corporately — all together singing and praising
The early church modeled what Paul is talking about here:
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The early church made it a point to join together corporately and worship the Lord!
They praised God with every aspect of their lives and sought to worship the Lord!
The church, the body, us — we are called to glorify God! and to do this corporately!
Christ set up the church so that we can worship the Lord and glorify Him
Outward — Make disciples
Outward — Make disciples
The second reason Christ setup the church is:
Make disciples
The church is called to make disciples — we are commissioned by the Lord to share the message of Jesus with the world
Listen to what Jesus says:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus command is very plain — Make disciples
For us that means we are called to go and share the Gospel!
We are called to teach others the commands that Jesus taught us
We are called to baptize others and to be in community!
This means the church as the body of Christ is called to Make Disciples
This is a local command, and a global command
All the nations are meant to make disciples of all the nations!
We are called to make disciples!
This is not a command that is meant to be done alone! In fact when Jesus first sent out the disciples in Luke 10 He sent them out in groups of two!
Then when Jesus commands this in Matt 28 we see the apostles and disciples not going by themselves, but they are always together with someone
John and Peter are constantly together
Paul has Silas
Paul has Barnabas and Timothy
The church is designed to make disciples!
To go and share the gospel with the world!
It is not a command that is only meant to be done by individuals — its meant to be done together and in community!
For the church to accomplish the mission that Christ set out for the church, it must make disciples
Inward — To build up believers
Inward — To build up believers
The third reason Christ setup the church is:
To build up believers
The church is designed to help build up believers!
We are meant to build up one another and to serve one another
To equip and encourage
Listen to how the author of Hebrews puts it:
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.
The author of Hebrews says that we should seek to “stir up one another” in love and good works
Quite literally the church is mean to encourage and build up one another!
Often times when you think of someone stirring up something you think of drama and gossip — stirring the pot
Yet the author tells us that if we are in Christ, in the body of believers we are called to stir the pot for love and good works!
We are to make it our effort to encourage and love others!
The church is meant to love and help one another
Paul also tells us this in Ephesians:
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
The church and the purpose of every single pastor, elder, and church staff member is to build up the body of believers
To encourage them and help them to grow in their relationship with Christ
The church is meant to be a hub that allows you to grow in Christ
It is place that is meant to be encouraging
It is a place where you can share your burdens, receive prayer and help
The church is a training ground for the body to come and be equipped to go and do the work of the ministry!
It is a place where you should learn about Christ, and what it means to live on mission
To accomplish Christ’s mission for the church it must be a place that is equipping and encouraging the body!
Downward — serve the world
Downward — serve the world
The last reason Christ seup the church is:
To serve the world
The church is meant to go and serve the community and world that they interact with
To meet needs and be the hands and feet of Jesus!
Listen to how Jesus describes the role of the church:
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Jesus looks and declares that when we take care of the hurting, the needy, the broken, the lost — its as if we are doing it for Christ
The design of the church is to be a place for those who are in need to come
To serve the world and share the good news of Christ
This is why churches serve in the community!
This is why REVO for example partners with so many non-profits in the area
It’s why we have so many all church serve days, do mission trips, and encourage our members to go be the hands and feet of Jesus where they eat, work, study, play, and shop
The church is meant to serve the community!
Christ also said this:
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
The church is designed to be a “city on a hill” that the world around can see and know that the Lord is there and that the people care!
It is meant to be a place where people can see the good works of Christ! The good nature of who He is!
For the church to accomplish Christ’s mission it must be a place that is dedicated to serving the world!
What about me?
What about me?
So far we have hit a definition of the church
“The church is the body of believers both locally and globally”
We then hit why the church is important
So now the natural finale to our study on the church must now be
What about me?
What is my role within the church?
If the church is called to glorify God, make disciples, build up and equip believers, and serve the world, what’s my role within that?
Use your gifts
Use your gifts
The first thing that you are responsible for:
Using your gifts
You are called to use the gifts that the Lord has given you:
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
As believers in Jesus the Spirit has given each of us a gift!
He has given us talents and abilities that are unique and different from everyone else
The abilities that God gave me are vastly different than the abilities that God gave you!
That means we are called to use our gifts inside and outside the church to accomplish the mission of the church!
We are meant to use them to build up the church, to make disciples, to glorify God!
No matter what your gift may be, God gave them to you to be able to bless others and the church!
So are you using them?
Are you using the gifts God gave you right now to accomplish the mission Christ gave the church?
Do you even know your gifts?
There are so many spiritual gifts tests you can take! We even have one on our website that you can access and see what gifts you have been equipped with!
And I already know what you’re thinking
Jamie my gifts are that special
I can’t speak in front of people
I can’t sing or play an instrument
I’m to old or to young
Let me just say this, that is lies straight from Satan himself!
We each have a gift, rather its as simple as being able to come early to put the red next step cards in the back of the chairs, or as complex as organizing mission trips to another country
There is no gift greater than another gift, they are all given by Christ! And each gift is given for us the body to accomplish His will and purpose for the church!
So are you using your gifts?
Thats the first responsibility we have inside the church
Build unity
Build unity
The second thing that you are responsible for:
Building unity
It is your job individually to build unity amongst each other!
Listen to how Paul says it:
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Paul tells us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling
What is our calling? Christ!
What does it mean to walk worthy of it? Paul tells us — be humble and gentle, patient, bear with others in love, and seek unity among believers
That means that as a follower of Jesus it is our responsibility to make others feel welcomed and loved!
It is our job as believers to build unity inside the church — both your home church (REVO), the local church (churches in the area), and the global church
If they name the name of Jesus we are called to build unity!
Regardless of:
Who they voted for
What their view on end times is
How they think baptism should be done
We are called to fight for Unity!
There shouldn’t be any church hurt — because it should be our job and responsibility to keep unity!
This does not mean allowing others to sin — it means handling it rightly!
Jesus tells us to handle sin — listen to how he describes it:
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Notice Jesus doesn’t say — maintain unity by keeping silent
Instead he says go to the person and talk to them
If they don’t listen bring a few others who are close to them
If they still don’t listen, bring it up to the local church body
If they refuse Jesus tells us to treat them as if they are a tax collector or sinner
Now that doesn’t mean we ignore them, hate them, or reject them
Instead it means we pray for them and share the gospel with them!
Because our goal and responsibility is to build Unity!
I mean the idea of Unity is the very thing that Christ was earnestly begging the Father for the night of his betrayal and arrest:
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
He is begging for the church — the body — US — to hav unity with one another!
We need to stop alienating believers that think different, sound different, and act different and instead seek to have unity!
Our responsibility is to have unity!
Share Christ
Share Christ
The last responsibility we have is:
Share Christ
We are called individually to share Christ
To make disciples!
The church is meant to make disciples! And we individually are called to make disciples
Jesus’ last thing He said to the believers?
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
We are to be witnesses for Christ!
To go and tell others about Jesus!
That is our responsibility!
We are called to live a life outside the church that mirrors Christ!
The church is mean to be a light on a hill — we’ve already mentioned that corporately — but it also must be true in us individually!
It is our job as the body and members of the church to go and make disciples! To share the Gospel!
It is our job to reach out to the lost and hurting in our work, school, family, and neighbors and share the love of Christ with them!
To tell them about the hope of Jesus!
It is our responsiblity to share Christ with the world!
Conclusion
Conclusion
The church is a complex organism
It is both individuals, and a whole
It is local and global
It is a building and a people
The church has its own purposes
But each individual has a role to play in those purposes!
Today as we leave the physical church, lets not neglect the body of believers
Let us seek to fulfill our roles of:
Using the gifts God gave us
Building Unity amongst believers
Sharing Christ
Church lets be the Church that Jesus described when he said
18 the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Let me pray for you
Lord let us be your church!
Remove in us any pride or arrogance that makes us believe that we can do it without you
