THIS IS OUR PEA PATCH

Matthew 16:13–20 KJV 1900

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Introduction: We may protest when the world assumes that ‘church’ means ‘building’ and say, “No, it’s the people,” but what is the reality?

How much of our time do we spend talking about property and finance?

How often do we say we want to get more people through the doors? Have we not got locked into this idea that church is a building and an institution.

But what did the word ‘church’ originally mean? It did indeed mean ‘the people’ and they didn’t have their own buildings, gathering instead in the larger homes owned by the more wealthy believers.

More specifically than that, ‘church’ comes from a word used in the early Greek word to indicate the calling out of a people to assemble together. It is ‘the called-out people’ and that came to mean ‘the assembly’ of people.

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

heb. 10

Most church member rather assemble with the world than with the called out ones.

We are a ‘called-out people’. We assemble together for worship because God in Christ has called us out to be distinct from the world.

The church is the people who have heard the call to follow Christ, and that means gathering together (the assembly) as a holy people (we are called out from the world and set apart for a special purpose).

Does our worship reflect the Christ who calls us out?

We are a ‘called-out people’. We assemble together for worship because God in Christ has called us out to be distinct from the world. The church is the people who have heard the call to follow Christ, and that means gathering together (the assembly) as a holy people (we are called out from the world and set apart for a special purpose).

Does our worship reflect the Christ who calls us out? Are living as a distinct, called-out people? How are we co-operating with the Holy Spirit who is calling other people out of worldliness to join us as Christ’s new community?

Does our worship reflect us living as a distinct, called-out people?

How are we co-operating with the Holy Spirit who is calling other people out of worldliness to join us as Christ’s new community?

There is a healthy way in which people can say ‘my church’.

They can mean, this is the congregation where I can love and be loved, and work out my discipleship.

The trouble is, too many churchgoers say ‘my church’ and mean something else.

They act as if they own the church, or as if church solely exists for their benefit, and that it should conform to their tastes and prejudices. Such people throw a fix when an act of worship does not sit nicely with their tastes in music.

2 Samuel 23:11 KJV 1900

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

Its not the time to run, it time to fight.

The people fled but Shammah stood his ground.

Where are you going to run.

Psalm 139:8 KJV 1900

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

The devil wants our pea patch folks.

That why we are here.

I build my church and gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Psalm 139:

Haggai 1:4–7 KJV 1900

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, And this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; Ye eat, but ye have not enough; Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; Ye clothe you, but there is none warm; And he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai 1:

2 Samuel 23:12 KJV 1900

But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

:11

Judges 3:31 KJV 1900

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

The Bridge Builder

by Will Allen Dromgoole (1860-1934)

An old man, going a lone highway, Came at the evening cold and gray To a chasm vast and deep and wide Through which was flowing a swollen tide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim; The rapids held no fears for him. But he turned when safe on the other side And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” cried a fellow pilgrim near, “You’re wasting your time in building here. Your journey will end with the closing day; You never again will pass this way. You have crossed the chasm deep and wide; Why build you this bridge at even-tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head. “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There follows after me today A youth whose feet must pass this way. This stream, which has been as naught to me, To that fair youth may a pitfall be. He too must cross in the twilight dim — Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”