What is the Church "For"

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Keep these words on the front of your mind today as we progress through the message. I and many other pastors have seen a trend in the number of late teens to late 20’s dropping out of church. Not only are they dropping out, they are walking away completely. It hurts deeply to see a young couple with no desire to worship God. Worship is simply not a priority in their lives. Worship has been replaced with emotion, with science, with philosophy. Worship has been moved down to the bottom of the list of priorities. As I watch this trend continue to grow, I have asked myself “Why”? What is the reason behind this movement. Many of you will say Satan. He’s the cause for it. While he has a large hand in it, I find it very hard to believe it’s all his fault.

Our excuse

I recently watched God’s Not Dead 3, a light in the darkness. As I watched that movie there was a scene where this young lady came to the pastor and was talking with him. This young lady was very confused and she said this

“The whole world knows what the church is for, but it’s getting harder and harder to know what it’s for”

As she said this my mind went into hyper-drive! What an outstanding line! It was like a light went off in my head and the answer to my question was right there in front of me. For two weeks I thought on that and replayed it in my mind; I couldn’t shake it. The problem doesn’t fall on Satan’s shoulders, the problem falls at the feet of God’s people. The groups that come together on Sunday mornings, gather together for prayer and call themselves the church!

Christians are the most divided groups when it comes to religion. No wonder these young men and women are confused on what we are for! Now before you go and try to flog me hear me out. We have how many different baptist groups. ABA, SBC, Independent Baptist, BMA and others. Then let’s throw in the Methodist, the Pentecostal, the Catholics, the Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Church of the Nazarene, Non-Denominational. All of these different “religions” claim Christianity. Most believe in 2 common things: God’s grace and the redemptive power of Faith in Jesus Christ.

We cannot shy away from shining God’s light through grace, forgiveness and kindness. God has handpicked and placed you where you are for a purpose. He has chosen you to show His love to the people around you.

When we extend God’s love even to those that don’t deserve it, (which is all of us) we bring light into the darkness.

Matthew 5:16 NKJV

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So when we ask the question, why don’t they care, why don’t they listen. The answer is simple. They want to be shown! They want to see what “good works” you talk about. They want to see your beliefs in action.

I want to take you on a journey over the next few weeks to look at what you can do as a Christian to show people what the church is for. We must remember first that the church isn’t a building. The church is the ekklesia, the called out. Those who are saved. Let’s begin with the advice Paul writes to the church in Galatia.

Galatians 5:25 NKJV

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

If we are to show what we are for, our life must set an example

A quick way for your witness to be demolished is to tell someone about Christ then do something that goes against the basic fundamentals of Christianity.

In the technological world of today you have eyes all around you. Someone is constantly watching what your doing. If you say you are a Christian and yet go out on Friday night or Saturday night a get drunk, what is that telling them about your faith.

In Verses 19-21 God’s word gives us a pretty clear picture of what a spirit led, transformed Christian is not. However, these are exactly the things that Christians are showing!

If we are to show what we are for, we must show a spiritual change.

Galatians 5:26 NKJV

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

First of all we are no better than anyone who isn’t in worship service today. Second, we are no better than anyone who is in this worship service today. We are all sinners. WE all have come short of the glory of God and we all will have to answer for it one day. To be conceited, or to desire vain glory, just because you are saved then you have totally missed the point of salvation all together!

Those who are out of fellowship need to know that they are loved and not judged! tells us that Jesus came to save and not to condemn! If that was the mission of our Lord and Savior shouldn’t that be the goal of every church and every church member out there today!

We are so quick to condemn someone based on OUR opinions. If they don’t fall in line with the way I feel, then they are wrong and I will judge them accordingly is the wrong attitude to have.

The fruit of the Spirit shows us that we are to be patient, kind and gentle. Judgement and condemnation belong to God and not us.

Then he says not provoking one another. I can’t teach a lost person that it’s not OK to have an abortion. I can tell them my beliefs and why I think it’s wrong but when they go postal and have a meltdown, as much as we want to yell and scream back, that is not showing what we believe as a Christian: If we behave like them in verse 19-21 we don’t show the results of a transformed life as in verse 23. One of the fruits that we can show is the one of self-control.

We can’t let the actions of others dictate our reaction. What turns people away from ever coming back to church…fighting amongst brothers and sisters! We expect to be attacked by those who don’t believe, but not from those in the family of God. Look closely at the third set of actions of a non-believer: hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions.

All of these are something that a Christian should never have, but to often show! These go in the opposite direction as someone who is walking in the Spirit and showing the fruits of a spirit filled life which is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control

Verse 24 tells us that “those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”. So no matter how much we want to yell back, no matter how much we to let our anger and frustration out on the person, God says we are able to show self control and not provoke one another because we are led by the Spirit!

Lastly he says in verse 26 “don’t envy one another”. We don't’ need to envy the life of a lost person. We can’t say if only I didn’t go to worship God today. I could’ve been on the lake, at the beach, watching the tv. I could’ve gone out with the guys or the girls last night. They had so much fun. Look back at 19 again. This type of envy will get you in some serious trouble with adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness. Envying a lost person will seriously put a damper on your relationship with God.

We can’t envy each other either. When you talk about how john doe has this and that, and if you could have it you would be the happiest person on the earth, what’s that saying about the greatest gift you ever recieved, salvation. What’s that saying to someone who is thinking about coming to church? Could it be saying that God isn’t a gracious God because you don’t have what someone else has? Could it be saying that God isn’t enough for you?

Conclusion: Your actions today will have an effect on someone out there. How you choose to live your life will show those who are on the fence about coming to worship whether or not it is worth their time. Your life will show the what the church is “for” whether it is the truth or not.

So how are you going to live your life starting today? Will you trust God to lead you and will you follow, or do you still think your capable of living a Spirit filled life with you at the controls.