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Being cared for by the Embassy
Being cared for by the Embassy
Throughout our time living overseas we have been through our share of immigration check points and visited our share of embassy’s. (story about leaving/ entering Ukraine with the car and getting pages of stamps… (purpose of the stamps = validating.... affirming that you are who you say you are).
When we were in Liberia, it was obvious that the Embassy was not there for us.... although we were American citizens living abroad, we were not even the slightest concern for the US Embassy or anyone who worked there. (the hours for American citizens were Tuesday - Thursday 10am-1pm.)
As a US citizen I wanted the Embassy to be a source of information, encouragement, security, and support. But, unfortunately what I wanted was not what was being offered. I didn’t understand what they were there for… I didn’t understand their mission....
I came to the US embassy with the wrong expectation… I didn’t understand the purpose of the Embassy... and I was sorely disappointed, very discouraged, and left feeling like we were left completely alone as we lived as strangers in a foreign land.
The very same thing happens every day in the world regarding the church. Believers and unbelieving people come to church with no understanding of its purpose… with the wrong expectations.... and eventually leave feeling disappointed, discouraged… with the feeling that they are alone with no where to find the true hope for which their heart aches.
Friends, if we truly understand the church and see it from Christ’s perspective… approaching the church with Christ’s expectations … then, although we are strangers living in a foreign land… we will not ever have to feel alone…
As we study God’s Word today and next week, we are going to be discussing the Church and I hope that your thinking about the Church and understanding about the purpose of the Church is challenged.
Today we are going to focus on defining the Church and clarifying the purpose of the Church. Then, next week we are going to see what the Bible says our response and interaction with the Church should be.
(I love and am passionate about the church.... Christ loves the church and is passionate about His church)
I hope you are challenged to view the church for what it is… and not what you want it to be.
Today we are going to look at a passage where Christ first speaks directly about the church being founded and built. That event is recorded for us in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16.
When we talk about the Doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology), the Gospel of Matthew is usually not the popular go to passage. We usually spend time in 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Hebrews. We will at least reference some of those passages today. But, with Christ being the head of the church according to Eph. 5:23, I thought it best to start our study with Christ.
I mean we are called Christians.... called to model our lives after Christ… so, it’s probably a good idea to begin our conversation with Christ.
When we come to Matthew 16, we find Jesus in the midst of his earthly ministry; teaching, performing miracles, healing people…. as usual the Pharisees and Sadducees are trying to trick him into saying or doing something that would be self-incriminating.
Then, in verse 13, Jesus asks the disciples a question… and Peter answers… and this Spirit filled divine truth passes over his lips and is used by Jesus to express some of the foundational truths on which the church would be built.
As we look at God’s Word today, we are going to be shown several realities about the Church. We’ll frame our discussion by using 3 conversation points. First, we’ll see “what the Church is not.” Then, we’ll look at what the Church is. Lastly, we’ll see from the text of Scripture what the Church does.
Let’s stand together as we read out of reverence for the Word of God.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 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. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus confirms that these were not merely Peter’s words, but the Spirit’s words flowing through Peter… giving him the ability to speak such a profound truth.
Once Peter makes this Spirit filled proclamation, Jesus gives what seems like a rather odd response.
Look at verse 18 again,
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.
Church is the word “Ecclesia”.... That is why the study of the Church is called “Ecclesiology”.
The Word means an assembly.... specifically an assembly of a particular group of people. It could also be translated as a group of “called out ones”.
Throughout the Bible the word “church” is used to describe those who are called out by God to be citizens of heaven.... those who respond to faith in Christ and who have given their complete loyalty to King Jesus.
In its most basic concept the Church… is a group of saved people (loyal to king Jesus) who regularly gather together.. are fully committed to one another and who fly the flag of King Jesus whenever they are gathered together.
While Peter and the Apostles were definitely an important part of the founding of the early church, God revealed through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (2:20) that Jesus Christ Himself is the cornerstone… the very foundation on which the church is built.
Not only does the book of Ephesians tell us that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church, but He is the head (Eph. 5:23) of the church to which all its body members must submit.
Matthew 16:18 is a play on words...
The name Peter literally means a small stone
The word we have translated as “rock” in our text is a similar but different word which means a large rock formation.. or rocky mountain.
“You are a little stone… and on this large mountain I will build my church”.
There are several interpretations.... one of them is that Peter is the small rock and His faith confession is this mountain sized truth on which the church is built
The basic truth being expressed through several different interpretations is that “The foundation of the church is the revelation of God given through His apostles, and the Lord of the church is the cornerstone of that foundation.” — Jesus Christ (MacArthur).
Jesus is revealing that His Church would be built on the truths of Christ and through the preaching of His inspired Word.
When Jesus goes on to say that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” , this meant that this institution… the Church… this assembly of believers that Jesus would build… would be such an authoritative and powerful force that death itself could not stop it.... hinder it… or win against it.
With these words of Jesus in our minds, let’s talk about “What the Church is not...”
I. What the Church is not....
When we drive past the restaurant, library, gas station.... we don’t ask… I wonder what that’s for...
Some people think that the church is a place to go to for financial assistance… or food… or a place to find friends… or a place that is meant to provide you with a support group of some kind....
If you were to ask 10 people, what is the purpose of the Church… you would probably get 10 different answers.
In our world… and in our community there is a lack of understanding of the definition and purpose of the church. Let me help you with this by telling you what the church is not.
The Church is not a religious event and the Church is not a voluntary organization to sign up for.
A. Religious Event
Our language and culture has hi-jacked the use of the concept of Church. Just think back to some conversations that might have taken place this morning...
‘It’s almost time for church...’ ‘Church starts in an hour...’ ‘I can’t wait for church to be over so we can eat lunch...’ (maybe you’re saying that now :-)
The way we talk about church demonstrates, that at least on a subconscious level… we believe that church is an event to be attended. That is one of the many reasons why over generations… the church has become so weak… and why every week, local churches throughout our country are forced to close their doors.
No where in Scripture… and definitely no where recorded in the words of Christ do we get the idea that the Church is a religious event that starts and stops throughout the calendar year. That misunderstanding about the church has evolved over time and needs to be corrected in our minds.
God, from eternity past has been forging a people together for His glory and the church is what God is seeking to use to promote and protect His glory in this world.
If the ultimate purpose of mankind is to glorify God (Col. 1:16), then it should not be odd to hear that God is collecting for Himself a redeemed assembly of people who will forever be the praise of His glory! Because God is worthy and deserving of glory, God is calling a redeemed church (assembly) to Himself that will be able to eternally reflect the glory that belongs to the Lord.
The phrase “my church” in verse 18 teaches us the reality that the church is not an event… it is an assembly… an assembly of called out ones who belong to Christ… submit to Christ… and are loyal to Christ.
Matthew 18:17 reflect a similar truth. Let’s look together…
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.
In the context of church disciple, when someone who is part of that assembly is unrepentant.... Christ instructions are to bring their offense before the church.. before the assembly.
An assembly of believers who are committed to one another.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians has over 9 examples of how the term “church” is used… and it is never referred to as an event. It is always referred to as a group of people… a specific body of believers.
If Church is just an event that takes place on Sundays then it is is completely unworthy of the gospel of king Jesus.
The Church is not a religious event, but an assembly of believers. The Church is also not a voluntary organization to sign up for.
B. Voluntary Organization
Now this realization may ruffle some feathers.
Many people see church as a voluntary organization that they see for their benefit to help with their personal walk with God.
Some people will attend one church for ABF, another church for the music, and another for the preaching.
There are people who make a decision to separate from a local church and refuse to be part of the body, regularly worshiping together, being accountable to one another because of a disagreement, lack of maturity, unrepentant sin… or preferential issue. But then, they will participate in the social events or whatever their pet project may be…
What they are doing is treating the church like some social club that they can pick and choose from ...like eating at the China Buffet.
People who make a habit of doing these things are unknowingly demonstrating their lack of understanding of the Church, the purpose of the Church.. and are refusing to acknowledge their deep need for a committed local body of believers to be involved in their spiritual development.
The mentality that a person can pick and choose what aspects of “church” they will take and leave is fed by the consumer mentally of our culture, resulting in the mindset that the church is really nothing more than an a la carte self help menu for people who need that kind of thing.
Friends, that is wrong… it is so wrong! It comes from a lack of understanding of God’s Word and a perversion of the reality of the Church that Christ has built.
When people say things like:
What matters is my spiritual growth, right?
I’m just not being fed.....
I’m not getting anything out of that sermon… or that song just doesn’t do it for me ...
If the church can help me, then great! If not.. then I haven’t lost anything. I’ll just find another way to feel fulfilled.
What that person is in fact saying is.... it’s all about me! Me is the most important… and that is who I’m looking out for.
When you approach the Church like this.... you will never be able to truly experience the joy, growth, and fulfillment that truly being part of the body gives.
Church is not a club… it is not a religious event… it is not a voluntary organization that you can pick and choose from..... NO,
God’s Word says that the Church… the Ecclesia is an assembly of a particular group, called out ones, who are saved by Grace through Faith in Christ alone.... thereby becoming citizens of heaven… representatives of the embassy of the Kingdom of God on Earth…. they have pledged their loyalty to Jesus…. and each time the assembly gathers together… they do so for the purpose of flying the flag of Jesus so that all the world may know Him!
When Christ said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He was saying that the body of believers that I am establishing… the Assembly of Called Out Ones… The Church, fills a unique role in the world and in your life that cannot be filled by any other institution.
I hope that I have challenged your thinking about what the church is not.... Now, let’s consider what Scripture says the church is.
II. What the Church is ....
The Local Church is nothing less than an assembly of called out believers who are loyal to king Jesus, committed to one another.... representing heavens authoritative embassy on earth.
A. Committed Body
There is a level of commitment assumed in the word “Church” or Ecclesia. When Jesus says, “My church” in verse 18, He was marking out a specific group of people who would be totally loyal to Him… and completely committed to One another.
Throughout the NT, believers are rarely ever addressed as individuals… but as a body… as a group as an assembly..... All of these word picture illustrations demands a certain level of commitment.
As a committed body of believers.... we are called to “One Another” each other over 50 times in the NT. This can only be done if we are committed to interact with one another, be transparent with one another , spend intentional time with one another.... which means… that as believers… we are not only called to be part of the (universal) Church which Christ has built… but we are called to be committed to a local body of believers… so that we can “one another” each other for God’s glory.
Turn over to Hebrews 10:24 with me…
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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 church is to be a committed body that regularly meets together....
Rather than seeing the church as a voluntary organization that is here to help you in life…. you need to look at the church as an assembly that is responsible for confirming your confession of faith and authorized to oversee and affirm your heavenly citizenship.
Christians should not just go to church, participate in a church or even join a church….
No Christians… Disciples of Jesus… are to submit to one of His assemblies.
Have you submitted yourself to a particular assembly?
Many people ask the question: Why would I bother with church? or membership? or joining?
The question that the NT asks is, “why wouldn’t you bother with church?”
People often see church as something to show up and enjoy. That is not what the NT presents as church.
People lacking in commitment and understanding is not new. The way people are bailing on the church today and not wanting to submit to a local assembly.... committing to a local body of believers is not a new trend.
Hebrews 10:25 “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves….
The writer of Hebrews is saying… stop making your lack of involvement in the body your habit.... don’t make it your routine to stay away from the assembly…Instead of look for ways to skip out of the assembly… you actually need to find ways to be with the assembly more and more… as you see the day approaching.
Your submission and commitment to be regularly involved in the life of the in the life of a local assembly is going to be directly related to your ability to develop spiritually and to experience success as a Christian. The Church is a committed body. The Church is also an authoritative Embassy.
B. Authoritative Embassy
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
A similar phrase is repeated in Matthew 18:18-20 in the context of church discipline....
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
When Jesus speaks about the keys to the kingdom and binding things on earth and in heaven.... Jesus is speaking about the authority that is being given to His church.... His assembly of loyal Christ followers.
As ambassadors for Christ… the church alone has been given the authority to speak on behalf of King Jesus in this world.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Paul also expressed the same idea in Ephesians 3:10 when he wrote…
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Jesus, who has all authority on earth and in heaven… has delegated a certain amount of authority to His church… to represent Him in the world… and to affirm and oversee the spiritual development of each and every heavenly citizen.
The Local Church is nothing less than heavens embassy on earth.
Jesus is the King.... and we submit to His kingship.
God’s kingdom is this borderless nation… scattered throughout the world. And, those that have responded in faith to Christ and are born again… have bowed the knee to king Jesus.... accepted His free gift of salvation, and have become citizens His of borderless nation.
Another way to verbalize that truth is by saying that everyone who has ever become a believer and become part of this borderless kingdom of God makes up the universal church.
The universal church is real and alive… but you can’t see it. It’s invisible. It is made up of ever person from every time period and every nation that has ever had a genuine faith response to Christ.
In order to provide His people with a way to thrive as Christians… Christ has given us the gift of the local church.
In this borderless nation of the Kingdom... people who come together to form churches and the local church is what makes the invisible kingdom of God visible on Earth.
That is why it is so important that the people of God gather together as committed members of local churches… we are making the kingdom of God visible to those living on Earth…. demonstrating that Jesus rules and reigns.
When we gather together…. we are waving the banner of King Jesus…. promoting and protecting His name in this world.
Christ gave authority to the church… His authoritative embassy on earth... to announce the gospel message, call people to repentance and faith….. binding and loosing.... which means that the church… the local body of believers who are committed to one another and gather regularly together are given the authority to affirm and oversee those who enter. (Matt. 16 & 18).
Now, let’s shift our focus from what the Church is.. to what the Church does.
III. What the Church does....
Jesus says.... I will build my church with those who confess the truth about me and I will give them the authority to affirm true gospel confessions and oversee the growth of those gospel confessors
Turn over to Matthew 18:15-20 with me for or a brief glimpse of this is fleshed out…
“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. 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. 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. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
A. Affirm
Jesus puts this teaching in the context of church discipline. Today, church discipline is rarely properly understood and even more rarely administered in the right way and with the right spirit.
But, within the guidelines for church discipline we are able to see the true purpose and role of the church in action.
What is Jesus teaching the disciples here?
He is saying… if a brother sins against you.... if a believer who is part of your local assembly sins… and is unrepentant.... then these are the steps you are to take.
Why are these steps being put into place?
By confronting the sin.... and involving the assembly.... what Jesus is teaching is that each member of the assembly… the local church… is first of all accountable to the other members of the body… and secondly… they are responsible to affirm a person’s confession of faith… their salvation.
Some people say… ‘Well, that’s not very loving then is it.... calling someone out for their sin’.
Confronting people about their sin is not nice. It’s a horrible thing that we have to do.
But, affirming… or in this case refusing to affirm someone’s faith confession is one of the most loving things that we can do as the body of Christ.
By confronting an unrepentant church member… what you are saying is… we don’t want you to go on thinking that you are ok… we don’t want you to live in self-deception…. because we love you and don’t want you to continue living in disobedience…. the glory of King Jesus is at stake… and if you continue to live in rebellion against king Jesus but claiming HIs name… then we have a problem.
As His embassy on earth… we have to address sin and we are charged with the responsibility of doing all we can to make sure that those who are part of our assembly have an accurate and real confession of faith.
By doing this… we are in fact protecting the name ofJesus from being marred in the church and community.
It is also protective of the individual, because it is meant to help you to not live being deceived that you are ok…. the church will not allow you to continue in sin… thinking that you are ok.
Through the process of affirming someone’s confession of faith… the Church may not be saying ‘You are not a Christian’, but it is saying… ‘you need to examine yourself to make sure you are who you say you are.’
The church is called to help people examine themselves making sure they are living our their faith confession.
The local Church is a group of believers who regularly assemble together, who are committed to overseeing each others discipleship and making sure that they are not deceived.
How do you know if you are not deceiving yourselves? How can you have assurance of your faith?
Because there is a group of committed believers that has committed themselves to watch over you to make sure you are not deceiving yourself. —
The Church body commits to watch out for you to make sure you are not deceiving yourself.
The Church commits to watch out for you to make sure you are living out your confession of faith and your commitment to King Jesus.
The Church’s purpose is not just to affirm the believers confession of faith, but is also to oversee the spiritual development of each believer.
B. Oversee
Being an embassy means also that you are willing to call out those who are straying from their confession…. those people who are not living out their confession of faith. — and if they continue unrepentant… then the assembly must exercise their authority as an assembly and refuse to accept their confession as authentic.
Which at the very least means that we cannot serve the Lord’s Supper to you… because you are not maintaining your confession of King Jesus. But, if the person remains unrepentant then the assembly can no longer accept them as one of you… and they are put out. (purpose = reconciliation)
Notice in Matthew 18:17, where the authority to affirm and oversee lies?
“If he refuses to listen to them… tell it to the pastor...... no, tell it to the elders.... no, tell it to the deacons.... nope. What does it say. “… tell it to the church… the assembly.”
The authority given by Christ to affirm and oversee your discipleship ultimately lies within the assembly…. not just the pastor or leadership….
In Eph. 4, Paul did share that Christ has given the church gifted leaders (Pastors & Teachers) to help it accomplish its tasks.... but ultimately.... each an every member of the assembly is tasked with the responsibility of working together to affirm that confession….
The local church is shepherded and led by the Pastor/ Elder but, you are overseen by the assembly…. and as a part of the assembly you are helping to oversee others.
The church does not make you a Christian. The Church simply oversees and affirms your discipleship as a citizen of heaven.
Your walk with Jesus is a community project. Christ created us for community… None of us are strong enough on our own…..
God knew that… so he gave us the gift of the church… the body… the assembly.
Nowhere will you find in the NT that a believer in Christ is to govern themselves in this world.
We gather together… submitting ourselves to one another… assembling together for the purpose of guarding and protecting the reputation of our king… King Jesus in this world.
The writer to the Hebrews was writing to people living in a time when there was a lot of persecution and the world was pressing believers to turn away from Christ….
When you read the book of Hebrews… an overriding theme is stay faithful… don’t give up on Jesus… Jesus is better than anything else! So, Stay faithful to Jesus!
Heb. 10:24 — stir one another up to good works…. “stir up one another = to irritate
Irritate one another to keep growing … to endure…
If you are going to grow and endure… then you need other believers to be active in helping you to succeed as a believer.
You need a group of committed people who know you… and you know them… standing with you and behind you, helping you to grow as a believer…
You have probably heard some people say… well, “I’m part of the invisible church”.
Oh really,… well are you invisible? If you are a member of the “invisible church”, then how can you possibly say that you can assemble together with ever believer who has ever lived on the planet earth?
How can you follow Hebrews 10 and not forsake the assembling together with real people… in real committed ways?
Instead of finding excuses to stay away form the assembly… you should be running towards it!
It’s a comment usually made by someone who does not understand what the church is and is for… and who does not really want accountability in their life.
You know your heart…. and how hard it is to stay faithful in this world. If you try to endure the mocking and ridiculing of the world on your own…. you will give up.
Every one of us here knows how easy it is to deceive ourselves… to talk ourselves into something… to convince ourselves that we are right… and everyone else is wrong.
If you disconnect yourself from the affirmation and overseeing of the local church body.... then you will become deceived.... dry up… and you will not continue to grow.
That’s why in Hebrews 3:12-13 the writer says..
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Don’t bail out on the assembly! They need you… and you need them!
There is a lot more to be said that we will try and unpack next week. Remember this....
The … —>
Being an active part of the Church, consistently gathering together as ambassadors of king Jesus… submitting to one another, committed to one another... observing the ordinances together is the means whereby you can continue growing and being faithful to Jesus.
Being in union with His people will help you to not live in self deception... not deceiving yourself.
Application/ Conclusion:
When you join with a local church assembly… what you are saying is that you want that assembly of believers to affirm your confession of faith… make sure that it is valid… figuratively stamping your passport affirming that you are a citizen of heaven.
Do you want to grow as a Christian? Then, submit yourself to the local body so that the assembly can hold you accountable and oversee your discipleship as a believer.
None of us are strong enough to live the Christian life our own. Christ knew that… so He gave us the Church.
You need the Church! When you join with a local body… you are expressing that you realize that:
- you were never meant to oversee your own spiritual growth… that
- you cannot grow as a believer in isolation… apart from the body…
- and recognize the local church body you are covenanting with is now responsible for your spiritual growth. .... which in turn means… that if you are a part of that local body… then you are responsible for affirming and overseeing the spiritual growth of others in your local assembly.
Your spiritual growth is a community project… Embrace the embassy that Christ has built to care for you.