Sermon Tone Analysis

*Message:* The Importance of the Church    *Scr:* Matt 16:13-20

*Date*: 2006-07-30                                *Newport** Baptist Church*

*Intro:*  struggle this week – week of experiencing total dependence on God

                Sunday – Phone rang – family back in NB lost a brother - funeral

Monday – phone rang – another family in NB lost a father

Monday – drove to Moncton – met family at noon – visitation that night

Tuesday – funeral at 11 am – visitation that night

Wednesday – funeral @ 1:30 – internment

Wed night – drive home

Thursday – visitation and worship practice

Friday – Sermon

Saturday – visit with friends to Peggy’s cove

All while our children are away and we miss them!

* *

*Explanation – *Bill Hybels said it over and over and I believe it more than ever this week.

“The local church is the hope of this world”

We have the only message worth hearing, the only hope – God is love, Jesus Christ died so that we might be saved

* *

*TS – *In case you missed a service, or weren’t paying attention, or just had a week like me… this is the fourth value we should cherish as a church

The Pre-eminence of Christ

The authority of the Bible

The Great Commission

The importance of the Church!

* *

*1)       **It begins with Jesus (vs 13-15)*

a)       Who do People say I am?

b)       Teacher, wise man, prophet, fiction, fable, historical figure…

c)       Who do you say he is?

d)       I’ll tell you who Jesus is!

i)         Scripture records 117 names for Jesus!

ii)       The word, the almighty, the Christ, the son of God, the anointed, beloved, bright and morning star, the carpenter, the shepherd, the day star, the door, the foundation, the fountain, emmanuel, prince of peace, the holy one, the righteous judge, the high priest, the lamb of God, the light of the world, king of kings and lord of lords, master, mediator, messiah, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of Peace!

e)       Peter got it!

i)         Who do we say Jesus is.

We are his church, he builds it, will we recognize him as Peter did?

* *

*2)       **It requires a response (v16)*

a)       Simon Peter Answered!

b)       Matt 7:22 – many will come on that day

c)       James – Faith without works is DEAD

d)       Dr.

B – God has a purpose for the church!

i)         “the church is central to God’s purposes for redemption”

ii)       “God loves community” – he is in community with himself, the Father, the son and the HS.

iii)      He created us to live in community – “not good for man to be alone”

iv)     John 17:20-22 – Jesus prayer was that we would be one!

Like God and Jesus are one!

*3)       **It belongs to Jesus*

a)       I tell you that you are Petros (a small stone) and upon this Petra (a large rock) I will build MY church.

b)       1 Peter 2:5 tells us that “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

c)       My friends, Peter was the first stone laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

We too are part of the church, we, like Peter, belong to Jesus

d)       The church (Ecclesia) is a ‘called out assembly’ – called by Jesus

 

*4)       **It has a power (vs 17-20)*

a)       I will build my church

i)         The rock is faith in Jesus Christ

ii)       I will build my church (church is people)

iii)      Overcoming power – where are the gates of Hell or Hades?

(1)     Not near the gates of heaven… nor near the church on earth… at a distance – implies we as the church march on it, we are on the attack!

b)       Romans 12:15-16a

i)         Share life together!

ii)       We are saved to be a community, a group gathered to share God’s love with one another.

c)       Promise is to the church – binding and loosing – the gospel, faith

i)         We have the power to open the door of faith to others

d)       Transformational power

* *

*Conclusion* – We are the church – the local church is the hope of this world.

We are the church because we have received the free gift of God!

Read Titus 3:3-8!

He saved us… not because of the things we had done, but because of his mercy.

*Great group – Philips, Craig and Dean - Mercy came running!*

*Church has this message!*

* *

*Mercy Came Running - chorus*

 

Mercy came running Like a prisoner set free

Past all my failures to the point of my need

When the sin that I carried Was all I could see

And when I could not reach mercy Mercy came running to me

 

The Importance of the church is this.

Mercy came running to us.

God calls us to carry his message of mercy to the world.

Dr.

B says - "Christ did not die to save sinners... Christ died to save sinners in order to integrate them together into the community of oneness"

 

The Church is important, it belongs to Jesus, do you belong to him, do you belong to his church?

If not, why not?

If you do, what will you do with his mercy?

Faith is not faith until it springs into action.

What will we do?

Where will we go?

What will we risk?

What price will we pay?

Will you take up your cross and follow him?

Will you be the church?

On that final day when we stand before Jesus, will we be able to say that we did all that we could do to build his church?

All the talents, abilities, resources that he gave us will be accounted for.

The church begins and ends with Jesus

 

Who do you say that he is?

Who does that make you?

\\ \\

If you are not yet part of his church, you need to become one.

If you are, join with each part to be those who run to bring others God’s mercy and love.

He requires a response from us.

What will you choose?

*Prayer – *