SF532 - WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE CHURCH (Matthew 16 13-19)
SF532
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE CHURCH
Matthew 16:13-19
INTRODUCTION
What is the Church?
What is the purpose of the Church?
Lot’s of confusion...
I heard about a old fellow who was standing on a street corner one day with a rope in his hand. Somebody came up to him and said what's the matter old fellow, he said I'm confused. He said I can't figure out if I have lost a mule or found a rope.
One country boy was filling out a form and it said church preference, he said red brick
What the Church is not...
A social institution
A political institution
A recreational institution
A educational institution
A cultural institution
What the Church is... A spiritual institution
Ekklesia = ek-”out of” “kaleo” - verb of keliss the noun which means call out or called out one. So a church in the New Testament is a group of called out ones.
Now we are not talking about a building
It was about 300 years in the history of the Christian church before they had church buildings
1A. THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH (Matthew 16:13-19)
Scriptural Background
Six months before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has been training the twelve.
It's time for the final exams and there's one question on it.
1B. It’s Founder - Jesus Christ (18)
1C. He is the head of the church
(Ephesians 1:22) And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
(Ephesians 5:23) For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
2C. He is the husband of the church
(Ephesians 5:25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
2B. It’s Foundation (18a)
Peter = petros - movable rock
Rock = petro - rock ledge or mountain immovable
Therefore we must build on Christ alone!
2A. THE FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH
1B. The Twofold Purpose of the Church (Acts 9:31; Matthew 28:19-20)
1C. Edification - inward
“Strengthened, edified” = oikodomeo, to be a house‑builder, i.e. construct or (fig.) edify, embolden.
2C. Multiplication - outward
“it grew in numbers”
Draw a circle on your paper. Let the circle represent the church. Write the word “edify” on the inside of the circle. Write the word multiply outside the circle.
2B. The Fourfold Plan for the Church
1C. Worship
(Acts 2:47) praising God...
2C. Instruction
(Acts 2:42) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...
3C. Fellowship
(Acts 2:42) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship,
4C. Evangelism
(Acts 2:41) Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
3A. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH
1B. Based on the Scriptures (Philippians 1:5)
“Partnership; fellowship”
(1 Corinthians 1:9) God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
2B. Blessed by the Spirit (Philippians 2:1)
(2 Corinthians 3:17) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
3B. Bought by Sacrifice (Philippians 3:10)
It cost God everything!
It will cost you...
Time, Talent...
What has it cost you?
APPLICATION
What is your relationship to the founder of the church?
What is your role in fulfilling the function of the church?
What is your response to the fellowship of the church?