The Church - Jesus in Today's World
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· 9 viewsThe church should continue the work of Jesus in our time
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10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
The Miracles of Jesus Sermon series
The Resurrection - The other miracle that is told in all four gospels.
Led to other Miracles
The Ascension of Jesus
Opened up to other magnificent things that were given to the church...
8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Briefly explain..
The Sending of the Holy Spirit
For the purpose of giving birth to the church
The birth of the church on the day of Pentecost and the existence of the church today is a continuing miracle of our time.
18 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.
The Definition of the Church
Ekklesia - local assembly
Not an edifice a building
It seems to denote just the gathering of believers but for what purpose.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The main command is to make disciples of all nations.
There is a promise:
“I am with you always.”
Through His Spirit Who is in us..as individual born-again, Spirit-led believers and also corporately through the Church.
But with respect to the world, the church is:
The continuing presence of Jesus in the world.
1. Jesus is present in today’s world through the continuing ministry of His body - the church.
Look at this scripture:
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
We have called the church “The Body of Christ” but have you thought of its true significance?
Just as the physical body has many members we the church is the body of Christ, which is composed of many members that work together to continue to do the work of Jesus in this world.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
This is what is called the Five-Fold Ministry.. to continue the work of Jesus.
We talked about the work of Jesus through miracles, the teaching and preaching of His word
Does every church you know do all these works in the world?
2. Just as the church is the assembly of the Saints, it takes a healthy church to effectively do continue the work of Jesus.
Now for a reality check..
Church that have focused on entertainment, beautiful buildings a professional team - these were the churches that were most hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The church of Jesus is in the middle of a greater crisis - it has lost its mission.
“It is no secret that the organized church today is in trouble. Not only has the institution lost momentum, but by and large, it has lost direction” (Robert Coleman)
Pastor Bob’s story...
After twenty-two years in the Philippines, my family and I returned to the States—where we had experienced reverse culture shock. This happened as we were visiting a supporting church. I walked into an adult Sunday School class, and noticed some of the same people from 5 years earlier. Some of them it seemed, even sitting in the same seats! I asked one member, “How long have you been attending this class?” “Fourteen years” was the reply. “Really!” I said, “How does it feel, being in the same class for so many years?” He turned to me, covering his lips, and quietly said, “Well, to tell you the truth, after a while, it gets kind of boring. You know, after a while the same subjects come up again and again.”
Think about it! This person doubtless knows a lot about the Bible. Yet after 14 years, he is still sitting there, soaking it in, and even souring! He’s not involved, not serving. Is that God’s plan for any part of the Body of Christ?
Is this person just an isolated case in our churches? Or does he represent many in our churches, perhaps even a majority?
Here are some startling statistics:
The United States Census Bureau Records give some startling statistics, backed up by denominational reports and the Assemblies of God U.S. Missions:
· Every year more than 4000 churches close their doors compared to just over 1000 new church starts!
· Every year, 2.7 million church members fall into inactivity.
· From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations in the USA declined by 9.5% while the US population increased by 11%.
· In1900 there was a ratio of 27 churches per 10,000 people. In 2000 we have 11 churches per 10,000 people? What happened?
· Given the declining number of Churches as compared to new church starts, there should have been over 38,000 new churches, just to keep up with the population growth.
· The United States now ranks third (3rd) following China and India in the number of people who are not professing Christians.
Why are people abandoning church? Let us investigate the reasons.
Who’s to blame?
We cannot blame the Lord.
1. Pastors Contribute to the Problem
1. Pastors Contribute to the Problem
· Most pastors feel overwhelmed, like they're doing too many things.
· Most pastors are caught up doing the urgent things and have little time for the important things.
· Many pastors are not practicing a discipling ministry, even though discipling is Jesus’ key command.
2. Church Members Share in the Problem
2. Church Members Share in the Problem
· Lay people see their minister as just that—the person who does the ministry—all of it if possible. “That’s why we pay him,” they tell us.
· Church members are little aware that they also are to minister. Nor do they understand that their pastor is to equip them.
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
What do we do now?
What do we do now?
Ministry by all church members should be seen in the context of Jesus’ mandate to “make disciples.” This command in Matthew 28:18 is the great marching orders for the Church still today.
It is my commitment as your pastor to get the church back on the right track of discipleship.
“the teaching pastor is to perfect the saints, and the saints are to do the work of the ministry so that the Body of Christ may be built up.”
“The local church essentially is (to be) a training place to equip Christians to carry out their own ministries.”
(John MacArthur)
Sadly, this is not practiced in most churches. This fact is a key reason why churches are in decline in America today. Even more tragic is the fact that this spiritual condition is the fault of its leaders.
Why Should Every Christian Minister?
Why Should Every Christian Minister?
1. Scripture teaches it.
Ephesians 4:11-12 clearly says, "And He (God) who gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for work of ministry, building the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-12)
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10)
2. The Pastor Needs It. Many pastors are greatly overworked. They simply cannot do all of the things that are expected of them. According to a survey conducted in a large mid-western church, the average expectation of the pastor was to serve an incredible 136.5 hours per week![3] Not even a “super-human” pastor can put in this kind of hours! But many pastors regularly do work 70, or even 80 hours per week. Pastors often become overwhelmed with the many tasks, numerous requests, and generally high expectations of their congregation. They find themselves running from one critical situation to another, with little or no time to put into quality planning for things that are truly important—like equipping God’s people for works of service.
3. God's people need it. One reason lay people are doing other things on Sunday mornings—like sleeping in, golfing, or watching T.V.—is because church bores them! They have not experienced the Christian faith for what it really is. Nor have they been effectively challenged to enlist in ministry! Online viewership is dropping.
But we live in exciting and hopeful days. As Howard Butt in his book “At the Edge of Hope” says, “A great resurgent power for God is abroad in the world today—a revitalized Christian laity”. The restlessness and boredom on the part of some should not necessarily be interpreted as genuine apathy. William Butler, founder of Wycliffe Associates, speaks for many lay people today when he urges, “We laymen want to be involved; but you’ve got to show us how.” iTIM will do just that. With your partnership, it will show your lay people how they can be effective in ministry for Jesus Christ.
4. The world cries out for it. Many people are desperate for spiritual help. They need to be able to see Christ through the lives of his people. This is the most pressing challenge the Church faces today—and it can only be met by the ministry of loving, concerned, and serving Christians.
In his hard-hitting book, The Disciple Making Pastor, Bill Hull says, “the evangelical church has become weak, flabby, and too dependent on artificial means that can’t simulate real spiritual power.” He further says: “churches are too little like training centers to shape up the saints and too much like cardiopulmonary wards at the local hospital.”
“the evangelical church has become weak, flabby, and too dependent on artificial means that can’t simulate real spiritual power.” (Bill Hull)
This challenge to get our people involved in ministry is the challenge that faces the Church today. The entire iTIM curriculum has been prepared with this single goal—to help you and your church to become equipped, and become the equipping center that God plans for you.
You can be heroes in the Kingdom of God! You have been called to make a difference in this present world!
Let us start the mandate:
“Be Equipped!”
Demo of itim-online.com.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Prayer.