The Gospel, The Church, and You

Introduction

Dismiss Children

We are wrapping up the gospels today in our Gospel Story Series. Next week we will be moving on to the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament.

Today’s passage is a familiar passage to most Christians. We are in Matthew 28:19-20.

If you haven’t heard a message preached on this particular passage you have most likely heard it referenced in preaching.

Today we are going to approach it with the intent of understanding the three things being addressed and exploring what they are and what they are not.

Glasses on that make you look like purple people eaters. Your not though right? But when I look through this lens you are. Does that make it true? No. It makes my lens wrong.

When you look at biblical truths and principles with through any other lens than the scripture, you will see something that is not there.

As we read through this passage it is my hope that you will be able to focus the biblical lens you see the gospel, the church and you, through.

The Gospel of Matthew was written by the Apostle Matthew who was a tax collector before God called Him to be a disciple. He wrote this between 55-65 Ad, about 22-32 years after Jesus’ resurrection. He wrote it to Believing Jews to help them see Jesus as the King, the Messiah, that was promised in the Old Testament.

Jesus is on the Mount of Olives and speaking with his disciples. Some believe it was more than just the 11 here because in verse 17 there is the statement “some doubted.” It’s hard to believe that at this point the 11 who have seen Jesus on multiple occasions are doubting His resurrection.

It’s here Jesus gives us what we know to be called “The Great Commission”

Matthew 28:18–20 KJV 1900

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

This passage derives it’s name from the instruction Jesus gave and who He gave it to.

In it there are three main truths for us to consider through the lens of scripture.

The Gospel, The Church, and You.

Let’s examine first the Gospel.

Determining what something is can be aided by looking at what it is not.

I. The Gospel Is not...

a. A Get out of Hell free card

Jesus did not die just so that you may escape eternal damnation in hell with the devil and his angels.

Does the Gospel provide that? Yes. Is that all the gospel is, absolutely not.

When we think of the gospel in this way, it is the same as owning a ferrari and only driving it to our mailbox and back.

If that’s all your doing with that car, you obviously don’t understand it’s purpose.

If you only see the gospel as your means of not going to hell, you have missed it’s purpose in your life.

b. A promise of prosperity

There is a whole movement dedicated to this idea that your faith in Jesus will bring you health, wealth, and prosperity. There is a laundry list of people that subscribe to this theology and unfortunately have been given a voice they don’t need.

Many, not all, of the televangelists associated with the TBN channel, trinity broadcasting network are on this list. Benny Hinn, Todd White, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, Joel Olsteen, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, and others are false teachers that will tell you if you have enough faith and give them enough money you will be prsoperous

Jesus said

Matthew 6:19 KJV 1900

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matthew 6:19

This life isn’t about the treasures you have here, it is about the treasure you lay up in Heaven.

c. An end to your problems

If believing the gospel will lead to financial freedom is wrong so is believing the gospel will and faith in Christ will make your life easy.

Jesus said

John 16:33 KJV 1900

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Matthew 16:24–25 KJV 1900

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:24-25

The gospel will not solve all of your problems in such a way that you will never face difficulty.

The gospel is not something to be considered as a one time choice that has little effect on your life and can be treated like a shirt you purchased becuase it looked nice and then tossed in the back of the closet only to be pulled out on special occasions because it makes you look good.

II. The Gospel is

a. the only way for you to be saved.

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1 Cor 15:1-2

The gospel by which we are saved, the good news that leads to our salvation from eternal damnation is the death burial and resurrection of Christ.

Jesus said

John 14:6 KJV 1900

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

I was speaking with someone recently and witnessing to them. They began telling me how you need all the religions and as my heart broke for what I was hearing I told them this verse and that if you believe in Jesus, you are saying I believe there is no other religion, no other God’s, no other means of salvation.

Because we saw the gospel is not only a get out of hell free card, you need to see what the gospel is for you on this earth...

b. Only Means of a relationship with God

With your faith in Jesus’ death burial and resurrection you have access to the throneroom of God

Hebrews 4:16 KJV 1900

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:16

When you put your faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, you immediately are declared righteous before the father. Jesus’ righteousness is imputed on you.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 1900

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Cor 5:21

The gospel provides us with access to our heavenly father. It provides us with the privealge and honor to call upon God and seek his face.

It is more than just a decision you make to be apart of a church, a small group, or group of friends.

It is

c. The beginning of a new life in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Cor 5:17

The gospel is a life changing and life giving truth that when trusted in takes you from who you are in this world and leads you to who God designed you to be for eternity.

The message that Jesus is telling His disciples, then and now, to take to the world is more than a message to put bodies in a room to hear the word of god taught, it is more than a message to bond with others over, it is more than a message to share with someone when they are down.

The Gospel is the message God is using to transform the lives of those who would believe in Him and the method He has chosen to get that message out is the church.

Which leads us to the second thing for us to explore to discover what it is not and what it is.

III. The Church is Not...

a. A Social Club

To help us be on the same page, lets define a social club

A social club is a club where members go in order to meet each other and enjoy leisure activities.-Collins Dictionary

Charles Spurgeon is quoted as saying

“The church is not formed to be a social club, to produce society for itself; not to be a political association, to be a power in politics; not even to be a religious confederacy, promoting its own opinions: it is a body created of the Lord to answer His own ends and purposes, and it exists for nothing else.

A church that does not exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down falsehood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has no right to be.”

The purpose of the church is not to provide activities for the sake of activities. When the church begins to put anything at the forefront of ANY activity, other than Christ, it is not functioning as a New Testament Church in those moments. It is a social club.

As new Testament believers we have a greater purpose than fellowship in our lives. We have been entrusted with the carrying of the gospel message to the uttermost parts of the World. We have been chosen to take the message of God reconciling man to Himself to every living person on this planet. And when we spend time and effort that doesn’t ultimately lead toward better accomplishing that end, we are off course.

b. The thing you should look to for fulfillment

Another way to say fulfillment is satisfaction. Christians can look to the church as an organization or the church as a body of bellievers and beleive that it should meet their physical and spiritual needs.

Listen, while serving others physically and spiritually is part of who we are as Christians and a body of believers as Liberty Baptist, if you are looking for anyone on this earth to fill that hole in your heart caused by circumstances in life, you will be dissapointed.

Why? Because I, because you, because those around you, are not God. We will fail you. If you are looking for people to bring you fulfilment in your time of need or in your life at all, I encourage you to stop.

Look to the only one who can bring you fulfilment and satisfaction in this life and eternity to come. Jesus..

People will do things you don’t like. Say things you don’t like and bring you pain and heartache. No one has had their heartbroken by someone they hate.

Being apart of a church means developing relationships with people that may result in being hurt. That’s why the church and people cannot be your source of fulfilment.

The church is also not

c. Perfect

Spurgeon said

Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a Church till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it.

I’m not a perfect pastor…no amens there.

This is not a perfect church. We drop the ball, we fail at serving, we fail at loving like we should, we fail at having properly operating systems on Sunday morning so things go smooth....

why? Becuase we are not God. However, like the disciples that stood at the feet of Jesus and heard the words in our passage today, we press on toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus to get the gospel to everyone we can.

IV. The Church is

a. A training Ground

Paul wrote to to the church at Ephesus and revealed why they had people serving in what we now see as staff roles in the church or leadership positions...

Ephesians 4:11–13 KJV 1900

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Eph 4:11-13

In their book Designed to Lead, Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck write

“Where is the leadership locus in your community? In your town or city, where do leaders come from? Where are leaders formed, developed, and sent into the world? In your context, what group of people excels at creating leaders who impact the world? The church should be leadership locus.

Locus can be defined as “a central or main place where something happens or is found.”

The church is the training ground for you to be the leader God designed you to be.

Leaders are not born, they are made. Mature Christians are not born, they are made.

By the grace of God, the power of His Holy Spirit, and the influence of those around them, Christians develop and mature to be the men and women God desires them to be.

that doesn’t happen if the church is only focusing on social activities. That doesn’t happen if a believer is apart of the church and seeking to only receive from the church rather than contributing.

We come together as a church on Sundays and Wednesdays to grow and develop so that we may go out into the battle that rages daily for the souls of man.

Christians are more than conquerors

Romans 8:37 KJV 1900

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:37

We are not meant to come together and fight and argue over our faults as mankind, we are meant to build one another up, quickly reconcile our differences, and strive together for the faith of the gospel.

Church is a training Ground for gospel ministry

Church is

b. A Place of biblical fellowship

Acts 2:42 is known as the verse that lays out the framework the church is to operate uner

Acts 2:42 KJV 1900

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:42

Notice the word fellowship there.

Man, we can go wild if we seek to provide that constantly.

What is biblically based fellowship?

I believe biblically based fellowship takes place when believers are gathered for gospel centered purposes.Bible Study, prayer, serving the community, and sharing the gospel.

Does this mean Christians can’t fellowship in other ways? Maybe a bowling league or baseball league? nope. Does it mean Christians can’t fellowship together over a meal? nope.

I do beleive it means if the church as a body of believers is seeking to increase the fellowship between those who attend, it should be done around one of those gospel centered purposes..

I love hearing the stories from some of you that have went on missions trips and built houses and worked hard. Your relationships are strong because of that experience together. The stories you tell isn’t about the building being built, it’s about the people you were with when you built the building.

Unpurposed fellowship is fine in your own life however I do not beleive you would like the money you give to God through Liberty to be spent on gatherings that do not accomplish the vision and mission God has given us.

The Church is a place for you to gather with other believers to fellowship by corporately worship God, hearing from His Word, serving those in the church, serving those in the community, and ultimateely sharing the gospel with those who do not know Jesus.

Which is why the last point I want to make about the church is this

c. It is the means by which we serve God

Matthew 16:18 KJV 1900

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

It is the church of Jesus Christ…not mormons…it is the body of believers that assemble around their faith in Him that has the promise of victory placed on it.

It is through the New Testament local church God has chosen to accomplish getting His message to the world.

Jesus called on the disciples to do things he could do by speaking to make them apart of the miracle.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He asked the disciples to remove the stone that covered the grave.

I believe the best place to be serving is the New Testmanet church.

Pastor, how do I do that? First…dont’ want to be asked. Second, email [e-mail] and we will get you plugged in. Talk to me, or Craig, or anyone on our lead team to get you plugged in somewhere and somehow.

God has chosen people to serve Him throughout time.

God has chosen YOU to serve Him now. Which is why the last thing we will examine today…is you.

V. Who you are not...

This list here is to those who have put their faith in Christ. If you have not trusted in Jesus as your savior, you can flip this list and see who you are.

Christians, you are not

a. Dead in your trespasses and sin

Gal 5 gives us a clear example of the entrapments of the flesh to which there is only one escape and that is Jesus

Galatians 5:19–21 KJV 1900

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19–21 CSB

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19-21

As beleivers you are not the man or woman you once were. You choose to serve sin or you choose to serve your savior now.

b. Worthless

You are not worthless

You have a price and His name is Jesus.

God gave His most precious gift so that you may be reconciled by Him. You are not a blimp on the radar of time as it continues passing.

Too many believers fall prey to the worlds ideas and philosphies of significance and how it is only by the number of people that know your name. We are told to find our value in the opinions of others and when that opinion is negative OR we are not known by enough to even form an opinion we can begin to beleive that the world is better of without us.

God believed the world was so great with you in it as his child that He sent Jesus to die so that you would be able to be reconciled to Him and remain here to bring others with you.

c.