Sermon Tone Analysis

The Church

Key Verse: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help the student understand God’s purpose for the church and to see that membership and participation in the local church is not optional but necessary and vital in a believer’s commitment to Christ, to other believers, and to fulfilling Christ’s work in the earth.

Jesus said that He would build His CHURCH.

What is the “Church”?

Jesus said that He would build His Church.

The Church is what Jesus Christ is building.

Therefore, as believers, we must never ignore, neglect, or sidestep the church.

It is unbiblical to say, “I love Jesus but I don’t have to love the Church!” or “I need Jesus but I don’t need the Church!” or “I want a relationship with Jesus but I don’t want a relationship with people!”

To be in love with Jesus is to be in love with what He is building.

He is building His Church with people.

Although the Church is made up of people, it is the work of Christ.

There is nothing more important for a Christian than to be vitally connected to a local church.

What is the church?

In order to understand, it is best to begin by stating what the church is NOT.

It is not a social club although it has an exclusive membership.

It is not a fellowship although it enjoys fellowship.

It is not a worship service although it holds worship services.

It is not a program although it often utilizes programs,

It is not a parachurch ministry although it often initiates and supports parachurch ministries.

It is not a charity although it helps people in need.

It is not a teaching and preaching center although it has teaching and preaching.

It is not a building although it usually meets in buildings.

It is not an institution although it was instituted by Christ.

It is not a human organization although it is organized.

It is not a denomination although it includes many denominations.

It is not a national entity although it exists in every nation.

It is not an extension of Judaism although it includes Jewish people.

It is not a replacement for national Israel but is a part of spiritual Israel.

It is not the Kingdom of God although it represents and promotes God’s Kingdom.

A Biblical Snapshot of the Church

The church is God’s people: (Ephesians 3:14-21) Believers do not go to church—they are the church.

The church is an organism rather than an organization.

The church is made up of people.

It is the body of Christ.

It is God’s “family”.

Its success is not measured by the number of people, programs, or properties.

Its success is measured by the interconnection and interworking of Christian people in its midst.

The church is built on covenant relationships: (Ephesians 1:10; 2:19; 3:14-15) No person or family is an island.

Although each has their differences, every member is to be connected in covenant relationship with other believers.

Believers are connected to Christ and to each other through a common covenant called the New Testament.

The idea that a person could be a believer and NOT be connected to the church in simply not found in the New Testament.

In fact, the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a visible demonstration of the covenant fellowship intended by Christ in His Church (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Evangelism involves bringing the lost into the fold of Christ’s Church.

In the parable of the lost sheep, the good shepherd brings the straying sheep back into the fellowship of the ninety-nine (Matthew 18:10-14).

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus gathers His sheep together as one flock (John 10:16).

The New Testament does not teach believers to be their own pastor.

There is no precedent in Scripture for believers to disciple themselves, train themselves, commission themselves, ordain themselves, anoint themselves, or send themselves.

These are all responsibilities carried out within the Church.

Believers are to walk in a covenant relationship with one another as interdependent members of His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

The church is trans-racial and trans-national:(Revelation 5:9) The church is composed of saints from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

The church is trans-generational: (Acts 2:17-18; Ephesians 2:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

The church is composed of saints old and young, and of ages past, present and future as long as the Lord tarries.

The church is God’s “ecclesia”: (John 17:14-16) The Greek word for “church” is “ecclesia” which means, “called out ones.” Believers are called out of the “world.”

The Greek word translated as “world” (“kosmos” meaning “order” or “arrangement”) represents the fallen order of this life twisted by sin and controlled by Satan.

The church, therefore, is comprised of people who answer the Savior’s call to live for Him.

Those who follow Christ rather than this world are called, “saints” (“separated ones” or “holy ones”).

The church is an “assembling” together: (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:11-13; Hebrews 10:25) The one “universal Church” of Jesus Christ consists of many local churches.

As believers assemble together in local churches they give visible expression to Christ’s universal Church.

The local church is not simply a gathering but more importantly an assembling.

Like a multitude of unique stones in a building, or various parts of the body, each member has a special purpose, design and function.

When each is properly “assembled”, together they become the full measure of the body of Christ.

God has ordained Pastors, Elders, and Overseers to ensure that each member is properly connected, nurtured, equipped, utilized, and protected.

The church is the Lord’s property: (Matthew 16:18) The church does not belong to human beings whether individual or corporate.

Men do not own a local church, nor do they have the right to usurp control over it.

Individual believers share in its privileges and should function responsibly in their God-ordained role, but Jesus alone is the Head, Founder, and Builder of the Church.

Believers are not responsible to build the church.

Jesus said He would build His church.

The believer’s responsibility is to cooperate with Him.

The church is the flock of God: (Luke 12:32; John 10:1-30; Acts 20:28-30; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-4) The saints are referred to as “sheep” and the church is referred to as “the flock of God.” Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep.

Sheep by nature wander away from the safety, protection, and provision of the fold (Isaiah 53:6).

When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He gave anointed gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) to equip the saints and appointed shepherds (overseers, pastors, elders) over His flock.

These shepherds are delegated by the Holy Spirit as overseers to watch over the souls of believers as those who must give account (Hebrews 13:17).

Believers, as sheep in the fold, are not to be independent or rebellious toward God’s appointed leaders in His Church.

Instead, they are to be gathered and united together as a flock under God-ordained under-shepherds.

The church is the family of God: (Ephesians 3:14-15) The church is a family of God’s children.

The relationship between those in the church is that of spiritual brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers.

The church is God’s field: (1 Corinthians 3:9) The church is like one spiritual field with many spiritual plants.

The church is God’s building: (1 Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5) The church is a spiritual building comprised of many “living stones” built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ as laid by the apostles and prophets.

The church is the Lord’s vineyard: (John 15) Jesus is the Vine.

Individual believers are the branches.

The Father is the husbandman.

Believers are called to abide in Christ and He in them so that they might bear much fruit together unto Him.

The church is God’s army: (1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:3-4) The church is a spiritual army engaged in a spiritual struggle against the wicked forces of Satan with the authority and power of Jesus.

(Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 10:19)

The church is a lampstand: (Revelation 1:20) The church is not the light but holds up the light of Jesus in the community in which the Lord places it.

The church is the bride of Christ: (Matthew 25:1-13; Ephesians 5:22-32; Revelation 19:6-9; 21:2) The church is the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a holy bride, the Church is comprised of saints who separate themselves from this world and then remain watchful and ready for their Bridegroom’s return.

The church is the body of Christ: (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4, 15-16; 5:23; Colossians 1:18) The Church is Christ’s spiritual and physical body on earth.

Like a human body, the Church is one body with many members who are different in design and function.

Every member is important and needed.

Every member is designed by God to be interconnected with and interdependent upon the other.

Each member is encouraged to use their gift so that the body will not to be handicapped by a missing or non-functioning member.

No member is to say, “Because I am not like someone else, I am not important.”

Neither is any member to say to another member, “I have no need of you.”

Jesus is the Head and every member is to be “joined and knit together and then built up by what every joint supplies.”

The church is the house of the Lord: (Hebrews 3:6; I Peter 2:5; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 3:16) Individual believers are together being built up as a spiritual house, a dwelling place on earth for the Presence of Christ.

The church is the household of God: (Ephesians 2:19) A household is a domestic establishment that includes individual responsibilities.

As Master over His house, Christ has put His church into the hands of stewards who are responsible to carry out His wishes.