Sermon Tone Analysis

1.

A Real Beginning

Colossians 1:18 (NKJV)

18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

The New Testament church is a real, visible body of assembled believers.

As we identify authentic church life throughout this series, it is important that we understand that Christ founded the church, that He is the only head of the church, and that He must have preeminence in the church as we assemble and follow His leadership.

No church is a mans church, a true church is never based on a personality like a pastor, but on Jesus Christ alone.

Introduction:

In this lesson, we begin a study of that which Jesus loves profoundly - so much that He gave Himself for it.

Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Throughout the New Testament, Christ places a high priority on the local church.

In these lessons, we will understand better how Christ designed the church to function, how we can love and invest in it, and how we can be built up and enriched through the church as we grow in Christ.

The word church can mean wildly different things to different people.

So, before we even get started, let’s take a moment to briefly define it biblically.

A New Testament Church is:

A local, visible assembly - the emphasis of the New Testament is placed on the local church.

This is the place where we gather with a body of believers to grow, learn, worship, give, and serve.

Comprised of regenerate membership - members of the local church should be saved people who know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

Separate from the state - the local church is under the direct authority of Christ Himself.

He is the head of the church.

Thus, the church must autonomous - free from outside control and free to answer to Christ.

Jesus Himself is the head of the church.

Jesus is the direction-giver, the leader of the local church.

He literally purchased the church with His own blood.

The local church is not ours - it’s His!

We are owned by Christ - He called us out, and we belong to Him.

We owe our loyalty and love to the Lord Jesus.

When we think about the local church and the future glorious church that will be assembled around Christ, we recognize that we, as a church, are comprised of blood-bought believers who owe our allegiance to Christ as our head.

The local church that uses Scripture as its sole authority in faith and practice is “the real thing.”

It is not perfect, because it is comprised of real people!

But it is loved by Christ, and it is a vital part of our Christian growth.

Charles Spurgeon said, “If i had never joined a church till i had found one that was perfect, i should never 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.

Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.”

When we finally gather around Jesus in Heaven, we will find a perfect church!

But until then, we thank the Lord for giving us a place to encourage and be encouraged through relationships and a place to grow through the teaching and preaching of God’s Word.

Although no church this side of Heaven is perfect, it can be authentic and genuine.

In this study, we want to identify authentic church life and learn how to better follow the leadership of Christ in the church.

We will begin at the most natural place - the beginning.

The church had a real beginning.

Scoffers of church life will sometimes say, “i just don’t believe in organized religion.”

This statement leveled against organized religion usually carry with it the idea that church itself is a man made idea and not God’s.

Honestly, many of man’s ideas have crept into the church.

There are entire denominations that teach their human founders’ ideas rather than God’s Word and they govern themselves according to human ideas.

Yet the local church actually was God’s idea, and, as we will discover in this lesson, Christ Himself was the founder.

I.

The Calling of the Church

To trace the beginning of the church, we must simply revisit the early moments of the ministry with Jesus.

A. By Jesus invitation

We see the first assembly forming as early as Matthew 4, when Jesus called His first disciples.

We see in this passage that, Jesus called individuals to leave the world and follow Him.

First, He called Peter and Andrew, and then James and John.

Eventually, He assembled a group of twelve disciples.

These disciples were the first apostles.

And it was these men who Jesus set to be the foundation of His future church.

After Jesus called out the apostles, He commissioned them to minister, and He gave them power to do it.

From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, we see that He had the church in mind.

Before the church was even started by Christ, we can see that He was already preparing the future leaders of this new institution.

The calling of the church was by Jesus’ invitation, and it was by Jesus authority.

B. By Jesus authority

The institution of the church was not an idea of man.

It was established by the direct authority of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)

18 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.

Just before Jesus made this statement, Peter had made a bold declaration of Jesus’ deity and authority.

Matthew 16:16 (NKJV)

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It was in this context, that Jesus said, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.”

An interesting note here concerning the Greek word Jesus used when He told Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my church.”

The name Peter actually means “rock”.

It comes from the Greek word petros, and refers to a stone or rock.

But the Greek word for “this rock” in Matthew 16:18. is Petra, and it means “a cliff or ledge; a projecting rock, bedrock” - which can even refer to mountain ranges.

Jesus essentially said to Peter, “You are a rock, but on the truth that you just spoke- that I am the Christ and have authority as the Son of God - on that bedrock, on that cornerstone, I will build My Church.”

God’s assembly, the church, was not founded on human authority, but on God’s authority.

JESUS MUST BE PREEMINENT IN THE CHURCH BECAUSE HE DIED FOR THE CHURCH.

Around the inside of the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome you find letters in Latin six and a half feet tall that say this.

“ YOu are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”

The Catholic church venerates Peter as the founder of the church, but Scripture clearly points to Christ as the founder.

He built the church by His authority, and He purchased the church with His blood.

Belief in Jesus deity and authority is crucial to understanding the origin and foundation of the church.

Scripture makes both of these attributes clear.

So we see that the church was called by Jesus Himself.

He first invited and assembled the 12 apostles, and then by His authority, He organized the institution of the church, with the apostles as the foundation on Him, the Chief Cornerstone.

But who belongs in the church?

Who is the church comprised of?

II.

The Composition of the Church

The local church is not a building or a location.

It is a living habitation of God’s people.

1 Timothy 3:15 (NKJV)

15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

A. Composed of called-out people

The word most commonly translated “church” in the New Testament is the Greek word ekklesia, which means “a called-out assembly.”

This word is used 115 times in the New Testament, and 112 of those times, it refers to the local assembly of believers.

The etymology of the english word church is derived from the Greek word kuriakos, which means, “belonging to the LORD.”

From Kuriakos we get the Scottish word kirk and from kirk, we get the English word church.

So church refers to a group of people who belong to the Lord.

When we understand this truth, we view church differently.

Church is not just “organized religion.”