The Need for Church Life

I have been a part of the church as far back as I can remember. I grew up at a church in Russellville, AR called First Assembly of God. That church is still there today. A few weeks ago I was able to go back there on a Friday night and enjoy a service. I have memories of that place, mostly good. There was a rough time that our church went through in the late eighties and early nineties. It was a dark time in that church’s history, but it made it through that time and it is a stronger church today than it ever has been.

Growing up I need that church. It was at that church that I learned all the stories in the Bible. It was at that church that I began to memorize scripture. It was in that church that I started preaching. It was in that church that I was called to preach. I needed the church.

Last week I talked to you about the resurrection. It is the resurrection that gives us hope. It is the church that develops that hope in us. Today, I want us to look at the church. I want to show you that you need the church to be a part of your life. People say you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. And I believe that is true. However, I do believe that in order for you to grow in your faith, you need the church. Let me explain.

If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of Matthew. I want to read several verses from chapter 16, beginning at verse 13.

Matthew 16:13–20 NIV

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Today, I want to give you 5 points about the church.

1. What is the Church?

The Greek word for church here is ekklesia. This word simply means a group that meets together for various reasons. Notice that it doesn’t mention a building anywhere. It is talking about the people. When the word church is used in the bible, it is talking about the people.

Matthew is the only gospel where the word church is used. This verse and in one other verse. Luke used the word in Acts and Paul used the word all throughout his letters.

Verse 18 is the first time that hear Jesus use the word church. Let’s read it again.

Matthew 16:18 NIV

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Jesus was using a play on words here. Peter’s name in the Greek is Petros. The Greek word for “rock” is petra. So Jesus was using Peter’s name as a play on words. It would be like if your name was Rocky and Jesus said to you, “You are Rocky and on this rock I will build my Church.”

Jesus is the foundation of everything the Church does. The Church is built on the platform and foundation of Christ. And Peter is the first stone used in the building. Peter declared...

Matthew 16:16 NIV

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

What a distinction! Because, we have made that same declaration, we know that we are also part of Jesus’ Church.

2. Jesus Gave Us the Keys

All of us carry keys with us. Unless you have combination locks like many doors have now days. I have two sets of keys that I carry. I have personal keys that fit my vehicles and house. And I have church keys that fit the doors here at church. I can take a key and get into any door here at the church and if I can’t get into it with one of the keys that I have on me, then I know where a key is located and I can go get that key and get in. I have the keys to this church. When I was first elected Pastor, they gave me the keys to the church. I have access. I can come and go as I please. And if I need you to have a key, then I have been given the authority to give you a key so that you can come and go as you please.

To have a key for this building is a privilege. You have been given a great responsibility to protect this building. You have been given a responsibility to allow other people to come and go as they please.

You can also think of it this way. I have a 2006 white chevy pickup in that parking lot. If i give you the key to that truck, it has all the power it needs. There is nothing that you have to do to make that truck go faster. All you have to do is get in the truck and start it up, put it in drive and go.

Jesus has given us the keys to the kingdom the day we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Just like we heard a message delivered and we submitted to the message. You have been given the keys to deliver a message so that other people can hear the message and receive the same keys you have. The keys to the kingdom of heaven is a privilege. The kingdom of Heaven has all the power it needs. There is nothing that you have to do to give it more power. All you have to do is deliver the message and open a door for people to walk through.

You have the keys to the kingdom. We are going to take it forward by His power, under the protection of His grace, and through the leading of His Spirit so that what is loosed here on earth by His power, may be loosed in heaven for all of eternity. And the gates of hell will not stand against us!

3. The Church is Better Together.

Some of you have probably heard people say, “I hate organized religion.” I can understand why. Over the years we have probably let the things that we do blur our vision of what we are supposed to do. We have let the church building become more important than the people that actually make up the church. This building is not what it is all about.

I think you have heard me say this a few times. People matter to God. So, if they matter to God, then they better matter to us.

The church is not a building, but it is people. Each and everyone of us has common goal. God has called us to gather together to find ways to live, share, and spread the truth and power of the Gospel. We can not complete our mission and calling without each other.

Romans 12:4–6 NIV

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

Have you ever tried to do something without a thumb? A few years ago. It was actually my first year as pastor here. We were doing a skip for Easter and during a rehearsal before an evening service, I was trying to show the guy playing Jesus how I wanted him to fall. When I did, I lost my balance and the heaven wooden cross we had at the time fell on my thumb and shattered the bone on the end of that thumb. My thumb was in a splint for weeks. I couldn’t do anything with that thumb without it hurting. That thumb was miserable. I couldn’t hold anything very well with that thumb. I couldn’t pull anything or push anything. It was very difficult. Why is that? It is because your thumb has a specific job to do. Just like the rest of the fingers have a specific job to do. The other parts of your body have specific jobs to do. All the parts work together to make the body work as one finely tuned machine.

The church is the same. We need each of you to play your specific part. If you are a greeter, then greet with everything you got. If you are an evangelist, then evangelize with all that is within you. If you are a people person, then you should have people attracted to you and they should want to come hang out with you wherever you are.

Sure the world tells us that church attendance is down, but we don’t have to be subject to the trends of our culture. In fact, we are called to change and shape our world together with the power of the Gospel. It’s the power that God gave us when we come together. Look at what God tells us to do in Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25 NIV

25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I’m not asking you to add another thing to your already busy life; I’m suggesting that we all make the work of the kingdom of God a priority in our lives since it’s the only work that really matters. One essential expression and work of that priority is for us to keep meeting together! I need all of you in my life. When you are not here I genuinely miss you.

4. We Need the Church

People need fellowship. We need to be around people. Paul says it this way.

Colossians 3:16 NIV

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

We are to go deeper in our relationship with Jesus. It would be great if all of us could take a spiritual journey by ourselves and go deeper, but most of us, and probably all of us can’t. We need each other. We need the people of the church to help take us to that deeper relationship.

I want to take a moment and give a plug for our Wednesday night connect groups. We are learning from each other on Wednesday nights. We are receiving God’s Word and we put it into practice with one another. We are taking each other on a spiritual journey. Our kids classes are helping our kids move to a different spiritual level on Wednesday nights in Royal Rangers and Girl’s Ministries. That is just one way that the church is helping people move to that next level.

The church is encouraging you to use your talents for God’s Kingdom. We are encouraging you to read through the Bible this year. We are encouraging you to build a stronger prayer life. We are giving you opportunities to minister to your friends, family members and neighbors. That is what the church is providing for you each and every week.

Paul says, “teach and admonish one another.” Admonish means to caution, correct, and urge. This is both frightening and, at the same time, the powerful thing about coming together regularly. We are all a little blind. There are way that we are all a little off and maybe even a little wrong. We all have different blind spots, different experiences, different strengths and weaknesses. And we’re used to doing things and seeing things our own way.

If you want to grow to the next level in the way you follow Jesus, you have to get beyond your own voice and your own interpretation of God’s Word. I’m not saying that’s the easiest thing to do, but when has going beyond average ever been easy? When has being sold out and being all in for anything ever been comfortable? This meeting or assembly is important for our growth, our unity, and our purpose. No wonder why the Bible so clearly tells us we shouldn’t forsake it.

There is a story of this couple that was having trouble remembering things. They go to a check up and during the check up the doctor tells them that they’re physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the man gets up form his chair.

“Want anything while I’m in the kitchen?” he asks.

“Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?” she asks.

“No. I can remember a simple bowl of ice cream.”

“Well, I’d like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down.”

He says, “I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.”

“I’d also like whipped cream. I know you’ll forget that. Write it down.” she says.

Irritated, he says, “I don’t need to write it down. I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream, for goodness’ sake!”

After about twenty minutes, the man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment and asks, “Where’s my toast?”

Like the couple, one of our big problems is that we need constant reminders of the truth. There’s so much in the world that is questioning, contradicting, and attacking the truth. When we gather here, we are reminded of the truth of God’s Word, the truth of who God is, and the truth of who we are in Jesus. I’m not concerned with how people attending church less often makes our attendance lower. I’m concerned that if we forsake meeting together, the truth will quietly slip from the forefront of our minds, and we’ll almost imperceptibly buy into and live according to the lies of this world. It amazes me how quickly I can forget or question God’s goodness, power, love and involvement in my life. Gathering here with you every week keeps my life on track with what I believe in my heart.

5. The Church is Victorious

I love what Jesus said in our text in verse 18.

Matthew 16:18 NIV

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

If you look back at this church’s history, I can honestly say and I truly believe that Satan tried to destroy this church, but God had other plans. In this church’s history, there is greed, strife, promiscuity, bitterness, unforgiveness and I could go on. But you see God had other plans. This church is still standing today, because God wanted to do something through this church. He wanted to use this church to reach this community. He wanted to use you, all of you, to do a work like you could have never imagined. God is working and moving in this place. We are victorious. You are victorious. You may not fill a victory just yet, but a victory is coming.

This church is moving up to a new level. We are going places that we have never been before. If you want to be a part of this church, then it’s time to move to a new level yourself.

Think about it for a moment. On a scale of 1 to 10 where would you say you rate in your spiritual walk on that scale.

Okay, now on a scale of one to 10, your ministry, where does your ministry level rate?

I believe that God wants us to get better. In order to get better we have to move to another level. We can’t stay where we currently are. We have to grow. If we stayed little the rest of our life, there would be a problem. The doctor’s would be called in and we would be checked out. We don’t do this on a spiritual level, so we have to check ourselves. We have to examine ourselves and then we have to take ourself to that next level. Take a look at yourself. Do you want to live a victorious life? If you do, then you can’t stay at the level you are at. You have to grow. God wants you to grow.

Conclusion

There is nothing like the church when it is working right. The gospel is not something that we should want to park in a garage and keep it clean and safe. God has given us a privilege to go and tell others about the good things He has done. God thinks so highly of you that He has made you a part of His church, His victorious church, that the gates of hell will not destroy.

So, for the sake of this church, for the sake of your own growth, for the sake of those we are called to reach, I want to challenge you to be the church with me every week. I want us to gather together every week and be the church that he has called us to become.

Let’s pray.