Sermon Tone Analysis

“Marks” of a Church

What are the characteristics of a church?

The Lutheran statement of faith, which is called the Augsburg Confession (1530), defined the church as “the congregation of saints in which the gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments rightly administered” (Article 7).

Similarly, John Calvin said, “Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists.”25

Word of God purely preached and heard

Sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper also serve as “membership controls” for the p 866 church.

Baptism is the means for admitting people into the church, and the Lord’s Supper is the means for allowing people to give a sign of continuing in the membership of the church—the church signifies that it considers those who receive baptism and the Lord’s Supper to be saved.

Therefore these activities indicate what a church thinks about salvation, and they are appropriately listed as a mark of the church today as well.

By contrast, groups who do not administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper signify that they are not intending to function as a church.

Someone may stand on a street corner with a small crowd and have true preaching and hearing of the Word, but the people there would not be a church.

Even a neighborhood Bible study meeting in a home can have the true teaching and hearing of the Word without becoming a church.

But if a local Bible study began baptizing its own new converts and regularly participating in the Lord’s Supper, these things would signify an intention to function as a church and it would be difficult to say why it should not be considered a church in itself.

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 865–866.

Factors that make a church “more pure” include:

1. Biblical doctrine (or right preaching of the Word)

2. Proper use of the sacraments (or ordinances)

3. Right use of church discipline

4. Genuine worship

5. Effective prayer

6. Effective witness

7. Effective fellowship

8. Biblical church government

9. Spiritual power in ministry

10.

Personal holiness of life among members

11.

Care for the poor

12. Love for Christ

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 874.

The Purposes of the Church

Ministry to God: Worship

To praise God 1Pe 2:9 See also Eph 1:5-6,11-12,14; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5

Ministry to Believers: Nurture

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate

Romans 13:8 Love

Romans 15:7 Receive

Romans 16:16 Salute or greet

1 Corinthians 12:25 Have same care

Galatians 5:13 Serve

Galatians 6:2 Bear burdens

Ephesians 4:2 Forbearing (patient)

Philippians 2:3 Esteem

Ephesians 4:32 Kind

Ephesians 5:21 Submit

Colossians 3:9 Lie not, Be truthful

Colossians 3:13 Forgive

Colossians 3:16 Teaching and Admonishing

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Comfort

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Edify

James 4:11 Speak not evil

James 5:9 Grudge not

James 5:16 Confess your faults

1 Peter 3:8 Compassionate

1 Peter 4:9 Hospitality

1 Peter 4:10 Minister

1 Peter 5:5 Be Subject

Ministry to the World: Evangelism and Doing Good

Evangelism

To preach the gospel to the world Mk 13:10 pp Mt 24:14 See also Mt 28:19; Lk 24:47; Jn 10:16; Ac 13:47

To do good to all

See also Mt 25:37-40; Lk 6:35; Ac 9:36; Eph 2:10; 1Ti 6:18; Jas 1:27; 1Pe 2:12

The Power of the Church

The power of the church is its God-given authority to carry on spiritual warfare, proclaim the gospel, and exercise church discipline

Spiritual Warfare

The Keys of the Kingdom

Elsewhere in the New Testament a key always implies authority to open a door and give entrance to a place or realm.

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 889.

Therefore it seems that “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” which Jesus promised to Peter in Matthew 16:19 included both (1) ability to admit people to the kingdom through preaching the gospel, and (2) authority to exercise church discipline for those who do enter.

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 890.

Church Discipline

In fact, there are several examples of small group admonition in the New Testament which are carried out by elders or other church officers (see 1 Thess.

5:12; 2 Tim.

4:2; Titus 1:13; 2:15; 3:10; James 5:19–20).

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 897.

Purpose of Church Discipline

a. Restoration and Reconciliation of the Sinning Believer

b.

Stop Sin from Spreading

c. Protect the Purity of the Church and Honor of Christ

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NKJV) 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.

10 Yet [I] certainly [did] not [mean] with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person.

Romans 16:17-18 (NKJV) 17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NKJV) But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (NKJV) 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet do not count [him] as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV) 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.

And from such people turn away!

1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NKJV) 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a [means of] gain.

From such withdraw yourself.