Dwell on: Church and church life
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Slow down, smell the roses
Slow down, smell the roses
Stop, slow down, take a minute! It is good to stop, to dwell on, to consider, to ponder, to meditate upon things that will improve our life and our walk with Christ.
Things to think about (Php4:8)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Things to do (Php4:9)
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Previous things recently, Sin, Repentance, Baptism , today we are looking at church and church life, what is it, what does it look like and what do we do with it Act2:47; Mt16:15-18).
(expand on those for just a couple of minutes) baptism, because of it, look at the results
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
But what were they added to?
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
That helps, but may we take some time to dwell on the church defined, the church described, the church defiled, and the church demonstrated.
Church Defined
Church Defined
It may shock you, but church is not a religious word. Though we know it to be,and we will look at it in a religious, relationship context today.
Ekklesia (Gk) - synonymous with the Hebrew word “Kahal” of the Old Testament. Both words simply mean “an assembly” - Eastman’s Bible Dictionary
How about one more?
Thayer’s Analytical Greek Lexicon says “a gathering of citizens out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.”
So it does not have to be a religious gathering to be ekklesia, this is definition only in a general sense. In the Christian sense the Ekklesia has several definitions
The universal church (Eph1:22-23; Heb12:22-23)
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
The universal church, the collective body of those who are saved.
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
So the universal church is compromised of those who are saved. No reference to when (time), just to salvation to those who are enrolled in heaved (v.23); those who were added to the numbers daily (Act2:47).
The local church (1Cor1:2; Rom16:16; Act16:40; 1Cor16:19)
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Not a perfect church as we know, but nonetheless they were loved, they were saints, saints with all the other saints in others places too.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
All the others places, all the churches called churches of Christ, not a name but a distinction (expand on this)
These are some samples, biblical examples, there are also house churches mentioned like in the home of Lydia (Act16:40, or Acquila and Priscilla (1Cor16:19).
Church meeting (Act20:7; 1Cor16:2; Act2:46; Heb10:25)
Church meeting is an assembly of Christians who are gathered together for worship as we see accustomed on the first day of the week.
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
and then you can see that again
2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
But, first day was not the only day they met according to scripture, look at this
46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
(expand on that for 1-2 minutes only)
The importance is the assembly
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
We should not forsake the assembling together either.
Today our focus is going to be on the universal church; all those who are saved by Christ . First may we look at how the scripture describes the church.
Church Described
Church Described
Scripture is not slack on describing what the church is, there are many names that are used.
Church is the body of Christ (Eph1:22-23; Eph5:23; Col2:19; Rom12:5)
The church is the body of Christ, in which Jesus is the head over
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Further evidenced y
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
It also shows us, the church, and our relationship with Christ, one that is held together by Christ
19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
The church is one body, in Christ
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
One body consisting of many parts, many talents, many tasks but one purpose.
Church is the house of God (1Tim3:15)
15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
As the church, as the body of Christ we have a way in which we should act. Just as we are also family.
Church is the family of God (Mt12:48-50; Mk10:28:30)
48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!
50 “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
family with many brothers and sisters and further exemplified by Christ’s words
28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
Church is the temple of God (Eph2:21-22; 1Cor3:16-17; 2Cor6:14-18; 2Cor7:1)
Temple of God, a holy habitation, the household of God, the dwelling place of God
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
As any one in right mind would do, you would protect your household I believe we have a serious duty to protect it, to maintain it, to purify it
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
or may we consider his passage
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Church is kingdom of Christ (Col1:12-13; Mt28:18)
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
Sorry, it is hard to stay away from those kingdom verses. Transferred by the authority of God given to the Son
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
For then we are
Church is the bride of Christ (2Cor11:2; Rev19:6-9; Rev21:2)
We are His bride, His betrothed.
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
We will be like Him
6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. 7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”
oh, but wait, there is more
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Whew, that is a lot of scripture that helps us describe the church.
We need to protect the body of Christ, the household of God, the temple of God, the Church so it is unified.
Church Defiled
Church Defiled
If you have been around at all, it is easy to see that there are people, groups who try to incorporate, teach, doctrines that are not in the Bible. Or organizations that have someone other than Christ as the head.
Christ’s prayer was for unity, through Apostles (Jn17:20-21)
20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
I don’t think need to expand on that at all.
Paul preached about unity and rebuked division (1Cor1:10-13)
10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
There is only one head, that head is Christ, and we, as the church, and in our church life need to know, remember and walk in that truth that we belong to Him.
Can be defiled by sectarianism (1Cor3:1-4)
Sectarianism is the view that a select group of churches constitutes the universal church. With emphasis on certain doctrines, teachings over others (contrary to the teaching of the whole counsel of God).
This type of view, belief can often express carnality with its envy, strife and causes division.
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?
Church Demonstrated
Church Demonstrated
As the church, body of believers, body of Christ, temple of God, bride of Christ we can get caught up in things that are too broad in defining the church, to narrow in describing the church and in hence hinder people from being added to the church, so may we be a good demonstration of the church. Some things to do as the church.
Strive together to protect the unity of the church (Eph4:3-6)
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
I say strive, so what does strive mean? It is verb to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something, struggle or fight vigorously.
Scripture says be diligent: Diligent adjective, having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties.
Strive together to protect the bond of peace (Eph4:1-3)
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Strive together to be of the same love, united in spirit (Php2:1-5)
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
(Invitation slide 1)
So as we live as the church, what kind of church are you?
Are you one who is bought by the very blood of Jesus Christ (ACt20:28)?
Are you a glorious church, holy, without blemish (Eph5:25-27)?
Are you one who is submitting to God’s given authority to Christ and following His commands (Mt28:19; Jn14:15)?
May we leave here today with a certainty of the church we are and walk in that. If you have not been added to the church yet, come now, call on the name of the Lord and be saved through obedience, believing, confessing, repenting and being baptized for remission of sins.
(invitation slide 2) song (Exit slide)