June 13, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

That songs about commitments about conviction. It's also about conversion. You know, sometimes we stray as Christians. And every now and again, we come to our senses and we say, I've decided to follow Jesus again, that's called conversion. That's what that song is about. It's about the blessings that we find in Christ Jesus. We have all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus including the Forgiveness of sins based upon our repentance. And that's a great great theme for Christian Living but I have to reconsider this morning's topic the Lourdes Church. She is different And I borrowed that title from a trap that brother, Garland, Elkins put out, I don't know. Maybe, 30, 40, 50 years ago, but he put out of track saying the Lord's church is different.

And we know that the church that's you and me, we know that all the same souls are part of Lourdes Church. And the Lord calls his church. A she She is the bride of Christ. So all of us together make up her she is different. Now, you recall back in Matthew chapter, 16 verse 18, Jesus said to his disciples and I will build my church. I will build my church. Notice the possessive case my church, she belongs to him as his bride. That means you and I belong to the Lord has his bride. And that he is our head and we are the body. We belong to him. That's why we call it. The Lord's church beside Churchill, the Lord or the Lord's Church. In English we put an apostrophe s the Lourdes Church. And so it belongs to him, that's the possessive case. It. So it is with the Church of Christ. That's possessive case as well. Christ Church. You're part of Christ Church. Jesus purchased the church with his own blood, according to Paul Acts chapter 28, verse 28 now, Jesus died for all of mankind. But he purchased the church with his own blood. What does that tell me? What does that tell you? It means he died for the entire world. That potentially, they will become part of his church. And therefore he purchased them if they're in the church with his own blood. In Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 23. The Bible says that salvation is in his body in his church. So Jesus died for all but all must enter into his church there. For salvation is conditional based upon obedience entrance into his kingdom, his church It's the bride of Christ and she is to be different from the reading that we had from 1st Peter chapter 1 beginning and verse 13 that Kayden read for us. In verse 16, it says be ye holy for I am. Holy. Holy means set apart. Set apart Pull-A-Part, Pull-A-Part pork, and you're different from the rest of the park. This over here is different from the rest over here. And so, that's what holy means. It means distinct separate apart and saw the same with the word Saint. Paul wrote to the Corinthians he says, and to the Saints who are at torrent science is another word for set apart. Holy. And so, what does that mean? It means we are to be separate. We are to be distinct. We are to be wholly different than the world. Therefore, if we as Christians members of the Lord's body is church. That means his body. His church must be different and it is different. That's different. And you look about the city of churches that have plagued the scenery for about six hundred years now and it's getting worse. There's a new church made every day but the difference is is it founded upon the doctrine of Christ? Or was it founded upon the doctrine of men? That makes all the difference in the world and therefore from that standpoint you can compare the two you can compare. Whether there is a church of men or Church of God, Church of Christ Church that belongs to the Lord. And so we find that our Lord was against division. In fact, in John chapter 17, he prays to the father, he said that all, that might follow their word, the apostles teaching his word might be one. Unity therefore is pre-eminent Unity is demanded by Jesus Christ, but it's Unity not for the sake of unity. It's Unity based upon the teaching of his word.

You know, back in the Old Testament, the Israelites, they grew tired of their worship. They grew tired of their God. Kind of sounds like things going on today, but it's true. They grew tired for their God. And so, what did they do to? They looked about where they were and I said they looked at all the nations about them. And they liked what they saw the nation's worship. Their gods. Multiple gods plural gods. And they had some great worship Services. I mean they had dancing and they have followed you, they had music and they were going to town. They were just different than the Jews worship.

Kind of sounds like things going on today. People looking to the other nations people looking to find out. Hey, they have a key. Why can't we have a king? They do things different. Let's do things different ourselves.

And so he calls for Unity. Any calls for us to Worship in, to follow him, according to his word, according to his work, that's what Worship in spirit. And in truth means we don't have a ride to worship. God, we don't have to ride to teach things different than his work. We don't have to do anything different than what God says in his truth in his world. Especially our worship. A warship needs to be according to the doctrine of Christ. How he desires it to be nice. We desire to remember. None of us have holes in our hands in holes. In our God, for his church. Not you not me. It belongs to him, it doesn't even belong to

It's the Son of God that died for his church. It doesn't belong to the Holy Spirit. List of Son of God, that died for his church and purchased his church with his own blood. It is. That's his role for us. That he's the head of the church and no one and nothing is, but Jesus Christ. That's why. I says the 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10, talking about the unity of the division. That was there a corn? He says, I plead with you rev. Now I want you to consider this for just a moment. Paul's riding any, since I plead with you brother, know, he's being guarded by inspiration. That is by the Holy Spirit, the holy spirit is speaking through him. I plead with you God is Planning for Paul to them to you to me. What is that word? Plead mean? It means to beg he says I beg of you brother. I beg of you by the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ that you all speak. The same thing. Then let's hold up right there.

This church preaches, one thing. The church down there preaches. Another thing, the church preaches. I don't know.

That's why there's so many churches, because there's division. And notice what he says. After that, that there be no divisions among you, but that should be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Yes, you can read the Bible and understand it a like, if we're willing

If we're willing.

And so it is that we are to speak as the Oracles of God. Not, if you go left nor to the right of his word. So this morning, Just like to spend a few moments thinking about some areas so it's the Lord's church is different from all the churches of men. And I just three points. I'd like to make this morning and so as we consider She is different because she does not Foster a pastor mentality. A pastor mentality, All churches of men have. What is called pastors? They would refer to me as Pastor. I get phone calls, everyday, Pastor people come up to me and they say, pastor,

I go to funerals and I'm introduced as pastor. I'm not a pastor. What I'm not. You're certain qualifications. One must meet to be a pastor. A pastor is an elder. An elder is the point Main the Shepherds they Pastor. I am not a pastor, could never be a pastor because I don't meet the qualifications of 1st Timothy Chapter 3 for Titus Chapter 1. but have we considered the idea of Pastor, the pastor that word, Pastor, the English word, pastor, Is found only one time in the entire Bible.

That he himself, gave some to be Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists some pastors and teachers. For the equipping of the Saints, for the work of the ministry. Those offices, those positions, if you will, those men were designed by Jesus to equip the church so that the church can do their work.

Today, everyone looks to who the pastor? The pastor. We have made throughout time. A clergy laity system. Have you heard that clergy? You know what clergy is the professional preachers? The priest and the rank-and-file?

He's professional their rank-and-file.

Is that how it is? Is that how our Lord taught us? No. The Lord said he's the head of the church. and all of us, when we come to the Cross of Christ, find ourselves on Common Ground. We're all on the same level. There are roles within the church elders. The deacons preachers. But they're not any better to be different or call to be wholly separate and apart and distinct from the world. That's why the church. That's why she is to be different. Different in our actions different in our words. Different in our teaching. Not simply to be different. But simply to be holy. As he God is, Holy to do, what he is asked us to do. And so we find here, first of all, some Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists that is you on Gillian. That is Gospel, preachers evangelist. All right, that's what that means. And then he says, and some pastors and teachers, you see the distinction there, and some pastors and teachers, the pastors are the elders. The English word for elders. Also Bishop episcopus. In the Greek. And the pastor's the elders notices as pastors and teachers, elders and Teachers, Pay Teachers. Elders are to be teachers. He doesn't say some pastors and some teachers. He says some pastors and teachers pastors are teachers and they're supposed to be watching out for the flock. They are Protectors of the Flop. They are to teach by sound Doctrine. They oversee the church. They oversee, the flocked. And so, it's the elders who have that responsibility, if the elders in the flock they tend to the flock. They pasture the flock or Boy named Pastor simply mean Shepherd there. The shepherd to Shepherd the flock.

but as we think about distinction, we go to 1st Peter, chapter 5 verses 1 through 4, says the elders who are among you I exhort I am a fellow Elder. I find that quite interesting because Peter is also an apostle and yet he's also an elder and he's also a preacher. He's got all three offices. That's all. There are today, some Elders who are preachers in the Bible says pay them what they're worth. For their work Builders you are a fellow Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed Shepherd. The flock of God which is among you Elders. You Pastor the flock, you Shepherd the flock, you tend the flock. According to the American Standard Version Serving as overseers, the elders, oversee, the church not the preacher, not the Evangelist, the elders, I've done this before, I'm going to do it again today because you need to recognize the elders. I left all three of our elders to stand up this morning, if you would please stand up.

Here are our elders, are the Shepherds of the flock. There are the overseers we all are we submitting to their Authority wife because Christ gave them with that Authority. And then he goes on to say here, not by compulsion, but willne, not for dishonest game for elderly, not as being Lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the block, Elders, are examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd, the Chief Elder appears, you will receive the Crown of Glory that does not fade away. So the chief Shepherd desired that there, be other Shepherds, overseeing his flocks, the individual flocks of the one, great big flock. There is a church Universal and then there's all congregations of the Lourdes Church. Spanish Congregation of the Lourdes church is to have Elders, a plurality of Elders, not just one, there's always a plurality of Elders. But here's the problem. Overtime. People decided Well, we need a head Elder.

Because the people down the road, they have one person. We should have one person. Kind of like things going on today. People looking the other thing, the other people. And they say, oh, that's pretty interesting. Let's try that. But can you find that in the word of God? It's not about how I feel. What school? What I might like what's the fan of the day? It's what is the fad of the Bible? What does God teach in his word? So churches began to uphold one leader, he became the main guy and then finally had Bishops over certain regions and then finally won Pope over the whole universe of churches. She has see how that led to you see where that led to, because men and women got away from the teaching of the Bible. I mean allowed other people to intervene at the forest on them, their opinions. What is the Bible say about preachers? Preach the word. Don't say preach some jokes. Don't say preach some good stories. It doesn't say preach your opinion says preach the word. What is there isn't time enough for the day? Don't worry about the jokes in the stories, then there is to tell you the truth, the truth that you and I need to hear. That's most important. That's what Christ wants wants the truth to you through your ears and in your heart That should be grounded upon the truth today. And many congregations of the Lourdes church. We have comedians. We have storyteller. We have drama groups. you know, during the time of the first century Church, Especially in the Greek areas of the world. You know, the Greeks were the one that invented drama. They're the ones that put on these great plays. And you would think you would find. And your new testament. Something, we're one of the churches that you can read about Had drama teams or you can find out, whether they had choirs. Or whether they had. Rock music. Or what do they have lighting? Like to have movie theaters and the flashing, and a strobe lights? No, I'm dating myself but you go back to the 1970s and think about Club 54, New York City when they had the Disco going on and I have a stroke and you can picture yourself in a leisure suit and all of that.

And we want to be like that. Amazing to me.

What is me to consider the shepherd? He is an elder and a fact is

we have elevated preachers as Elders pastors. Now we physically have done that. We have physically done that. That in the old days, we had they had a level floor. The preacher was down here with me. He got up out of the seat perhaps even sat in the chair. Any, any preach? but then, People got a little uppity. So well, you know, maybe we should put them up here a little bit. I can sing a little better. You know. Mandy will give him a role because he'll need to stink from the rest of the folks and everyone will know him as

and then what they do do, they said well, you know what, there is a stage up here but you know,

It's where we get the expression, put them on a pedestal. I'm having a staircase up to the past and that's where the priest. You're the preacher that preached from

All the rank-and-file. You're the lady G. I am the clergy.

Well. That's exactly what happened. And so today we try to see the preacher in that life. But as I said before, we all come to the foot of the cross. And that puts us all eating Brown. We're nothing but Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Nothing more. Nothing less given for sure. There are the roles of an elder, the roles of deacons and rolls preachers.

And even in the days of the first century. People wanted to give titles to the people, right? That's why Jesus and verse 9. Call. No man on Earth your father. We have a whole religion that calls their preachers. Father. And Jesus wasn't talking about his daddy, because he called his daddy dad. Father. Can you call your daddy father? He's not talking about that. He's talking about don't give them religious titles.

Well, I'm a reverend. Got the time. No no. I'm the right Reverend really really really right right. Reverend

That's what people do. I know that was not good enough. Now, the Apostle you've seen them in church on TV, they call themselves apostles. Even though there are no apostles today, Paul said he was the last apostle. And so titles elevation raising men to the level of Christ. And so it is with one religion that the pope is called the Vicar of Christ.

We need to get back to the basics of the Bible to get back to God's word and understand that that stuff is not taught in his word. That is the traditions of men. Not the teaching of God from the churches of man and not from the Church of God.

So the Lord's church is different.

Those Christ elders. And then the deacons course, the elements are the eldership. We call them the eldership. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all of them and teaching us that denying she lived soberly righteous and godly in this present age looking for the Blessed hope and Glory disappearing, a great God and Savior, Jesus Christ and purified for himself. His own special people, you are special people. Why? Because you have the blood of Jesus Christ. Why? Because you have every spiritual blessing in Christ, Jesus watch because he added you to the church. Why? Because those who were being baptized on the 3000, on the day of Pentecost, were added by Christ to his church.

Now he says be ye holy be separate distinct come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Don't act like the world. Act like children of God. Be distinct. Stand up for yourself. Show the distinction. Don't merge with the world. Don't go back to the world, but separate yourselves from the world. And so it is that the church is different. She's different because she is not entertainment-based. Talked a little bit about that already. We're not entertainment-based. A lot of people want to look to other churches and it looked at other churches because they have entertainment. But we're not here to be entertained, and we're not here to entertain. We're here to worship God.

So just as it was in the days of old for the Jews. People said we find out a little boring. We like a little excitement over here. Same thing today. This worshiping God. Stuff is just so mundane. Down the road, they have all sorts of screaming and yelling and hollering it's Brandel time.

In the Name of Christ.

For Bennett. Forbidden. You can't read that in your Bible.

All you can find. is that there has to be a sense of fear, a sense of all A sense of submission. In a sense of love and worshipping, God. He is the audience. He's the one that needs to be entertained. Not you not me?

We give our offerings are home. Worship is called sacrifice. Think about that. Think about sacrificing an animal right? Everything we do on the first day of the week, that's collectively. We come together as a church is a sacrifice. Are singing our prayers first scripture reading the thoughts and intents of the heart and mind, all of that blending together. As an offering. Hebrews chapter 13. Verse 15. Tells us, he says the sweet sacrifice of praise from the fruit of that lips. That's what Christ desires. Nothing more. Nothing less. The Bible tells us about the Simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. That includes Church. It has to be nothing. Ostentatious nothing out of bounds. Nothing over the, the realm. Of entertainment, but simply singing praying. Contributing teaching preaching. That's it. That's what the Lord desires. And so would entertain us 1st Corinthians chapter 14 answers that you seek to excel. Worship here. Any spiritual gifts that he's talking about or miraculous gifts in the first century, Church. They came together, but they also demonstrated their miraculous abilities. And things got a little out of control and cards and in other places, that's why I Paul writes in Chapter 13, just before 14, the greatest chapter on the subject of love. You can have all these gifts. But if you have not loved, what's it worth right CDs? People are going well, I speak in tongues and his son from the dead. Ball better than you. Then, I don't know. That's a Paul Shake in his head, you people are insane.

It's not you doing that, that's God. You're simply his tool. Why are you taking credit? Arches that have love for one another. I want you to edify one of your edify me to build up to build up. Not tear down. But you're apart. And so he says, that's what worship is for, its for an affectation. One another a little bit later. He says, what it is, what is the conclusion? Then, I will pray with the spirit that will be understanding, and I will also sing with the understanding otherwise, if you blessed with a spirit. How will you? How will he, who occupies the place of the uninformed say, Amen. So another words, what you talking about? Evidently you're singing and praying in tongues, what are tongues languages? Someone had the bright idea that they could show their worth before the congregation by singing and praying in an unknown tongue in the language in a language. That's a rest of the church. Did not even know. And what would be the hold one visitor comes in or a group of visitors? They come in and this guy or gal is up there battling in another language, that no one can understand. Any shows, how can I say, Amen to that when I have no idea what they said? Where is The Interpreter? See when you speak in tongues language is head of someone there. Who is say from France. How many here can speak? French.

So someone from France comes in and someone gets up here and they're start singing in a tongue Russian. No one can understand it, not even the people for friends. Do the French people. Like he's crazy Americans. What do they do? All right.

And then he says, you need an interpreter. So someone has to speak French to the French people so that they can understand. And if you can do that, you can have an interpreter interpreting language for them. And then also at the end of that Chopper says, let all things be done decently and in order, don't let it get out of control. So it is here but notice it says they're not edified built up. And that's the point, your homework assignment read chapter 14, 40 vs. Find out how many times and that chapter Paul uses the word edify, edified, edifying, edifies, whatever form of the word edify circlet. You'll be surprised how many times that word is found in that Paul you because that's what worship is also about. You can also read that in the Hebrews, chapter 10 verses, 24 and 25.

She's different because she does not give lip service in respecting, the authority of the Bible. A lot of people say we're probably leaving church, I'm horrible.

A lot of people believe in Jesus but they don't follow Jesus. A lot of people believe in the Bible, but they don't follow the Bible.

We don't give lip service to the authority, whatever you do in word or deed. Do what do all by the authority of Christ Jesus. That's what in the name of the Lord meet by his authority.

The Bible tells us not to add to or take away from his word. It's just not to go left, not to go, right? It tells us to speak exactly as God speaks in his word.

He tells us not even to think. Beyond what is written. So when it's written, that's what it says. I don't imagine you something else, too attached to what has been written. Don't even think beyond what is written. And so many people get that verse

lean not upon your own understanding. Lean not upon your own understanding, but in everything, give thanks to the Lord. Right? And he shall direct your steps lean. Not upon your own understanding. What does that mean? It means if I go to the left or I go to the right. If I don't speak exactly as God, speaks if I think beyond what is written, I am leaning upon my own understanding. when I'm supposed to lean upon his That's how we leaned upon Him by leaning upon his word. Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 23. It's not in man to direct his own steps. God has directed our steps. That's why we all need to agree on this. What it says that's why it says speak the same things be on the same mind and be on the same judgment, all understand it or what? And there be no arguments about it. But there are arguments because of people's agendas or because of people's preconceived notions. Or because of their Traditions mom and dad brought me up. Mom and dad are part of someone's old church. I want to be part of so-and-so church. We all have to check our Doctrine. We all have to understand what do I really believe? Do I believe because Mom and Dad believe or do I believe, because I want to believe that I have a soul that Jesus died for. I want to go to heaven. I want to be saved. What must I do to be saved about mama and daddy? It's about you. Where do you stand with the Lord this morning? Are you different? Are you part of that beautiful bride? The Jesus said you could become part of that bride, you can do that today, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved us, a door, added to his church. The beautiful bride of Christ. And then he says you're my bride, be different. My bride is different than the rest of those Brides out there. This bride is beautiful. This bride means something because of the groom,

perhaps you've done that, perhaps you've been a part of the Lord's body. Perhaps, you've been a part of that beautiful bride, but you keep looking elsewhere. You keep looking for the world to give you the answer. What all the answers are found right here. Anyone heard from one from that body in Jesus is all you have to do is come back. Just repent, change your mind. If those two Avenues to Jesus affect you this morning, won't you come and say that's Together? We Stand and saying,