Foundations: The Church (Psalm 122:1)

A sermon preached on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at Hebron Baptist Church by Pastor Joe Alain.

Sermon Series: Foundations: Lessons on Christian Living

Sermon: The Church

Memory Verse: Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

Thinking about the Church
(1) The church is both universal and local. Universal in that it includes all Christians in all places at all times – past, present, and future. It is local in that God’s church includes Christians who come together in local assemblies to carry out His work. HBC is but one local expression of God’s universal church. It’s best to think of the church as a living organism rather than a cold lifeless institution. The church is not buildings or even great programs, it’s people!

(2) The church is made up of redeemed people, people who have come together to love God and to love people.

(3) The church on earth is imperfect because it is made up of imperfect people. But even with all of its imperfections, God loves His church!

(4) The church is of God and loved by God. Jesus said “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades [or hell] will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18). The church is not a man-made institution it is God-created organism and He is the Head, and we are His body! Ephesians 5:25 tells us “Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.” God thinks much of His Church. Paul’s instruction to God’s shepherds found in Acts 20:28 is undergirded with the sober reality that “the church of God” has been “bought with his own blood.” God loves the church! And because He loves the Church we ought to love God’s church too.

(5) Finally, the church is God’s plan for advancing His kingdom. God is working in and through His body – the church.

Objections to the Church
Objection #1: Sometimes Christians become cynical and critical of the church. They become dissatisfied with some aspect of the church. They don’t like this or that, or they don’t care for how this is done, etc. But sometimes our criticisms are not motivated by love. Don’t criticize the church for when you do you are tearing down Christ’s body, you are destroying what Christ is building. Does the church need reforming? In some sense yes, the church is constantly in need of reformation, but when you criticize your church you’re really criticizing God’s people and your family. You are standing on the side of the enemies of the church and being used by Satan to come against what God calls the apple of His eye (Zech. 2:8).

Non-constructive criticism disparages what God calls His treasured possessions (Mal. 3:17). One of the passages in today’s Bible study is Ephesians 4:11-16. This passage speaks about growing up in Christ to a place of maturity so that God’s church will be characterized by unity and love all organized and functioning under the Lordship of our Head – Jesus! The last phrase of Eph. 4:16 reminds us of the importance of the church growing “up in love” and this is accomplished “as each part does its work.” So love God’s church and love it enough to do your part in bringing God’s church closer to the biblical ideal.

Objection #2: Some others might say, “I don’t really need the church. I’m a Christian but I don’t need to be involved in what happens at church. I can worship God anywhere, etc.” There are several errors with this kind of thinking: (1) First and foremost, being a part of a local church is God’s will for your life. See Hebrews 10:25. To belong to Jesus and not belong to His church in a meaningful way is like saying “I’m married but I don’t have to live (or talk) to my wife or husband.” People who think like this are living contrary to God’s will for their life and are living contrary to God’s will. God didn’t tell you this, so who did?

(2) The second problem with this idea that you don’t need the church is the faulty thinking that you do not need anyone else in life. But this kind of thinking destroys community. The truth is people need the church more than they realize. And this is true because God created us to be in community with one another. He did not create us to go it alone in life. In fact isolating oneself from others was one of the first evidences of our sinful nature, the sinful nature that we see manifested in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and still is. When sin entered the human race, the first thing that happened was that man became self-centered. Second, he hid himself from God. People that say they don’t need church are really saying that they don’t need God directing their life. The reality is many people who think like this simply hiding from God.

Why then is the church so important to your spiritual well-being? I want to mention five (5) areas, and I want to spend most of the time on the first three, because the last two will be dealt with in the next few weeks.

The church is important because it is . . .
1. Where You Worship God
It brought great joy to the Psalmist when he thought of going to God’s house with others to worship the Lord (Ps. 122:1). For the Christian worship is our joyous privilege. Now I have to admit that before I was saved, I had no desire to worship God. Why? See 1 Cor. 2:14. Worship is a spiritual discipline and only saved peopel really get it. But when God saves you, you want to worship God! You were created to worship, to know God, to love Him. You were planned for God’s pleasure. Worship brings God great pleasure and it brings you great joy (see Ps. 16:11).

See Hebrews 10:25. Believers need to get in the habit of going to church in order to worship God with other Christians. Truthfully, if you do not get in the habit of going to church, you will soon get into the habit of not going to church. A habit is “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely voluntary.” Only when worship becomes a holy habit, will we grow in our love for the Lord and fulfill His purpose for our life.

2. Where You Grow in Godliness
See Matthew 28:18-20. The church, His body, is charged to “make disciples” (v.19). Our focus is to be on “teaching . . . everything” Jesus has commanded. The church helps us grow in godliness, to become like Christ through the church’s preaching, teaching, and serving ministry. Romans 8:29 tells us that God has predestined us to be “conformed to the image of His son.” God wants to make you like Christ. God doesn’t want you to become a god; but He does want you to become godly. He wants you to develop His character, He wants you to think and act the way He thinks and acts. God wants to make you like Himself.

1 Jn. 3:2 is a wonderful promise, “when he appears we shall be like him.” That’s you in a few years, provided you’re a Christian. So why worry about godliness if I’m predestined to be godly and one day I will? Although God will grant Christlikeness to us when Jesus returns, until then He intends for us to grow toward that Christlikeness. Hebrews 12:14 says that we are to “Make every effort . . . to be holy.” Note, we are not supposed to wait around for holiness, Christ-likeness, we are to pursue it! That’s why Paul tells Timothy, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness”
(1 Tim. 4:7).

Ephesians 4:15, Msg. says that “God wants us to grow up . . . like Christ in everything.” God’s will is for you to grow up. How does God do that? He uses the church. The different ministries and leaders of the church are used “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13). As a result of this maturity, we will no longer be tossed about like the waves blown here and there (v.14). As we grow in godliness our lives will be built upon a solid and lasting foundation.

Now, if you need gas for your vehicle, where do you go? You go to a gas station. If you need groceries, where do you go? You go to a grocery store. But if you need growth in godliness, where are you going to go? You go to the place that God has designated as the place to help you grow – His church!

Church is important because it is where you worship God and where you grow in godliness. It’s also important because it is . . .
3. Where You Receive and Give Encouragement
The church is like a family, a community where you are able to receive encouragement but also you can encourage others. Look once again at Hebrews 10, this time verse 24. It says “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” The word “spur” in the NIV means to prompt someone to positive action. The NLT says, “Think of ways to encourage one another.” Have you been encouraged by someone at church? Look for ways that you can be an encouragement to others.

What actions could you take to be an encouragement and blessing to others? God wants you to “Spur” others toward love and good deeds. How do you do that? The very meaning of the word “encourage” tells us. Part of this word means to come alongside someone. The same word is used to refer to the Holy Spirit. The HS comes alongside and leads us and encourages us and prompts us into action. You encourage people by coming alongside them, understanding them, loving them, helping them. Oftentimes we don’t really know what people are going through, so encouragement first begins with understanding.

Our positive words and actions can be a great encouragement to someone. And isn’t that how w want people to treat us? Two Scriptures drive this home. Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Do your words build up and benefit others? If not, keep silent. Or even better yet, come alongside that person. “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matt. 7:12).

Why is the church important? It’s where you worship God, grow in godliness, receive and give encouragement, and it is . . .
4. Where You Learn to Serve
Church is where you learn to put your faith into action. Look at 1 Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Your talents are not for your benefit. Do you want to know why you’re alive? You were put here to serve God and they way you serve God is by serving other people. If you’re called to salvation you’re called to serve. You can learn to serve God through church when you first, make yourself available and second, when you remain faithful.

5. Where You Carry Out God’s Mission
Jesus said, “In the same way that you gave Me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world” (Jn. 17:18, Msg.). God’s mission is to advance His kingdom (His rule) and we participate with God in doing that as we share the Gospel and teach all that He has commanded (Evangelism and Discipleship). Through the use of your time, the discovery and use of your talents, and through using your treasure, you participate in carrying out God’s mission, to advance the Gospel into all the world.

It is the church that provides the opportunities to “go . . . and make disciples.” The church sends out the preachers, the teachers, the missionaries. It is the church that gives a cup of water in Jesus’ name. It is the church that brings people to the saving knowledge of God. It is the church and only the church that has been commissioned to extend God’s kingdom. If you want to be part of what God is doing in His world, see God at work and join Him as He works in and through His church!

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe