God’s Committed Community: The Importance of The Church
Two weeks ago we looked at the Nature of The Church and we found that the Bible calls The Church:
1. A FELLOWSHIP.
2. A FAMILY.
3. A BODY.
4. A FLOCK.
Each one of these terms has special implications on how we are to treat other members of the church.
Last week we used the word SHINE as an acrostic and found the five purposes of The Church.
S – stood for SEEK and to SHARE.
H – stood for HELP.
I – stood for INCLUDE.
N – stood for NURTURE.
E – stood for EXALT.
This week we are going to continue the study of The Church and look at The Importance of The Church.
Before we look at The Importance of The Church let me tell you that I have very deep convictions about The Importance of The Church. If you understand my convictions about The Church you will also understand why I make some of the decisions that I make. Why I do some of the things that I do when it comes to pastoring BFC. Did you know that:
Decisions are basically made on four motivations:
1. Circumstances – What is happening around me. That means that sometimes we make decisions on the bases of the situation we find ourselves in.
2. Convenience – What is easy. Sometimes we make a decision because what we choose to do is simpler. A statement that goes along with this type of thinking is – work smarter not harder.
3. Critics – What do other people think. We are often influenced by others opinions and so we make decisions based on that.
4. Convictions – A deeply held belief.
Now let me make this clear: a conviction is not held in the same way that an opinion is. An opinion is something you will argue about – a conviction is something you will die for. It’s been said:
If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.
Everything changes – fads – fashions – even science text books change. The only thing that does not change in life is the truth. Truth by its nature does not change.
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s Word stands firm and forever." Isaiah 40:8 (MSG)
My convictions about The Church come from The Bible. It is our source of authority for what we do. If you understand these convictions you will understand three things:
1. You will understand why we do what we do in this church.
2. You will understand why we will be criticized.
Everyone will be criticized – but I would rather be criticized for following God’s Word then for any other reason.
3. You will understand the standard that I use for making decisions about the church.
Let’s now look at three convictions about The Church:
CONVICTION #1: JESUS LOVES HIS CHURCH
I am absolutely convinced – without a shadow of doubt – that Christ loves The Church. In fact that is what The Bible says:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV)
Circle “gave Himself for it.” Often we say that Christ died for my sin – He died for me – and He did – but that is not what this verse says. This verse says that Christ died – sacrificed Himself – gave Himself for who – The Church. That is how important Christ considers His Church. Jesus loves His Church.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” 1 John 3:16 (NIV)
Circle “us” and then let me ask you a question – who is us? Us is The Church. Jesus laid down His life for us. Tall ones – short ones – thin ones – Oh Pastor Tom don’t go there – but it’s true – Christ loves His Church and church is people – The Church is us..
Christians that say I love Christ but I don’t need to be involved in The Church are immature. They just don’t get it. Since we are going to live together forever we need to get along. It’s not enough to love God – you must love The Church too. We must love what Christ loves.
Personally, I want to be a part of Christ – that means I must be where Christ is. I must be involved in what He is involved in. Look at this next verse and tell me what Jesus is involved in.
I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
From this verse I understand that Jesus is actively involved in building His Church. He is bringing them in, He is building them up, He is training them up, He is sending them out. What is The Church? Look at the next verse.
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
The Church is God’s people – that is us. I am convinced HE LOVES US.
CONVICTION #2: JESUS WANTS UNITY IN HIS CHURCH
No family is perfect – every family is dysfunctional – some are more dysfunctional then others – but you need to stick up for your family. Love is more important then politics – love is more important then little differences.
A couple weeks ago I spoke about another pastor friend of mine – a very dear friend. He belongs to a denomination that does not use musical instruments in their worship service. Does that mean I hate him because he worships different then I do? Absolutely not! We both have the same savior. We both have God as our Father. We are spiritual brothers – we love each other. Look at 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)
Did you notice that this passage is the first three verses of chapter 13? Do you know what 1 Corinthians chapter 12 is all about? The entire chapter is about unity in The Church. Paul describes how The Church is the body of Christ and that every member of the body is important. Every member is needed. Every member has a function and needs to work together. Then Paul continues his discussion and says God desires us to love one another. We are not in competition with one another – we’re on the same team. We are not your enemies – we are in the same army and there is an enemy his name is Satan.
“He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b (RSV)
Satan is the one we need to fight against – not each other. Did you know that there are five times in the New Testament where God tells Christians not to argue with each other? Here is one example:
I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. 1 Corinthians 1:10 (MSG)
God loves unity. John 17 is a prayer of Jesus and you know what the theme of that prayer is unity.
Jesus prayed …that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:21 (NKJV)
The world will be WON when the church is ONE.
WARNING:
Watch out for those who would cause DISUNITY.
One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. Romans 16:17 (MSG)
The proper way we should react to one another is in love.
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (NASV)
Jesus wants unity.
CONVICTION #3: THE CHURCH WILL LAST FOREVER
Governments will not last forever; nations will not last forever, businesses will not last forever – the Roman Empire is gone – the Berlin wall is fallen down – the Soviet Union is gone
I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. Matthew 16:18 (MSG)
The entire universe was created for God’s family – what is His family called – the church. God created us to spend eternity with Him. That was God’s plan from the beginning of time. The Church will be in Heaven – Christ died to save the church. Even the angels are amazed at God’s plan.
Through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! Ephesians 3:10 (MSG)
We live to serve God – God’s plan is The Church – we live to serve The Church.
When I make decisions concerning The Church I must always ask: What’s best for the church? What’s best for BFC?
I want this church to healthy. I want this church to be thriving – to be growing – to be a place where God is worship freely – where we have real heart felt fellowship with one another – where people are growing in their understanding of the scriptures – where people are using their spiritual gifts and God given abilities to the glory of God – where members are so excited about their relationship with Christ and other Christians that they are inviting their neighbors and friends to come to BFC.
I read something a while back that bothered me. Lately I have been doing quiet a bit of reading on church growth and I ran across a statement that talked about becoming a big church. That statement shocked me – because to tell you the truth – I don’t really want to be involved in a “Big Church”. But I’ll tell you want I want. I want to be involved in the best Church. So here is want I want us to do. Let’s make BFC the best church we possibly can. Let’s improve its quality of our worship – of our teaching – of our relationships with one another and let’s let God determine the size and see what happens. That is my commitment to you and to God. I will give God my best effort. I will be on time – I will come prepared – prayed up – studied up – ready for God to work through me. I want quality – because quality counts. That is my commitment – will you commitment to quality too? Will you commitment to giving your best to God. I’ll give God my best and let Him do the rest.
NOTES
God’s Committed Community: The Importance of The Church
Decisions are basically made on four motivations:
1. Circumstances
2. Convenience
3. Critics
4. Convictions
If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s Word stands firm and forever." Isaiah 40:8 (MSG)
CONVICTION #1: JESUS LOVES HIS ____________________
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV)
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
1 John 3:16 (NIV)
I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
CONVICTION #2:
JESUS WANTS ____________________ IN HIS CHURCH
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)
“He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b (RSV)
I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common.
1 Corinthians 1:10 (MSG)
Jesus prayed …that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:21 (NKJV)
The world will be __________ when the church is __________.
WARNING:
Watch out for those who would cause ____________________.
One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth.
Romans 16:17 (MSG)
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (NASV)
CONVICTION #3:
THE CHURCH WILL ____________________
I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
Matthew 16:18 (MSG)
Through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! Ephesians 3:10 (MSG)
