What Type of Church Are We?
Revelation 2-3
(the free powerpoint can be found at www.hueytownbaptist.com on the pastor’s sermon page)
> The first time we hear Jesus mention the church is in Matthew 16. His words are, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Why is that, you may ask? “Because I will give the church the keys of the kingdom, and these keys will have the ability both in heaven and on earth to bind and loose all things.” WOW!! What power Jesus gives to His bride, the church!
> It is in Acts 2 that we see the workings of the Holy Spirit in the church. Now remember, this group of some 120 believers was witnesses to Jesus’ leaving earth and going “out of sight.” They return to Jerusalem with the promise that God was going to do “something.” This is key because they were NOT sure of exactly what He would do. But they knew that He always gives good and perfect gifts and that they could trust Him. So they were ready, willing, and open to whatever God would do. “When they were altogether in prayer and unity, the Holy Spirit fell from heaven filling the house and, their hearts in such a way that things kind of got out of hand. (Let’s hit the PAUSE button; knowing that on a regular basis we don’t have this kind movement of God have you ever wondered what the hold up is? Is it that no longer God does care to grace His children with His presence in this way, or Has the Holy Spirit lost His ability to show up in power, or might it be that we are NOT so ready, willing, and opened to His manifest presence? ) Let’s continue; the result of the Holy Spirit taking over was a noisy racket. There was so much noise that people from all over the town came to see what was going on and (oh, by the way) 3000 people were saved. It is as if the Holy Spirit said, when I show up something wonderful happens
> Here is my dilemma; If Jesus Himself is building the church and if the Holy Spirit empowers the church, why is the church so anemic today? Where is the fire? The power? The passion? The Purpose?
> Tonight, let us take an overview of the Churches found in Revelation. Next week we’ll study the seven churches of the Revelation. Today, let’s look at a snapshot of church.
> To begin, turn with me to Revelation 2. Have you ever notice that when something is important to someone, I mean they really want you to learn and know a thing, they’ll repeat it. In fact, the old saying is, “repetition is the mother of learning.” Most of us know that the book of the Revelation was dictated to John on the Isle of Patmos. Chapter 2 and 3 are the words of Jesus. If you have a red print edition of the Bible, these 2 chapters are in red.
> Watch this. (verses 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22) From these verses, it seems to me that Jesus is saying, “listen to the Spirit of God and do what He says…”
> When we truly listen, based on years of studying God’s word I believe He wants us to begin by knowing who and what we are? We call ourselves a church, but what kind?
1) AN EXTERNAL CHURCH – There is a good and bad to the external church. The part of the church that is external is the involvement of the people in the community or in the lives of people. God has called us to the people we live around, work with, and play with. This is not a sugges-tion but rather a requirement which God has given us. The church is to have an external impact & that is good.
> At the same time there is a liability of a church becoming “external” just for the sake of being external. For the alive, vibrant, and spirit-filled church, there will always exists the possibility of becoming like the world. We get controlled by the latest fad. Thus the community has a great impact on the church than the church on the community. Watch how this works: the church becomes so much like the community that the church appears to be alive and vibrant yet the Lord views it differently. Look in chapter 3. You have a repetition that you are alive, but you are dead. Why? Your works are not complete.
2) AN INTERNAL CHURCH – In the same way there is both good and bad of the external church, there is the same for the internal church. This is a church that is like family. It reminds me of the old song which says, “It feels so good just being here again…” The great part of this church is that her members love being together, love each other, and love the fellowship. It’s just great.
> As you might guess, this church is not so open to outsiders. In fact, it’s like “us and them”. There is a church evaluation tool available today called the Natural Church Development. This process evaluates a church body based on 8 critical areas of the body. Let me take a second and illustrate this to you. (show the “barrel”).
> An application story. I know of a church who completed this process. And the minimum factor in the church was “loving relationships,” and they refused to believe it and certainly refused to change things. Their pastor attempted to lead them to understand this evaluation spoke of the loving relationship toward NEW people.
3) AN ETERNAL CHURCH – The most complete church, the on whose works will be found complete is the church with one eye always on eternity and the Kingdom of God. With the other two, there is good and bad. With this one, believe it or not, there is good and bad.
> The good is that all that they attempt is done with a desire to have an eternal impact. When they have a singing—their desire is for someone to be saved and/or others to be walk closer with the Lord. When they have a group meeting, the over-riding (and even unspoken) desire is to have someone new there who needs Jesus. Everything that do is pointing to the Kingdom of God the being a part in the work of that Kingdom.
> “What is the bad” you might ask? The eternal church has little tolerance for personal agendas because His agenda is all that matters. This church is on task, on purpose, on mission for being a change agent in the community. They possess some of the attributes of the church in Ephesus. Look in Chapter 2; “you have tried those who claim to be apostles and are not.” The eternal church seeks to present her self with completed works to the Father.
So, the question is this; what kind of church are we?
