THE CHALLENGE OF THE CHURCH
MATTHEW 16:13-20
INTRODUCTION:
TELL THE JOKES ABOUT LITTLE HARRY AND PETER, TWO CHILDREN WHERE ONE IS INTRODUCING THE OTHER TO HIS CHURCH:
1. ONE JOKE IS ABOUT HOW LONG THE MINISTER SPEAKS
2. THE HONOUR ROLL AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH
NOW I REALIZE THAT THESE ARE OLD JOKES AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THEM BEFORE, BUT IT DOES POSE AN INTERESTING SITUATION FOR US. THAT SITUATION IS THAT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE THINGS OF THE CHURCH, WE EXPECT PEOPLE WHO DON’T GO TO CHURCH TO UNDERSTAND THE SAME PRACTICES AND TERMINOLOGY. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN OUR WORLD TODAY.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD TODAY THAT IS RAPIDLY BECOMING ANTI-CHRISTIAN OR WORSE WITH NO OPINION ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AT ALL. THE ESSENTIAL CHALLENGE FOR THE CHURCH THEN, IS TO BECOME RELEVANT TO A WORLD THAT DOESN’T SEE IT’S NECESSITY. WHILE WE CANNOT COMPROMISE OUR PRINCIPLES AND BELIEFS, TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY, THAT THEY WILL SEE THE PRESENCE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IN THEIR LIVES, AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONANT TO LIVING.
IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE MUST LOOK AT THE CHURCH OF THE 21ST CENTURY AND DETERMINE IF WE ARE MEETING THE GOAL OF RELEVANCY. WHILE WE COULD LOOK AT SEVERAL PASSAGES THAT SPEAK ABOUT THE CHURCH, I BELIEVE THAT THIS PASSAGE FOCUSES IN ON THAT VERY QUESTION.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:
THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS PASSAGE IS QUITE CLEAR. JESUS IS IN THE MIDST OF HIS TEACHING MINISTRY, JUST BEGINNING TO TEACH THE DISCIPLES ABOUT HIS DEATH, AND THE NEED FOR THEIR FAITH TO REMAIN STRONG.
HE CALLS HIS DISCIPLES TOGETHER AND ASKS THEM TWO VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT WHO DO PEOPLE BELIEVE HIM TO BE, AND A MORE PERSONAL QUESTION AS TO WHO THE DISCIPLES THOUGHT HIM TO BE.
ON THE SURFACE YOU MAY THINK THAT THESE QUESTIONS WOULD BE A NO-BRAINER TO ANSWER. THEY THINK YOU’RE JESUS AND SO DO WE. BUT THE QUESTION IS NOT ABOUT THE INDENTIY OF THE PERSON JESUS. IT IS ABOUT THE IDENTIY OF THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH. IF THE DISCIPLES DIDN’T BELIEVE THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST, THEN WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO LEAD ANYONE ELSE TO BELIEVE?
WE ARE FACED WITH THAT SAME QUESTION IN VARIOUS WAYS IN OUR MODERN WORLD. WE ARE BEGINNING A SEASON OF THE YEAR, THAT LEADS US INTO THAT VERY QUESTION. MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO DIFFICULTY BELIEVING THAT JESUS WAS BORN. HISTORICAL RECORDS PROVE THAT AS A FACT. THE WORLD ON DECEMBER 25TH WILL CELEBRATE JESUS’ BIRTH. NEWS STORIES WILL PROCLAIM IT, SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND MOVIES WILL DRAMATIZE THE EVENTS. THERE WILL BE NO TROUBLE BELIEVING THAT JESUS WAS BORN.
BUT DO PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST? HOW DO WE ANSWER JESUS’ FIRST QUESTION, “WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT THE SON OF MAN IS?” TO SAY HE IS JESUS IS ONE THING, TO SAY HE IS THE CHRIST IS ANOTHER, FOR THIS IS TO SAY HE’S THE MESSIAH, AND NOT ALL ARE READY TO DO THAT.
THAT IS WHY JESUS ASKED PETER THE SECOND QUESTION, “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?”
JESUS WAS LOOKING FOR WHAT THE LEADER BELIEVED, WHAT THE LEADER STOOD FOR. THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD IS LOOKING FOR TODAY. IT WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE CHURCH STANDS FOR TODAY. IF THE CHURCH BACKS UP ITS STAND WITH ACTION, THEN IT’S REPUTATION WILL BE SOLID, AND IT WILL GROW.
LET’S LOOK FOR A FEW MOMENTS AT THE CHURCH THAT JESUS WANTS TO SEE GROW.
POINT ONE: IT IS A CHURCH THAT IS SEEKING TO BE RELEVANT
JESUS’ FIRST QUESTION IN VERSE 13 POINTS US TO THAT. HE ASKS THE DISCIPLES WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM? HE STARTS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, NOT AMONGST HIS GROUP. IF WE WERE TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION NOW, WE TOO WOULD GET A VARIETY OF ANSWERS.
YOU SEE IF WE CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION, THEN WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A FEW FACTS:
1. WE ARE OUT AMONG THE PEOPLE
2. WE ARE HEARING WHAT THEY ARE DESIRING AND SEARCHING FOR. WHEN THE PEOPLE ANSWE4RED SOME SAY JOHN THE BAPTIST, ARE THEY NOT ALSO TELLING WHAT THEY ARE DESIRING.
3. IT GIVES THE CHURCH A STARTING PLACE TO BUILD MINISTRIES TO MEET THE PEOPLES NEEDS AND TO DISCONTINUE MINISTRIES THAT NO LONGER SERVE A PURPOSE. REMEMBER WHILE THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH CAN NEVER CHANGE, HOW IT PRESENTS THE MESSAGE ALWAYS CHANGES.
POINT TWO: IT IS A PERSONAL CHURCH
JESUS’ SECOND QUESTION IS A PERSONAL QUESTION, “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” HE IS NOT ASKING THIS OF THE DISCIPLES, ALTHOUGH ALL THE DISCIPLES PROBABLY HEARD IT. HE IS ASKING IT OF ONE.
YOU AND I NEED FACE THE CHALLENGE OF SELF-EVALUTATION IN THE CHURCH THAT GOD WILL BLESS. WE MUST CONSTANTLY SELF-EVALUATE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, TO MAKE SURE THAT SPIRITUALLY WE ARE IN GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.
WE MUST SELF-EVALUATE OUR ROLE AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CHURCH. IS THERE A PARTICULAR NEED THAT WE FEEL WE CAN HELP WITH? DO NOT JUST ACT ON OUR OWN IMPRESSIONS OR DESIRES ASK OTHERS IF THEY FEEL THAT WE CAN FILL THAT NEED? DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO ENHANCE THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH? ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION, DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE CHURCH SEEM ATTRACTIVE TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T GO TO CHURCH AND DOES NOT HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
WE HAVE TO SELF-EVALUATE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT OUR LIVES IS THE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO SEE PEOPLE COME TO FAITH.
POINT THREE: THE CHURCH GOD BLESSES IS A COMMITTED CHURCH:
WHEN SIMON PETER ANSWERS, HE DOES SO SPECIFICALLY, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” WHILE WE DO NOT HEAR FROM THE OTHERS PERSONALLY, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO ASSUME THAT THEY ALL AT THIS POINT AGREED WITH THIS ANSWER.
THERE IS A GREAT ELEMENT OF PERSONAL COMMITMENT IN THIS ANSWER, AND THIS ELEMENT OF COMMITMENT IS NEEDED IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, AND TO OUR CHURCH.
THE WORLD WATCHES WHAT WE DO. THEY SEE WHAT WE CHERISH AND WHAT WE RESPECT. THEY DO THE SAME THING WITH THE CHURCH.
IF WE ARE NOT FAITHFUL TO THE ATTENDANCE OF OUR LOCAL CHURCH IT IS NOTICED. IF WE CHURCH HOP GOING FROM ONE CHURCH TO ANOTHER, OR FROM ONE BAPTIST CHURCH TO ANOTHER IT IS NOTICED.
MALACHI SPEAKS OF THIS COMMITMENT TO THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY IN CHAPTER 3:8-13
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A HOME. THEY WANT A CHURCH HOME. THEY DESIRE A CHURCH HOME THEY CAN BE PROUD OF. ONE WHERE PEOPLE WILL KNOW THEY ARE CHRISTIANS BY THEIR LOVE TO EACH OTHER AND THE WORLD.
POINT FOUR: THE CHURCH GOD BLESSES IS A HOLY CHURCH:
NOT ALL CHURCHES ARE HOLY ASSEMBLIES. SOME CHURCHES ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT FILLING THEIR PEWS THAT THEY COMPROMISE THEIR BELIEFS TO DO SO. THE CHURCH AT LAODOCEA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS.
THE CHURCH THAT GOD WILL BLESS WILL BE A HOLY CHURCH. THIS IS THE CHURCH WHAT WILL STAND FOREVER, BECAUSE IT IS BUILT ON THE ROCK THAT SHALL NOT BE MOVED. IT IS THE CHURCH THAT WILL STAY TRUE TO SCRIPTURE, EVEN IF IT IS SEEN BY THE WORLD AS
CLOSE-MINDED.
THIS IS THE CHURCH THAT GOD WILL SPEAK TO AND FELLOWSHIP WITH. THIS IS THE CHURCH THAT WILL HAVE THE CERTAINTY OF ITS BELIEFS. AS GOD REVEALED THIS ANSWER TO PETER, SO TOO WILL HE REVEAL, THE KIND OF SUPERNATURAL LOVE AND PEACE THAT CANNOT HELP BUT DRAW PEOPLE INTO THE KINGDOM. IT IS THE JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY, IT IS THE AMAZING LOVE OF GOD. IT IS THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.
POINT FIVE: IT IS A VICTORIOUS CHURCH
AND THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.
I’VE READ THE BACK OF THE BOOK AND WE WIN.
CONCLUSION: THE CHALLENGE OF THE CHURCH THEN IS THIS
THE CHALLENGE IS FOUND IN VERSE 19.
WHATEVER IS BOUND ON EARTH IS BOUND IN HEAVEN
WHATEVER IS LOOSED ON EARTH IS LOOSED IN HEAVEN
LET US SET OUR MINDS AND HEARTS TO BE THE CHURCH THAT GOD WILL BLESS AND RISE TO THE CHALLENGE TODAY.
