The Pictures of the People of God (Church)
"upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18)
INTRODUCTION: Jesus often spoke in parables or analogies in order to help us understand the ways of the Kingdom of God. When describing the Church he uses many “Pictures” that give a different “snapshot” of his purposes and plan. Most people see church as a “PLACE” instead of a part of God’s “PLAN”. When many think of church, they think of a place where they are:
HATCHED where someone throws water at them.
MATCHED where someone throws rice at them.
DISPATCHED where someone throws dirt at them.
The word “CHURCH” is found 77 times in the New Testament. It is described as:
1. A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE Mt. 13:45,46
“the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
> THIS DESCRIBES IT’S PRECIOUSNESS.
God valued the church above the life of his own son.
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;" (1 Pet 1:18)
2. A HOLY TEMPLE Eph 2:20-22
"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
> THIS DESCRIBES THE POWER OF THE CHURCH. God Empowers us by His presence.
3. A FLOCK OF SHEEP
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)
"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;" (1 Pet 5:2)
> THIS DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS OF THE CHURCH.
A. ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES PEOPLE INVOLVES PROBLEMS.
Failure is inevitable, fruit is optional.
The difference is whether we learn from our problems.
> A failure, within God's purpose, is no longer really a failure. Thus the cross, the supreme failure, is at the same time the supreme triumph of God, since it is the accomplishment of the purpose of salvation. Paul Tournier (1898-1986)
B. GOD APPOINTS PASTORS TO PROVIDE:
1) Protection “Take heed…to all the flock…” Acts 20:28-30; 1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7
2) Provision “Feed the Flock of God.” 1 Peter 5:2
3) Direction “Taking the oversight…” 1 Peter 5:2;
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Heb 13:7)
4. A FAMILY Eph 2:19; 3:15
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;…Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," (Eph 3:15)
> THIS DESCRIBES THE PRIVILEGE OF THE CHURCH.
A. OUR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM.
1) Adopted (Gal. 4:6) "that we might receive the adoption of sons."
2) Accepted (Eph. 1:6) " he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
3) Advanced (Rom 8:17) "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
B. OUR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM RELATES US TO EACH OTHER.
1) We become part of his family making us brothers and sisters.
Christ's love demands unity among His believers.
Example: The sequoia trees grow 300 feet tall with trunks of over 100 feet circumference. They have shallow roots. They must interlock to stand.
5. A BRIDE Eph. 5:22-32; Rev. 19:7
> THIS DESCRIBES THE PURITY OF THE CHURCH.
A. PURE 2 Cor 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
1) The Partnership of our Purity: 1 John 1:9; Rev 19:
a) Our Part: Confession “His wife hath made herself ready” Rev 19:7
b) God’s Part: Cleansing “to her was granted that she should be arrayed…” Rev. 19:8
B. SECURE Mal. 2:16 "For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away:“
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mat 19:6)
6. A BODY 1 Cor. 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
> THIS DESCRIBES THE PARTICIPATION OF THE CHURCH.
Each member is important. 1 Cor. 12:14-22
Each member affects the body: 1 Cor. 12:25,26 “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
7. A CANDLESTICK Rev. 1:20
"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
> THIS DESCRIBES THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." (Mat 5:14)
A. We can only fulfil this purpose when:
1) Christ stays in the Midst of the Church. Rev. 1:13
2) The Pastor’s stay in the Hand of Christ. Rev. 1:16
FAILURE
> A failure is not someone who has tried and failed; it is someone who has given up trying and resigned himself to failure; it is not a condition, but an attitude. Sydney J. Harris
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> Any man may make a mistake; none but a fool will persist in it. Cicero (106-43 B.C.)
> Our Father in heaven ... help us to see that it is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail. Peter Marshall (1902-1949)
UNITY
A beautiful little girl wandered out one cold day into the countryside of Canada. The family finally realized she was lost and started a search. Then they called the people of the community together. Each went his own way. It became dark and the cold of the Canadian winter settled down. After some time someone suggested the searchers join hands and cover the grass fields. But it was too late. They found the girl curled up, frozen in the cold. Then the shout went up, "If only we had joined hands before!" The spiritual meaning of this story is clear.
Stephen Brown explains that when a group of thoroughbred horses face attack, they stand in a circle facing each other and, with their back legs, kick out at the enemy. Donkeys do just the opposite; they face the enemy and kick each other!
How often the church does just that -- ignoring the real enemy while we attack fellow believers.
The pastor of a small southern church was on his way home when he met an acquaintance from town who was not a member of his church. After chatting a while the man asked how many members he had. The pastor responded, "Fifty active members." The friend said, "My, that certainly speaks well for you." But the preacher responded, "Well, I wouldn't say that. All fifty are active--but twenty-five are actively working for me and the other twenty-five are actively working against me!"
