What Should the Church Be in 2013?
Ephesians 5:25b-27
Before answering the question, “What should the church be in 2013”, it would do us good to define what we mean by the term “the church”. Some would define church as a denomination – the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Nazarene Church, etc. The church is also used to mean the whole body of professed Christian religious tradition through history. Still others when talking about the church refer to the church as the building where congregations meet and carry out religious activities. However, when the Bible speaks of the church, it is not speaking of buildings, denominations, or some universal body. Rather it is speaking of the local called-out Body of Christ that has united together as the Family of God to worship and to obey His commands. The bottom line is the church is you and I. The question is, therefore, “What should we be in 2013?”
I. The Church should be a Holy Body
A. Ephesians 5:27 “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish”
B. The church is called to be a lighthouse piercing the darkness of the world with truth and holiness.
C. A pillar of Truth –
1. 1 Timothy 3:15 “That you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and basement of the Truth.”
2. “Our Lord never taught us to hide the Gospel in little rooms down back alleys—He would have us come to the front as much as we can! The Church is not a cellar to conceal the Truth of God, but a pillar to display it!” – Spurgeon, What The Church Should Be No.1436
3. “Every Christian church should know what it believes, and publicly avow what it maintains. It is our duty to make a clear and distinct declaration of our principles, that our members may know to what intent they have come together, and that the world also may know what we mean.” – Spurgeon, The Church As She Should Be, No. 984
D. A Pure Beam of Light lending credibility to the Truth we hold and preach
E. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
1. The church should be the mirror reflection of Jesus, His love, words, and deeds. The church should be a family of believers, who in individually and as a body not only teach but live the words of Jesus Christ.
2. D. L. Moody once said “A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine.”
F. 1 Peter 1;15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy”
G. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman had this which he called "My rule for Christian living": "The rule that governs my life is this: anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it." This simple rule may help you find a safe road for your feet along life’s road.—Watchman-Examiner.
II. The Church should be a Loving Body
A. 1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”
B. Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue”
C. ’Our churches are filled with people who outwardly look contented and at peace but inwardly are crying out for someone to love them...just as they are - confused, frustrated, often frightened, guilty, and often unable to communicate even within their own families. But the other people in the church look so happy and contented that one seldom has the courage to admit his own deep needs before such a self-sufficient group as the average church meeting appears to be.’ [Keith Miller, The Taste of New Wine, Waco: Texas, 1965, p.22]
D. People are looking for acceptance and love. They are looking for genuine family. The question is “Are we going to be that family –where we are accepted with our faults, failures, and sins – the family God expects the church to be?
E. 1 Corinthians 12:20-26 “But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 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.”
F. Someone has said “The church should be a loving family — a circle of friends — a company of equals.”
III. The Church should be a Serving Body
A. Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
B. “The church is crippled if people do not serve. You can shut down this church by deciding to do nothing – How can any ministry operate if no one serves? The opposite is also true – when all the parts of the body operate together, the church grows and becomes healthy.” - adapted
C. Ephesians 4:11, 16 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ… from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
D. We are all saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our church’s most valuable members, Someone Else. Someone’s passing created a vacancy that will be difficult to be. Else has been with us for many years, and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person’s share of the work. Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results: Someone Else can work with that group." Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone’s list- Someone Else. "Let Someone Else do it" was a common refrain heard throughout the church. It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the largest givers in the church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference. Someone Else was a wonderful person, sometimes appearing superhuman; but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do. Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did? Remember-we can’t depend on Someone Else anymore! - From email Illustration List
E. 1 Peter 4:10 (ESV) “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”
F. Serve according to your S. H. A. P. E.
1. S - Spiritual Gift
2. H - Heart
3. A - Ability
4. P - Personality
5. E -Experiences –Mike Laurence, Why Serving in the Church is Important
G. Philippians 2:1-4 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill you my joy, that you be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
H. Rick Warren notes the mark of spiritual maturity occurs when a believer “takes off the bib and puts on an apron.” Immature children wear bibs and expect others to meet their needs. Those who wear aprons have learned the joy of serving others. (Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author).
IV. The Church should be Growing Body
A. Growing Spiritually
1. 1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”
2. Rowland Hill once visited a home and saw a child riding a rocking-horse. After watching the little boy for some time, he wittily remarked, "He reminds me of some Christians. There is plenty of motion but no progress."—Gospel Herald.
3. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
4. It is God’s plan that every one of us should grow. It is not an optional matter. If we are Christians, God expects us to grow spiritually. If we do not grow spiritually, then we become stunted.
5. Plant a tree and it begins to grow; set a post and it begins to decay. Which are you, a tree or a post?—The Moody Bible Institute Monthly
B. Growing through new births
1. Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
2. One characteristic of growing churches “is that they take the great commission of Jesus Christ seriously. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commissioned his disciples to go out into the world and share the message of Jesus Christ with everyone from every tribe and nation. Nearly every church gives lip service to this concept, but growing churches live it out every day. They get out and love on people even if those people reject them and the message of Jesus.” - copied
3. What keeps us from evangelizing? We fear rejection - 1 in 25 repent and believe. It takes 24 no’s to get a YES. But all 25 are important and we shouldn’t take it personally. Look at the rejection Jesus faced. He didn’t give up and neither should we. (Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author).
4. Acts 2:46-48 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
Conclusion: In the coming year are we going to be the church we should be...a Holy Body...a Loving Body...a Serving Body...a Growing Body? We can only be such if each part of the Body of Christ does his or her part. What will you do?
