THE CHURCH JESUS IS BUILDING
COLOSSIANS 1:24-29
JANUARY 13, 2019
TODAY I WANT TO BEGIN A SERIES OF MESSAGES ON THE CHURCH. I AM SURE IF I WERE TO ASK THE QUESTION “WHAT IS THE CHURCH?” THAT I WOULD GET A VARIETY OF ANSWERS. SOME WOULD SAY IT IS AN ORGANIZATION. OTHERS WOULD SAY IT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN-AGAIN WHO MAKE UP THE CHURCH. OTHERS WOULD SAY IT IS THE BUILDING.
I BELIEVE THAT IT IS MADE UP OF ALL THESE THINGS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS BUILDING, WHICH WE WANT TO BE A PART OF, IS SOMETHING MORE. I BELIEVE THAT JESUS ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH TO BE A LIVING ORGANISM, AND IF ALLOWED TO GROW PROPERLY WILL FOCUS ON ONE PARTICULAR TASK AND ACHIEVE ONE DESIRED RESULT.
IF WE USE A PREGNANT WOMAN AS AN EXAMPLE, THE BABY INSIDE HER IS A LIVING HUMAN ORGANISM. IT IS DEVELOPING AND GROWING ALL THROUGH THE PREGNANCY. WE WEILL FOCUS ON ONE THING DURING THIS TIME AND THAT IS DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ALLOW THIS HUMAN BEING TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND DEVELOP AS HE OR SHE SHOULD, TO REACH THE DESIRED GOAL OF THE BIRTH OF A BEAUTIFUL BABY.
THE SAME CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE CHURCH. CHURCHS ARE ESTABLISHED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SOMETIMES IT IS A MISSIONARY EFFORT WHERE A PERSON GOES INTO AN UNCHURCHED AREA AND ATTEMPTS TO SET UP A WORK THERE. OTHERS ARE ESTABLISHED AS SATELLITE OR SISTER CHURCHS, WHERE A CONGREGATION WILL ASK A NUMBER OF FAMILIES TO MEET IN A DIFFERENT AREA AND ESTABLISH A CHURCH THERE.
THE GOAL THOUGH IS THE SAME AS FOR THAT OF THE PREGNANT MOTHER, AND THAT IS TO FOCUS ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH INTO A MATURE BODY OF BELIEVERS.
IN SOME WAYS IT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. IN THAT PARABLE THE SOWER SOWS SEED THAT FALLS ONTO FOUR TYPES OF SOIL, SOME FELL WHERE THE GROUND WAS HARD AND IT COULD NOT TAKE ROOT, SOME FELL ON ROCKY GROUND AND THERE WAS NO WATER, SOME FELL AMONG THORNS AND WERE CHOKED OUT, SOME SEED FELL ON GOOD PROPERLY PREPARED GROUND AND THE SEED GREW AND PRODUCED A VALUABLE CROP
MANY CHURCHS ARE PLANTED AND WILL NOT SURVIVE FOR VARIOUS REASONS AS THE FIRST THREE TYPES OF SEEDS SUGGEST. SO WE MUST FOCUS ON THE FOURTH GROUP AND REALIZE THAT THE CHURCH THAT WILL SUCCEED IS A CHURCH THAT IS PROPERLY PREPARED BEFORE IT IS FOUNDED, IS CULTIVATED AS IT GROWS, AND WILL PRODUCE A HARVEST OF SOULS AS A RESULT.
THE GREAT QUESTION FOR US TO FOCUS ON IS HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN, MORE SPECIFICALLY HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN FOR FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON? MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE CHURCH IN ATLANTIC CANADA, WHICH INCLUDES THE CHURCH IN CAMPBELLTON, IS IN A CRISIS OF GROWTH, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THIS MAY BE A DIFFICULT SERIES TO LISTEN TO AND TO PRESENT, BUT JUST BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRY. WE ARE NOT OSTRICHES WHO HIDE OUR HEADS IN THE SAND IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTY AND BELIEVE THAT SINCE WE CANNOT SEE IT THAT IT IS NOT THERE.
I READ OF A PASTOR, WHO HAD TO GIVE A PARTICULARLY HARD MESSAGE, AND USED A PEANUT TO ILLUSTRATE SEVERAL POINTS ABOUT THE WISDOM OF GOD IN CREATION. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERVICE ONE OF THE MEMBERS GREETED HIM AT THE DOOR SAYING, “VERY INTERESTING PASTOR. I NEVER EXPECTED TO LEARN SO MUCH FROM A NUT.”
YOU DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS AFTER WE FINISH TODAY, BUT FOR NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE CHURCH JESUS IS BUILDING.
THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT FACTS THAT WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS BUILDING.
FIRST: THE PREPARATION OF THE GROUND FOR PLANTING IS FOUND IN JESUS. MATTHEW RECORDS JESUS AND PETER SPEAKING AND IN ANSWER TO PETER JESUS STATES:
MATTHEW 16:18: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
THE IMPORTANT PHRASE IN THIS VERSE IS “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”. IT IS A STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP. THE CHURCH BELONGS TO CHRIST. BUILDINGS WILL COME AND GO AS WILL CONGREGATIONS. WE ARE HERE BUT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN OTHERS WILL FILL OUR SEATS OR THE SEATS WILL BE GONE. THE CHURCH THOUGH, THAT LIVING BREATHING ORGANISM WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG BECAUSE JESUS, NOT MAN IS IT’S HEAD.
COLOSSIANS 1:17-18:
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
JESUS SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS ON EARTH AS A CARPENTER, BUILDING HOMES AND FURNITURE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE SPENT MUCH TIME LEARNING THE TRADE FROM JOSEPH. I WATCH A NUMBER OF HOME IMPROVEMENT SHOWS ON T.V. AND I THINK THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO COULD BE INTERESTING AT TIMES. CAN’T YOU HEAR JOSEPH SAYING, “YES JESUS, I KNOW YOU CREATED THE WOOD, BUT IN THIS SHOP I HAVE THE LAST WORD ON HOW IT IS USED!”
LATER HE WOULD LEAVE THE CARPENTER’S SHOP, AND BEGIN BUILDING WHAT WE WOULD COME TO CALL THE CHURCH. HE WOULD GIVE HIS LIFE FOR IT, ONLY TO COME BACK AS THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER IT AS HE DOES TODAY.
CHURCHS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL WILL REALIZE THAT THEY ARE SERVANTS AND NOT OWNERS. THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST BE SUBMISSIVE TO THE LEADING OF THE WILL OF GOD IN ALL THINGS. CHURCH IS NOT ABOUT OUR PLEASURE OR WHAT MAKES US FEEL GOOD, IT IS ABOUT RECEIVING A WORD FROM THE LORD. IT IS ABOUT OUR LIVES BEING MOLDED AND SHAPED BY THE MASTER CARPENTER AND REALIZING THAT WE WILL NOT BE THE SAME LEAVING THE CHURCH AS WHEN WE CAME IN.
SECOND: THE CHURCH IS MADE UP OF GOD’S CALLED OUT BORN-AGAIN PEOPLE. THE GREEK TERM FOR CHURCH IS “EKKLESIA” AND REFERS TO A CALLED OUT GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM AMONG ALL THE CITIZENS.
BORN-AGAIN PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL, AND REALIZE THAT THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST TO A LOST WORLD. THEY WILL RECOGNIZE EVERY WORD OF THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD FOR HUMANITY, TEACHING US HOW TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD AND GUIDING US SAFELY HOME TO BE WITH HIM.
2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
BY FOLLOWING THE BIBLE, DILIGENTLY STUDYING IT IN FULL CONTEXT WE AS SERVANTS OF GOD WILL BE EQUIPPED TO COMPLETE THE MOST EXCELLENT WORK OF BEING JESUS’ INSTRUMENTS TO BUILD HIS CHURCH. SCRIPTURE IS THE STANDARD THAT WE FOLLOW AND IF WE DON’T THEN WE ARE MERELY A SOCIAL CLUB.
HISTORY OF THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH:
THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL AND TIMOTHY TO THE “CALLED OUT” ONES IN COLOSSAE. THEY WERE FAITHFUL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST (COLOSSIANS 1:1-2). THIS THEN IS A LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS IN COLOSSAE, THOSE WHO WANT TO BUILD THE CHURCH BY SHARING THE GOSPEL.
THE CHURCH WAS FOUNDED BY EPAPHRAS WHO ALSO ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH AT LAODECIA. PAUL DISCIPLED EPAPHRAS AND SENT HIM OUT SO THAT BOTH WERE BUILDING THE KINGDOM.
THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH HAD WITHIN IT A GROUP OF FALSE TEACHERS WHO BELIEVED THAT THE CHURCH SHOULD BE MORE EXCLUSIVE, USING PEOPLE WHO HAD CERTAIN GIFTS OR KNOWLEDGE AND TO CARRY OUT CERTAIN RELIGIOUS RITUALS OR TRADITIONS. IT WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD CALL LEGALISM. PAUL WROTE THE LETTER TO REFUTE THIS TEACHING.
IN V. 25 PAUL SAYS THAT HE WAS “COMMISSIONED”, OR IN THE GREEK “OIKNOOMIA”, WHICH MEANS THAT HE WAS GIVEN A SPECIAL TASK OR SENT TO BE A STEWARD OF SOMEONE’ELSES POSSESSION. IT IS A COMMISSION THAT ALL BORN-AGAIN PEOPLE SHARE. WE HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO SHARE AS PAUL PUTS IT “THE MYSTERY THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FROM THEM FOR AGES. THAT MYSTERY IS “CHRIST IN YOU – THE HOPE OF GLORY.”
IT IS HERE THAT WE FIND THE TRUE MISSION OF THE CHURCH. THE TRUE MISSION OF THE CHURCH, THE TOTAL FOCUS OF THE CHURCH MUST BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL. IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL WE FIND THE SOLUTION TO ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN THIS WORLD.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 12:32:
JOHN 12:32: 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
THE ANSWERS TO THE ISSUES OF THE WORLD IS FOUND IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
1. PEOPLE WANT TO BE ACCEPTED AS THEY ARE, COME TO CHRIST TO FIND ACCEPTANCE. JESUS SAID:
MATTHEW 11:18-20:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
2. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THEY HAVE VALUE, THAT THEIR LIVES ARE NOT WASTED. GOD SAID:
JEREMIAH 31:3: The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
HOW MANY TIMES HAS ISRAEL, GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, TURNED THEIR BACKS ON HIM, AND TO EACH TIME HE FORGAVE THEM. IT WAS HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WHO SCREAMED FOR THE CRUCIFIXION OF HIS SON, TO WHOM JESUS SAID “I FORGAVE YOU.”
WE WILL ALWAYS FIND OUR TRUE VALUE WHEN WE HEAR THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED TO US IN IT’S FULLNESS
JOHN 3:16-17:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
WE ARE TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL FROM THE PULPIT AND THE PEW. TO HELP PEOPLE REALIZE THAT GOD LOVES THEM JUST AS THEY ARE.
WE ARE ALL SINNERS IN THE EYES OF GOD. WE ARE ALL BOUND FOR A LOST ETERNITY. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE THE NATURE OR DEGREE OF SIN. A MURDERER WILL FACE THE SAME HELL AS AN ADULTERER OR A GOSSIPER.
WHEN WE ACCEPT CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, WE WILL MAKE US INTO NEW CREATIONS AND WILL WORK INTO OUR LIVES WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM. WE WILL READ SCRIPTURE AND KNOW THE CHANGES WE MUST MAKE IN OUR LIVES AND BECAUSE WE LOVE CHRIST WE WILL MAKE THEM.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:16-17:
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
WHEN WE REGARD PEOPLE WITH A WORLDLY POINT OF VIEW WE TRY TO RANK SINFULNESS. MURDER IS GREATER THAN STEALING, GOSSIP IS NOT AS BAD AS BEING A DRUNK. WE WANT TO LIGITIMIZE SIN BECAUSE IT IS LAWFUL IN THIS WORLD, SO WE SAY IT’S OKAY TO LIVE COMMON LAW, OR TO LIVE TOGETHER BEFORE MARRIAGE. THIS IS ALL FROM A WORLDLY POINT OF VIEW.
WHEN BORN-AGAIN PEOPLE THE NEW CREATION STUDY THE WORD, REALIZE WHAT GOD WANTS THEM TO DO, THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO PREACH ON THESE ISSUES, FOR THEY WILL NATURALLY WANT TO PLEASE GOD.
THE FOCUS OF THE CHURCH THEN IS TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL AS IT WAS IN COLOSSAE. THEN THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER WILL CHANGE HIS LIVE IN SUBMISSION TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST.
I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH THE WORDS OF CHRIST IN JOHN 17. THIS IS HIS HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER IN WHICH ONE OF THE THINGS HE PRAYS FOR IS THE CHURCH. HE IDENTIFIES FOUR THINGS WHICH WILL HAPPEN IN THE CHURCH WHEN WE PREACH THE GOSPEL.
1. IT WILL REVEAL THE GLORY OF JESUS. IN HIS PRAYER THE WORDS “GLORY” OR “GLORIFY” APPEAR OVER 7 TIMES. THE CHURCH IS CALLED ON TO REVEAL THE GLORY OF JESUS. GOD’S GLORY IS SEEN IN THE CHURCH WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WHEN WE LOVE AND WROSHIP TOGETHER.
ACTS 2:42-43:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
EVERYONE WAS FILLED WITH AWE AT THE THINGS DONE BY THE APOSTLES. THE TESTIMONY OF GHE CHURCH REVEALING THE GLORY OF CHRIST WILL DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST.
2. TO PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD. THE WORD OF GOD MUST BE THE CENTRAL FOCUS OF GOD’S PEOPLE. IT IS HERE THAT WE FIND THE GOSPEL PRESENTED.
JOHN 17:14: I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE TRUTH AND IS AUTHORITATIVE. JESUS IN HIS PRAYER ANTICIPATES HIS WORD BEING RECEIVED LIVED OUT AND PROCLAIMED BY THE CHURCH.
3. THAT THE CHURCH WOULD BE FILLED WITH THE JOY OF GOD. AT ONE POINT JESUS SPOKE OF HIS PURPOSE IN TEACHING THE DISCIPLES AS:
JOHN 15:11: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
JESUS WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE BATHED IN SACRED, HOLY, PURE JOY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT BECOMES A MAGNET TO THE WORLD OUTSIDE. THEY WILL WANT TO BECOME A PART OF THE JOYFUL PEOPLE OF GOD.
4. THAT THE CHURCH WOULD LIVE UNITED IN GOD’S LOVE. IN JOHN 17 JESUS PRAYED 4 TIMES THAT HIS DISCIPLES WOULD BE UNITED PERFECTLY IN LOVE. THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE:
JOHN 13:35: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT, THROUGH THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST, ALL THE BARRIERS ARE DOWN. WE HAVE ACCESS INTO GOD’S PRESENCE, AND WE ARE ALL ONE IN JESUS. THERE ARE NO MORE WALLS OF HOSTILITY – EXCEPT THOSE OF OUR OWN MAKING.
CONCLUSION:
IN VERSE 29 PAUL SAYS THAT HE STRENOUSLY CONTENDS FOR THE GOSPEL. THE GREEK WORD HERE IS “KOPIAO”. IT IS AN ATHELETIC TERM WHICH MEANS TO WORK OR TRAIN TO THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION.
1 CORINTHIANS 9:24: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
PAUL IS SAYING THAT HE GAVE EVERYTHING HE PHYSICALLY HAD TO HELP PEOPLE COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, TO GROW IN CHRIST, AND TO SHOW CHRIST TO THE WORLD. HE DOES THIS NOT IN HIS OWN POWER BUT IN THE ENERGY OF CHRIST WHO WORKS IN HIM.
CAN WE SAY THAT TODAY ABOUT OUR CHURCH
