AS THE CHURCH GOES, WE GO
In these days of the falling away from God, the church has taken a beating. Sin has not just crept into the church, but it has come on and attacked the church at full force.
Churches after churches are seeing their membership drop to an all-time low. We are now seeing where more people are not going to church than going to church, the first time in our history has that happened.
What seems to be growing are churches that have left the blueprint as to how God wanted the church set up.
Preachers and I use that term loosely here are preaching watered down sermons to church members who want to feel good about their lives.
Preachers are preaching this new style and that is called the “Name it and claim it” gospel. All that is, is the fooling people into thinking God is more interested in your wallet than your soul.
Preachers today are now preaching sermons that do not offend people. I remind you this morning what the Word of God says about this in Hebrews 4:12;
12 -For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
I am seeing less and less young men that are being called into the pulpits to preach the Word of God.
I’ll say this and it is not to puff me up or those that I look too as inspirations but if a church has a preacher that can stand in the pulpit and preach the Word of God , loud and clear and not being afraid if it offends anyone, but the sole purpose is to say what God has him to say…… you better count your blessing right now because it is getting rare to hear this happening today.
But what does the Bible say is a good church? What does God look at and see that that church is seeking his grace and lifting up His son Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of all this world.
What does it look like, what does it sound like, what does it do to make sure that they are not falling to the wayside into the ditches Satan has planted along the way.
Let’s take the time this morning to answer those questions?
I want us to center ourselves on four (4) things this morning concerning, preaching on this subject “AS THE CHURCH GOES, WE GO”
1. The Bible is preached faithfully from week to week.
If a church claims to believe and obey God, that church must be reading and teaching God's Word.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul writes,
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
In our pursuit of Christlikeness, what better resource is there to help us than God's own letter to us?
The Bible is trustworthy, and without it, we will be led astray.
Let me just say this, you can get a Bible but you may not be getting Gods Word. In the last 100 years more different Bibles have been printed that all the rest of history. You have so many different Bibles and different translation it will boggle you mind. Last count I knew about was over 900 different Bibles in English to read from.
We only need one, we just need to read and obey it and we have eliminated a lot of confusion in our life.
I believe in the KJV Bible it has been tried and trued for hundreds and hundreds of years. I am not saying that the KJV is the only Bible you can read, no…there are some out there that can really help you understand in depth what is being said. BUT BE CAREFUL, Satan has printed some of these Bible with the very intention of confusing those seeking the truth.
Who is NOT the author of confusion? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 14:33
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Then who is? You can read in John *:44, Jesus explains just who and what the devil does. But if God is not then there only leaves 1 other….yep, the wily old devil, who is a snake and an liar.
If the Word of God isn't being preached in the church, what is?
Are these churches listening to motivational speeches, practical how-to guides, or simply good stories?
These seemingly innocent things are poor counterfeits for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The real Gospel will stir our hearts to repentance and cultivate in us a desire to conform our lives to Christ.
If our church is exposing us to the Word every week, faithfully studying the text in its context and pursuing not just knowledge of God but a relationship with Him, we will likely leave each service with some level of conviction—a prodding of the Spirit to make changes in our lives to better emulate our Lord Jesus.
It's important to realize that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive to our sinful nature. I again refer you back to Hebrews 4:12
If we fail to wash ourselves regularly in Biblical Truth, we will become more open to the half-truths and compromises of Satan. When we forget the Word of God and water down the Gospel to accommodate our culture, we lead people away from God and false doctrines arise.
If the Bible isn't being preached, then it certainly isn't a priority. We as a church needs to love, cherishes, and takes seriously the living Word of God.
2. Jesus is at the center of worship.
Just as all of Scripture directs our attention to the Son of God, so also should the worship of the church.
When a church makes entertaining its members the priority of its services and activities, it encourages us to focus on what delights us rather than on what delights God.
By planning services made to please or even to make Christianity "look and feel cool," churches can unwittingly direct people to be me-focused instead of Christ-focused—even going so far as to compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is nothing wrong with executing services well.
In fact, we must, for as Colossians 3:23 says,
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
But the local church must keep at the forefront of all its pursuit of excellence in music, literature and preaching this purpose: is to glorify the Lord.
If we, as members, find ourselves enjoying the entertainment, rather than the focus of the presence and revelation of Jesus, we have missed the boat.
And if a church has become more focused on lifting up other things instead of lifting up the name of Christ, then that boat is far off course.
I remember back in the early to mid-80’s, it seemed every church was a member of some church softball league. Some churches had enough money to build their own fields, concession stands, lighted scoreboards.
I’m not against sports, I played sports my entire youth to early 20’s, but I never played for nay church teams, I wasn’t going to church to play softball or entertain myself through it either.
Let me tell you there was more cussing and screaming and even fighting there than those non church softball leagues.
Churches then were getting all these softballs leagues up to bring people to church. Oh, they may have come during the softball season but after the last game they were gone until the next year. Too be honest it just opened the doors for the riff-rafts to come tumbling in and infect those around them. It happened church and I saw it before my eyes.
Jesus wasn’t the center of that at all, I think maybe the devil turned his head away with some of the things they were doing all in the name of a church and of Jesus.
3. Fellowship, community, and discipleship are priorities.
One of the most striking characteristics of the early church was its emphasis on fellowship and community:
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer"
(Acts 2:42)
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
They also didn't just worship and learn together; they lived in communion with one another—they "were together and had everything in common. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved"
(Acts 2:44, 46-47).
44 And all that believed were together and had all things common.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved
We were not intended to face the trials and temptations of the Christian life on our own.
Rather, we are called to "carry each other's burdens" In Galatians 6:2,
Galatians 6:2
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
In Matthew 28:19, we are to raise up new believers in the faith
Matthew 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Like the early church, we are called to invest in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by committing to real relationships with one another.
If a church is following Scripture's guidance, there will be natural focus on Christ-centered fellowship, community, and prayer.
Don't settle for shallow relationships; instead, pursue opportunities for deep fellowship and communion with your brothers and sisters in Christ so that as you together walk by the Spirit, you grow to become more like Jesus.
4. There's an active effort to share the Gospel with others, near and far.
Jesus' final parting commandment to the disciples was spoken in Mark 16:15
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He wants us to share the Good News of His death and resurrection with everyone who will listen.
If a church has no focus on missions and evangelism, it would be appropriate to question the ministry's goals and purposes.
Proclaiming the goodness and glory of God is just following what Jesus ask us to do.
Remember, though, that every church's outreach won't look the same.
As Jesus laid out for us in Acts 1:8,
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
a healthy church's outreach will begin with the geographical areas surrounding the church ("Jerusalem"), community move out farther through the congregation's spheres of influence ("Judea , town and then Samaria, country), and then to the (Nations) "the ends of the earth"—whether by planting churches or supporting missionaries.
The church is seeking to fulfill Christ's great commission, a passion to reach the lost for Christ must be evident.
Without that desire to reach out to the lost then that church just wants to be a private membership club and only allows certain people in.
IN CLOSING
The Church, it is the bride for Jesus, his bride at the wedding.
Jesus also told Peter in Matthew 16:18
18 -And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
One day, one day soon, Jesus is coming back for his bride, I want to be ready for that marriage ceremony. I do not ever wish to disappoint the Lord when he comes back for us.
It’s up to you, it’s up to me, it’s up to everyone that calls this church their place of Sunday worship to never be a church that fails to stand up for God, preach the Gospel of Christ and to help those that need help.
We have traveled to long and too far to just give it up, to allow this church to said that it no longer preaches the Word of God, it no longer stands upon the Word of God but it is now just a building that entertain people and has ridden itself of that religious people who stood and prayed for God to send forth his grace and mercy upon all that will accept it.
You know your heart, you know what this church means to you, is it worth you to stand guard against those wishing to turn it into a building that no longer allows Jesus too sweep through it with the coolness of the Holy Spirit.
I’ll tell you this, I am going to stand in this pulpit and give you everything that God has given me, I will not bow down nor will I water down the sermons God lays on my heart.
I am going to preach it hard and loud and long and from the Bible….and trust me some churches would then ask me to leave, but I pray I will never fall prey to ways of evil and apostasy that is running rampant not only in this country but in the world.
I ask you, where do you stand this morning?
