The purpose of my address tonight, is to ask and answer several important
questions. When an assembly of believers engage in celebrating an
anniversary, it provides us with a perfect opportunity to ask ourselves
the following necessary questions, namely, "Why does Waterford Gospel
Church exist? For what purpose does it function?" In seeking to answer
this question, it will enable us to re-focus on the true purpose of the
Church in general, and then apply that truth to our church in particular.
Someone has noted,
Many Churches are like a Canary in a cage,
there is much activity, but little progress
Illustrate - Bears in America's National Parks
I am told that as you drive through some of America's National parks, you
are constantly reminded by numerous sings, "Don't feed the bears!".
However, every year, more and more bears are seen wondering along the
roadside, or rummaging through the parking lots, looking for easy food.
Why do they do this? Because they have lost the purpose of their
existence. They were created to hunt for food in the depths of the forest,
not on the side of the road!
Three Reason For Our Existence
Allow me to suggest to you three reasons why I believe Waterford Gospel
Church plays a significant and vital role in this community, in which God
has placed us;
1. Our Mandate/Orders
We have been called to be ambassadors of Christ to a world that is lost.
We are His official representatives to the world that is Godless,
Christless and Hopeless!
It is encapsulated in the word's of the Lord Jesus; This is not an OPTION,
this is an OBLIGATION!
The Lord Jesus highlights our MANDATE in Mark 16:15;
Go into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature
A. The Expectation/Anticipation of the Mandate - ‘Go into all the
world...'
Some refer to this as the GREAT COMMISSION, others have referred to it as
the GREAT OMISSION!
Or as Wuest puts it,
Having proceeded into all the world
In Matthew 28:19;
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.....
This text, known to many as the great Commission, more accurately reads,
Going therefore, make disciples of all nations
or
As you are going, make disciples of all nations
or
Having gone on your way, make disciples of all nations
B. The Proclamation within the Mandate - ‘And preach the Gospel...'
Wuest again translates it like this;
Having proceeded into all the world make a public
proclamation of the good news to the whole creation
C. The Dimensions of the Mandate - ‘to every creature'
It was Wesley who said,
The whole world is my parish
2. Our Mission - Fourfold
A. To EXALT the Savior
The overarching purpose of our mission is not that our church would be
known; it is not that we might receive the applause of men. Our primary
motivation in all our ministry activity is that we might receive the
approval of God by exalting and glorifying the Saviour!
The Apostle Paul put it like this, in Colossians 1:18;
That in ALL things He may have the preeminence
The Greek word translated PREEMINENCE, is the word PROTEUO (PROTE-YOO-O),
meaning to be first, to hold the first place.
The Amplified Version puts it like this,
That He alone in everything and in every respect,
might occupy the chief place.....
It was this top priority that motivated Elijah to pray again in 1 Kings
18 - James 5:18 ‘And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and
the earth brought forth her fruit'.
The ground was parched and dry, the crops were failing, the prospect of
famine and disease were immanent. However, this wasn't his primary
motivation. The need alone did not drive him. He was driven by a sense of
the Glory of God - God's glory was at stake, this is what motivated him.
Illustrate - Young man going to China. A skeptic said to him, ‘I
suppose your going to China to convert the hearten!' To which the young
missionary responded, No! I'm going to China for the glory of God!'
B. To EXPOUND the Scriptures
Paul's word to Timothy was clear, 2 Tim 4:2;
Preach the Word, be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching
And again he reminds Timothy, back in 2 Tim 2:15;
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,
a worker who does not need to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth
The phrase RIGHTLY DIVIDING, in the Greek literally means ‘To Cut a
Straight Line'; ‘To Hold a Straight Coarse';'To Handle the Word
Correctly and Directly'. It is the picture of a farmer ploughing a staring
furrow; A builder laying a straight row of bricks. Paul was a tent maker
and may be referring to the precision that is required in cutting the
material for making the tent. It is done with accuracy and precision.
C. To EQUIP the Saints
Paul declares in Eph 4:12;
For the equipping of the saints for the work of the
ministry; for the edifying of the body of Christ
Note the word EQUIPPING, it is the Greek word KATARTISMOS
(KAT-AR-TIS-MOS). It is a word that was often used as a medical term, for
the setting of bones. The idea of restoring, putting in order, fitting,
repairing, is expressed in this word EQUIPPING/PERFECTING.
Warren Weirsbie commenting says;
The saints do not call a pastor and pay him to do the work.
They call him and follow his leadership as he, through the Word,
equips them to do the job (2 Tim 3:13-17)
D. To EVANGELIZE the Sinner
We have not been called to entertain, we have been called to evangelize
the world!
The founder of the F.M, John G. Govan said,
If the faith mission ceases to be a soul saving agency
it does not deserve to exist!
Definition - J.I Packer has a helpful definition, he says ,
Evangelizing is not simply a matter of teaching, and instructing,
and imparting information to the mind. There is more to it than that.
Evangelism includes the endeavor to elicit a response to the truth taught.
It is communication with a view to conversion. It is a matter of not
merely
informing, but inviting.
Illustrate - Gandhi
Gandhi reportedly made this statement while speaking to a Christian;
If I believed your Christ is all you say He is,
My eyes would not close in sleep till everyone in India had heard!
3. Our Motivation
Someone has said,
The Church is the only institution on earth that
exists for the benefit of it's non members
A. The Condition of Man Requires it
Contrary to public opinion, man's greatest need is not economical, or
social, or geographical - Man's greatest need is SPIRITUAL!
Focus on the Family's magazine ‘Plugged In' carries the following
news,
In B.C, a Supreme Court ruling now allows anyone in B.C to legally possess
child pornography. In an outrageous ruling, the court said it found, "No
evidence that demonstrates a significant increase in the danger to
children caused by pornography." A sad day for Canada!
The same magazine carried another article in it's June, 15th 1998 edition,
when it did a story of Marilyn Manson.
"Reports out of Edinburgh, PA, have revealed that Andrew Worst, the
teenager who gunned down a teacher at an 8th grade dance on April 24th, is
an avid Manson devotee. In fact classmates had nicked named Worst
‘Satan' ."
Our motivation is summed up in the motivation of our Savior, Luke 19:10;
For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost!
And again the Lord Jesus revealed His burden for men and women, when He
cried over Jerusalem, Matt 23:37;
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ......How often I wanted to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her young chicks under her
wings, but you were not willing!
Illustrate - People are Lost!
When laboring with the Faith Mission in Britain, we attended a staff
meeting, when all our workers gathered for prayer and consultation. During
a question and answer session, one young worker asked, "How do we stay
motivated in the work?". The general director, gave the following answer,
that I believe underscores our purpose of existence. "Don't forget that
people are lost!"
Illustrate
If you go to 14th St., in New York City, you'll come to a large building,
it's the Head Quarters of the Salvation Army. On that building there are
several statements chiseled into the cement. One of those statements, by
the founder of the Salvation Army, William Boothe, reads as follows;
As long as there's a fallen woman upon the street, I'll fight!
As long as men go in and out of prison, in and out, in and
out as they do now, I'll fight! As long as there's a wayward
little girl upon the street, I'll fight! As long as there's a drunkard
stumbling on the street, I'll fight! As long as there's one soul lost
in the darkness of sin, I'll fight, I'll fight, I'll fight, I'll fight,
until I die!
B. The Destination of Man Requires it
In his book Ashamed of the Gospel, John MacArthur states the following
statistics. A study of some evangelical seminarians revealed that;
• 46% felt that preaching to unbelievers about Hell was ‘in
poor taste'
• Worse yet, three out of every ten self-professed "born again"
people surveyed believe "good" people will go to heaven when they die -
even if they've never trusted Christ
John the revelator gives us a glimpse at a future event, known as the
Great White Throne. In Revelation 20:15, the verdict of the last great
court case is revealed and the sentence is pronounced;
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life
was cast into the lake of fire
It was the great British preacher R.A Torrey who said,
If you in any way abate the doctrine of hell
it will abate your zeal!
Conclusion
The world famous violinist Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) earned a fortune
with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it
away. So when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he
wasn't able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the
asking price, he returned to the seller hoping to purchase the beautiful
instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector.
Kreisler made his way to the owner's home and offered to buy the violin.
The collector said it had become his prized possession and therefore would
not sell it.
Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea.
"Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to
silence?", he asked.
Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such
heart - moving music that the collector's emotions were deeply stirred. "I
have no right to keep that to myself," he exclaimed. "It's yours, Mr.
Kreisler. Take it to the world, and let the people hear it."
