Title: The Task of The Church #2
Theme: The Church has guidelines for their treatment of each other.
Introduction:
- When asked what the purpose of the church is,
- people will give many different answers.
- Last week we started to look at what the word of God had to say concerning
The Task Of The Church
- In part one of this three part series we considered four things.
- The task of the church is
I: To Love God
II: To Glorify God
III: To Display God’s Grace
[ and we saw that the result of these three tasks will result in our desire ]
IV: To Evangelize The World
-- Today What I want to look at is four more things that fall under this title
The Task of The Church
[As we evangelize the world
starting with our comunities
one of the first tasks we need to focus on
is]
I: To Immerse Believers
A: Jesus Commands it. (Matt 28:18-20)
1: He verifies His authority (18)
- And then instructs His disciples on the task (19-20)
- They are to do.
- The task of the church.
B: Peter taught it (Acts 2:37-42)
1. We looked at Baptism in January of this year
- Baptism means to be immersed
- Every place you read the word Baptism in the NT
- It should be translated immersed
- Explain translation verses transliteration (example: deacon and servent)
2. We cannot ignore Repentance when discussing Immersion
- You cannot have salvation through immersion
- You must have Repentance (Metanoia)
- Immersion w/o Repentance is just getting wet.
- Repentance is continual change toward a Christ like life
- Immersion is the beginning of the change
C: Paul Explained it (Rom 6:3-6)
1. Immersing believers is an essential task of the church.
2. Teaching them that immersion is the correct form of baptism
is an essential Task of the Church
[But we cannot immerse believers and then send them out on their own.]
[We must be willing]
II: To Instruct Believers
A: Jesus Commands it (Matt 28:19-20)
B: Paul Did it (Phil 4:8-9)
C: Paul Tells Timothy to do it (2 Tim 2:2)
[we are to]
D: Instruct In Meekness (2 Tim 2:24-25)
1: Gently here means meekly
- Meekness doesn’t mean cowering
MEEK, MEEKNESS
It must be clearly understood, therefore, that the meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power. The common assumption is that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord was `meek’ because he had the infinite resources of God at His command. Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest; it is composure of spirit that is neither exhilarated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.
(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
a. Meekness is power under control.
b. Meekness is Christ centered
E: Instruction is important (Heb 2:1-3)
- The message that was given to the Apostles by Jesus
- Is extremely important
- the same message that we have today
- The same message we are to instruct believers with.
[ As the church strives
- To Immerse Believers into Christ
- To Instruct Believers with the word of God
the church needs to always be trying to ]
III: Edify Believers
A: What is to edify
1: I like to look things up in a Thesaurus
- This helps to obtain a broader understanding of a word.
a. To Edify is
- to Educate
- to Enlighten
- to Improve
- to Illuminate
- to Teach
- to Instruct
- to Guide Spiritually
2. Thayers Dictionary defines the Greek word translated “edify”
1) to build a house, to erect a building:
a) to build (up from the foundation)
b) to restore by building, to rebuild, to repair
2) metaphorically:
a) to found, to establish
b) to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, or blessedness
c) to grow in wisdom and piety / devotion
B: God Expects Us To Edify Each Other
- 1 Cor 14:16-17
- Eph 4:11-12
- 1Thes 5:9-11
- 2 Pet 3:17-18
C: Edification is key to church growth
- Eph 4:11-16
[ As the Church focuses on it’s tasks; that are laid out in God’s word
- to Immerse Believers
- to Instruct Believers
and
- to Edify Believers
the church will have to accept that they are called ]
IV: to Discipline Believers
A: No one likes to be disciplined
1: We always consider this word in a bad light
a. To Discipline can be
- to Teach
- to Instruct
- to Edify
[ and yes ]
- to Chastise
2: We all know the value of Discipline in raising children
- Yet how many cringe at the idea of discipline within the church
- Congregations are destroyed
- because of the lack of discipline within the church.
- Everyone wants the good / fun side of Edification
- Yet no one wants the hard side of it.
B: Jesus called for it (Matt 18:15-17)
1: A man named Neil Postman said
“Christianity is a demanding and serious religion.
When it is delivered as easy and amusing, it is another kind of religion altogether.”
C: Discipline is described by Paul
- 1Thes 5:11-14
- 2 Tim 3:16-17
- Heb 3:12-13
- Heb 10:23-25
1. Discipline is always to be out of love:
a. God is our example (Heb 12:6-11)
Conclusion:
- Last week we saw that The Task of the Church
is
- to Love God
- to Glorify God
- to Display God’s Grace
and
- to Evangelize the World
*** This is how we bring / attract people to Jesus Christ
- Today we see that The Task of The Church is
- to Immerse Believers
- to Instruct Believers
- to Edify Believers
- to Discipline Believers
These four tasks are needed to bring people from
- being immature Christians
To
- Mature Devoted
- men
and
- women
of God.
This is one of the keys to a
- Healthy
- Vibrant
church
*** Any organism that is healthy
By nature will grow
Today lets all commit to taking seriously The Task of The Church
*** What will you commit to,
That will help OCC become a more Healthy, Vibrant church.
