Why I love the Church
Matthew 16:15-18 (KJV)
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And 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.
Friend let me go on record today and say, "I love the church!" I love the church in general and this church in particular. I am possibly the most blessed pastor in the entire world to have the awesome opportunity to pastor people like you. We have a very good marriage. I read and hear horror stories of deacons and Pastor’s quarreling and churches fighting and I stand here today to tell you that I am so glad that God has and is assembling a unified, glorified, fire baptized body of believers here at Harvest and by His grace we will take the land! I love the church!
Having said that, I want to share with you why I quit attending sporting events:
Every time I went, they asked me for money.
the people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly.
The seats were not comfortable.
The coach never came to see me.
the referee made a decision that I didn’t agree with.
I was sitting with some hypocrites, they only came to see what others were wearing.
Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.
(The soccer fans beat me to Ponderosa)*added
The band played some numbers that I had never heard.
The games are scheduled when I want to do other things.
My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.
Since I read a book on sports, I feel that I now more than the coaches.
I don’t want to take my children, I want them to choose for themselves which sports they like best.
(Illustrations Unlimited by Hewett-A Pastor’s Excuse)
There are several reasons why I love the Church and I want to share them with you today.
I Love the church because it is:
I. Jesus Bought!
Galatians 3:13 (KJV)
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV)
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
II. Jesus’ Built!
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
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.
oikodome, feminine (abstract) of a compound of Greek 3624 (oikos) home, house (-hold), temple, and the base of Greek 1430 (doma); architecture, i.e. (concrete) a structure; figurative confirmation :- building, edify (-ication, -ing).
Or “I will architect a home, I will structure a home, I will bring edification or confirmation to the home.
“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?” (Matthew 21:42).
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephes. 2:20).
“To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:4-6).
III. Jesus’ Body
Romans 12:4-5 (KJV)
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: [5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Each believer is a member of the body of Christ and has his own place in it. This point is forceful and emphatic.
Every single believer is important to the body of Christ. Every believer is needed to complete, fulfill, and perfect the body. The body becomes handicapped without the active functioning of every member. Every member is very important.
IV. I love the church because it is Jesus’ Bride!
Rev. 21:2 (KJV)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev. 21:9 (KJV)
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Biblical writers have little to say about weddings or brides. They occasionally mention means by which brides were obtained (Genesis 24:4; Genesis 29:15-19). Ezekiel 16:8-14 describes bride, her attire, and the wedding ceremony. The Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems in which the bride describes her love for her bridegroom.
The imagery of the bride is used widely in the Bible as a description of the people of God. In the Old Testament, the prophets presented Israel as a bride who had committed repeated adulteries (Jeremiah 3; Ezek, 16; Hosea 3). The prophets also proclaimed that God was faithful to His unfaithful bride and would restore her (Jeremiah 33:10-11; Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 62:5). In the New Testament, the bride imagery is used often of the church and her relationship to Christ. The bride belongs to Christ, who is the Bridegroom (John 3:29). In Revelation, the church, as the bride of the Lamb, has prepared herself for marriage by performing righteous deeds (Rev. 19:7-8). In Rev. 21, the great wedding is portrayed with the church prepared for her bridegroom (Rev. 21:2; Rev. 21:9). Finally, the bride and the Spirit issue an invitation “to come” (Rev. 22:17). Paul used the metaphor of the bride to indicate his feelings toward the churches he had founded. In 2 Cor. 11:2, Paul wrote that he had betrothed the Corinthian church to Christ. He wanted to present the church as a pure bride to Christ. The Corinthians were in danger of committing “adultery.” The imagery of the bride is used by various biblcal writers, but they appear to have a single purpose. The bridal imagery is used to indicate the great love which God has for His people. For these writers, no image could express better this love than the ideal love between a bridegroom and bride.
—Terence B. Ellis
Hebrews 12:23 (KJV)
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
The city is a literal city. From Hebrews 12:23-23 we learn that the inhabitants of the city (besides its being the abode of the Triune God) consist of: (1) The bride, the Lamb’s wife, the church, referred to as “the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven.” (2) The redeemed saints of the OT. These are referred to as “the spirits of righteous men made perfect.” (3) “Myriads of angels,” i.e., unfallen angels. Our Lord referred to this city in John 14:2-3 when He said He would go away and would come again and that He was preparing “a place” for His disciples.
Ephes. 5:27 (KJV)
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
A Glorious Church
1. Do you hear them coming, brother?
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments
Bloodwashed garments pure and white.
Chorus:
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
2. Do you hear the stirring anthems
Filling all the earth and sky?
’Tis a grand, victorious army
Lift its banner up on high!
3. Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conq’ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!
Chorus:
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
