The Church Christ Is Building #4

SERMON #4

THE CHURCH CHRIST IS BUILDING

1. THE MISSION OF CHRIST.

A. LUKE 4:14 21

14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden,

19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.

20 And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him.

21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

JESUS STARTED HIS MINISTRY WITH THE DECLARATION THAT GOD HAD MADE HIM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RIGHTING OF THE WRONGS OF ALL THE IMPRISIONED AND DISTRESSE OF THE EARTH. THIS PROPHECY SETS FORTH IN PHYSICAL TERMS WHAT JESUS SHOULD DO IN BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL REALMS. WHEN CHRIST WAS HERE IN THE PHYSCIAL BODY, HE WORKED THROUGH THAT BODY. BUT, WHEN HE WENT TO HEAVEN IN HIS GLORIFIED BODY, HE CREATED THE CHURCH AS HIS BODY THROUGH WHICH TO CARRY HIS ENTERPRISE OF SALVATION AND REDEMPTION TO COMPLETION IN THIS PHYSCIAL WORLD.

B. I CORINTHIANS 12:27

27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

CHRIST AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH HAS PLACED HIS BUSINESS IN THIS WORLD INTO THE CARE OF THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY NOW HERE ON EARTH. AS CHRIST WAS ANNOINTED BY GOD,

ACTS 10:38

38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.

SO THE CHURCH WAS ANNIONTED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. SINCE THAT DAY THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH HAS BEEN, OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THE SAME AS CHRIST’S.

2. SO WHAT IS OUR MISSION?

A. LUKE 4:18

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS

(a). I CORINTHIANS 15:1 4

4 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

TO THE POOR I BELIEVE HERE MEANS BOTH THE PHYSCIAL AND THE SPIRITUAL. SPIRITUAL BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT NEED THE HELP OF THE GOOD NEWS. THE PHYSICAL BECAUSE THEIR JEWISH RELIGION HAD BECOME THE RELIGION OF THE RICH, MUCH AS IT IS TODAY. CHRIST PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD LOVED THEM.

(b). LUKE 12:6 7

6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

7 "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

B. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS TO.

LUKE 4:18

He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

THE MOST HEALING THING FOR THE BROKENHEARTED IS THE PRECIOUS PROMISES OF CHRIST.

(a) HEBREWS 13:5 6

5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,"

6 so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?"

THE BROKENHEARTED FEEL THEY ARE ALL ALONE IN THIS WORLD, BUT WITH CHRIST WE ARE NEVER ALONE

C. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS TO SET FREE THE CAPTIVES

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,

(1) FREE THE CAPTIVES OF LIES

JOHN 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

(2) FREE THE CAPTIVES OF SIN