The Church: More Than Just A Meeting Place

THE CHURCH: MORE THAN JUST A MEETING PLACE

COL. 1:18

I. INTRODUCTION

THE CHURCH DOES NOT EXIST FOR THE PURPOSE OF WAREHOUSING SAINTS OR SINNERS. NOR DOES THE CHURCH EXIST TO PROMOTE PEOPLE, PROGRAMS, OR POPULARITY. THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE A PLACE WHERE WE AIR OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE GOSSIP GAZETTE. THE CHURCH IS NOT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WITH WARM BODIES AND ICY HEARTS ASSEMBLE TOGETHER TO GIVE OTHERS THE COLD SHOULDER. THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE A PLACE WHERE THOSE WHO CANNOT SLEEP AT HOME, FIND THE PERFECT RESTING PLACE IN THE PEWS.

THE CHURCH FIRST AND FOREMOST IS A PLACE WHERE GOD IS GLORIFIED, SINNERS FIND SALVATION, SAINTS FIND EDIFICATION, THE SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY CAN BE FED, THE BLIND FIND SIGHT, THE CRIPPLE ARE CURED, AND THE WAYWARD RECEIVE RECONCILIATION. THE CHURCH IS GOD’S CHANNEL BY WHICH HE MINISTERS TO THE WORLD. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REVEAL THE WORD OF GOD, RADIATE THE PRESENCE OF GOD, SHINE WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, GLOW WITH THE GLORY OF GOD, REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD, AND ILLUMINATE THE WILL OF GOD.THE CHURCH IS THE BODY CHRIST, WHICH MAKES HER MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO MEET.

II. THE TEXT

PAUL PRAISES THIS CHURCH FOR THEIR FAITHFUL FRUITULNESS. THIS PARTICULAR LOCAL BODY OF BELIEVERS WERE UNITED IN THEIR PURPOSE, PLAN, AND VISION. PAUL LET’S THEM KNOW THAT THE REPORT OF THEIR GODLY CONDUCT IS WELL KNOWN. AND MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IT’S GOOD WHEN PEOPLE REPORT THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT US, AS OPPOSED TO THE BAD. THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH HAD GOD IN THEIR THOUGHTS, JESUS IN THEIR SIGHT, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THEIR HEARTS. ALLOW ME TO MOCK TIME MOMENTARILY AND TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THIS TYPE OF MENTALITY, IT’S HARD TO HAVE HELL IN THE CHURCH.

THIS PASSAGE FOCUSES ON THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST OVER THE BODY. JESUS ARTICULATES, ILLUSTRATES, DEMONSTRATES, AND ILLUMINATES IN MATTHEW 16:18 THAT HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH, THEREFORE, HE IS FOUNDER, DESIGNER, AND BUILDER. CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF THE CHURCH’S LIFE, HE IS THE CENTER OF OUR UNITY, AND HE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL OUR BLESSINGS AND COMFORTS. THAT’S ONE REASON WHY THE CHURCH IS MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO MEET.

AS BELIEVERS, WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUBJECTING OURSELVES TO THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST. HEADSHIP SUGGESTS AUTHORITY, AND THE BODY SUGGESTS FOLLOWSHIP. IN OTHERS WORDS, MY HANDS ONLY DO WHAT MY HEAD TELLS THEM TO DO. MY FEET WALK IN THE DIRECTION THAT MY HEAD TELL THEM TO WALK. THEREFORE, WE OUGHT TO DO AND WALK WHEREVER THE LORD TELLS US TO.

III. THE CHURCH

THE TERM CHURCH HAS SEVERAL DEFINITIONS. THERE IS THE INVISIBLE CHURCH, AND THERE IS THE VISIBLE CHURCH. THE INVISIBLE CHURCH RECOGNIZES ALL BELIEVERS IN CHRIST REGARDLESS OF COLOR, RACE, OR DENOMINATIONAL AFFILIATION, OF WHICH WITHOUT A DOUBT, CHRIST IS THE HEAD. THE VISIBLE CHURCH, OR THE LOCAL CHURCH CONSISTS OF BOTH SAINTS AND SINNERS, OF WHICH CHRIST MAY NOT BE THE HEAD, (CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR).

BUT SINCE WE CANNOT FULLY EXPERIENCE THE PLEASURES OF THE INVISIBLE CHURCH UNTIL WE REACH GLORY, WE MUST FOCUS ON THE CHURCH THAT IS VISIBLE. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CHURCH WAS THE STRONG HOLD OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN THERE WAS A PROBLEM, GO TO THE CHURCH. BUT NOW, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IT APPEARS THAT WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF OUR OBJECTIVE OF GLORIFYING GOD, SEEKING TO GLORIFY OURSELVES. HOW MANY CHURCHES DO YOU KNOW THAT HAVE NICE LIGHTING, BUT NOT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD? HOW MANY CHURCHES HAVE FUNCTIONAL FURNACES, BUT ARE SPIRITUALLY COLD? WE MUST BE WHAT CHRIST DESIGNED THE CHURCH TO BE, AND THAT’S MORE THAN JUST A MEETING PLACE.

WHEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD MEET AS A COLLECTED BODY ON SUNDAY, WE ARE PULLING INTO GOD’S HOLY GHOST GAS STATION TO GET THE FUEL WE NEED FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. WHENEVER SAINTS FAIL TO ASSEMBLE AT THE APPOINTED TIME AND PLACE, WE WILL FIND OURSELVES DRIVING ON FUMES, RUNNING THE RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS (PERSONAL ILLUSTRATION). THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THE CHURCH.

IV. CONCLUSION

PERMIT ME TO GIVE YOU THREE PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES THAT WILL PERMEATE OUR PRESENCE, AS WE PILGRIMAGE ON THIS PLANET. ONE, THE TRUE MARKS OF FUNCTIONAL NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IS SUBSTANTIATED BY HER SUBMISSIVE RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. JOHN 15:5, “I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES: HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.” IN OTHER WORDS, ONE THAT HAS DIES TO THE WORLD AND LIVES FOR HIM. ONE THAT TAKES THE WORD TO THE WORLD, WITHOUT COMPROMISE. TWO, IF WE WANT THE CHURCH TO BE MORE THAN JUST A MEETING PLACE, WE CANNOT HAVE MINISTRIES THAT ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL. MINISTRIES BECOME DYSFUNCTIONAL WHEN THEY ARE MAN DRIVEN AND NOT CHRIST DRIVEN. MATTHEW 23:5, “BUT ALL THEIR WORKS THEY DO FOR TO BE SEEN OF MEN.” MATTHEW 6:5, “AND WHEN THOU PRAYEST, THOU SHALT NOT BE AS THE HYPOCRITES ARE: FOR THEY LOVE TO PRAY STANDING IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND IN THE CORNERS OF THE STREETS, THAT THEY MAY BE SEEN OF MEN. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD.” THREE, GOD EXPECTS THE CHURCH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. MATTHEW 25:35-36, “FOR I WAS AN HUNGERED, AND YE GAVE ME MEAT: I WAS THIRSTY, AND YE GAVE ME DRINK: I WAS A STRANGER, AND YE TOOK ME IN: NAKED, AND YE CLOTHED ME: I WAS SICK, AND YE VISITED ME: I WAS IN PRISON, AND YE CAME UNTO ME.” THE CHURCH MUST MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.