What Kind Of Church Do You Want This To Be?

INTRODUCTION:

Jesus said: Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!

There’s a rumour going round in the Catholic Church that they are the only true church because they claim they can trace their origins back to the Apostle Peter. That the church is founded upon Peter because Jesus named him Cephas, which means Rock. We need to note that Peter’s ministry was primarily to the Jews, and there are not many Jews in the Catholic Church! Also the ministry to the Gentiles was primarily through Paul. It was Paul who taught something vital to the churches of his time, and to us now; in Eph2v19-22:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In HIM the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in HIM you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

What a tremendous privilege and heritage we have, that we are counted as part of God’s household, his church and one in which God dwells by His Spirit. It’s not through some claimed circumstantial accident of geography as the RC’s claim, but because Jesus says so and God says so in His word, the scriptures.

The word "Church" as found in the Scripture derives its meaning from the Greek Word “KURIAKOS” which means "Belonging to the Lord", but it is also a com¬bination of another Greek word "EKKLESIA" which means "Assembly". So if we combine the two we get the true meaning -- which is an assembly belonging to the Lord".

You have heard it said: "Oh, isn’t the parish church beautiful and impressive?” Well, the building is not the Church! We who have trusted on the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour are “The Church”. This place we meet in is just a hall, a building. We are the "Church"!

Considering that we are Christ's Church; what kind of church do you want this one to be? Do we want it to be pleasing to the Lord or do we want to just get by until He comes??

In the Book of Revelation Chpts. 1-3, the risen Christ Himself, speaks to 7 Churches. He tells them He has something against all but one of the Churches; that was the Church at Smyrna. They were a Church in the midst of trial and tribulation, yet they remained faithful to God. The name "Smyrna" means "Myrrh" or perfume, thus their testimony was a sweet perfume to God. I hope we can say that of our local church!

CHRIST WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE:

1. A church that reaches out to all, the whosoever.

2. A church that reflects God’s holiness and glory.

3. A church that radiates God’s love.

(1) A Church that reaches out to All

a) Evangelizing the World

Evangelizing the whole world from here? We start where we are with those around us, by living and working in the power of His Holy Spirit and not in our own strength alone. Acts 1:8: “But you will receive POWER, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses………”

We have to start somewhere, being ourselves, relying on His power, because He tells us to do so! Matt- 28:18-20: “Then Jesus (the risen death-conquering Jesus) came to them and said: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age’.”

b) Being a lighthouse of Bible Truth

Much of the church worldwide has failed to maintain the whole truth of the Gospel. Compromise and distortions have come in. We have only one faith: Jude was emphatic about that as he urgently wrote to the believers: It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Paul also had to remind the Christians: “Be very careful then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Eph. 5v15-16

We must maintain and proclaim the standard of right and holy living or we lack any credibility. In matters of morality and right living, the “so called Christian” world looks to the church for example. Do these people find an example or hypocrisy?