What's Right With The Church

What’s Right With The Church

Matthew 16:13-18

I. Introduction

My wife and I had the opportunity to be out of town this last weekend, and we visited another church. As soon as service was over I caught myself pointing out what was wrong with the church. Their bulletin was different than ours. Their order of service was different than ours. Their nursery wasn’t clearly marked. Their pastor stood in one place the entire time he was preaching. I was picking out petty things that cannot possibly affect the way a person will worship if his heart is right with God.

I began to realize that instead of pointing out what is wrong with the church we should be pointing out what is right with the church.

II. What’s Right With the Church?

A. The Church Has the Right Foundation

Everything must have a proper foundation. Whether it is a marriage, a building, or a church.

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." ( 1 Cor. 3:11)

The church has the right foundation because Jesus is that foundation!

B. The Church Has the Right Leadership

The leadership sets the pace for the body. What is the leadership of the church?

1. Some say the deacons. "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." (Acts 6:3) But it is clear from this verse that the deacons are chosen by a higher authority so they are not the leader.

2. Some say the pastor is the leader of the church. Consider what Paul wrote to the church at Ephesis. "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph. 4:11, 12). But even here we see that the office of pastor was given by One of higher authority.

3. To clearly understand the leadership of the church we need to look at Paul’s teachings about marriage."For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the saviour of the body." (Eph. 5:23). God’s Word clearly tells us that Jesus is the head of the church because He is the savior. The deacons cannot be the head because they are not the savior. The pastor cannot be the head because he has no nail scars in his hands.

The church has the right leadership because Jesus is that leadership!

C. The Church Has the Right Doctrine

Doctrine is simply that which we teach. Some teach truth. Some teach falsehood. Those who teach falsehood pervert the Word of God. Those who teach truth affirm the Word of God. John said, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." (2 John 9).

The church has the right doctrine because Jesus is that doctrine!

D. The Church Has the Right Purpose

Every organization has a purpose. The purpose of IBM is to make computers and to make money. The purpose of a school is to teach students. The purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous is to help people overcome addiction and dependency on these items. Even the church has a purpose. Jesus told us what that is when He said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:19, 20).

The church has the right purpose because sharing Jesus is that purpose!

E. The Church Has the Right Reward

Nobody does nothing for nothing. We work 40 hours a week because we expect a paycheck at the end of the week. We plant a garden because we expect to harvest fresh vegetables. We all expect a reward of some kind, and the church is no different. We sing "Will there be any stars in my crown" because we expect not only a crown, but stars, too!

1. Jesus promises us a reward. In the book of Revelation He says, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Rev. 22:12). But He doesn’t say what that reward is. Is is fame? Wealth? Power?

2. To find what our reward will be we need to go back to the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis. While Abram was travelling away from his family and home God said to him in a vision saying, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." (Gen. 15:1). Did you get that? God Himself is our reward! Again the book of Revelation tells us in Chapter 22:4 we "shall see His face." We will see Jesus!