What is the CHURCH? What is the CHURCH?
I. Introduction
A. What the church means to different people:
1. material structure: (Catholic)
a. physical cathedral
b. walk in and feel the presence of God you didn't feel outside
2. Benevolent society: feed, cloth help poor and needy (Salvation Army)
3. Social organization: greater benefits than joining club (United)
4. Political organization (Anglican)
5. Money raising organization (TV evangelists)
6. The church is of human origin: religious division: Jn 17:21 (unbelievers)
II. What is the church?
A. Church in the Greek means, "the called out"
1. The church is people not a building
a. For the first 350 years Christians did not own "church buildings"
2. If you are part of the church then you have been "called out of the world"
3. The basic meaning of the church: a people holy & set apart from the world.
4. The word church simply means a group of people
B. The church is really only one of many ways God describes His people:
1. Each of us can be described in a variety of ways:
a. man: relationship to animal kingdom (not a horse or bird but man)
b. husband: relationship to wife
c. father: relationship to children
d. employee: to boas
e. citizen: to government
2. The church is described in many ways with "metaphors"
a. Each metaphor gives us a different view point of the church.
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Metaphors for the church |
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Verses |
Collective |
Individual |
Jesus |
God |
Meaning |
|
1 Ti 3:15 |
Household |
Children Brothers |
Firstborn Eldest Son |
Father |
Family: Love And Care |
|
Col 1:13 |
Kingdom |
Citizens |
King/Judge |
King |
Authority: Privileges Obligations |
|
1 Pe 2:9 |
Priesthood |
Priests |
High Priest |
God |
Service |
|
Eph 2:19-22 |
Temple Building |
Stones |
Foundation |
Architect |
1.God's Presence |
|
1 Cor 12:12-27 |
Body |
Members |
Head |
- |
Support & Dependency |
|
Rom 16:16 |
The Church -Of God -Of Christ |
Saints Aliens The Redeemed |
Saviour Purchaser Redeemer |
- |
1. Christ's Possession 2.Holiness |
|
Acts 11:26 |
Christians |
Christian |
Christ |
- |
Christ's Possession & Household |
|
Luke 14:27 |
Disciples |
Disciple |
Teacher |
- |
Student Of Jesus |
|
Luke 17:7-10 |
Servants |
Servant |
Lord |
- |
Selfless Obedience |
|
1 Pe 5:2-4 |
Flock |
Sheep |
Shepherd |
- |
Protection Of Caring For By Jesus |
|
2 Ti 2:3-4 Eph 6:10-17 |
Army |
Soldier |
Commander |
- |
Fight Spiritual Battles For Jesus |
|
Eph 5:22-32 |
Wife |
- |
Husband |
- |
Intimate Spiritual Relationship |
C. The word church is used is two senses:
1. Universal sense: Mt 16:18; Heb 11:22,23 The universal church consists of all living Christians on earth and all the dead Christians since the cross.
2. Local sense: The Local church consists of those Christians in a single geographic location who regularly meet together to do the work God gave the church to do.
a. Region of local churches: "the churches of Galatia" 1 Cor 16:1: 2 Cor 8:1
b. one local church: "the church at Cenchrea- Rom 16:1; Acts 14:20-23
III. The Importance of the church
A. People today are disenchanted with the church:
1. Cause: "Junk yard religion" (Pigmi: The only cars the Pigmy had ever seen were broken & damaged and he didn't want to own one. He had never seen a new car! Same way with churches. If all the churches people ever see are broken, dysfunction unbiblical churches, then they will be turned off the church!)
a. Hypocrisy of members
b. Some unpleasant experience
c. money focused
d. members do not have genuine love for one another
2. Result: Forget the church, faith in Christ is the important thing!
B. God planned the church to be eternal from creation: Eph 3:11,21
C. God united Jew & Gentile through church: Eph 2:13-19
D. We must be in the church or body or "in Christ":
1. All spiritual blessings in Christ: Eph 1:3
2. Sins forgiven/redemption in Christ: Eph 1:7
3. A new creature in Christ: 2 Cor 5:17
4. Salvation in Christ: 2 Ti 2:10
IV. The Local church
A. We must be part of a local church:
1. Commanded to assemble: Acts 2:42,46: 1 Cor 11:18; Heb 10:25
2. Assemble to give into common treasury: 1 Cor 16:1,2
3. Assemble to partake of the Lord's supper: 1 Cor 11:33; Acts 20:7
4. Assemble to worship, teach and encourage: 1 Cor 14:26
B. There is a specific pattern or blueprint of doctrine and worship:
1. Heb 8:4,5 "make all things according to the pattern/blueprint"
2. Rom 6:17 "form of doctrine": "FORM" in Greek means, a cast into which molten material is poured so as to take its shape (W.H. Vine) Today men are creating their own casts instead of using the Bible's cast
3. Tit 2:1 + 2 Ti 1:13 "Speak words fitting for sound doctrine"
V. Conclusion:
A. The church is a collection of God's people and is not a physical building.
B.
The Ark Of Noah And The Church Of Christ compared: (The ark was an anti-type of the church.)The Ark Of Noah |
The Church Of Christ |
1. One builder—Noah (Gen. 6:13,14). |
1. One builder—Christ (Mt. 16:18). |
2. Built by one authority-God's (Gen. 6:13,14). |
2. Built by one authority-God's (Mt. 28:18-20; Eph. 1:19-23). |
3. Built of one material-Gopher wood (Gen. 6:13). |
3. Built of one material—the saved (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23). |
4. Had but one light—God's (Gen. 6:16) |
4. Has but one light—God's word (Psa. 119:105; 1 Jn. 1:7). |
5. Had but one door—God's (Gen. 6:16) |
5. Has but one door—Christ (Jn. 10:9). |
6. God tended the door (Gen. 7:16). |
6. God tends the door (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:18). |
7. Contained but one family—Noah's (Gen. 7:13). |
7. Contains but one family—God's (Gen. 3:26). |
8. Had but one building—no life boats. |
8. Just one body—no human organizations (Eph. 4). |
9. Destruction outside (Gen. 7:23). |
9. Destruction outside (2 Thess. 1:7-9). |
10. Few saved--8 souls (1 Pet. 3:20). |
10. Few saved (Mt. 7:13,14; 22:14). |
11. All saved alike: a) By grace (Gen. 6:8). b) By faith (Heb. 11:7). c) By works (Heb. 11:7). d) By obedience (Gen. 6:22). e) By water (I Pet. 3:20,21). |
11. All saved alike: a) By grace (Eph. 2:8,9). b) By faith (Gal. 3:26). c) By works (Phil. 2:12; Jas. 2:24). d) By obedience (Heb. 5:8,9). e) By water (I Pet. 3:21). |
Steve Rudd
