09.13.2009 What is Church?

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09.13.2009 Grace Summit Worship from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

09.13.2009 Grace Summit Sermon - The Church from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

Lord, as we start Sunday school – and vacations are behind us – we ask You to make this school year a successful one – where You would be honored and we would see Your hand. We ask that we would be transformed to be more and more like You – Your love is unending and all we have to stand on.

Last week – I want to finish a bit of what I had to say – we are talking about the church. What we are really doing here is having a new members’ class for all of us. When it comes to church membership – we have been very relaxed. The Bible says that anyone who comes into relationship with Jesus is a member of His Church. However, there is some personal value to you and to me to make a commitment to a local congregation – and most of you have done that – but we have never had any real organizational structure – and there is value to the church in having membership. If you choose to not sign a membership form, that is fine – you can still come and participate.

Last week we looked at three things in the Church that really matter –
1) Our goal is to help you to love God better and to know God better. That is the primary reason you come to church and are involved in church.
2) Serving in the local church – and I’d like to close a bit of that in this service today.

What is church? It is a simple question – but we know it is not this building. This building is where our church meets. There are many metaphors for explaining the church
1) The family of God. The church is a gathering of God’s people in community. Wherever the people of God gather together in community – a place where the love and relational aspects of the Christian life take place – the caring for one another – the supporting of one another. For a group of people to be a church – that needs to be taking place. Just because people have a Bible Study and come together and have a 503c – if they are not caring for one another, they are not a church
2) The Body of Christ. We think of all these different parts, hands, ears, eyes, being linked together to accomplish something. When it comes together, we function properly. The people gather together and love and serve one another – and people gather together in an organized way to serve and do church – to do ministry. It is not just gathering together and loving one another – but using what God has given – and participating in the love and service of that community. To be fully involved – you need to participate in a church in service. Not – to just come and get all the love – and that is okay – but to participate.
In the body – there is structure – bones and such that hold it all together. It is organized. It is not a corporation – but there needs to be a leadership structure – and we will look at that next week.
3) A Holy Temple – building – speaks of the church being a temple of God – it is a spiritual place – not just a local Kiwanis club – not that there is anything wrong with that – but a church needs to be a place of spiritual activity and spiritual growth. When we put these three things together - - it is a church. The word of God must be preached – the gospel must be proclaimed – Christ must be preached. House of prayer – a community of prayer where that is a regular part of life in the church.
The sacraments must be performed – Communion - which we will do today – and Baptism – which we were GOING to do today. When the people in the church are using their gifts and talents and there is a leadership structure in place and all these things are taking place – then you have a church.

Before we break bread – I would like you to commit yourself to the local church.
First, in relationships – being concerned for one another – loving and serving one another. How do we do this? We looked at Philippians 2 last week – not looking out for our own interests, but also for the interests of others. Part of that is being observant of the needs of those around you. I urge you to recommit yourself this fall.
I’d also like you to commit to service. It is not an issue of activities, but of serving people. One of the ways we serve people is through our ministries. The activities have in mind the goal of winning people to Christ and having them grow in their faith.
I’d also like you to commit your resources
There is also a financial commitment of resource – the Bible is clear this is to be done according to your ability and cheerfully. The Bible is clear that we are to do it according to one’s ability – according to what you have – and cheerfully and with a generous heart. I don’t ask you that for the church’s sake. This week we are paying the building off. We have a group looking into what’s next – but for YOUR sake – when Jesus spoke of the widow who gave – it was for her benefit.

Breaking Bread


Matt. 28:18-20 is called The Great Commission. This is what we are all about. We belong to an association called Great Commission.

Matt 28: 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. "

Jesus is telling them to make disciples – that is their mission and that is the mission of the church today. To tell those who are not followers of Jesus to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. This is your job – to be committed in life to this – to making disciples – followers of Jesus. A lot of times, we miss that. We get caught up in church and forget God’s call and mission to our lives. We support some missionaries so we don’t have to do it ourselves- but God wants US to make disciples as He gives opportunity. Last week we looked at Marianne doing this with her father, who was 91 years old. There are a lot of lives out there that need to be changed and can only be changed through Christ. The final answer and solution is Jesus. The answer to the world’s need is Jesus Christ. That answer to the individual’s circumstance and tragedy is Jesus Christ. He makes a person whole – and puts a person back together. And it is our job to bring him to people we contact to make them disciples.
Colossians 1 – leading up to this – Paul presents this mystery – Jesus. What we just did – taking the bread and cup – that is a mystery – God had this whole thing planned, from the creation of the world - as a mystery until Christ died on the cross – and now it is being revealed to us through the last 2000 years.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions. 25 Of [this church] I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the [preaching of] the word of God, 26 [that is,] the mystery which has been hidden from the [past] ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

This mystery is Christ in us – not because of the physical taking of the bread and wine – but when we believed in Jesus – God lives in me. He is in there. I always remember the story of a guy doing ministry on campus with a student – the student – what do I need to do? Pray and ask him to come into your life – and when he was done praying – he said, “He is in me!”
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions.

This whole gospel thing – seeing lives transformed – for that to happen, Christ had to suffer. For it to happen, it will require struggle and sacrifice for this to happen in our world. We think if we say it the right way, it will happen, but it requires struggle and sacrifice.

“The church is built up by self-denials of successive generations”
It didn’t start out pretty – they weren’t loved and endeared – a lot of suffering took place, but we miss that. If you live in the US, you will probably not be killed for your faith anytime soon. Paul chose sacrifice and struggle for the sake of the Gospel.

Choose sacrifice as it relates to your time. I’m not asking you to get stoned or hung upside-down on a cross – but sacrifice your time.

How about your reputation? We don’t want people to think of us as religious fanatics – but at work, and all these places, speak for Him. Don’t be shy or bashful.
I’ve mentioned this before – but resource-wise – I’m not speaking of giving to the church, but using your resources to bring people to Jesus. You may need to loan your belongings or take them out to lunch – take whatever opportunity to present this message to others.

. 28 And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Too often we proclaim a message, a booklet, social agendas, or being religious – but we proclaim HIM – a person, the Son of God. We want people to become followers of Jesus – not attendees of our church (If they attend our church, they will learn to become followers of Jesus) – but that is not what it is about.

29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Paul labored – striving. How many of you are comfortable in sharing your faith?
I’d like you to make a short list of people – whom you have a relationship with who do not know Jesus – and commit to praying for them. Not a list of 35, because you probably won’t pray for 35 – but maybe start with 2 or 3 and commit to praying for them – and while you pray for them, ask the Lord how you can be used in reaching them.

1 Peter 3: 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always [being] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Let’s pray – Lord, these are simple things – and yet the simple things are why we exist as a church.