What is the Church?

What is the Church and What is it's purpose  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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What is the Church?

What is the church
Building
Place
Group of people
Just any people
Christians only
Acts 2:47 KJV 1900
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 8:3 KJV 1900
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Acts 8:3 KJV 1900
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Acts 11:25–26 KJV 1900
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Christians are the church
Not a building - Met in houses
Colossians 4:15 KJV 1900
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Not a place - Met in different houses
Is the church local or global
Local Church
Corinth
Macedonia
Galatia
Judaea
Global Church
Ephesians 5:24–32 KJV 1900
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Subject to Christ
Ephesians 5:24–32 KJV 1900
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Loved by Christ
Bought by Christ
Washed by Christ
Nourished by Christ
Cherished by Christ
Great mystery
Okay so what is the church?
A collection of believers, Christians
Unified - What brings these believers together?
Diversity - What do believers bring to the church?
Purpose - What is the purpose of the church?
Unity
We are compared to a body
Feet, hands, eyes, nose
All parts together in unity but diverse in ministries
We are unified in the authority of Scripture
2 Timothy 3:14–17 KJV 1900
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Peter 1:19–21 KJV 1900
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
We are unified in the gospel - Salvation
2 Peter 1:19–21 KJV 1900
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
If you are not saved, then you are not part of the church. There is no unity with unbelievers!
Faith plus anything else is not the gospel. We cannot be unified with people with a different gospel
We are unified in Hermeneutics
What is hermeneutics?
How we handle the Word of God
Literal
Conforming or limited to the simplest, nonfigurative, or most obvious meaning of a word or words.
Allegorical
The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
Example
Genesis 1:3–5 KJV 1900
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:5 KJV 1900
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Literal says
God created light, there was no light before
God gave light properties
God called evening and morning a day
Allegory says
There was a sun/star to ve off light
And the lack of light is darkness
day a period of time
Exegesis
Reading what the text says and drawing a conclusion from the text itself.
Eisegesis
Having a preconceived idea then making the text fit your idea.
Example -
Genesis 1:5 KJV 1900
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Eisegesis says
Could there be millions/billions of years for creation
Science says the world is billions of years old
When I was a kid it was only 10s of thousands
Given enough time anything can become anything
How can we make the Bible fit the world?
Yom - Hebrew word
Strong’s number H3117
day, time, year
day, time, year
day (as opposed to night)day (24 hour period)as defined by evening and morning in
day (as opposed to night)day (24 hour period)as defined by evening and morning in
as a division of time
a working day,
as a division of time
a working day,
a day's journey
days,
a day's journeydays,
lifetime (pl.)time,
lifetime (pl.)time,
period (general)year
temporal references
period (general)year
today
temporal references
yesterday
today
tomorrow
yesterday
Therefore, the word day could mean a finite period of time. Could be millions or even billions of years.
tomorrow
Exegesis says
While yom can mean all of the above, the word for yom was preceded by evening and morning giving yom the reference of a literal 24 hour period.
Diversity
Doctrine is not where we find diversity
Acts 17:10–11 KJV 1900
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
1 John 4:1 KJV 1900
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Test - reproof
2 Timothy 3:16 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
False prophets
How many false statements does a person have to make before we reject all of their teachings?
20?
10?
Did’t they put prophets to death because of ONE false prophecy?
This doesn’t mean that you can’t raise a question, but it does mean that we subject to the Bible and the leadership of the church
Just because someone claims to be of Christ does not make them a Christian
1 John 2:19 KJV 1900
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
You will know them by their fruit
Matthew 7:13–23 KJV 1900
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We don’t have unity with false teachers!
If your doctrine is diverse, then you are not in unity. You are not part of the body
While members of the body are diverse in function, they still have definition
Example -
1 Corinthians 12:12–27 KJV 1900
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Eye
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