TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHURCH
May 30, 2004 AM
Sermon Outline
MT 16:18
INTRO: In over forty years of a preaching life it has not been unusual for me to be asked a variety of questions or to have had people request all sorts of information. Each of these questions or requests has provided an open door of opportunity. One such request which has occurred from time to time in conversation is this one. Tell me about your church. For the few minutes we have together this morning I would like to do just that.
I FIRST, I NEED TO SAY THE CHURCH IS NOT MINE
A. Mt 16:18 - The church belongs to Jesus Christ (the Lords church)
1. Col 1:18 - He is its head ... it is His body
2. I try to be very careful about my church, our church expressions
B. You want to know about the church to which I belong? Right?
1. I belong to the church described in the New Testament - vital point!
2. this church predates the denominational scheme of things and has its roots in the first century - it is often described as the church (Eph 3:10)
II THE CHURCH FOLLOWS THE PATTERN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
A. The New Testament is the authoritative standard for the church
1. N.T. provides the necessary information for constituting the church
2. passages to note: 1 Cor 4:17 - 1 Cor 16:1 - 1 Tim 3:15 - Jude 3
3. such passages help us know the use of N.T. writings
B. 2 Tim 1:13 - Holding fast to the pattern is a must for the church
1. in all matters relating to the beliefs, practices of the church hold fast
2. yes, this requires careful study and consideration of the scriptures
3. but if we are to be the church defined in the N.T., we must discover and follow the pattern for the defined church ... otherwise, we cannot be the same church as the one described in scripture
III WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE PATTERN?
A. What about the names for the church and her members?
1. there are numerous names in scripture which refer to the church
2. Acts 20:28 - Heb 12:23 - Rom 16:16 - Eph 3:21
3. no name is a denominating, or proper, name ... only one church then
4. Acts 11:26 - Rom 1:7 - scriptural names for members, disciples
B. How one enters the church is a very important part of the pattern
1. 1 Cor 12:13 - baptized into one body (recall, body & church the same)
2. Acts 2:37-41 gives us a very clear picture of how people were entering
3. so, those who were baptized were believers, were penitent
4. the action of baptism? Rom 6:4 & Col 2:12 (Gr. word means?)
C. And you would certainly want to know about the worship of the church
1. Acts 20:7 & 1 Cor 16:2 - day of special observance is the 1st day
2. from the two passages just noted we see a weekly observance of the Lords supper, of the giving of ones money for the Lords work, of preaching (edifying of the body)
3. Eph 5:19 & Heb 13:15 - in assemblies of the church members sang
4. 1 Tim 2:8 - and in assemblies there would be prayers
D. How the church is organized is also a matter of pattern concern
1. Col 1:18 - Jesus is clearly the Head of the church
2. Acts 14:21-23 & Titus 1:5 - there were elders in each congregation
3. Phil 1:1 - refers to bishops and deacons - bishops & elders are one and the same office - deacons are special servants
4. 1 Tim 3:1-13 - qualifications which are also part of inspired pattern
E. Even the mission of the church is revealed in scripture
1. Acts 11:27-30 - the church has a benevolence mission
2. Mt 28:19 - the church has an evangelistic mission
3. Mt 28:20 - the church has an edifying mission
4. an aside just here ... the church does not have entertainment mission
CLOSE: I hope that with this brief introduction you can appreciate that the church to which I belong desires only to be the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Following the scriptural pattern for the church is the only way we can be the church the Lord said He would build.
Cecil A. Hutson
30 May 2004