FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS:

Why The church Matters

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Anyone who reads the New Testament will learn that…

1.    Jesus promised to build His church (Matt. 16:16).

 

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

2.    The church was established on the day of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem (Acts 2:47).

 

Praising God, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

3.    The church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:22-33).

4.    The church was purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28).

 

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

 

5.    The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

 

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 

B.   Since the first century, Satan has viciously attacked the church.

1.    He introduced false doctrines to the churches as early as the first century.

2.    He tempted the church to fall away from the faith.  Sadly, it did.

3.    He has sought to replace the church with man-made denominations.

4.    He has also convinced many that the church doesn’t matter.

a.    Give us Christ not the church.

b.    Give us the man not the plan.

c.    The church is not important as long as one is spiritual.

d.    The church doesn’t matter as long as one is good.

e.    It is healthy that people can attend the church of their choice.

 

C.   Is it true, as Satan would have us to believe, that the church doesn’t matter?

1.    It is not true. 

2.    Let’s consider this topic in this post:  “Why the church Matters.”

 

I.             WONDERFULLY WISE

 

A.   Paul teaches us that the church manifests the wisdom of God (Eph. 3:10).

 

To the intent that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

 

B.   Would anyone be bold enough to declare that God’s wisdom is not important?

1.    In the church, God houses the saved (Acts 2:47).

2.    In the church, God brings peace between warring factions of men (Eph. 2:14-16).

3.    In the church, God carries out His saving mission throughout the world (1 Tim. 3:15).

 

II.           ETERNALLY PLANNED

 

A.   Paul also teaches us that the church was in the eternal plan of God (Eph. 3:10-11).

 

To the intent that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

B.   Premillennialists have a very low view of the church.

1.    They tell us that it is a “stop gap measure” used by God.

2.    Jesus came, they say, to establish His kingdom, but the Jews rejected Him.

3.    They believe that Jesus will come again to set up His kingdom.  Until then, He has given the church as a temporary expedient in His plan.

4.    Quote:  “While dispensationalists have regarded the present age as a parenthesis unexpected and without specific prediction in the Old Testament…” (19. Premillennialism and the Church | Bible.org).

 

C.   Paul lets us know that the church is not just part of the plan of God.  Rather, it is the plan of God.  After the creation, if man sinned against Him, God was prepared to put His eternal plan into action so man could be saved.   That plan involved Jesus and the church.

 

III.         DIVINELY LOVED

 

A.   Man may despise the church, but Jesus does not.  He loves it immensely.  He loved it so much that He was willing to shed His blood and give His life for it.

1.    Acts 20:28

 

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

 

2.    Ephesians 5:25

 

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.

 

B.   Anything that is loved by Jesus Christ is both extremely valuable and vitally important.  NOTE:  The church is one of those things loved by Jesus.

 

IV.         ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL

 

A.   The word “church” comes from the Greek word, “ecclesia.” 

1.    The word means:  “the called out ones.”

2.    Members of the church have been called out of the world and have been placed into the church.

a.    We were called by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14).

b.    When a person obeys the call by obeying the gospel, he is added by the Lord to the church (Acts 2:37-38, 41, 47).

 

B.   The church contains those who are saved.

The church contains those who are saved.

The church contains those who are saved.

THEREFORE, IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO MAN’S SALVATION.

 

C.   When God looks down upon the world from heaven, He sees only two groups of people:  those in the world (the lost) and those in the church (the saved).

 

V.           CONSEQUENTUALLY COMMISSIONED

 

A.   The apostle Paul affirmed that the church is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).

 

B.   Jesus told His hearers that it is the truth that sets man free (John 8:32).

 

C.   It is the mission of the church to take the saving message of the gospel of Christ to the entirety of the world.

1.    Teach all nations (Matt. 28:19).

2.    Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

3.    Repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all nations (Luke 24:47).

4.    “And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

5.    “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

6.    “…the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister” (Col. 1:23b).

VI.         HOPEFULLY DESTINED

 

A.   One day, Jesus is going to return (Acts 1:10-11).  When He comes, He will be looking for one group of people. 

1.    Those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19).

 

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his…

 

2.    Those who are His are those He has purchased with His blood.

a.    Paul taught us that Jesus purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28).

b.    Paul told the Corinthians:  “For ye are bought with a price…” (1 Cor. 6:20).  It is interesting that he addressed this first epistle “unto the church of God which is at Corinth…” (1 Cor. 1:2).

 

B.   The church will be presented to the Christ when He comes again (Eph. 5:27).

 

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.

 

C.   At that time, the one hope of our calling (Eph. 4:4) will come to fruition.

1.    The church will be resurrected (Acts 23:6).

2.    The church will be given heavenly bodies (1 John 3:2-3).

3.    The church will be ushered into heaven (Col. 1:5).

4.    The church will receive eternal life (Tit. 1:2).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Those who proclaim that church is not important are unlearned and foolish.

 

B.   The church matters. 

1.    It matters now. 

2.    It will matter when the Lord comes again.

 

3.    Hymn:  “I Love Thy Church”

 

I love Thy church, O God!

Her walls before Thee stand,

Dear as the apple of Thine eye,

And graven on Thy hand.

 

Beyond my highest joy

I prize her heavenly ways,

Her sweet communion, solemn vows,

Her hymns of love and praise.

 

I love your church, O God

The people you have called,

The church our blest Redeemer saved

With His own precious blood.