Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

ARE THE BIBLE AND CHURCH RELEVANT?

Introduction

1 Timothy 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.”

One of the major challenges facing the true Church today is that of relevance.

Many question the relevance of the Church in our "enlightened world"

By and large, the world would say, “No, the Church is not relevant.”

Many prominent authors have written books on how the Church can be and should be more relevant in the lives of people today. Many, if not most, of these authors advocate changing the Church to adapt to modern society.

Could I tell you that it is not the Church that needs to change. God did not intend for the world to dictate to us what a Church should be and do.

It is the Church that is suppose to be helping to bring forth change in the lives of those who are in the world. That change is brought about by the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

People of our time need the Gospel just as much as they did in the days of the apostles:

1.          They still need to understand how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can make a difference in their lives,

2.          They still need to understand how that a faith that is so counter to the world system can actually bring peace and joy to in their lives, and

3.          They still need to understand how that placing their trust in God is wiser than placing their trust in anything or anyone else including themselves.

The Church does not need to change from what Christ established it to be, but rather it needs to get back to what God intended for it to be.

I want to share with you how that the true Church, as founded by Christ, is still relevant even today.

I.          THE CHURCH IS STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE OF ITS MASTER.

             A.         Jesus Christ Is The One Who Founded The Church!

                          (Our text–Matthew 16:18)

             B.         Jesus Christ Loved The Church And Gave Himself For It!

Ephesians 5:25–“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

             C.         Jesus Christ Is The Head Of The Church!

Colossians 1:18–“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Ephesians 5:23–“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

Just as the head gives direction to the body, so also Christ gives direction to the Church!

             D.         The Church Is Subject To Christ!

Ephesians 5:24–“ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

             E.         Jesus Christ Nourishes And Cherishes The Church!

Ephesians 5:29–“For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”

“nourisheth” = “to rear up to maturity; to train.”

“cherisheth” = “(to warm); to brood, that is, (figuratively) to foster.”

               F.         Jesus Christ Works In And Through The Local Church!

Ephesians 5:26-27–“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.”

Philippians 1:6–“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Ephesians 3:20-21–“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

               G.         Jesus Christ is coming back for His Church! 

John 14:2-3– “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

THE CHURCH IS STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE OF ITS MASTER.

II.           THE CHURCH IS STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE OF ITS MESSAGE.

               The Message of the Church is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

               A.         It Is Relevant Because Men Are Still Lost In Sin.

Romans 3:23–“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

               B.         It Is Relevant Because The Gospel Is Still The Power Of God Unto Salvation.

Romans 1:16–“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

1 Corinthians 1:18–“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

               The Church is still relevant because of Its Master, Its Message. . .

III.         THE CHURCH IS STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE OF ITS MINISTERS.

               A.         Primary Ministers. (Ephesians 4:11-16)          

                            1.          Apostles And Prophets.

These had a limited duration in the Church but their ministry still has an effect on the Church.

                            2.          Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.

These have a continual ministry in the Church until the Lord comes again.

               B.         Secondary Ministers.

                            1.          In reality, every member of the local Church is a minister.

1 Corinthians 12 speaks of the importance of the various members of the body of Christ to the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:28–“And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

                            2.          Spiritual gifts were given to edify the local Church.

1 Corinthians 14:12–“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”

1 Peter 4:10-11–“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

The Church is still relevant because of its Master, Its Message, Its Ministers. . .

IV.         THE CHURCH IS STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE OF ITS MANDATE.

               A.         The Mandate Of The Church Is To Preach The Gospel.

Mark 16:15–“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Acts 1:8–“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

               B.         The Mandate Of The Church Is To Administer The Ordinances. 

1 Corinthians 11:2–“Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.”

                            1.          Baptize Those Who Believe.

Matthew 28:19–Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

                            2.          Administer The Lord’s Table.

It was given to the disciples who made up the first Church. “This do in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:26–“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.”

               C.         The Mandate Of The Church Is To Disciple Those Who Have Believed And Have Been Baptized.

Matthew 28:20–“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Conclusion

We should not look to the world to determine our relevance. We need to look to our Saviour!

As the Lord addressed the seven Churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3, we find that He had both words of commendation and words of rebuke for those Churches.

He rebuked some for having moved from where they should be. Some were in danger of not having the relevance they should have in a lost and dying world.

As they became more worldly, they lost their significance and their relevance.

The Lord admonished them to repent and return to their roots.

As the Lord looks at our Church today, is there a word of rebuke for us?

If we have moved from what He says we should be there is. And that means we need to get back to where we need to be to maintain our relevance.

Relevance is found not in becoming more like the world, but becoming more like Christ.

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!