CHURCH

#1 · September 25, 2006, 3:12 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on September 25, 2006, 3:12 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
CHURCH

September 24, 2006

TEXT: Matthew 16:13-20

Last Sunday afternoon, Pastor Jeff Sexton of Calvary Baptist Church, Kokomo, delivered the annual sermon at the Judson Association meeting. In the course of his message, he made certain observations about the purpose of an Association meeting. Even though some of the reasons for meeting have changed, others have not. I thought to myself throughout that afternoon that what Pastor Jeff was applying to an Association could be applied to church, as well. Of course, that makes good sense because we met together as an Association of churches. And when the question was asked, What is a Judson Association? I asked myself the question that had already been forming in my mind, What is church?

In Matthew 16, as we have read, Jesus came to a point in his relationship with the disciples where he asked, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? After listening to their answers, he asked, Who do you say I am? Upon hearing Peters answer, which was a confession of Jesus as Savior, Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Unfortunately, this portion of Scripture has been hotly contested over the subsequent years since Jesus uttered it. It has been used to form one of the bases of division between Christian bodies of Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and probably a few others. This portion of Scripture has been studied and argued and fought over for centuries now. But Im not going to go into all that this morning, and for that, there should be a resounding Amen! I can pull out a few volumes from my small personal library alone of academic studies of this Scripture that quickly boggles the mind of a simple pastor like myself. I could draw from those studies and make a seminary classroom presentation that would have us all leaving here cross-eyed. But Im not doing that. Amen!

When I think back to last Sunday afternoon, when the question, What is church? came to me, which God put there, and when I read this portion of Matthew 16 and try to understand what scholars have written about it, I boil it down to some rather simple, straight-forward principles.

What is church? First and foremost, church is confessional. Wait a minute, Pastor Chuck, I thought you said that you werent going into all that controversy. Confessional sounds sort of Catholic to me. Confessional here means making a confession - a statement of belief. I think, and this is just my personal observation of verses 13-20, that when Jesus, said, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it, that the rock he referred to was Peters earlier confession to Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. The rock of the church that Jesus Christ in that moment established was not the man Simon son of Jonah, better known as Peter, but the confession made by him that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Now I have a feeling that if my observation was subjected to any number of scholars, that they would rip me to pieces on technical grounds. They would probably say that I am out of synch with the Greek linguistic structure or that I dont match the proper redaction criticism or that I am ignoring hundreds of years of significant theological thought. And they would no doubt be right.

In spite of all that, it just seems to me that if the church that Jesus came to his world to establish is not built on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, then it is not the church that Jesus established. Whatever we call church in whatever faith group it may belong to must be built on the confession that Jesus is our Savior; otherwise, it is not Christs church. Church is confessional.

Second, church is a model of integrity. I did not explicitly state in my first point that I am not referring to a meaningless organization, but I will do so now. Church is the men, women, teens, and children who attend there. The first 50-Day Spiritual Adventure we did at this church in 1997 included a theme song entitled We Are His Church, which begins, We are His church, His chosen family. We are His church, His holy bride. As we march on to the throne singing praise to Him alone, we are His church, we are His church. So it is not some building that models integrity. It is the membership - the people - of the church who model integrity.

The Biblical concept of integrity is formed from a Hebrew word that means simple, whole, sound, unimpaired, or complete. A boat or a ship, for example, has integrity when the seams and fittings are tight and in place and do not leak. A fruit tree has integrity when its roots, trunk, branches, and fruit are healthy and functioning. If it is a healthy tree producing good fruit, it is said to have integrity.

Jesus used the image of fruit trees and vines to illustrate this. Matthew 7:16-18, By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Dan Lupton wrote, Many years ago I heard a radio preacher suggest, Character results from repeated acts of conduct, which are guided by our values, which spring from our faith system. If our tree has integrity, the fruit will be sweet. We model integrity when character, daily deeds, the values we claim, and the faith we affirm are joined together in a simple, complete, unbroken life system. Hypocrisy sets in when deeds and character do not correspond with the faith and values we claim. (J. Daniel Lupton, I Like Church, But, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 1996, pp. 108-109)

As a military conqueror, Alexander the Great adhered to a strict standard of ethical behavior. One day, several of his soldiers were brought before him to be judged for their various acts of misconduct. What is your name? he demanded of the first who had offended his army standards. Alexander, sir, he answered. Young man, the conqueror replied sternly, either change your character or change your name.

Those who would be called Christian should hear the lesson and make the application. If our deeds and character are not corresponding with the faith and values we claim, then we should change our character or change our name. Church is a model of integrity.

Third, church empowers people. I know that I said earlier that I think that the rock Jesus made reference to was the confession that Jesus is Savior and not specifically naming Peter as his successor as church leader. But that does not mean that Jesus discounted Peter, or that Peter was not in the picture. Peter was very much in the picture; as was John and Matthew and Thomas and Paul. Jesus empowered his disciples to be his church. Jesus empowered all who followed him to be his church. He wants to empower all who have followed him. He has empowered all who have followed him.

Consequently, Christs church does the same. Empowerment is seeing what God sees in a person and helping it to blossom. Church empowers people to hear the gospel and believe. Church empowers people to learn and develop their Spiritual Gifts. Church empowers people to live their lives in the ministries God has called them into.

During much of my teen years, I attended a small Church of Christ located no more than two blocks from our home. Three dozen in worship on any given Sunday was probably a crowd. The pastor was bi-vocational - a sign painter. I am sure that there was always a chronic shortage of volunteers to get anything done. Yet, that was an empowering church. What few youth they had were encouraged to lead singing - they did not use instruments in worship - and read Bible verses in evening services. At one point, when they had a decent-sized youth Sunday school class, the decision was made to split it between boys and girls. That wasnt as much fun. I remember suddenly being thrust into a smaller class with a few other teen males who could practice unresponsiveness for forty to fifty minutes. To top it off, our new Sunday school teacher was one of the few young adult males in the church who was every bit as bashful as us teens. Not a very rambunctious class, to say the least. Yet, I remember our teacher being there faithfully Sunday after Sunday and quietly encouraging us to respond to Gods love for us. I have no doubt that plenty of us who grew up in church or even attended every once in a while during our childhood and youth can recall stories of empowerment.

Jesus saw productive possibilities in crooked tax collectors, women of the streets, palace servants, scholars, and even a man who ran naked and screaming through a cemetery. In every instance, when these men and women, and many others, met Jesus, they began to become who Jesus perceived them to be. They were empowered. They are empowered. One such promise is found in John 14:12, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. That is quite a promise. Church empowers people.

Notice closely that throughout the New Testament, church is not a building. Church is not a location. When Jesus uttered those words to Peter that on this rock I will build my church he did not pull out a shovel and start digging and clearing the land for a building. Obviously, people coming together for worship, ministry, and service are going to meet at some location. It is a nice luxury that Christians have had for a lot of generations to be able to meet in designated buildings. But people do not come to church because of a building. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in the hearts of believers because of a building. We dont sing glory to God because of a building. As that song went, We are the church.

What is church? Well, Ive submitted three descriptions this morning: church is confessional; church is a model of integrity; and church empowers people. There are other appropriate descriptions that can be applied, but for now take these make sure that they are being applied in your personal life and in the life of this fellowship. Jesus has given his followers a solemn responsibility, but it is a joyful and triumphant responsibility. Nothing works better in our lives than when we are living out the will of the Lord. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
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Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

CHURCH

September 24, 2006

TEXT: Matthew 16:13-20

Last Sunday afternoon, Pastor Jeff Sexton of Calvary Baptist Church, Kokomo, delivered the annual sermon at the Judson Association meeting. In the course of his message, he made certain observations about the purpose of an Association meeting. Even though some of the reasons for meeting have changed, others have not. I thought to myself throughout that afternoon that what Pastor Jeff was applying to an Association could be applied to church, as well. Of course, that makes good sense because we met together as an Association of churches. And when the question was asked, What is a Judson Association? I asked myself the question that had already been forming in my mind, What is church?

In Matthew 16, as we have read, Jesus came to a point in his relationship with the disciples where he asked, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? After listening to their answers, he asked, Who do you say I am? Upon hearing Peters answer, which was a confession of Jesus as Savior, Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Unfortunately, this portion of Scripture has been hotly contested over the subsequent years since Jesus uttered it. It has been used to form one of the bases of division between Christian bodies of Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and probably a few others. This portion of Scripture has been studied and argued and fought over for centuries now. But Im not going to go into all that this morning, and for that, there should be a resounding Amen! I can pull out a few volumes from my small personal library alone of academic studies of this Scripture that quickly boggles the mind of a simple pastor like myself. I could draw from those studies and make a seminary classroom presentation that would have us all leaving here cross-eyed. But Im not doing that. Amen!

When I think back to last Sunday afternoon, when the question, What is church? came to me, which God put there, and when I read this portion of Matthew 16 and try to understand what scholars have written about it, I boil it down to some rather simple, straight-forward principles.

What is church? First and foremost, church is confessional. Wait a minute, Pastor Chuck, I thought you said that you werent going into all that controversy. Confessional sounds sort of Catholic to me. Confessional here means making a confession - a statement of belief. I think, and this is just my personal observation of verses 13-20, that when Jesus, said, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it, that the rock he referred to was Peters earlier confession to Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. The rock of the church that Jesus Christ in that moment established was not the man Simon son of Jonah, better known as Peter, but the confession made by him that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Now I have a feeling that if my observation was subjected to any number of scholars, that they would rip me to pieces on technical grounds. They would probably say that I am out of synch with the Greek linguistic structure or that I dont match the proper redaction criticism or that I am ignoring hundreds of years of significant theological thought. And they would no doubt be right.

In spite of all that, it just seems to me that if the church that Jesus came to his world to establish is not built on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, then it is not the church that Jesus established. Whatever we call church in whatever faith group it may belong to must be built on the confession that Jesus is our Savior; otherwise, it is not Christs church. Church is confessional.

Second, church is a model of integrity. I did not explicitly state in my first point that I am not referring to a meaningless organization, but I will do so now. Church is the men, women, teens, and children who attend there. The first 50-Day Spiritual Adventure we did at this church in 1997 included a theme song entitled We Are His Church, which begins, We are His church, His chosen family. We are His church, His holy bride. As we march on to the throne singing praise to Him alone, we are His church, we are His church. So it is not some building that models integrity. It is the membership - the people - of the church who model integrity.

The Biblical concept of integrity is formed from a Hebrew word that means simple, whole, sound, unimpaired, or complete. A boat or a ship, for example, has integrity when the seams and fittings are tight and in place and do not leak. A fruit tree has integrity when its roots, trunk, branches, and fruit are healthy and functioning. If it is a healthy tree producing good fruit, it is said to have integrity.

Jesus used the image of fruit trees and vines to illustrate this. Matthew 7:16-18, By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Dan Lupton wrote, Many years ago I heard a radio preacher suggest, Character results from repeated acts of conduct, which are guided by our values, which spring from our faith system. If our tree has integrity, the fruit will be sweet. We model integrity when character, daily deeds, the values we claim, and the faith we affirm are joined together in a simple, complete, unbroken life system. Hypocrisy sets in when deeds and character do not correspond with the faith and values we claim. (J. Daniel Lupton, I Like Church, But, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 1996, pp. 108-109)

As a military conqueror, Alexander the Great adhered to a strict standard of ethical behavior. One day, several of his soldiers were brought before him to be judged for their various acts of misconduct. What is your name? he demanded of the first who had offended his army standards. Alexander, sir, he answered. Young man, the conqueror replied sternly, either change your character or change your name.

Those who would be called Christian should hear the lesson and make the application. If our deeds and character are not corresponding with the faith and values we claim, then we should change our character or change our name. Church is a model of integrity.

Third, church empowers people. I know that I said earlier that I think that the rock Jesus made reference to was the confession that Jesus is Savior and not specifically naming Peter as his successor as church leader. But that does not mean that Jesus discounted Peter, or that Peter was not in the picture. Peter was very much in the picture; as was John and Matthew and Thomas and Paul. Jesus empowered his disciples to be his church. Jesus empowered all who followed him to be his church. He wants to empower all who have followed him. He has empowered all who have followed him.

Consequently, Christs church does the same. Empowerment is seeing what God sees in a person and helping it to blossom. Church empowers people to hear the gospel and believe. Church empowers people to learn and develop their Spiritual Gifts. Church empowers people to live their lives in the ministries God has called them into.

During much of my teen years, I attended a small Church of Christ located no more than two blocks from our home. Three dozen in worship on any given Sunday was probably a crowd. The pastor was bi-vocational - a sign painter. I am sure that there was always a chronic shortage of volunteers to get anything done. Yet, that was an empowering church. What few youth they had were encouraged to lead singing - they did not use instruments in worship - and read Bible verses in evening services. At one point, when they had a decent-sized youth Sunday school class, the decision was made to split it between boys and girls. That wasnt as much fun. I remember suddenly being thrust into a smaller class with a few other teen males who could practice unresponsiveness for forty to fifty minutes. To top it off, our new Sunday school teacher was one of the few young adult males in the church who was every bit as bashful as us teens. Not a very rambunctious class, to say the least. Yet, I remember our teacher being there faithfully Sunday after Sunday and quietly encouraging us to respond to Gods love for us. I have no doubt that plenty of us who grew up in church or even attended every once in a while during our childhood and youth can recall stories of empowerment.

Jesus saw productive possibilities in crooked tax collectors, women of the streets, palace servants, scholars, and even a man who ran naked and screaming through a cemetery. In every instance, when these men and women, and many others, met Jesus, they began to become who Jesus perceived them to be. They were empowered. They are empowered. One such promise is found in John 14:12, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. That is quite a promise. Church empowers people.

Notice closely that throughout the New Testament, church is not a building. Church is not a location. When Jesus uttered those words to Peter that on this rock I will build my church he did not pull out a shovel and start digging and clearing the land for a building. Obviously, people coming together for worship, ministry, and service are going to meet at some location. It is a nice luxury that Christians have had for a lot of generations to be able to meet in designated buildings. But people do not come to church because of a building. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in the hearts of believers because of a building. We dont sing glory to God because of a building. As that song went, We are the church.

What is church? Well, Ive submitted three descriptions this morning: church is confessional; church is a model of integrity; and church empowers people. There are other appropriate descriptions that can be applied, but for now take these make sure that they are being applied in your personal life and in the life of this fellowship. Jesus has given his followers a solemn responsibility, but it is a joyful and triumphant responsibility. Nothing works better in our lives than when we are living out the will of the Lord. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

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