Growing God's Church
Three Cheers for the Church
Philippians 1
I know I said we would be ending the series of Growing God's Church last week, but as is often the case, I begin to assess what has been said and how the subject has been covered, and God brings to mind something else that should have been included, so I want to stay with this theme for one more Sunday.
Then next week, we'll be into October and moving toward the holidays and we'll see where God directs us to study once we get there.
Over the last four weeks, we've talked quite a lot about God's church and His responsibility for growing it. After all, Jesus said, "I will build my church" and Paul taught the Corinthians how to cooperate and participate with God in the process, but ultimately, He gives the increase.
And we've looked at many of the things the early church did that contributed to their phenomenal growth such as preaching and teaching and prayer. And I've tried to point us to Scriptural examples of the kinds of thing the church must do to provide an environment where growth can take place.
But it occurred to me this week, none of that really matters if you and I don't see and appreciate the value of the church.
In her little book called "If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries: Poems for Children and Their parents", author Judith Viorst writes:
"If I were in charge of the world, I'd cancel oatmeal, Monday mornings, and allergy shots.
If I were in charge of the world, there'd be brighter night lights, healthier hamsters and basketball baskets 48 inches lower.
If I were in charge of the world, you wouldn't have 'lonely', you wouldn't have 'clean', you wouldn't have bedtimes or 'Don't punch your sister!' In fact, you wouldn't even have sisters!
If I were in charge of the world, a chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts would be a vegetable, all 007 movies would be rated 'G', and a person who forgot to brush and sometimes forgot to flush would still be allowed to be in charge of the world!"
That's my kind of world, how about you?!
That is an interesting thought: "If I were in charge of the world, what would I do?"
After I fight through all the greedy things like ridding the world of Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein and Chuck Schumer, and really got down to the real stuff, if I were given 24 hours to be in charge of the world, I would do one thing and that is change people's opinion about the church.
I'd do what I could to erase some scars and heal some splits and stop the gossip and put an end tot he complaints.
And in place of all that, I would have everybody come to see and appreciate the value of the church.
Well, I'm not in charge, ,and God's probably not going to let me be, so this morning I want to try and do the next best thing.
I want to ask you to take charge of your thoughts and emotions, and for the next few moments, I want you to prohibit any negative thoughts about the church from entering your mind. Only positive thoughts are allowed, and no cheating! And I'll do that with you and try to arrange my words to help with that task as I help us take a look at what a marvelous thing God did when He gave us a church.
Here's the first thing I want you to do. Go back in your mind to the very first experience you had in a church, the place where you first heard a hymn and a Bible story, where you heard your first sermon and first formed your opinions about the church.
For me, that was Rexroat Baptist Church . I have beautiful, wonderful happy memories of that place. I remember men like Mr. Shellenberger, who always had chewing gum for the kids. I remember Walter Wilson who taught us in RA's on Wednesday nights, and then would take us out to the back of his pickup to have a conversation with his old cowdog, John.
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remember Hugh Clark, who led the music and Effie Griffin, who pickled her little Chihuahua dog when it died and kept it in the cellar. There wasn't much spiritual about that, but it sure made an impression on me!
I have precious memories of that place. And while you're thinking about your place, listen to what Paul said in
Philippians 1:1-5
And do this with me: Take the thought of verse 3 and hook it up with verse 5.
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. . . for your fellowship in the gospel."
Think about your first church. Changes are, it was there that you first learned:
- about God's Word and to respect the Bible
- to be obedient
- to sit still and listen (for much longer than you wanted to)
- to pay attention to things you didn't fully understand
It was there that you listened to and learned the songs of the faith, you formed your first religious impressions, you learned the books of the Bible and how to pray and give an offering.
It was there in church that you learned there was such a thing as a man of God who opened God's Bok and preached it and believed it with all his heart. It was there that you,
- sang your first solo
- saw your first wedding
- attended your first funeral
- witnessed your first baptism
- joined your first choir
It was there that you got involved with God's people and learned what it was to have fellowship in the gospel. You got involved with God's people and you saw them every week. They laughed together, they cried together they sang and celebrated together, and they grieved together.
Just a little pocket of God's people, but because of them, even the seasons were different. Times like Easter and Christmas and Thanksgiving all took on new meaning and significance because of the church.
At Christmas, we filled our den with apples and oranges and candy and nuts and little cellophane of paper bags as dad and mom would assemble these little gift bags to take to everyone at church. We'd dress up all the kids in bathrobes and act out the Nativity, and sing some songs.
The chairman of the deacons would give the pastor a Christmas love offering and then we'd distribute those bags of goodies like they were the latest gadget from the store!
And I can honestly tell you, I thank God upon every remembrance of those people who were partners with me in the gospel. And you and I have the church to thank for those precious memories.
By the way, there's probably someone here thinking, "Well that wasn't my experience! Our church fought and wasn't interested in kids and it was terrible." Well, I bet you wish it was like that, don't you? So what are you going to do? Sit around mad and bitter or create some memories for the kids around you?
Now to be honest, not everything about the church was rosy. Never has been
verses 7-8
While Paul is writing this letter, he is in chains, imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Let's let those chains represent the trials and difficulties of your life and mine.
It was in the same little church where I had so many good times that we also had the funerals for my grandma and grandpa and mother and dad. But during those times, there was such an outpouring of love and support, it was unbelievable.
You and I have been there when we've come out of the doctor's office with bad news and as much as the doctors and nurses try to help, nobody can comfort like the pastor and people from the church who gather round and begin to pray for us.
When the tough times come and the bews is bad, most likely it is not the job associate or the nighbor that is there for us. Most of the time, it is our church family.
maybe your mate walked out. Who was it that helped you through that time? Not those at the bar or the social club. Chances are good it was someone at the church who came alongside you and slipped their arm around you and encouraged you to keep going. And you knew they hurt with you.
Remember the grief that washed over you when they put your loved one in the casket, and while the banker helped financially and the insurance agent brought a chek and the attorney gave you advice, when the flowers had wilted and the loneliness sat in, chances are good it was you Sunday School class or pastor that called or came by to pray with you and they surrounded you with the hope of the resurrection.
Listen: That's the way God designed the church!
Think about your youth years as you went from crisis to crisis. But you had a youth director or teacher tha cared about you and loved you regardless.
Remember when you were trying to figure out what to do with your life and one Sunday, right out of the blue, the preacher preached and God smacked you in the head and said, "Here's what I want you to do", and suddenly, it was crystal clear.
What if there hadn't been a church for those critical times in your life?
And while you're thumbing through the memories, don't miss the celebrations
verses 9-11
Who was it that gave you a Bible when you graduated school and helped you with guidance and provided a BSU when you got there?
Where did you find you mate? I found mine in church, or better said, she found me in church!
Where did you get married? Even if it wasn't in church, you probably wish it could have been!
Who was it that gave you counsel and helped you when the marriage grew cold and the kids were out of control?
There are so many celebration times, times when, as verse 11 says,
verse 11
It is a tragedy that only the bad things in church make the headlines, and I know there are some who are fed up and say they don't need the church, but they don't realize just how much they lose by not being involved.
And I can promise you this: There will come a day when they'll need a church
It's in the church where we learn to be faithful, where we learn to give and what it means to tithe.
By first tithes were paid out of my massive egg production operation and lawn mowing money as a 10 year old boy. I had about 25 laying hens and four old women who needed their grass cut and together, I had a pretty good income as a boy from selling eggs and mowing grass.
But it was my joy to take an offering to church and I've been following that practice for over 45 years now. It was in church that I learned about generosity and how the Lord blesses a cheerful giver.
And I didn't give it to my friends or my school or some family member. I gave it to the Lord through my church. I gave it to God's work!
Listen: It is in church that:
- discipleship is carried out
- accountability is demanded
- marriage is upheld
- morality is dignified
- doctrine is established
- mission work is supported
- evangelism is promoted
And I say, "Three cheers for the church!" In spite of all her flaws and wrinkles and blemishes it is still the most significant entity on the face of the earth today! It is the Lord's church!
So why is that true? Why does the church make such an impact on both a personal, and widespread level?
Let's think about that in three dimension.
First, let's apply it to
1. The World
verses 12-14
Why is the church significant in the world? We see it right there in those verses. Paul is talking about what Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount when He said we are salt and light in the world.
There is an interesting phenomenon when it comes to being salt and light. The world doesn't like it when we speak out, but they are also critical when we are silent.
There is an expectation that the church will stand against moral wrongs and if a church remains silent, the public is surprised. Even the lost world knows that the church should take a stand against sin.
President Calvin Coolidge came home from church one day and his wife asked him what the preacher preached about. He said, "Sin." When she pressed him for more details, he said, "I think he was against it."
Listen: Let there be no debate or question when it comes to where we stand. When the pulpit preaches against sin, people are encouraged to stand against sin. When the pulpit addresses moral issues, we can cut through the fog and gain courage and clarity and conviction as the people of God.
Jesus said, "Go be salt and light in the world. Let the light light and the salt bite!" That's our role as the church in the world.
Paul said, "The whole palace is aware of Christ" And even though there are many who will never darken the door of the church, they ought to know where we stand and for what we stand!
But let's bring it a little closer to home and apply think about the significance of the church in
2. The Community
verses 15-18
Why is the church significant in the local community? Let me offer a couple of suggestions.
Churches offer a unity through diversity. What do I mean by that? Think about how many different churches there are in Ardmore. Now I don't know everything about what they all believe.
But for those that are genuine churches, there is just one message that is Biblical and that is salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We may disagree about a whole lot of other stuff, but that is the essential truth that binds us together.
Andy church worth attending and supporting will preach an unchanging, uncompromising message of faith in Christ.
And as I said, there are all kinds of formats and approaches and styles and music, and maybe even motives. But Paul says, "I'm just going to rejoice that Christ is being preached."
Listen to these verses from the Phillips Translation:
"I know that some are preaching Christ out of jealousy, in order to annoy me, but some are preaching him in good faith. These latter are preaching out of their love for me. For they know that God has set me here in prison to defend our right to preach the Gospel. The motive of the former is questionable—they preach in a partisan spirit, hoping to make my chains even more galling than they would otherwise be. But what does it matter? However they may look at it, the fact remains that Christ is being preached, whether sincerely or not, and that fact makes me very happy."
If you want my advice, I would say, "Don't worry about it! Don't be critical of what others are doing! Remember, it's the Lord's church and if He wants to do something about it, He can do it without you! Just attend the one you prefer and give God praise that Christ is exalted and you get to be included!"
Besides that, not everybody will fit in this building anyway! We don't have a corner on the market when it comes to the gospel! We're not the only ones with the answer!
You say, "Well that sounds pretty liberal to me!" Well it sounds pretty scriptural to me! Is that not what Paul says in this passage? If not, I don't know what else he is saying!
If Christ is exalted, that makes me very happy!
One more thing Iw ant to mention and that is the significance of the church for
3. The Christian
verses 23-30
Just one thing in particular I want to point out to yo from this section.
verse 27
In so many words, Paul says, "Live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
That is a message you will not hear any place in the world other than the church.
The civic organizations are not going to tell you to live worthy of Christ. The schools are not going to tell you to do that. You're not going to hear it from your boss or neighborhood group.
No one else will tell you that you need to shape up and live like a Christian ought to live or instruct you to confess your sin and get back in church!
Nor should they, That is uniquely the work and ministry of the church. And I'll go a step further:
Only those who faithfully attend will hear the things they need to hear to keep their lives in step with Christ.
And while we're here, let me show you four benefits of church attendance that are woven through these verses. They are:
- accountability
- consistency
- unity, and
- stability
Here's what I've noticed: Christians who lose faith in church and walk away, without exception, have struggles in at least one of these four areas.
They lose, or wish to lose accountability, the lack consistency in their walk with God, they cultivate an independent spirit, and when the crisis comes, they lack stability.
Why? It's simple. There's no family around. So before you come to the conclusion that you don't need the church, I'd run down that list again!
The consequences are unavoidable, especially if you have available to you a group of folks who love you and love to help you.
What a privilege it is to be a part of the church, the blood-bought, born-again people of God. No group has been more instrumental in shaping history that has the church. She has been maligned, misunderstood, ignored, admired, quoted and misquoted.
But down through the years, she has been used by God and whatever else the church is or may be, it is God's and because of that, Jesus said, the gates of hell would not prevail against it.
I like what Gloria Gaither penned when she said,
God has always had a people, a people who believe by faith, who trust and obey His Word, a people whose God is the Lord.
Many a foolish conqueror has made the mistake of thinking that because he had forced the church of Jesus Christ out of site, he had stilled its voice and snuffed out its life, but God has always had a people.
The powerful current of a rushing river is not diminished because it's forced to flow underground. Now the purest water is the stream that bursts crystal clear into the sunlight after it has forced its way through solid rock.
There have been charlatans, like Simon the magician, who sought to barter on the open market that power which cannot be bought or sold, but God has always had a people.
Men who could not be bought and women who were beyond purchase. God has always had a people, people who believe by faith.
There have been times of affluence and prosperity when the church's message has been nearly deluded into oblivion by those who sought to make it socially attractive, neatly organized and financially profitable.
It's been gold platted, draped in purple and encrusted with jewels. It has been misrepresented, ridiculed, lauded and scorned.
These followers of Jesus Christ have been, according to the whim of the times, elevated as sacred leaders, and martyred as heretics. Yet through it all, there marches on that powerful army of the meek. God's chosen people who cannot be bought, flattered, murdered or stilled. On through the ages they march!
God has always had a people - the Church, God's Church Triumphant! God has always had a people, followers of Jesus Christ, chosen people. A people who believe by faith, who trust and believe His Word, a People whose God is the Lord, God has always - always - had a people.
Let's pray.
