The State of the Church 2005 (part2)
You can also find this sermon at www.praiseag.org - visit "The Path" sermon finder and click on "New Testament Sermons."
INTRODUCTION:
On New Year’s Eve, 2004 moved forever into the history books and 2005 opened with the days as blank pages to be written; however more changed than just the date on the calendar. Since 1972 millions of people would join one of Americas biggest New Year’s Eve parties with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. At 75 Dick Clark with his youthful appearance was known as “America’s Oldest Teenager.” However, on December 8, 2004 Clark suffered a stroke preventing him from hosting the 2004 broadcast. Regis Philbin took Clarks place in New York City to host the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, and for the first time in thirty-two years America watched the ball drop in Times Square without Dick Clark.
Good health today may be here today and gone tomorrow. Dick Clark started his day December 8th like any other day, but before the day was over things changed. In addition to his stroke we were also told that Clark also had type 2 diabetes. “America’s Oldest Teenager” suddenly didn’t seem so young anymore.
Health is not an absolute. In the same way our physical health can be transformed due to an unforeseen heart attack, stroke, disease or accident, the health of the local church can change too. Just because a church is healthy today doesn’t mean it will still be healthy tomorrow. Now on the flip side of the coin is also true—just because a church may be unhealthy today doesn’t mean it will stay that way; health can also be restored. (Who knows Dick Clark may even come back to host New Year’s Rockin’ Eve next December!)
This morning we are going to return again to “The State of The Church.” How healthy is Praise Assembly of God? Praise the Lord, I believe we are a healthy church. Let’s look at seven characteristics of healthy churches as we look at Ephesians 4:11-16 to see just how healthy we are and discover how we can maintain and improve our health.
• Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)
[11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, [12] to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
1. Healthy Churches Involve Lots of Different People (verse 11, 12a).
• Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT)
[11] He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. [12] Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work.
Take a look at the people around you and what do you notice? Everyone is different. No one is a clone of another. We can all say of one another, “When you were born, they broke the mold.” We are all unique—no two individuals are the same.
Within the church God takes all kinds of different people and uses them in different ways. Some people are used as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and yet even those who are called to similar ministries are still unique.
But don’t stop and think you have been left out because you are not “in the ministry!” Yes, God has set some people apart as “gifts to the church;” some people are used in special ministries as apostles, prophets, evangelists, or pastors and teachers. However, the work of healthy churches cannot be done just through those in what we call fulltime or professional ministry positions. Pastor Sue and I cannot make Praise A/G a great church.
The “SOME” are used to equip the “ALL.” God wants to use you also. You don’t have to be “in the ministry” to be a minister used by God within His Church. The Lord wants to use lots of different people in lots of different ways.
The Bible teaches that we are ALL priests or ministers for God. God wants to include all of us in the work of the Church.
• 1 Peter 2:5 (NLT)
And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are God’s holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ.
Healthy churches have lots of different people involved.
2. Healthy Churches Focus On Jesus (verse 12b).
Why does God use lots of different people? The Bible says God uses various people in the work of the church “SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP” (Eph. 4:12 NIV). Can I put it to you simply? The church is not about you or me, it’s about Jesus!
In Ephesians 1:11 the Bible says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for” (MsgB); “in Him we were chosen . . . according to [His] plan” (NIV).
Healthy churches are made up of people being transformed into the image of Jesus. Jesus is the builder of the church! Remember we said last week Jesus establishes the church; He is the foundation upon which the church is built. Therefore healthy churches will look like Jesus!
We are not building our own little kingdoms; programs or ministries. Healthy churches are not measured by the number of people in the pews, the money in the bank, the programs offered, the building, or any other human standard you may think of. Everything we do is about Jesus. APART FROM HIM WE ARE NOTHING.
Healthy Churches focus on Jesus! As members of His church we aren’t living for ourselves but for quote “THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).
Let’s get our eyes off of ourselves. When we focus on us we are divided, but when the church focuses on Jesus the church is united!
3. Healthy Churches Are One In Christ Jesus (verse 13).
Within the Church God uses lots of different people with their attention focused upon Jesus to establish unity within the body of Christ—that is among you and I as believers.
• Ephesians 4:13 (NLT)
until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
Notice the connection made here between unity and maturity. Real maturity in Christ is not shown by how great your faith is, nor by how much you know about the Bible. Maturity is really all about unity. Show me how well you relate with other believers, and I’ll show you how mature you really are.
If your relationships are divided, if you have unforgiveness or bitterness towards others in your life, then you are immature. You need to grow up in Christ! However, if you show love and unity within the body of Christ, then you have really grown-up.
You develop maturity in Christ as you are transformed into His image. The more you are like Jesus, the more you will grow in unity with other believers. Before Jesus went to the cross He was praying in the garden. Jesus wasn’t just praying for himself; he prayed for his disciples and even for you and me!
• John 17:20-21 (NIV)
[20] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Jesus prayed that we would be one. Why was unity so important to Jesus? The world—that is those who do not believe the truth about Jesus yet—the world will believe because we are one in Christ.
Healthy Churches are one. And healthy churches grow.
Healthy churches involve lots of different people, focus on Jesus, are united in Christ and . . .
4. Healthy Churches Are Doctrinally Sound (verse 14).
• Ephesians 4:14 (NIV)
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
The recent tsunami is a vivid illustration of what happens when you are caught in the waves. Hundreds of thousands of people have died because they were tossed back and forth in the waves. This is why we are not to be tossed by the waves or blown by the wind of false teachings—it will kill us spiritually. Healthy churches have an anchor which holds them steady; we are grounded in the Word of God.
Healthy Churches do not preach or teach its own opinion nor do they worry about trying to be politically correct. Great churches preach and teach God’s word without compromises.
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV)
[3] For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [4]They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
We live in times such as Paul warned Timothy about. We must be careful to remain true to God’s word. Rather than shaping scripture to our personal preferences, we must allow the Bible to shape us into the image of Christ through the power of His Spirit.
God wants to transform us into the image of Jesus. How does that happen? God changes us by the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word.
• Ephesians 5:26 (MsgB)
Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her.
• [Christ makes the church] holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. (NIV)
Let me put it to you simply. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY WE BELIEVE THE RIGHT STUFF; WE HAVE TO LIVE IT. If we are not living in obedience to the Word of God then we are still wearing the dirt of the world and need to be cleansed. Good doctrine is proved through good behavior.
• James 1:22 (NIV)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Healthy churches involve lots of different people, focus on Jesus, are united in Christ, are doctrinally sound, and . . .
5. Healthy Churches Are Loving (verse 15a).
• Ephesians 4:15 (MsgB)
God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything.
Healthy churches “speak the truth in love.” No stabbing one another in the back; no getting even. We love each other.
Love should be the motive for everything that we do. Loving churches are like Jesus making the love of God known to their community and world because “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We are to be like Jesus in everything. We are being transformed into His image. If you are unsure what Jesus looks like then let me tell you in one word: LOVE. Jesus one goal was to show us God’s love in the way He lived and then to make it possible for us to receive His love in our hearts through His death on the cross. Jesus is love!
• 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
I want Praise A/G to be a loving church, but don’t overlook the obvious! Churches are not made up of bricks and mortar; CHURCHES ARE MADE UP OF PEOPLE. Our church will be no more loving than how much you and I are willing to love one another. Peter said, “above all, love each other deeply.”
The litmus test of love is found in how we talk about each other. Will you speak with words of love, or will you be sarcastic? Be careful what you say, your words expose your heart!
6. Healthy Churches Reflect Jesus To Their World (verse 15b).
• Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Healthy churches make Jesus known to their community and their world by being like Jesus. Special programs, revival service or ministries are not enough. If we are not like Jesus in how we live our lives, then it doesn’t really matter what else we say or do.
Our testimony cannot be “do as I say, not as I do.” St. Francis said, “preach the gospel to all the world and if necessary use words.” Someone else has said that our lives may be the only Bible some people ever read. Are we living our lives in such a way as to not distort or misrepresent Jesus whom the scriptures make known?
We are to be “growing up in Christ in all things.” Healthy churches will reflect Jesus daily in everything we do and say. We are His hands, His feet, His voice, His heart to those who do not yet know Him.
Do people see Jesus when they look at you?
Healthy churches involve lots of different people, focus on Jesus, are united in Christ, are doctrinally sound, reflect Jesus to their world and finally . . .
7. Healthy Churches Involve Everyone (verse 16).
• Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
We have come full circle. Not only do healthy churches involve lots of different people, but healthy churches involve everyone “each part does its work.” We are not to be just spectators; no one is just warming the bench. Everyone is involved!
• 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Within the body of Christ there are no unimportant roles. Everyone is important; everyone is needed. Without you we are incomplete. We need you!
What part are you willing to play in making Praise A/G a great church? We need you to do your part if we are going to remain healthy.
Healthy churches:
1. Involve lots of different people;
2. Focus on Jesus;
3. Are united in Christ–ONE;
4. Are doctrinally sound;
5. Are loving;
6. Reflect Jesus to their World; and
7. Involve everyone.
CONCLUSION:
Last week I shared what I believe are seven key areas for our church in 2005. If we are going to remain healthy as a church and fulfill God’s purpose in and through us these are the things we must be doing
1. Develop more body ministry.
2. Build small group ministry into the church.
3. Get ready for the assimilation of new people.
4. Strengthen our visitation and follow-up ministry.
5. Continue to be a “family friendly” church.
6. Be on guard from the attack of the enemy.
7. Prepare for growth and change.
