Sermon Notes,
Is The
Church Relevant Today?
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. The
questions being asked about the church are challenging. The following are a few
actual questions asked by 18-26 year olds about the church.
1. “Why does my church spend more time
fighting about issues the Bible doesn’t talk
about instead of dealing with the things
it does?”
2. “How can we be sure we are the right
church?”
3. “Why does it feel like the church is the
least safe place to confess my sins?”
4. “How can I keep on going to church when
I feel like no one wants me, even as a
friend. Who would notice if I were at my
wits end and would care enough to
seriously try to help me?”
5. “I believe the concept of denominations
goes against the spirit of Christianity.
When did this begin?”
6. “Is it possible to have a relationship
with God without having to deal with the drama
and human mistakes of a church?”
7. “How can the church change to be more
Christ-like so people are not afraid of us?”
8. “Why is church so boring?”
B. I
appreciate the honesty of these questions. As I reflect on them I am reminded
of
some important truths.
1. There is no way I can answer all of
those questions satisfactorily. I am convinced
that God has the answers. As I pursue
Him I learn more.
2. The church is broken. The reason is
because it is made up of broken people like
you and me.
3. The church’s validity cannot be measured
by our failures but by God’s eternal
purpose.
4. The church’s relevance is not based upon
physical considerations such as the
style of worship, personal preferences
or cultural considerations. The relevance of
the church comes from God’s redemptive
work in us. The church is a part of
God’s redemption story. Is it possible that our attempts to make the
church
relevant are actually stripping it of
its real power?
C. Why
is the church relevant? Let’s look at
Matthew 16:16-18 – “And Jesus said to
him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona,
because flesh and blood did not reveal this to
you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I
also say to you that you are Peter, and upon
this rock I will build My church; and the
gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Notice
three truths Jesus revealed about His
church.
I. IT IS THE PRECIOUS POSSESSION OF
CHRIST
A. If I love you and you have a precious
possession it is going to be relevant to me.
1. For many years my wife and I had an
old sofa that had belonged to her
grandmother. It had been in her
grandmother’s living room from Tami’s earliest
childhood memories. It was precious
to her because of its association with her
family. We moved it around with us
for years until it fell apart.
B. The church’s relevance is seen in what
it means to Jesus.
1. It is His body.
a. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For
even as the body is one and yet has many
members, and all the members of
the body, though they are many, are one
body, so also is Christ. 13 For
by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether
slaves or free, and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit.”
b. Ephesians 1:22-23 – “And He put all
things in subjection under His feet, and
gave Him as head over all things
to the church, 23 which is His body, the
fullness of Him who fills all in
all.”
2. It is His bride.
a. John 3:29 – “He who has the bride
is the bridegroom; but the friend of the
bridegroom, who stands and hears
him, rejoices greatly because of the
bridegroom’s voice. So this joy
of mine has been made full.”
b. Revelation 19:7 – “Let us rejoice
and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the
marriage of the Lamb has come
and His bride has made herself ready.”
c. In Ephesians 5:22ff Paul says
that the marriage relationship between a
husband and wife is patterned
after the relationship between Christ and His
church.
II. IT IS THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS
PROMISE.
A. Jesus promised to build the church upon
the truth that He was the Messiah.
1. His promise was fulfilled following
His death, burial and resurrection on the
day of Pentecost pictured in Acts 2
when Peter and the apostles preached and
three thousand were baptized (Acts
2:41)..
2. 1 Pt. 2:9 - . “But
you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people for God’s own
possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of
Him who has called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light;” The word
“church” means “assembly.” We are
the assembly of those called out.
B. He claimed it as His own it. It is His church.
1. It does not belong to you, me or
anyone. It belongs to Christ.
2. Not only did Jesus promise to build it.
He purchased it by paying the price of His
own blood.
a. In Matthew 26:28 Jesus said, “for
this is My blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”
b. When Paul left the city of
Ephesus he instructed the elders of that church to,
“Be on guard for yourselves and
for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers, to
shepherd the church of God which He purchased
with His own blood.”
c. In Ephesians 1:7 Paul wrote, “In
Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” A boy
built a model boat which he
sailed in a nearby lake. One day the line broke
and the toy boat sailed out of
his sight. He later saw it displayed for sale in the
window of a toy store. Excitedly
he rushed in and told the owner it was his
boat. The owner said that
someone had sold him the boat and if the boy
wanted it the price would be
$20.The boy worked hard for the money and
bought the boat. As he left the
store he looked at the boat and said, “Now you
are mine twice, I made you and
now I have bought you back.” This is what
Jesus has done for us in the
church.
d. We are not in the church because
we are perfect. We are in the church
because we are redeemed. We are part of God’s
story of reconciliation.
III. IT IS GOD’S EVERLASTING KINGDOM.
A. After Jesus said He would build His
church He said, “the gates of Hades will not
overpower it.”
1, It may surprise you to know that
Jesus only used the word “church” two times
according to the Gospels. Here and
in Matthew 18:17.
2. On this occasion He describes it as
being invincible.
3. The gates of death and destruction cannot
withstand the strength of the church.
B. God’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
1. Daniel 2:44 – “In the days of those
kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
which will never be destroyed, and
that kingdom will not be left for another
people; it will crush and put an end
to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure
forever.”
2. Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not
of this world.” The church does not know
geographic boundaries. It transcends time and culture.
3. This is why the church is always a
relevant force. It is empowered by God,
Himself.
CONCLUSION:
A. In
his book, Living Beyond the Daily Grind, Chuck Swindoll makes a powerful
statement about the religious activity of
our society. “Much of our religious activity
today is nothing more than a cheap
anesthetic to deaden the pain of an empty life.”
B. We
obviously want to do everything we can to connect with people and minister to
their hurts and needs. But the business of
making the church relevant is not ours. If
we will respect God’s plan for the church
He makes it relevant in every society.
C. Are
you a part of the church?
1. Have your sins been washed away by the
blood of Christ through your confession
of faith, repentance and baptism?
2. If you have done that the Lord has added
you to His church (Acts 2;47).
3. If we can help you today in your
relationship with God and His church we welcome
you to come at this time.
