Is Church Relevant?

John 1:43

Because there are a number of false churches in the world, many false teachers deceiving the unsuspecting, and too many scandals related to modern Christianity people are turned off by religion and church. Even in mainstream Christian denominations people have a growing sense that church has no real contribution to make in their lives. They have their education, careers, and families to worry about and church does not help them much with either. Church is merely one more thing to fit into already very busy lives.

But, what if we entertained the idea of what Jesus deems relevant instead of what we think is relevant. Perhaps we are thinking about relevance in terms far too small…. In John 1:43, Jesus issues an invitation to “Follow me.” What does He have in mind, and how does that relate to church involvement today?

What must we understand about the invitation Jesus made to “Follow me” in John 1:43?

“Follow Me!” These are great words because of the One who spoke them and great because of the privilege they offered. The Savior is still issuing this simple, yet sublime, invitation to all men everywhere.^[1]

There are several valuable points relevant to the invitation Jesus made to “Follow me.” He means the following:

1.       Followers keep company with Jesus and one another.
2.       Followers live His way.  It was a call to live life His way in relation to the Father and to others.
3.       Followers join Him in the redemptive initiatives of God. The call to discipleship essentially means a call to live His way and join Him in the redemptive enterprise.

Furthermore, it was customary for a disciple to take the initiative and select the rabbi they would follow. Jesus intentionally broke with this customary practice by choosing his own followers.  

What does the call to discipleship have to do with the relevance of the Church?  What does discipleship involve?

The call to discipleship is the nature of the church, when that call is lived out in its intended way.  An individual disciple is one part of that body, the church. Discipleship involves joining the company of others who are also disciples and working together with Christ to bring persons to God. Yet many reject church membership and regular attendance because they reject organized religion…they prefer to pray and worship at home privately. They believe that church is a human creation and subject to human manipulations advanced under the administration of fallible human leaders.

While any and every church is not worthy of attending or belonging to, there are some who still afford disciples opportunities to fellowship with Christ, share life with fellow believers, participate in Christian lifestyle, and cooperate in sharing the Gospel of Christ with the world. Truly following Jesus Christ today is effectively executed through serious involvement in a local Bible-believing church. That is a church that understands its nature and mission from Christ’s perspective and not merely one pandering to the culture’s demands, traditions, or expectations.     

What is the essential nature of the Church?

The Bible affords great insight regarding the very nature of the Church. We see in the New Testament several functions and responsibilities that are true of specific local congregations, and these are portrayed in a positive light (Acts 2:40-47).  The church in Jerusalem early on was very pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelizing, worshiping, fellowshipping, training and teaching, and ministering were all major features of this ministry. But, the point here is to define its essential nature.

A closer look at the word “church” should be helpful. It is used 115 times in the KJV. In 114 of those passages the Greek word translated “church” is ekklesia. (In Ac. 19:37, the Greek word hierosulos, meaning “a robber of a sacred place,” is translated also “church.”) Ekklesia means called out. Also philologically, that is the way a word is used, not merely its root meaning, a church is an assembly. We need to be just as concerned about how a word is used, not merely what its roots may be.  The meaning of the word ‘ekklesia’ is defined by its common usage in Biblical times. This being the case, the meaning of ‘ekklesia’ is “a called out assembly.”

Now, a local assembly operated through democratic processes under the laws of the Empire.  A Christian assembly function is the great commission, Matt. 28:19-20, its government is democratic (Acts 1:15-26), and it operates under the laws of King Jesus Christ.  A church is an assembly, city of believers, on earth within the Kingdom of God. A church should be comprised of believers who have been baptized in accordance with the Scriptures and voluntarily covenant together to fulfill the Great Commission. This includes evangelizing the unsaved, baptizing the new convert, training the saved to live and serve as Christ Jesus taught us. This is to continue through starting new churches in new places the world around until Jesus comes back for us.

The first mention of the word “church” in the N. T. is Mt. 16:16-19. Consider some important lessons from this passage:

1. The Church was started and built by Christ (“I will build”). This is one of His most important  present occupations.  This refutes the idea that the Holy Spirit started the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  The Holy Spirit came to Fill and Empower the Church not to start it!  Jesus is the Originator and God’s great arm of creation– and He created the church.
2. The Church was built upon Christ. The “Rock” upon which the church is built is Christ Himself--not Peter (compare 1 Co. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6).
3. The church did not exist until Christ came. It is an entity distinct from Israel.  There was no church in the O. T.  times (1Cor. 10:32; Eph. 3:3-11).

So, a genuine Church is a called out assembly of baptized believers following Jesus Christ, and associating with fellow believers to live out the Gospel and share it with the world. Following Christ requires involvement with one of His genuine churches. Forsaking churches altogether is forsaking God’s plan for Christian fellowship, development, ministry, and purpose. Yet, it is common to plead with believers to attend church regularly and to involve themselves in the life of the ministry!

What is the mission of the Church?

The mission of the Church is to make known the manifold wisdom of God: the Gospel (Eph. 3:10).  Christ gave his churches the responsibility of unbinding the gospel, letting it loose in the earth.  But with this responsibility comes also the possibility that a church might not unbind the gospel and, by this very default, will bind it.  Not all children obey the Father.

A church is a fellowship of disciples making known to all the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its mission is not to be a fellowship. That is its nature.  It is a fellowship.  Its mission is to make the gospel known.  It is a fellowship on a global mission.

A genuine church from Christ’s point of view affords believers opportunities to follow Him corporately. Being a part of and engaging a church in meaningful worship, ministry, and mission are practical ways of following Jesus Christ today. The Lord Jesus did not start another entity to support Christian living and missions, so it is safe to conclude He deems His original plan as relevant still. To belong to a solid Bible-obeying church with a heart to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and devoted to life and ministry Jesus’s way is the plan of God for every believer without any exceptions.

I know there are those who have had bad experiences with rotten churches who feel they are the exception. Yes, you may feel justified by walking away from that awful church, but Christ expects you to follow Him still. That means finding a solid church who understands its nature and mission from Christ’s perspective and joining it. Join it to live in right and fuller fellowship with Christ Jesus. Join it to support and cultivate biblical Christian thinking, values, living, and service. Join it to advance the only hope God offers lost humanity of eternal value, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The invitation to follow Jesus Christ is the most valuable invite you and I will every give consideration to. Accept it and follow Him with as little interruption as possible until He returns for us in the Rapture.

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^[1] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1472). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

What Jesus' Resurrection Means To YOU!

ROMANS 4:23-25

THEME: we can be delivered from eternal suffering in the lake of fire for our sin by accepting God’s provision of a substitute and sacrifice –Jesus Christ. For indeed Christ was delivered for our offenses and then raised again from the dead for our justification– salvation.  Because of faith in the resurrected Christ we are made acceptable to God.

INTRODUCTION:

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24, But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:23-25, KJV)

Christ died in our place, bore our sins, paid the penalty due our sins; and all this not by force, but willingly (Jn. 10:17, 18). The blessed truth is that something happened to Christ, and because it happened to Christ, it need not happen to us. Jesus Christ died for our sins; we need not die for them if we accept His sacrifice.

Christ was also raise again and we are identified with Him and represented by Him as Winners and Victors over Satan, sin, death, hell, and the grave. The Lord Jesus has a central place in God’s program of providing righteousness for sinful people by grace through faith. Both Christ’s death and His resurrection are essential to this grand work of justification (Rom. 4:23-25).

MESSAGE:

I. The Resurrection Of Christ Is Still A Relevant Matter.

It will continue to be as long as people are born sinners, as long as Hell burns hot, as long as death is a threat, and as long as the grave persists. But, not everyone who claims to be ‘Christian’ believes this….

SOME REJECT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION!

1.  Some So-Called Theologians and Scholars Believe that the Resurrection is Not Important to Modern Man in this Technologically Advanced and Hyper-Computerized Age.

   A)  The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America "theologian" Reginald Fuller makes the following statement in his book The Formation of the Resurrection Narratives.

Not only is the assertion of the resuscitation of a corpse incredible, as Bultmann pointed out, but still more pressing is the question, So what? Suppose a first-century Jewish prophet did in fact, incredible though it may seem, rise from the grave? What difference can that make to my existence or to the social, political, and environmental problems of contemporary man?

    B)  The first mistake of this poor misguided man was that he overlooked volumes of evidence from the Scriptures to dismiss the Lord’s resurrection as insignificant and irrelevant for contemporary man.  Then secondly, he is confused on what is the most ‘dangerous threat’ to mankind; it is not man’s social, political, and environmental problems that are his most pressing concerns. Intimidating as they may be, and as grim as the future on earth may appear to be in light of these ills, still mankind’s ‘greatest threat’ is Satan, Sin, Death, the Grave, and Hell.

2. Such Men Have Failed To Realize the Far Reaching Implications of our Lord’s Empty Tomb! Through the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus all of these ‘real threats’ were rendered powerless for the Believer in Christ. Yes, the resurrection of Christ is extremely relevant for today!

SCRIPTURE DECLARES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION!

1.  The Scriptures Teach that the Resurrection of Christ Will Always Be a Current Significant Factor With Eternal Relevance.  Death and resurrection were the portion of the Savior (Rom. 4:25). One can hardly fail to notice the carefully balanced character of this statement, relating as it does the death of the Lord Jesus to our sins and His resurrection to our justification.

  A) Christ Was Raised for Our Justification. Rom. 4:24-25

     1) Condemnation—“Who was delivered”, to death; compare Acts 2:23.  Sin deserves death (Rom. 6:23).

     2) Substitution –“For our offences,” Christ died on account of our sin crimes. He was delivered over to death in order to make the payment required (satisfactory solution to remove sin’s penalty by punishment) for our sins.

     3) Resurrection –“And was raised again” from the dead. Christ Jesus lives forever more!

     4) Justification –“For our justification” in order that we may be justified.

The word “justification” means acceptance with God; including not only the formal act by which God forgives sins, and by which we become children of God, but also the completion of the work—the treatment of us as righteous, and raising us up to a state of glory. By the death of Christ the atonement for sin was made. His death and resurrection alone provides our acceptance with God.  The resurrection of Christ was essential for the exercise of our faith in Him as the Savior, since Christ’s continuance under the power of death would create serious doubts about the effectiveness of His sacrificial death on the cross. Furthermore, justification also involves a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:4-7).

O’ Beloved, receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your very own personal Savior, there is NO other means of being forgiven of sin, an eternity with God in Heaven, nor life after life without Him. Trust Christ today!

  B) His Resurrection Is the Main-spring (Origin) of All Our Hopes and Final Salvation.

2 Tim. 1:9-10, Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [10] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (Death, Burial, Resurrection of Christ)

         1) Christ’s Resurrection Anticipates Our Personal Hope & Resurrections.

Life and immortality are brought to light by resurrection, 2 Tim 1:10. God “hath begotten us again to a lively hope (a living, active, real hope), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3. Thus, the fact that he was raised becomes the basis of hope that we shall be raised and accepted of God.

         2) Christ’s Resurrection Encourages Our Personal Salvations.

The fact that Christ was raised give real incentive to salvation! The reality that all who believe on Him shall be raised also is one of the most powerful motivators to seek God’s justification through Christ.

                a) Life After Life Through the Resurrection is an Outstanding Reason for Getting Saved!

There is no greater incentive to be shared to encourage someone to seek salvation than the fact that he maybe raised up from death and the grave, and made immortal to share eternity with God (1 Cor. 15:1-4, 48-57).

                b) Christ’s Resurrection Serves as a Powerful Guarantee That Believers Will be Raised Also!

There is no other viable proof that man can be raised from the dead, but through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In His resurrection we have a promise that all his people will rise. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him,” 1 Thess. 4:14. “Because I live,” said the Redeemer, “ye shall live also,” John 14:19; compare 1 Peter 1:21; Jn. 11:25-26.

2. Christ’s Cross and Resurrection Transcends the Concerns of This Life and World! Therefore, regardless of what the political pressures may be, and in spite of the ever growing environmental concerns, and regardless of the social frustrations of our day, we still have a hope in Christ that sustains us through the difficulties of this life and will deliver us safely into the next.

II. The Resurrection Of Christ Assures Us Of Our Justification!

Romans 4:24-25,  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; [25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

1Cor. 15:4 . . . and that he rose again the third day. . .

Christ’s death as God’s sacrificial Lamb (John 1:29) was to pay the redemptive price for the sins of all people (Rom. 3:24) so that God might be free to forgive those who respond by faith to this provision. Christ’s resurrection was the proof (or demonstration and vindication) of God’s acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice (Rom. 1:4). Thus because He lives, God can credit His provided righteousness to the account of every person who responds by faith to this offer. (Wiersbe)

TRUST THE RISEN CHRIST TO BE SAVED TODAY!

     1.  Without The Resurrection of Christ Salvation Would Be Impossible. 

1 Cor. 15:12-20,  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? [13] But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: [14] And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. [15] Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. [16] For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: [17] And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. [18] Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. [19] If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. [20] But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Romans 10:9-10, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

      2.  Christ’s Resurrection Is Important Because the Same Savior Who Died for Our Sin Is Alive Today to Save Us. We can trust a Living Savior: a living Savior can call sinners unto himself. While a dead savior cannot save anyone, a living Savior can save all who receive His forgiveness and accept His life. We simply cannot receive Eternal Life from a dead man. We can only have assurance and hope beyond death because we have a relationship with the One who conquered death through His resurrection. Clearly Christ is the only one that can by His finished work bring sinful humanity back into a right relationship with a Holy God.

               A) Christ’s Work of Redemption Was Completed in His Resurrection. His death would have been unavailing; his work would have been imperfect, if he had not been raised up from the dead. He submitted to death as a sacrifice, and it was needful that he should rise, and thus conquer death and subdue our enemies, that the work which he had undertaken might be complete. (Wiersbe & MacDonald)

               B) The Resurrection of Christ Is God’s Endorsement of Christ’s Perfect Life, and Atoning Death! His resurrection was a proof that his work was accepted by the Father. What he had done, in order that sinners might be saved, was approved. Our justification, therefore, became sure; as it was for this reason He gave himself up to death.

ACCEPT THE TRUTH THAT JESUS LIVES TO SAVE.

     1.  Because Christ is Alive, God Has a Basis for Saving and Justifying the Repentant Sinner who Believes. We are viewed by God as just as righteous as the Risen Christ is!

Romans 8:33-35, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

 When a sinner trusts Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, she or he will receive the credit of being righteous, alive, and assured of acceptance by God because they are identifying with the resurrected Christ.  For the sinner who believes on Christ, there remain no more obligations to sin and death.  We are freed from such obligations so that we can serve our Lord with our new lives (See Rom 6:4-13).     

      2.   Jesus Christ is Literally “the Resurrection and the Life;” You Need to Believe on Him.

John 11:25-27, Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? [27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

All hope of eternal life and resurrection power point to faith in Jesus Christ. He died in our place, was buried and on the third day He arose from the dead. By doing so He demonstrated that sin had been paid for completely, and that salvation could be obtained through faith in Him and His monumental achievements! Like Martha, we need to confess that Jesus Christ is The Lord God of the Old Testament who became a man to die for our sins. This same Son of God arose again in the power of eternal resurrection life and is able to save anyone who will repent believing the good news. Truly Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life, and He conquered death, the grave, and Hell on our behalf. Turn to Him for salvation life, forgiveness of sin, and an eternity with God.

CONCLUSION:  

1. Today you too can experience the Life giving power of the Risen Christ by believing on Him as your personal Savior. He is the resurrection, both spiritually and physically. Trust Him; believe on Him today.

2. Christian, recognize that you are free from death and sin through the Risen Christ, therefore serve God with your new life in Christ. The same power that saved you is available to empower you to live out God’s plan for you. Choose life after life.

3.  Stand on the promises of God without staggering and doubting with full persuasion that God is able to do what He promised. Remember strong unwavering faith glorifies God! (Rom. 4:20-21)

4.  Do not be confused as to what the most pressing current threats are to mankind. It is not the environment; it is not our social troubles; it is not our political frustrations that are most pressing. No, it is our spiritual deadness, the threat of Hell, eternal separation from God, spiritual bankruptcy, and the need for the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

5.  Exercise serious caution about who you read after and what you watch on television! This is especially needful when it comes to reading Christian books, periodicals, and watching major new network documentaries about Jesus. There are many false teachers in the world today. Beware of the fact that the fundamental teaching of the resurrection of the Savior is under sore attack by the wicked one and his crowd.

6.  Recognize the reason we have hope of eternal life, a heavenly inheritance, and the rapture or resurrection is all because of the resurrection of Christ. Beloved, great are the implications of Christ’s empty tomb!