What’s The Big Deal About The Church?

Introduction

I’m glad how we just sang right over the typo. Instead of in the mind, in one mind, as the original is written. You didn’t even notice. One is better. One is better. It should be one. So we just sang right over the typo there. And as we were singing that song, I thought of Blake and Jamie Harrods’ wedding. They sang that song at their wedding. They sort of made it a husband and wife theme instead of a local church theme. But it reminded me of that. And I don’t know that Jesse could have sung two better songs than I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord, and We Are One before I preached this particular lesson. It’s good to be back. It’s good to see college students who have returned.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a meeting where I’ve come back and two more children had been born. Four down, two to go, ladies, and you’re here. The last two on the list of I guess that’s the last two on the list, unless there’s one in the oven that I don’t know about already. Six is enough for one church for one year. Maybe six more next year, who knows? We’re going to have to build onto the building just to accommodate all the babies being born. It’s good to be back. I did a meeting in Killen, Alabama. Only Kelly knows where that is in northern Alabama. It’s between Athens and Florence. And for some reason, I have meetings scheduled from 2017 to 2020, one a year in that region of the world in northern Alabama.

So I’ll be making quite a bit, quite a few more trips there, Lord willing. I did a series this time called Is the Lord Among Us or Not. Basically, just took a lot of sermons I’ve been preaching to you and combined them into one package. You might remember that two-parter idea, is the Lord Among Us, or maybe not. Is the Lord Among Us or Not? And I incorporated upsetting the world, the church at Thessalonica. Perhaps you remember that one. And do not throw away your confidence. Why should I love God? Those are some of the sermons I preached in the last six months here. And I also did one that I’ve been doing since 2009. And I preached it for the 25th time. I don’t know that I’ve had 25 different occasions to preach it, but 25 times since 2009, the sermon is The Conquering King.

And you wonder about preaching one that long, are you still getting the reaction from that lesson that you want? And I had one sister come out whom I styled during the meeting, Calamity Jane, because her name was Jane, and she’d fallen out of the back of a vehicle and broken her arm. And Calamity Jane came out and came out that night and said, That may be the best lesson I’ve ever heard. Well, I know how that is. You know, that’s, you know, people can’t remember the sermon that was preached last week. But I’ll take the compliment for what it was. that made me feel good about the work that I was doing over there. And I wanted to say all of that to say that your support of me is participation with me in those efforts.

And while I know I get grief for being gone, and I don’t like to be gone as much as I’ve been gone this spring, but most of the meeting work for 2015 has soon as concluded, at least two thirds of it. Thank you for letting me do that. It energizes me. It gives me new ideas, and I just really appreciate you supporting me in that and tolerating a few weeks that I’m away every year doing that. Unimpressed and underwhelmed. These are words that describe a lot of our culture toward organized religion. A lot of folks who are religious who claim to be Christian, fewer of those people are involved in organized religion, or that is, they go to services somewhere on a regular basis.

I guess we could say they are disenfranchised Christians or religious people. And I gotta tell you about most of organized religion, I am unimpressed and underwhelmed as well. But here’s why. Because in many groups who claim to honor Christ, truth is not valued. There is a greater emphasis on the social than the spiritual, there is an entertainment focus, and the consciences of people are salved, but sadly and tragically, they are not saved. But I’m more concerned this morning about us, because you’re my audience.

And we can have in our minds what’s the big deal about the church. I think I see that in the body language of people sometimes. In regard to their participation and involvement in these things. If we are indeed the real church of the living God, and I confidently believe that we are. And yet sometimes this is the attitude of the mentality. What’s the big deal about the church? Now, when I go back to people generally who look at organized religion and are under impressed, underwhelmed by that. I think there’s some reasons that contribute to that. Three major reasons time, stress, and money. You know, if you’re not involved in religion, it’s a time saver. You can do like so many people do. Their religion is listening to a sermon or singing off the internet.

They stay at home. Big time saver, a lot easier. No social things to be concerned with. A lot of us have social phobia. I mean, interacting with people when you come into a public place. So you’ve got that, you’ve got time, you’ve got there’s some stress associated with assembly. And then they want your money. We’re interested in your soul. The money will take care of itself. Time, stress and money. And we live in an increasingly isolated society. Technology allows us to communicate with the outside world when we have an inkling to. When we want to. We can text, we can email, we can internet, we can television, we can connect with the outside world when and if we want to, and that’s one of the reasons in our culture that neighbors aren’t neighbors anymore.

Now, there’s still people that are very neighborly and involved with their neighbors’ lives and helpful to one another, but again, we’re living in an increasingly isolated society.

1. It Must Be Seen From a Spiritual Perspective

What about the real church of God? I believe there is such a thing. I believe we’re in. And it has to do with what we taught in the Bible class about baptism, about what one does to become a member of the church. What is our perspective about that? What’s the big deal about the church? Now I want to tell you this is very important. To understand this, it must be seen from a spiritual perspective. And that’s the problem. And even those who are associated with the true people of God, one of the problems they have right here with this question is they’re not seeing it from a spiritual perspective. The values of this world will not cut it. What is held in high esteem among men will not make the great.

What this is will not be newsworthy in your local community. It won’t be found on the front pages of the Houston Chronicle. This must be assessed from a spiritual perspective. And so I want to challenge you right now. Here’s what you need to do. You need to put your spiritual eyewear on. Because only with spiritual eyewear will you be able to see this. And this reminds me just incidentally of what Jesus told the church of Laodicea that had become lukewarm. He told them to ask for Isaac for their eyes. They weren’t seeing things properly. And I think that’s one of the problems that we have with this question. What’s the big deal about the church? Well, let’s go back to the Old Testament because we’re given glimpses of the greatness of this.

2. Glimpses of the Greatness in the Old Testament

Way back in the Old Testament, and a lot of them. Okay, and I want to start here with a verse that’s quoted several times in the New Testament about Jesus being the chief cornerstone, the stone which the builders rejected. That comes from Psalm 18, the one before the very big Psalm that we studied recently. I love this section. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Now that sounds important, doesn’t it? Chief cornerstone. Talking about the very foundation of a structure. He’s the chief cornerstone. And we know that’s a reference to Christ. And then he goes on to say, this is the Lord’s doing. Now, and then notice this phrase. It is marvelous in our eyes. Now, whatever God was doing through Jesus, the chief cornerstone, he says, it is marvelous in our eyes.

And Psalmist doesn’t even understand it all yet. But whatever the Lord does should be marvelous in our eyes. And then he says, This is the day which the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it. That’s not just talking about a single day. Though each day we have is a gift from God and should be appreciated on that basis. He’s talking about this day. The day when the chief cornerstone has been rejected and becomes the cornerstone had been rejected, and now becomes the chief cornerstone. And he says, This is the day which the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, do say we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, do send prosperity. Too many are underwhelmed with God’s doings, God’s provision.

And so, if this is indeed the real deal, then it’s incredible. And it’s wonderful, whether we realize it or not, whether we appreciate it or not. And it can only be truly appreciated with a spiritual perspective. And yet so many say, Well, you know, I just don’t need commitment or involvement in the local church. You’re going to have to take that up with the Lord. And that’s what the Hebrew writer says in chapter 10, when he talks about the things that we have as Christians, this bold and confident access to God, more on that in a moment, where we can we can draw near to God. And full assurance of faith. Our bodies washed with pure water. And then he goes from that to say, let us hold fast our confession without wavering.

And consider one another. How to stimulate one another unto love and good deeds, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the habit of some. And I’ll tell you about those who have that as a habit. They’re not getting it. They don’t have the spiritual eye wear on. The day is drawing near. Now, whatever that encompasses, it certainly encompasses the fruition of God’s doings. God’s ultimate judgment of man. And as you see that day drawing near, and it gets ever closer, he says, you need to encourage each other, and all the more, as you see that day drawing near, you need to realize the things you’re involved in are absolutely huge. So, what’s the big deal about the church? Acts 2 is where that church was established.

3. Acts 2 Is Where That Church Was Established

What happened in Acts chapter 2? Now, some significant things happen when the church was established. I mean, again, I think we’ve read this so many times that the wonder of it all escapes us. Where the Holy Spirit descends in cloven tongues of fire upon the apostles with the sound of a mighty rushing wind. And how big was that? People were drawn to the temple area when they heard the noise. Thousands of people, and this didn’t happen every day. And then a great message was preached. Peter and the apostles speaking in tongues, even to people who were speaking different languages. They heard in their own dialect. And Peter and the Apostles preached this great sermon that Jesus is now the king. Sitting on David’s throne. And that you put him to death.

You, the Jews have killed him. And of course, there was the wonderful response. We had a sermon on this recently. If we just get people there. They were pierced to their heart. And they said, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And there’s not any evidence that there was any quibbling over the instruction that they were given to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins in Acts 2 and verse 38. In fact, those who gladly heard the word were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls. You tell me that’s not a significant event when 3,000 people has there ever been a day like that in the history of the world? Never. And we see their commitment to God, to the apostles’ doctrine, to each other.

4. You Shall Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit

And that number was even growing. We’re told in verse 47. The Lord was adding to their number. He was adding to the church daily, those who were being saved. Let me tell you what’s so grand about all of this. A phrase that we likely overlook. Because we don’t know what it means. I’ve been doing this thing where I’ve been doing verses with you, Acts 2.37, Hebrews 10.35, sermons about verses. Well, this is a sermon about a prayer. It’s a very familiar phrase in Acts 2.38. We read, Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. And we stop. Shame on us. The religious world has taken something from us. Because we are afraid to say.

And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let me tell you why that’s a shame. Because I want to tell you that phrase is telling us what the big deal is about the church. That’s how important it is. He said, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And this comes on the heels of Jesus’ great statement that though he is going to die, he said, I will build my church. I will have my people. And the gates of Hades will not be strong enough to prevail against him. I will build my church. And that’s what happens on the day of Pentecost. And then the conclusion of the sermon was you people who are responsible for death, you who have sinned on your hands, you need to repent of that sin and be baptized in the name of the living King Jesus Christ.

Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins can be forgiven. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Well, the reason why we’re sort of shy about that is people will use that and say, well, anybody who’s saved speaks in tongues. And that’s a mistake. We see people in Acts chapter 8 who were baptized and yet the Holy Spirit didn’t fall on any of them. It took the apostles coming down from Jerusalem to lay their hands on them before they could speak in tongues. So their salvation was not connected with speaking in tongues. And so we’re afraid of this verse. And I don’t think we know how to explain it. In fact, I got a question, and this is what prompted the sermon from one of our sisters who said, Facebook message.

Is eternal life the gift of the Holy Spirit. I’m not going to tell you who that sister was, because she doesn’t like her name to be mentioned, but she is in her mid 90s. Yes, you know who you are. And if that sister has a question about this, then we have not done a good enough job explaining what this is. And so when the question came, is eternal life the gift of the Holy Spirit? My answer was yes and no. That’s a part of it. But it’s more than that. And may I just say that about this entire phrase? Is it about speaking in tongues? Yes. In that particular audience at that particular time, it was about that. But it’s more than that. It’s more than that.

So what is it? Simply. This is not that hard. Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is to receive all that the Spirit had promised. And that’s what makes it a big deal. So I want to explore that with you. To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, if you’ll submit to this instruction, be baptized in the name of Jesus, be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins and likeness of his death and resurrection. You’re going to get everything the Holy Spirit had promised. Now, I’m already good 15 minutes into this, and I’ve got to tell you could really go through the entire Old Testament at this point.

Thanks, Well.

5. Notice This Word Promise in Acts 2

But I just want to give you a flavor of this. And I want you to notice this word promise in Acts chapter 2. That’s the key word. Max Dawson helped me see this years ago, and I appreciate him for that. What is this gift of the Holy Spirit? Because he says in verse 33, having been exalted, Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit. Okay, he has received the exaltation that comes again from the promise of the Spirit. He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. And then in verse 39, he says, after you receive the Holy Spirit, he says, after you’ve received the gift of the Holy Spirit, he says, For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to himself.

Well, what is that all about? Remember we talked a lot about one of the key passages of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel chapter 7? One of the main points that’s happening in Acts chapter 2 is you know that promise about David not liking a man to sit upon the throne? Jesus sits on his throne in heaven, and you’ll be there professionally. Jesus sits on David’s throne, just like the Spirit promised. That’s what we need. We have a high priest in the heavens. The Hebrew writer’s going to talk about that in detail. But that’s not all. Acts chapter 2. Isn’t this going to be easy to remember? And I remember Phil Roberts teaching me this at Florida College. All the twos associated with Acts 2. Joel 2 is actually quoted in the sermon.

And in verse 21, the conclusion of the quotation is, and it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That’s a key verse. That’s going to include the Gentiles. The promises for you and for your children, for those who are far off. So, you know what Joel was talking about in Joel 2? That’s happening right here in Acts 2. And that passage also includes your young men shall dream dreams and see visions. That’s that miraculous aspect of Acts 2. But it’s more than that. It’s all the prophecies of the Old Testament, like Psalm 2 about the Son. The Son who would be the Messiah. And about Daniel 2, that God would establish his church that would never be destroyed.

In Isaiah 2, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established. And I’ll tell you this, and this is again the short version of all this. We can go through the book of Isaiah. Write these passages down. The highway of holiness will be there. The ransom will walk there. Weeping and sighing will flee away. There will be joyful shout. Salvation. A fool will not wander therein, the text says in Isaiah 35, verses 8 through 10. That’s all anticipating this event and what would follow it. Isaiah 62, they shall have a new name. They will no longer be forsaken. But they will be my people. They will be viewed. They will be my land. He says in Isaiah chapter 62. I create a new heavens and a new earth.

The lion and the lamb will lay down together. Jew and Gentile, the people of all peoples will come together as one under the reign of the Messiah. And these passages in Isaiah are just the beginning. Again, we can see the entire Old Testament. I will fill this house with glory. I preached a sermon on that a couple years ago in Haggai chapter 2. I will shake the heavens. I will fill my house with glory. That’s what’s happening. Zechariah chapter 2. I will remove sin from the land in one day. Well, I did that in five minutes. There’s a lot there. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of all the promises of the Old Testament that were anticipating the day of Acts 2 and all the days that would follow when men and women would flow into the kingdom.

6. A Chosen Race, the Body of Christ, His Saints

So on the day of Pentecost, I think they got it. I don’t think they were weirded out like we are. By you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We get weirded out by that. But they were. They understood. This was a Jewish audience. They got it. The Old Testament was pointing to this. So what is it? It is all that the Spirit had promised. Now, when you look at then what the church is, then it’s more evident. What does Peter say about the church? You are a chosen race. A royal priesthood. A people for God’s own possession. Now we can stop right there. That’s amazing. If that’s indeed what we are, we belong to God. And we’ve been made kings and priests, as Jay prayed in his prayer from Revelation chapter 5 and verse 10.

We’re a kingdom and priests, and we reign upon the earth. Well, somebody said, I don’t feel like a king. But we are reigning in that we are the chosen ones of God. We’ve been exalted to heavenly places in Christ. Paul would say in Ephesians chapter 1, we occupy a unique position in the world, and I think that’s what’s meant by the meat shall inherit the earth. We have everything that matters. We have a relationship with God. We’re his people. For you were once not a people, but now you’re the people of God. 1 Peter 2 and verse 10 will go on to say. You had once not obtained mercy, but now you have obtained mercy. Proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

We have sung today.

We have received the riches of Christ. We’ve heard that so many times that we don’t get it. We don’t see it spiritually. Paul is preaching the unfathomable riches of Christ. That’s what we have. Rich.

What are the riches of this? And again, we take it for granted. We know the truth. We know God’s truth. The truth that he was planning. And we’ll talk more about this tonight. The truth that he was planning from eternity has been revealed. We get it. We grasp it. So many people are without truth. The truth that sets free, the truth that saves. And more than that, we have access at the very throne of God despite our sins, which have interfered with that in ages past. And because we have access, we have the help of our God. Who can do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think? That’s what the big deal about the church is.

And we are the body of Christ. That’s an amazing concept. That Jesus is our head. He directs our movements. We are being compelled by our teeth to live a certain way, to think a certain way, to regard others a certain way. We are the body of Christ. And that has a peculiar meaning in terms of how we interact with one another. We are members one of another. We are one. And all that is what’s special about the church. And somebody says, Well, again, I don’t want to be involved in that. Again, you’re going to take that up with the Lord. This is his plan. This is what makes this special.

And I’ll tell you this. When this does come to fruition, ultimately, he’s going to be glorified in his saints on that last great day. And that’s who we are. Saints is not just people who have died. That’s Catholicism. That’s wrong. We are the saints of God. We have been sanctified and set apart for these special purposes. Again, prize her heavenly ways. The brightest glories earth can yield. That’s what we have. Did you catch that in the song? I love that part of the song. The brightest glories earth can yield. That’s what God has given his people. And the brightest bliss of heaven. It’s when we come to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. And he talks about that last great day. He says some marvelous things. I don’t have time to go through this entire context.

He said, You’ve been considered worthy of the kingdom of God. He will be glorified in his saints on that day. He will be marveled at among all who have believed. May he count you work of your calling. And the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him. And that takes us back to Acts 2, doesn’t it? That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you. And you in him. Because of all that he is, you have become his chosen ones to live the way that he has prescribed. Because of the name of the Lord Jesus, he’s being glorified in your lives, and you and him, there’s a relationship here. And that goes back to Acts chapter 2 and verse 38.

Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus. On the basis of all that he is for the remission of sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Well, we look a lot better than we did five years ago. Well, what I mean by that is there’s more people sitting in the pews here. We sometimes have a packed house. We sometimes cram 200 people into this tiny little room. And that’s all well and good. And that’s more impressive in the minds of men. But I’ll tell you, even when we were just 60 or 70. It’s a big deal.

Every person who is called out of darkness and into his marvelous life. That’s a big deal. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a church of ten or a church of a thousand. And you know, oh, we’re more impressed with the church of a thousand. But what if the church of a thousand is not a thousand people who are recognized by the Lord? It’s not so impressive then. But you give me people who are recognized by the Lord, who are banded together as his body, regardless of the number. I want to say now that’s big. And that can only be perceived. Spiritually. You cannot regard that with carnal eyes and carnal values. If we submit to this instruction, it’s a big deal. Because you receive all that the Spirit had promised.

You’ll be regarded as the body of Christ. And one day you will be glorified with his saints. And there’s nothing that touches that in worth. Nothing. And if you’re on the outside looking in, you need to get in while there’s time and opportunity. I could offer you a million dollars this morning. Wouldn’t that be cool? I’d love to give every one of you a million dollars. Wouldn’t that be great? I’d love to be that kind of philanthropist. Never go be that, I don’t think. But I can give you something better than that. And I am capable. I can tell you the truth. That can save your soul, and you can reap all of these blessings that life is really all about. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive all of the Holy Spirit advanced.

Can we assist you in making the best financial move you’ll ever make? To be spiritually invested in the things of the Lord Jesus. That’s the big deal about the church. Won’t you be a part of it? Come now as we stand and say.