Identity (2): The Church

Last week we looked at 3 words that give us a good Biblical overview of who we really are:

Invaluable: created in His image/responsibility
Possessed: The Holy Spirit/by God/of a nation
Saints: in the Savior

If you are in Christ, God sees a saint when he looks at you. You may not feel like; you may be able to point to more things wrong in your life than right. But by grace, God sees His son if you are in Him – by faith. Looking at us with God’s eyes should bring encouragement and joy. This is who we are free to be.

What about all of us together? What is this thing called the church? What if there were a gathering every Sunday at Grace Harbor of people who embraced their Sainthood and purpose in life? What would God do with a handful of people who believe all of His word, understand their identity, and commit to His purpose for their lives?

I believe God would alter the face of Providence and the future would never be brighter – for us, for the city, but most importantly for the glory and Name and renown of Christ. I believe this would be a place full of hope and encouragement, praise and gratitude, purpose and excitement, love and worship. That’s what I hope and believe Grace Harbor should be.

If your understanding of church is shaped by experience, it could be wrong. Many of you grew up in churches that seldom talked about the Bible or a saving relationship through Jesus Christ. Or maybe you grew up in a church that talked more about the Church than Jesus, and people became more concerned about their desires than His desires. Or maybe you never went to church, and every time you talked with a Christian they seemed like a barb in your side because they were always telling you what was wrong with you. Our experience can really change the way we see things.

I didn’t grow up in this area, but I am a Red Sox fan. Why? Because when I lived in DE I went to a Baltimore Orioles/NYY game, and sat next to a group of about 200 Yankee fans. They through drinks on other fans, littered the field, and tried to hit the outfielders with various objects. I decided then, because of my experience, I wanted nothing to do with the Yankees – so when I moved here in 1998 it was no problem to see whose fan I would be. Experience can shape our decisions.

But when it comes to the church, it shouldn’t. Jesus only talked about the church twice – once to say, in Matthew 16 that it will be made of people who believe in Him and proclaim He is the Christ; and once in Matthew 18 to say that discipline will occur in it.
If you proclaim Christ you will face persecution. That won’t feel good. If a church has to discipline, and probably most churches do not discipline enough, that won’t feel good. A church, in other words, will not always make you feel good. It is Jesus’ church and based on Him. Jesus and His desires come first. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it is best for us to hear it.
So feelings do not establish or confirm the church. But they are important. Everything should be done in white-hot worship and love: not cold callousness. I heard the story of two famous churches in seminary: 1. Very welcoming, café, made you feel good, weak message. 2. Cold, dark, no one said “hi” no time to meet other people, but one of the best sermons in modern history. Shouldn’t church be both?

We’ll frame our understanding of church Biblically, and also strive to answer the question: What type of church should Grace Harbor be?

Biblically, the church is the local gathering of the called out ones (believers in Jesus), the universal, timeless collection of saints (remember last week), and ultimately the bride of Christ: undefiled and perfect in Him and for Him. These are Biblical truths: we are co-heirs with Christ and also the Bride of Christ. We are believers and called out. We are saved by grace through faith like believers throughout all history. That’s what the church is.

But not all “churches” are. There was a great reformation in Church history – the Protestant reformation – because people felt that “the church” – the Catholic Church at that time, was not truly a biblical church. – and their practices at the time confirm the suspicion.
Just because we assign the word church to somebody or some gathering does not mean that God sees those people as His bride. There can be churches of the world: gatherings of people who do not know Christ. The protestant reformers recognized this and broke away. Here is their definition of a church – this comes from both Martin Luther and John Calvin:

“Wherever the word of God is truly preached, and the ordinances of the church – Baptism and Lord’s Supper – given by Christ are practiced according to Christ, there is a church.”

So, what should you look for in a church, and what type of church should Grace Harbor be:

Read Colossians 1:

1. A Church must be born again and worship God through Christ, empowered by the Spirit. [Col. 1:1-4, 17-23, 29]
a. 1-4: Saints and faithful brethren. The church consists only of believers: those who have proclaimed: Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.
i. V.20-22. The members of the church have experienced a true life change. We are no longer aliens toward God but toward the World. We are reconciled to God. We enter into relationship with Him through Christ. This is his working. If you are still unbelieving, alienated from God, hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, pray that Christ would save you. The local church has the responsibility of only accepting into membership those who are born again – those who are saints.
ii. They have, as a sign of that believer, become faithful.
b. Faithful, not listless, saints should characterize the church. Our faithfulness is a sign of our love for Christ. Faithfulness is: devotion to Christ – an unwillingness to compromise your belief in Him. Faithfulness is also seen in the depth and regularity of your love for others: do you keep your word, work for the better of others, willingly jump in to help out; or do you expect, demand, and desire? Faithful saints consider Christ first, others second, and selves last. Read 4b – love for all the saints; this is an act of worship empowered by the Spirit – faithfulness is part of His fruit in your life.
c. Christ is head of the church, Savior of the Church, and the way to the Father. A true church makes this clear. He presents you “holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (v. 22). That is why we say we worship God through Christ – though Christ is God. The Trinity is entirely active in the church: the Father receives praise, through the Son, empowered by the Spirit v.29.
2. A church must be based and bold and clear in the Gospel. [Col. 1:23]
a. The church continues in the Gospel. We don’t build from it, we build in it. We continue in it. The Gospel is a starting point, a foundation, but we never leave it. We remain in it. The church must be clear and compelling with the truth: Jesus Christ died for all the sins, all the wrongs, all the hostility, all the evil deeds that anyone would do and you can come to God through faith in Him and belief in His resurrection. The Gospel is clear: Jesus came to give you life: He gave his for yours; because of His power and righteousness death was defeated, He rose from the grave and now sits at the right-hand of the Father. Waiting to return to marry His bride – the church. His life was real, His death was real, His resurrection is real. Believers stake their entire lives on this truth.
b. Must be bold with baptism and observe the Lord’s Supper. (those who receive each are seen to be saved: baptism admits to the church, Lord’s Supper continues fellowship)
c. The bible is honored and preached and authoritative. [Col. 1:25]: Luther: a church is “congregation of saints in which the gospel is rightly taught.”
i. The Bible is the message of God, His voice, His word to us. Honor it, receive it, believe it.
d. John Calvin, the founder of what we know as Calvinistic theology – google it, I won’t explain it here; as always, he goes a step further (Lutherans closer to Catholicism than the churches Calvin founded): the church is “where the Word of God is purely preached and heard”. Not just the preaching, but the receiving is important. Paul was a faithful minister, and the church at Colossae was formed when people received the message.
i. Be faithful to receive the Bible message, Christian. Let God speak to your life through His word, and make changes in you mind, your lifestyle, your attitudes so that you are in agreement with the Lord.
3. A church must have Spiritual leaders [1:25]
a. Paul was a minister with a job. Spiritual leaders also have a purpose.
b. Elders/pastor and deacons
c. Gifting of the Holy Spirit
4. A church must have order and growth [1:28]
a. Order: teaching/admonishing involves corrective behavior. We all need to change something in our lives; the church is place where we can enjoy seeing God work in each other and ourselves as we make those changes. It is also a gathering that desires to please God through Christ. We are orderly: we do not run our own way but His way.
b. Preaching for Godliness and salvation (purity). Spreading the Good News is purposeful to present people complete, perfect, in Christ. That is a main activity of the church and believers: spread the word about Jesus!
c. Spiritual growth [Col. 1:9-12]
i. Evidenced by: your walk (your daily life)
ii. Good work that bears good fruit – are you regular in doing good works?
iii. A desire to please the Lord
iv. Perseverance, patience, gratitude, and praise!
d. Evangelistic growth (sign of spiritual maturity in faithfully sharing the Gospel). [Col. 1:6]
5. A church must live it’s Purpose: [1:28-29]
a. Worship (#1) proclaim Him
b. Nurture: strengthen believers: teach/admonish
i. Empowered/gifted by Holy Spirit – we need to know how He has gifted us.
c. Missions: every man, Matt. 28
d. Evangelism (every man)
e. Ministry: opening the doors to share the good news. Jesus said: Love your neighbor. The church of the Bible is characterized by love and service.
i. All empowered by Him: his power which mightily works within me.
Read Col. 1 NLT: Worship, Encourage, Serve, Evangelize, Go, work – but rest in His power.