For April 26

 

Sermon: The Nature and Mission of His Church

Intro: Businesses usually take inventory on a regular basis. It’s not only necessary for tax purposes, but it’s a good practice for them to see where they are as a business, and compare that to where they want to be, so they can take the necessary actions to move toward their goal. Churches are no different, except our primary focus is on our spiritual inventory. So that’s what I would like for us to do this morning, not to pat ourselves on the back, or to reveal our shortcomings, but to take an honest look at where we are and what we hope to achieve. One Navy adage says that one Aw Shucks wipes out ten attaboys!  In other words, you can’t dwell on past victories, because  it doesn’t take much for them to be overcome by defeats.

I. The Nature of His Church

A. Let’s start our inventory determining what Jesus’ Church should look like, then see how we measure up to that standard. There is no mention of church in the OT, but God longed to dwell in the midst of His people, but was too holy to be seen by them, so the concept of church was introduced in the Exodus as God’s specified Tent of Meeting in their midst. It contained a dedicated enclosed area, called the Holy of Holies, considered to be His dwelling. God can’t be contained in any enclosure, but the people had a sense of His Presence among them. David wanted to build a permanent Temple as God’s dwelling but God responded that He had never asked for such a place, but did allow David’s son, Solomon, to build a magnificent, permanent Temple for His Presence. .

B. In the Bible, Zion was the name of a hill in Jerusalem, but later that name incorporated the Temple area, and even the entire city of Jerusalem. It appears over 150 times in the Old Testament as a poetic name for God's dwelling place and further used in the New Testament to symbolize the spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem. In our Opening Hymn, Zion referred to the city of our God, and the inhabitants of Zion who rely on Jesus and are washed in the Redeemer’s Blood.

C. In the NT, Jesus knew what He wanted His Church to look like. Not a Temple, or in Jerusalem, but a body of believers, built on Him as the Solid Rock as its foundation. When Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus told the disciples that on that confession of faith, He would build His Church, and not even the gates of hell would prevail against it. Prevail can be applied as an offensive, or defensive, action. As an offense, it meant the Church would attack to defeat the forces of evil. Defensively, it meant effectively withstanding the attacks of the world’s evil forces.

D. Jesus later even describes His church as His bride, who He would return for, to dwell with Him in His Father’s mansion. The Holy Spirit breathed life into that Church at the Pentecost. So, the Church is not a structure, but an ever growing Body of Believers.

E. Believers of the early Church met in homes  Such “churches” were relatively small groups of believers, sharing common meals, and providing for poorer members, many of whom were slaves, or servants. Paul would meet with groups of believers in halls and homes over periods of months,

supporting himself with his tentmaker skills so as not to burden the church members.  Our smaller, rural church would more closely resemble such churches, although still larger, and more formal than the early home churches. Although mega churches are able to provide greater support to the community and to mission projects, they lose the personal, genuine, authentic nature of the small church. Both have their advantages, disadvantages, and preferences in the modern era. But both should still meet the nature and mission of Jesus’ intended Church..

F. First of all, the nature of His Church should reflect Jesus’ own nature as the Body of Christ on earth. Early believers were even mockingly called “little Christs”, evolving into the name Christians, for reflecting Jesus by their lives. As His Church, must also take on His inviting, encouraging, and welcoming nature to extend His ministry to all people to become a fellowship of disciples. The Church should then be genuine and honest, empathetically listening to the needs of those who come, as Jesus did during His ministry. Jesus showed such compassion for all people He encountered, understanding their needs, healing them physically and spiritually. He never acted outside of Scripture, and always acted from love. He never dismissed anyone coming to Him for answers, even when their hearts were far from God.

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II. Luke 16: 18-23

A. The rich young ruler in our Gospel Lesson would be such an example. He approached Jesus wanting eternal life. Many come to churches with that same longing. Although Jesus knew his worldly centered heart, He offered the man a way to receive what he asked for, which he subsequently chose to reject. But Jesus still loved the man, hadn’t judged him, and was sad when the man chose to turn away. Using this as our model for emulating the nature of Christ, we must show those we encounter who may be seeking Christ, and like the young man in our lesson, those seeking eternal life. We must unconditionally offer those seeking Christ the way to receive Him, without condemning or dismissing them based on what we see or believe about that person.

B. Many of our encounters will probably take place on Sunday morning here in Church. We may not even realize the spiritual status of a stranger, but that shouldn’t make a difference. We are to be Christ to that stranger, as well as to each other. Their outward appearance should have no bearing on our genuine welcome to them.

C. We especially see that in Jesus’ healings. He touched people religious leaders considered unclean, even lepers, while society backed away to avoid becoming unclean themselves. While touching may not have been very wise from a health standpoint, compassion can take many other forms. But Jesus’ healing touch healed their souls, as well as their bodies.

D. I like the story of a homeless appearing man, unshaven, unbathed coming into a church one Sunday. He got past the greeter, came down the aisle, in front of the pulpit,  and sat down. The greeter then went up to that man and sat down beside him, and no one objected. That’s a Church emulating Jesus’ compassion. That could have been Waltz church. I’ve been a visitor at a church where it felt like I was sitting in someone’s seat, and therefore unwelcome. I didn’t go back there. I’ve been to churches that have welcomed me at the door, with the pastor making it a point to welcome me, but allowed to leave without any other welcoming interactions. Thankfully, I’ve seen visitors in our church always greeted warmly, by name, and by many people. Many of you even came to this church as a visitor and came back because of such welcoming.

E. The Church must take on the nature of Christ to hear and understand those it tries to reach, becoming Jesus to them, perhaps hearing them well enough to share in God’s continuing conversations with them. Although often at odds with the Pharisees, Jesus touched Nicodemus by His compassionate reaching out to him, hearing and responding to His doubts and questions, rather than dismissing him as just another Pharisee. Such evangelization enables us to better hear others through their own worldview, interpreting what we hear through our Scriptural understandings, but without imposing our own worldview on them. Jesus’ church should take on the nature of Jesus Himself.

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III. I Corinthians 12:12-27

A. Our Epistle Lesson from Paul’s letter to the Corinthian Church amplifies the intended nature of the Church. It’s probably very familiar to many, but worth reviewing. Just as our human bodies have different parts to accomplish different functions, the Church, the Body of Christ, has people who have differing abilities that function in different ways. giving it strength and purpose. Paul uses the example that if we were all an eye, how would we hear, or have a sense of smell?  With such logic, no one is then better than another, because every part is needed. Our church has become stronger with our diversity of gifts. We’ve added Worship Leaders, lay speakers who can prepare and present a sermon, people who contribute on committees - some as leaders, some as organizers - but all coming together as one. As Paul concludes this passage, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

 B. Now that we have come together as the Body of Christ, with His nature, let’s address the mission of His Church. Before His Ascension, Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything He had taught them. Following His charge, we, as an effective Body of Christ, must continue to make and nurture new disciples, helping them to mature in their faith to a personal acceptance of Christ, commitment through baptism and membership, and continuing to grow in faith, as John Wesley taught, on the path of sanctifying, set aside for His purpose, grace. Nurturing would be a continuing process of discipleship, rather than a next step for newer disciples, enabling them to duplicate what they see and hear, thereby strengthening the Church from within, as well as taking part in the mission of the Church reaching out to others in making more disciples.

C. Making new disciples and maturing them as disciples from within the Church, though, requires an active, proactive presence of its members. When members take the attitude that coming to church is just for their own benefit, only about what they get out of it, they miss important discipleship opportunities for a positive influence on newer Christians. And of course, if newer Christians duplicate that cavalier attitude about coming to church, or understanding church as an obligation, rather than a joy, they may miss being properly  nurtured, even perpetuating those attitudes. Bible Study is invaluable opportunity to growing in the Word, gaining in personal knowledge and understanding from and with others, as well as having an opportunity to nurture others in the discipleship process.

E. John Wesley never intended to start a new denomination of the Church, but rather focused on the methods of his congregation to grow in their faith practices. Consequently the term Method-ism stuck, and Wesley’s followers became Methodists. He stressed the importance of making disciples and maturing in one’s faith. To do that he would organize believers into small, voluntary, same-gender groups of 3–5 dedicated believers he called bands, who met weekly for accountability, confession of sin, and spiritual growth, serving as the inner circle of Methodism. Bands were considered essential for spiritual endurance and were intended for mature believers seeking holiness. In such meetings, members shared personal temptations and sins, asking each other about spiritual growth, and praying for one another's holiness. But everything was based on complete honesty without judgment, and very importantly, confidentiality remaining within that group.

F. Before coming here, as a layperson, I was in such a group of 4 to 5 men that met every Friday morning at the church. Ed Gugliucci was one of our group members. We became a close knit group, and even after I moved here and distance became a factor, we still met occasionally to keep in touch. Typically, we shared about when, during the past week, we had felt closest to Christ, what our spiritual practices had been, such as devotions, personal Bible study, prayers, and even any concerns we felt about our spiritual lives. By sharing and encouraging each other out of love, we became brothers with a growing faith. Cathy was in a similar group of women that had much the same experience. Members found it easier to share common understandings by meeting in same gender groups. I will be encouraging us to form such voluntary groups in our church in the near future to grow in our discipleship.     

 

Conclusion: Well, we’ve looked at the standards of Jesus’ Church and have our own assessments of how we measure up. believe we’re doing well. We’ve continued to grow, and I see a desire to continue to grow. I see a an active interest to become stronger disciples and make nurture newer disciples. We have good participation in the many functions withing this Body of Christ. But we can’t let down our guard if we want the Church of Jesus Christ to prevail against the evil forces of this world. Like any military readiness unit, we must continue to prepare, train, and improve if we are to conquer the enemy. So, onward Christian Soldiers of Waltz Church. Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before us. Amen.