An Old Time Gospel Message on The Church. Message 9 of 13 in The Old Time Gospel Series

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1 MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 2, 2009 MESSAGE 9 OF 13 in The Old Time Gospel Sermon Series CHRISTIAN HOPE CHURCH OF CHRIST, PLYMOUTH, NORTH CAROLINA by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister An Old Time Gospel Message on The Church Message 9 of 13 in The Old Time Gospel Series This morning as we continue our OLD TIME GOSPEL SERMON SERIES I would like to preach An Old Time Gospel Message on The Church. Please turn in your Bibles to the Book of Ephesians, chapter five, verses (NEW KING JAMES VERSION) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a GLORIOUS CHURCH, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy without blemish. Before we get into today s message, let s ask God to bless our time of study. ******************* Introduction For over two thousand years, the Church of Jesus Christ has endured many CHALLENGES, CONFLICTS and

2 CRITICISMS. Tyrants have persecuted her. Governments have oppressed her. Satan has tried to destroy her. And yet THE CHURCH MARCHES ON! One doesn t have to look very hard to see the Church s glaring weaknesses and shortcomings. Let s face it, THE CHURCH IS NOT PERFECT.at least not in her earthly state. How can the CHURCH be perfect when she is made up of IMPERFECT PEOPLE who are being led by IMPERFECT PREACHERS and IMPERFECT LEADERS? And yet in spite of her many faults and imperfections, the Apostle Paul tells us the Lord sees her as HIS GLORIOUS CHURCH. In today s message I want to share with you FOUR REASONS why the Lord s Church is so GLORIOUS! I. The Church Has A Glorious Builder Please turn with me in your BIBLES to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter sixteen, verse eighteen. MATTHEW 16:18 NKJV And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

3 1. The world has always had a great admiration for great builders. THE EGYPTIANS built the great Pyramids and the Sphinx. THE ROMANS built the great Colosseum in Rome. THE GREEKS built the great Acropolis and the Colossus of Rhodes THE BABYLONIANS built the great Hanging Gardens of Nebuchadnezzar. THE CHINESE built the great wall of China that is so large it can actually be seen from outer space. THE INDIANS built the great Taj Mahal. 2. JESUS never built a great building. JESUS never built a great colosseum or monument. JESUS never built a great bridge or highway. BUT JESUS DID BUILD THE CHURCH..THE GLORIOUS, MARVELOUS, INDESTRUCTIBLE CHURCH! Upon this rock I will build MY CHURCH. 3. EPHESIANS 5:23 tells us THE CHURCH is A BODY and CHRIST is the head of the body.

4 EPHESIANS 2:19-21 tells us THE CHURCH is A HOLY TEMPLE and CHRIST is the Chief cornerstone. MATTHEW 13 tells us THE CHURCH is the Kingdom of God and CHRIST is the ruler of the Kingdom. EPHESIANS 3:14 tells us THE CHURCH is THE FAMILY OF GOD and HEBREWS 3:6 tells us CHRIST is the FAITHFUL SON over God s household. REVELATION 21:9 tells us THE CHURCH is the BRIDE OF CHRIST and CHRIST is the HUSBAND of the BRIDE. 4. YES THE CHURCH IS A GLORIOUS CHURCH BECAUSE SHE HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDER, CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. II. The Church Had A Glorious Beginning Please turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of Acts, chapter two. And let s read: verses Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

5 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation. 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:36-41 NKJV ) 1. These last three Lord s days we have rejoiced to have six people make a decision; five to transfer membership to our congregation, and one to make that great confession of faith and be baptized into Jesus Christ. 2. Can you imagine 3,000 souls being saved in one single day! What joy and celebration there must have been in the city of Jerusalem that day! 3. But it didn t end there! We read just a few verses later in Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved. 4. Over in Acts 4:4 we read: However,many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5. As we move on to Acts 5:14 we read: And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women. 6. In Acts 6:1 we learn that the number of disciples was increasing so rapidly, the Apostles could no longer keep up with the physical needs of all the members in the

6 Church so they appointed deacons to handle that important responsibility so they could continue to devote their time and energy to preaching the gospel. 7. Acts 6:7 tells us, Then the word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly (notice they are no longer adding, they are now multiplying) the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many priests were obedient to the faith. 8.Just two chapters later, in Acts 8, we learn the Church had already spread from the city of Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. And by the time you get to the end of the Book of Acts, the Church had spread thousands of miles away into Asia Minor. THE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDER. THE CHURCH HAD A GLORIOUS BEGINNING. Next we see.. III. The Church Has A Glorious Mission Please turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty eight, verses eighteen, nineteen and twenty. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and maake disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy

7 Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV ) 1. Throughout the centuries the Church has made a tremendous impact upont the world. THE CHURCH has been largely responsible for improving the quality of life for women. But improving the quality of life for women is not the Church s primary mission. THE CHURCH has also been responsible for establishing many orphanages throughout the world to care for children with no parents. But establishing orphanages is not the Church s primary mission. THE CHURCH has also established many great hospitals in the world to care for the sick, the diseased and the dying. But establishing hospitals is not the primary mission of the Church. THE CHURCH has also established many schools, colleges and universities to educate young people. But establishing educational institutions is not the primary mission of the Church. 2. The primary mission of the Church is to bring people to Jesus Christ through the soul-saving message of the Gospel.

8 3. Many organizations are on a mission to save lives of people. Many organizations are on a mission to save the lives of animals. And many organizations are on a mission to save the environment and planet earth. 4. BUT THE CHURCH, THE GLORIOUS CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, is the only one whose primary mission is to SAVE LOST SOULS. 5. Therefore the Church is the only entity on earth that has a mission that extends beyond this world into eternity. THE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDER THE CHURCH HAD A GLORIOUS BEGINNING THE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS MISSION And finally.. IV. The Church Has A Glorious Future Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation, chapter twenty one, verses Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then, I John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven

9 saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. 6 And He said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. (Revelation 21:1-7 NKJV ) 1. Traditionally, the groom is not to see the bride before the wedding. Many believe this is because it brings bad luck. But there is another reason. 2. You see, before the wedding, the Bride doesn t look her best. -She is dressed in casual clothes -She may have her hair up in curlers.

10 -She doesn t have her makeup on. 3. But then that moment comes when the organist plays the Wedding March, everyone rises to their feet, and the BRIDE makes her GLORIOUS entrance. The Groom is mesmerized with her beauty! The casual clothes have been replaced with a beautiful wedding gown. The curlers have been removed and her silky flowing hair drapes across her shoulders. Every blemish, every spot, every mark has now been covered up. THE BRIDE RADIATES LIKE THE NOON DAY SUN! 4. Right now THE LORD S CHURCH may not seem so beautiful to us. She bears the marks and flaws of so many earthly imperfections. But remember SHE S STILL GETTING READY for the WEDDING! 5. As Paul tells us in EPHESIANS 5:25-27 Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a GLORIOUS CHURCH, not having SPOT or WRINKLE or any such thing, but that she should be holy without blemish. (NKJV) 6. As far as the CHURCH S future here on earth, we know she is going to survive, because Jesus said, The gates of Hades will not prevail against her.

11 7. But beyond her FUTURE here on earth awaits THE GLORIOUS FUTURE OF THE CHURCH in Heaven. *********************************** CONCLUSION You know, we are all tempted at times to criticize the Church and complain about all the things we don t like about the Church. The next time you are tempted to do that, just remember that in spite of all her human imperfections the CHURCH is TRULY GLORIOUS! The Church Has A Glorious Builder! The Church Had A Glorious Beginning! The Church Has A Glorious Mission! And The Church Has A Glorious Future! Upon this rock I will build MY Church!

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