1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,560 And happy New Year we we missed some of you who are on holiday, 2 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:10,480 Mom Joyce and others. We missed you and want to say to 3 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,920 you welcome back. We did. 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:19,960 We had a wonderful time during Christmas as well as on the 28th 5 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,560 when we went to to the gardens just to enjoy some nice 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,000 fellowship. Welcome to you staff as well. 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,360 I didn't see you. And some good news is we have 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:43,120 finally moved to this side of the world and so no longer 9 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,400 driving to Kels River and come to church. 10 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,080 You'll find us somewhere in Rwanda, Bosch. 11 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,200 And please do pray for the sale of our house. 12 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,680 We've signed the contract, but please do pray that it it goes 13 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:02,280 through as well. But it's good to be close to 14 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,519 this side of the world. So if you have your Bibles with 15 00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:07,880 you, please turn with me to Acts Chapter 20. 16 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:20,480 Acts chapter 20, We're going to read 1 passage. 17 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,960 Laura, by the way, it was your anniversary as well. 18 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:26,920 Happy anniversary to Laura and Greg, guys. 19 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:36,840 OK, Acts chapter 20. So what I'm going to do this 20 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,240 morning? This is not so much an 21 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,360 expository message, it's more like a topical message. 22 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,920 And when I draw 2 points from this particular passage, but 23 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,920 we'll use other passages to substantiate and perhaps to 24 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,760 bring my point home. So I want you to treat this more 25 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,720 as a topical message. As we begin the year, I felt I 26 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:04,600 wanted to speak on two things. One on the nature of the church 27 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,039 and then speak around what does that look like, but also what is 28 00:02:09,039 --> 00:02:14,840 our role as a community and as a church as we step into 2026? 29 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,560 So we'll do that for two weeks and then we'll begin our new 30 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,160 series for the year. So I'm hoping just to launch us 31 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,800 into 2026. My brother-in-law is also here 32 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,560 with his wife Tandy today, so they're also here visiting us as 33 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:34,160 well. So welcome X20 verse 28. 34 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:39,200 We'll just read verse 28. Pay careful attention to 35 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,120 yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has 36 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,760 made you overseers to care for the Church of God, which you 37 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:56,520 obtained with His own blood. Our gracious Lord, we are so 38 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:01,560 thankful this morning to to gather this way a people 39 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:06,640 gathered under your Lordship and under Your Word. 40 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,480 And therefore, Lord, we ask that would you please instruct our 41 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,320 hearts this morning through the preaching of Your Word. 42 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:19,480 Give us, our Lord, a high view of salvation, but also a high 43 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,000 view of the Church. Help us, Lord, to see its 44 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,840 beauty, but also to see its glory. 45 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,280 We ask this in your name. Amen. 46 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:39,760 So I want to talk today about the nature of the church, and 47 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:45,960 I'm reading a passage that is in the book of Acts where chapter 48 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,040 20, verse 28. And for some of us, we may be 49 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,360 familiar with this particular portion of Scripture because we 50 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,080 know this is the famous farewell of the Apostle Paul to the 51 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,120 Ephesians elders. The Apostle Paul is has called 52 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,920 these elders and he's sharing a number of things with them. 53 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,800 Number one is sharing around his ministry, how his ministry 1 was 54 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,800 so difficult because of the plot of the Jews. 55 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,200 But also the Apostle Paul speaks about how he served the Lord 56 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,760 with all humility, but the times how he served the Lord with 57 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,520 tears. Amazingly, as you read Acts 58 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,040 chapter 20, you also realise that the Apostle Paul here, it 59 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,120 seems as though his life has no value and is someone that is 60 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,280 going to lay down his life because he knows that as he gets 61 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:42,080 to Jerusalem he is going to be imprisoned. 62 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:46,840 And so he's willing to lay down that life for the sake of the 63 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:49,280 gospel. As he instructed his elders. 64 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:53,120 He says, you know also I gave to you, I proclaimed to you the 65 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:58,040 whole council of God. It's like guys, I'm leaving, 66 00:04:58,240 --> 00:04:59,560 you're not going to see me again. 67 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,560 I want you to remember I gave to the whole council of God and I'm 68 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,880 going to be imprisoned and I serve the Lord with tears. 69 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,120 And it gives them this part of the instruction to to the 70 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,240 elders. Elders are shepherds, elders are 71 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,480 those who feed, who care, who lead, and it gives this 72 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,560 instruction for them to take care of the flog of God which 73 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,600 the Holy Spirit has made you oversee. 74 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:28,880 In other words, you did not appoint yourselves. 75 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:34,000 The Holy Spirit has made you overseer over the people of God. 76 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,080 And then it says, take care of the Church of God. 77 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:40,280 And the second part, he says, why? 78 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,160 Because he obtained it with his blood. 79 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,240 And he reminds them what why this is so important because 80 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,800 there's others that are going to come from the outside. 81 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:51,960 As you remind that there will be wolves that are going to come 82 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,440 from the outside and they will lead the people of God astray. 83 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,160 And so he says they will, they will, they will rise up. 84 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:02,080 And some of those people that will rise up and bring in among 85 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,920 you twisted teachings. He said there are men that will 86 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:11,400 rise up among you, but I want you to be alert, want you to be 87 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,240 to be watchful. So this is a wonderful farewell 88 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,440 as the apostle Paul shares this with the Ephesians elders. 89 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,920 But there are two things I want us to draw from verse 28. 90 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,760 I'm not so much talking about the leadership aspect of this 91 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,480 passage, which we could do that, but there are two things that 92 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,880 are quite important. In fact, I in 28 B take care of 93 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:38,600 the church for the Church of God, which he obtained with his 94 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,000 own blood. I want to begin this morning by 95 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:48,000 answering the question what the church is not, what the church 96 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,560 is not. There are many misconceptions in 97 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,080 our world about what the church is and what the church perhaps 98 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,080 should be like. But I first want to address the 99 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,920 question what the church is not. Number one, I think you'll 100 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,680 probably see on the slide that the church is not the source of 101 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,880 entertainment. We live in a world where there 102 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,920 is danger of amusement, a change, a church that is driven 103 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:18,640 by appealing to the seeker, A church that focuses on what we 104 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,400 want, what we need and what satisfies us. 105 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:27,440 A church that is men centered instead of Christ exalting, 106 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,080 gospel centered and Christ centered. 107 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,040 I remember in seminary as I was thinking about this, in seminary 108 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,680 the you do 2 courses in preaching. 109 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,320 You do exported to preaching but you also do what they call first 110 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,120 person preaching. And I remember how I did not 111 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,760 like that course. It was the worst course I ever 112 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,560 did in seminary. The reason for that is because 113 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,800 everything about first person preaching is about the person. 114 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,640 None of it is money about Christ. 115 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,080 You know, you can dress like a clown and all these sort of 116 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,840 things as a way of preaching and do all of the in order to, to 117 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,680 actually to appeal to man. And as you do that, you find 118 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,360 yourself that everything around this sermon is about man is not 119 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,720 about Christ. The church is never to appeal to 120 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,120 the seeker because the church is not a source of entertainment. 121 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,400 Church is meant to be Christ exalting #2 the church is not a 122 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,480 building. The church is not made with 123 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,960 hands. It is not wood, it is not brick, 124 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:31,240 it is not cement, it is not stone, it is not a building #3 125 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:36,720 the church is not it's leaders. This is important in our culture 126 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:41,240 and in our world where we have the founder mentality that I 127 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,400 sort of founded to this church. It is my church. 128 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,240 Saints, be reminded this morning there is only one founder of the 129 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,400 church and his name is Jesus. Every person is not called to 130 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,480 found. The church is called to plant 131 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,000 the church. We are church planters. 132 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,720 The church is instituted by Jesus. 133 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,520 The church is established by Jesus. 134 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,480 The elders are not the CEOs of the church, they are servants of 135 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,920 the church. John Piper would Simply put it 136 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:11,920 this way. Brothers, we are not 137 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:16,640 professionals. The church is not its leaders. 138 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:22,240 God gives His leaders to the church as a gift, to shepherd, 139 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:26,800 to care, to love, to feed. But the church is not it's 140 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,360 leaders. So #1 the church is not a source 141 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,120 of entertainment. The church is not a building. 142 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,240 Also, the church is not it's leaders. 143 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,360 And therefore then what is the church? 144 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,320 The word church, as you'll probably see in your screen, is 145 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,520 often translated in our Bibles. In the root word there is the 146 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:52,640 word ecclesia, which refer to a gathering and a community or an 147 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:54,680 assembly. Now for someone who lived in the 148 00:09:54,680 --> 00:09:57,400 Greco Roman world, they were familiar with this term. 149 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:00,400 The Greeks were familiar with it because it had nothing special 150 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,840 in those days. And ecclesia would just be a 151 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,200 gathering, an ordinary gathering of the people in that city or in 152 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,960 that town. But the apostle Paul and Jesus 153 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,400 in Matthew 16 seem to use this word also in the New Testament. 154 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,000 Moses uses it to actually speak about an assembly, a gathering, 155 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,360 a quahal, a gathering of the people of God. 156 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,400 For example, in Nehemiah 13 verse one, the word is used as 157 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:28,360 an Assembly of God, the gathering of God, those who 158 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,360 belong to God. And so we see in Scripture how 159 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,680 it is used. It is used as a gathering of the 160 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:38,240 people of God. Either they gather in one 161 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,120 location or they gather in multiple locations, or the 162 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,800 people of God generally as a collective are called a church. 163 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,320 And so a church is not simply a building, a church is a people, 164 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,840 a people who gather together. And in essence, the word Church 165 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,960 of an ecclesia actually has the connotation or the meaning of 166 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:04,200 those that have been taken out of darkness and have been put to 167 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:08,360 the light, no longer in darkness, but now in light. 168 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,680 It is made-up of true believers who are saved by grace through 169 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:19,280 faith in Christ Jesus. Morgan defines the Church the 170 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,440 following way. The church is the people of God, 171 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:27,080 chosen by the Father, graciously bought into a relationship with 172 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:32,160 the Triune God and one another. Love this definition. 173 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:36,080 I love the fact that he he mentions the Triune God, that 174 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,440 the work of salvation is the work of the Father, the Son, and 175 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:43,760 the Holy Spirit, who then bring us into relationship with one 176 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,280 another. That is the church, an assembly, 177 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:52,240 a gathering, a community of the Spirit people who are rescued 178 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:57,120 and sanctified by Christ Jesus. The Bible affords us a number of 179 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,520 images of the church, what we call the metaphors or images of 180 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,680 the church. So as you read Scriptures, 181 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:08,320 you'll find things like the church as an army, the church as 182 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,880 a building, the church as the house, God's household, the 183 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,520 church as a family, the church as a flock of God, the church as 184 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:22,880 a planted field, wonderful images of the church. 185 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,640 And my favorite one is the church as a family. 186 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,000 Wonderful. We may even add here the church 187 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:37,080 as the bride of Christ. We may add so. 188 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:41,960 Notice then the words of Scripture from Luke. 189 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:47,400 This is the Church of God. I love that phrase. 190 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,920 This is the Church of God. Think about that in relation to 191 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:56,760 what the church is not that this is the Church of God says. 192 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:01,520 We have to remind ourselves over and over again that the church 193 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,400 belongs to Jesus, that Jesus is the founder. 194 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,240 Jesus created the church, He called the church, he redeemed 195 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,720 the church and he restored the church. 196 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,760 It is Jesus alone that the church is all about. 197 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:20,120 He is the centre and the very hero of the church. 198 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:26,280 It is built by Jesus, for Jesus and on Jesus. 199 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:30,920 This is important for us to to know that we are not the central 200 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,040 figure of the church. Yes, we have gathered this 201 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,120 morning to sing songs and to be in relationship with one 202 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,360 another, but we ought to be reminded the church is not 203 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:42,120 ultimately about us. It is about King Jesus. 204 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:46,520 And we need a high vision of who Jesus is. 205 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,920 The church is about him. It owes its origin, its 206 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:55,440 formation, and its direction. On Jesus alone, he fulfills his 207 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:00,360 very purposes in his church. Luke is clear here. 208 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,920 This is the Church of God. It does not belong to the elders 209 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,320 of the church. Church belongs to God. 210 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:12,080 It doesn't belong to any of us. We are under shepherds. 211 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,520 We are under leaders. But the Great Shepherd is the 212 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:22,480 very leader of the church. He founded the church, and when 213 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:26,640 Paul writes to the church at Corinth, I love how he begins in 214 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,920 chapter 1, verse 2. Notice how we rise to the Church 215 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:34,960 of God in Corinth. It's clear to the Church of God 216 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:40,200 that is in Corinth because this is the Church of God, a 217 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,520 community that belongs to God, the people of God who are God's 218 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,760 building and who are God's field. 219 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,960 Be reminded this morning that the church is not just any 220 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:56,560 religious community. The church is is the agent of 221 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,840 God that carries his presence into the world. 222 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:07,520 The church belongs to Jesus. And as we gather here this 223 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,320 morning, we are the ones that have been adopted into the 224 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:15,840 family of God, the ones that who are who and who were slaves, but 225 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,040 now have been brought into a relationship with a loving 226 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,320 Jesus. Now we sit here as brothers and 227 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,920 sisters in Christ, rescued by the gospel, transformed by the 228 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:31,440 by the Spirit. That's who we are gathered here 229 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,960 this morning as those who are loved by Christ, experiencing 230 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,320 his redemptive power in our lives. 231 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:44,640 Today we stand here as united in Christ, demonstrating a way of 232 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:50,840 life to the dying world for those who who are part of the 233 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:56,120 Church of God, leave contrary to the ways of the world. 234 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:02,440 When a church elevates men, it ceases to be a church. 235 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,800 It becomes a social club church. Let's be reminded. 236 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:13,960 Continue to lift up your hands to King Jesus as the Saviour and 237 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:18,800 as the centre and as the founder and the originator of the 238 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:27,080 Church. It belongs to him to remind 239 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:31,320 ourselves Arah Justin Martyr, who is a one of the early Church 240 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,800 Fathers, in fact is known as the one of the Patristic Church 241 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,560 Fathers. He writes beautifully about the 242 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,960 transformation in the early church. 243 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,400 Justin writes the following of all. 244 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,720 Would we rejoice in promiscuity but now we embrace only 245 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,800 self-control. Then we practice magical arts, 246 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,160 but now we have dedicated ourselves to the good and 247 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,520 unbegotten God. Then we loved above everything 248 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,800 the means of acquiring money property. 249 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:04,920 Now we put A to common use what we have and share with everyone 250 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,400 in need. Then we have hated one another 251 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:11,200 and murdered one another and become custom, and would not 252 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,040 even live under the same roof of those who were not the same 253 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,160 race. Now, after the appearing of 254 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:22,720 Christ, we eat at the same table, we pray for our enemies, 255 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,880 and we try to persuade those who unjustly hate. 256 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:30,480 What a wonderful picture of what the gospel brings from the 2nd 257 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,280 century. Those who are here this morning 258 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,120 have encountered this. They have encountered the love 259 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:41,280 of Jesus. When we encountered the love of 260 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,600 Jesus, it is impossible to remain the same. 261 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,640 The gospel is too powerful for us to remain the same. 262 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:54,920 The church is a transformed community, clothed with the life 263 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:58,440 of Christ, renewed by the very Spirit of Christ. 264 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:03,720 Not yet perfect, but we grow in sanctification. 265 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:10,200 We grow in Christ. This is the Church of God, but 266 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:16,120 also .1 B it is also a diverse church. 267 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:21,880 In First Corinthians 12/13 it says for we were all baptized by 268 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:26,800 1 Spirit to one form, where the Jews or Gentiles slave or free, 269 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,400 We were all given to 1 Spirit to drink. 270 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:36,280 Again, if you were to read First Corinthians 12/13 to the people 271 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,760 at Corinth at this time, they would have been shocked by this 272 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,360 in its cultural context and in its broader context. 273 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,920 This has been shocking that the Apostle Paul is speaking about 274 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,320 the Jews and Gentiles being baptized into one body. 275 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,200 This would have been shocking because the Jews and Gentiles 276 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,600 did not get along and it Apostle Paul says now you've all been 277 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:03,120 given 1 spirit to drink. The Church of God is made-up of 278 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:07,200 different tongues of different tribes of different nation. 279 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,920 It is multicultural. It is multiracial. 280 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:14,640 It reflects the very blessedness and the beauty of heaven as I 281 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,080 would be. That's the Church and, and, and, 282 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,880 and then the rite of Revelation saw this, for he writes. 283 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:26,960 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude. 284 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:31,160 No one could count from every nation, tribe, and people in 285 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,120 language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. 286 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,720 They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches 287 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,800 in their hands. What a beautiful church that is, 288 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:47,200 displaying the very saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 289 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:53,440 Again, let's get into the text when the Apostle Paul in Romans 290 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,280 chapter 16 as his writes to them. 291 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,840 I love how he writes this because he's writing about a 292 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,440 Jewish couple, Priscilla and Aquila, and he writes to the 293 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,160 church. He says this, all the churches 294 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:08,240 of the Gentiles, they give thanks to them Jewish couple, 295 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:13,840 but all the Gentile churches are giving thanks about this Jewish 296 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,720 couple. Amazing, because that's the 297 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,680 picture of God. Of bringing people who are 298 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:27,560 different, who are diverse, who are now brothers and sisters in 299 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:32,880 Christ, who are a family of God, a church that is welcoming, that 300 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:38,200 is inclusive, that disciples people to walk in the ways of 301 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,400 the Lord. It is a diverse church. 302 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,960 It is a church that ought to display the very manifold wisdom 303 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,600 of God to this world. That word manifold, it means 304 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,280 multi coloured, it means diversified, a church that is 305 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:57,640 diverse, that connects people to the Lord Jesus Christ. 306 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,240 And so let me remind you, we are not similar acquaintances here. 307 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:06,440 We are a family. That's who we are and we ought 308 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:11,600 to treat each other like family. Do you know when your kids mess 309 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,560 up, you don't say get out of my house, you're no longer my son, 310 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:16,640 get out. No, no, they are still your 311 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:18,760 children. They are still part of your 312 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,960 family. We are family. 313 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,880 And in our family we must also celebrate our differences. 314 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:31,840 We must celebrate our diversity in a manner in which we live 315 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:37,760 among one another. And yes, we are different. 316 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,680 And sometimes we tell our difference when we invite in 317 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,600 each other's homes, that there are things that are about 318 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,600 different about us. As we have dinner, there are 319 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,200 things that are different about us. 320 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,320 We tell that, but that's beautiful. 321 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,480 It's that diversity, something beautiful about that. 322 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,480 The last thing I want to highlight here is the Apostle 323 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,520 Paul. Again, I believe Romans is 324 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,120 written by Paul. Other people said it's not. 325 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:05,080 I believe he did. So I will say this is the 326 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,160 Apostle Paul. He says in verse chapter 16, 327 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:14,000 verse 13, great Rufus chosen in the Lord and his mother who has 328 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:19,080 been a mother to me also. I love that this is Rufus. 329 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:24,200 I know this is your mom, buddy, but also this is my mom. 330 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,600 This is my mom. That's how our church should be, 331 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,760 that our young people in this church would find mothers and 332 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:39,520 fathers in this church, that men and women will find brothers and 333 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,720 sisters in this church. Just same as the language of 334 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,560 Paul that Rufus is now also has been a mother to me. 335 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:51,960 I'm not Rufus mother, I'm not his biological son, but Rufus 336 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,240 mother is a mother to me also. That's a family. 337 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,120 That's a church that ought to be. 338 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:00,840 So. This is the Church of God, but 339 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,360 also this is a diverse Church of Paul says. 340 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:08,280 Now notice the second thing he says there, that this is the 341 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,280 Church of God. Take care of this Church of God. 342 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:14,040 Notice the second thing he says, he says he obtained it with his 343 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,240 own blood, the church that has been obtained with his own 344 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,600 blood. Now as you can see the first 345 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:25,200 point, the 1st 28 a relates to leaders. 346 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:29,400 And so he speaks about how why leaders ought to take care of 347 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,440 the people of God. And then he he lays it down, the 348 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,360 reason the leaders ought to take care of the flock of God. 349 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:41,280 It's because he bought it with his own blood. 350 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,360 He purchased the church with his own blood. 351 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,800 The Son of Man took our nature in his incarnation. 352 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,040 He lived, he suffered, He died for own sins, but he was 353 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,240 perfect. He had no sin. 354 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,960 He, he purchased that he bought to the church, and the language 355 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:06,160 of bought is a language of redemption, signifying that 356 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,360 those who were enslaved, those who were in sin, have now been 357 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:12,720 brought in. They have been purchased by 358 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,640 Christ and now live in freedom in Christ. 359 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,160 In other words, he purchased us and he bought us. 360 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:25,480 He made us his own, a church filled with redeemed people, 361 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:31,480 restored people who are bought in by Christ Himself. 362 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:36,200 And the price to buy us the price to redeem us is very 363 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:39,160 expensive. Notice that the purchasing price 364 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:44,720 is His own blood. This is blood, in other words, 365 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,240 that is substitution. Jesus purchases the pledge, the 366 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,480 church with his own blood by dying in our place for our sin 367 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:58,520 in order to atone for us. He dies on our behalf. 368 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:04,360 He pays the debt on our behalf. He redeems us from sin, from the 369 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:07,000 wrath of God, from guilt and shame, from death. 370 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,680 The church is no longer in bondage, no longer slave to sin, 371 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,280 but we have been freed by Christ. 372 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:20,040 Therefore, church, that is the price of the of the church. 373 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:24,440 Redemption is costly. Salvation is not cheap. 374 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:30,800 It is costly. So whenever you speak bad about 375 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:36,080 the church, whenever you leave a church, any church, and said I 376 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,080 don't want to be part of that church, whenever we attempt to 377 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:45,720 take the church or salvation for granted, I want to remind you he 378 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,880 bought the church with his own blood. 379 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:55,480 He died for this. Do not take the church for 380 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:59,480 granted. The cost is too high. 381 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,480 The Son of Man bled for the Church. 382 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:07,880 He bought it with his own blood. What does that tell us? 383 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,880 Therefore, the Church belongs to him. 384 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,400 Not only does it belong to Him, He loves it. 385 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,680 He died for the church that He loves. 386 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:22,600 Christ loves the Church. He loves this gathering of the 387 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:27,360 Saints who come here together to worship and magnify His name. 388 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:34,880 Let me also say he loved the Church, even when it's 389 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:40,560 imperfect. Church believers are under 390 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,360 construction. We are not yet perfect. 391 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,960 There will be betrayal. There will be conflict, there 392 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,600 will be disagreements in all of these things in the House of God 393 00:26:53,720 --> 00:27:00,200 because the church can be mercy. But be reminded, Jesus loves it 394 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:06,160 that way anyway. He doesn't discard this church 395 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:12,000 because it's mercy at times. No, he loves the church as is. 396 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,920 So those things we ought to expect. 397 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,400 It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. 398 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:24,440 That one day Colin and I may have may have conflict, we may 399 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,200 disagree. But even when that happens, the 400 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,680 church remains beautiful. The church remains glorious. 401 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,160 Jesus loves the church, therefore we don't speak bad 402 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:40,400 about her. A low view of the church equals 403 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:46,280 to a low view of Christ Himself. The church is God's plan to 404 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,440 redeem the world. Church there is no Plan B, the 405 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,760 primary tool for God to carry out His purposes to the world. 406 00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:58,840 It is true the church don't speak bad about her. 407 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:06,480 Christ loves the bride and one day He will perfect the bride, 408 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:11,360 but now it is not perfect, but one day he will perfect this 409 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:18,800 glorious and beautiful bride. A friend of mine who used to 410 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,400 live in Somerset, W As I was telling him about what I'm going 411 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,160 to preach about that, that we ended up having a conversation 412 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,680 and then he said to me, he said this. 413 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,800 I mean he had, he had written it also as part of his article and 414 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,560 then also told me then send it to me. 415 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:40,480 This is what he writes shown to Toy He says Christians are not 416 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:44,200 marked by skin colour, or by gender, or by geographical 417 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:47,440 location, or even, shockingly, by their good behaviour. 418 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,280 Nor are they defined by a particular type of religious 419 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,560 feelings they may have. They are defined in terms of the 420 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,320 God they worship. All other definitions of the 421 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:04,320 church are open to distortion. We need theology, we need 422 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:08,120 doctrine, because if we don't have it, something else will 423 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:12,960 come and in to take it's place and any other defining marks of 424 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,160 the church will move us in the direction of idolatry. 425 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:22,920 Wow, that's amazing. I said to you, I'm going to 426 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,600 steal that quote because it's so good. 427 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,960 The church is made-up of those who have turned away from idols. 428 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:37,280 We have now turned to God, no longer enslaved by sin, but 429 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,800 enslaved to the living and the trustworthy God. 430 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,960 Further considerations, perhaps practical considerations. 431 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,200 Let me say this. The church will not be able to 432 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,440 meet all your needs and all your preferences. 433 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,760 It is impossible the the music style might. 434 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,000 You may not even like the music style of this church. 435 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,960 Maybe you don't even like the the preacher today. 436 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:07,880 It happens because you prefer a different type of style of 437 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:08,920 preaching. It happens. 438 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,000 That's OK. But can I say the church will 439 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,400 not be able to meet all of your needs and all of your 440 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,640 preferences? And that ought to remind us that 441 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:26,480 in the 1st place, it is not about us, it's about Jesus. 442 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:29,920 But let us let's ask the following questions. 443 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,880 I think they'll put it up. So when you, when you, when you 444 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,560 become part of the family and become of a church, you ask 445 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,120 yourself a number of questions. I think you ought to ask 446 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,320 yourself these questions. Is the word of God faithfully 447 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:45,440 preached week in and week out? Are the sacraments administered? 448 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,840 Are the leaders of the church encouraging a Christ like 449 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:51,280 character? Is the local church governed by 450 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,360 to the by the word of God? Does it reject all that is 451 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,920 contrary to the word of God? Is Christ the head of that 452 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,000 church? Does it remember the poor? 453 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,520 Is it a community that is shaped and informed by prayer? 454 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,080 That's just my list. Maybe you could add other things 455 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,480 on that list. And if I think a church sticks 456 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,720 all of those boxes, I think you're in a good church. 457 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:22,440 I would actually attend it, no matter how far that church is 458 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,880 this morning. Here in this church, we have 459 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,480 people who live close to Mamas Bury. 460 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:34,080 These guys here, they drive all the way to Mamas Bury after the 461 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,120 service and they come here. There are many churches they 462 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,200 could go to around that side, but they choose to be here and 463 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,200 it's far for them. It was quite a drive to there, 464 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,320 but they've chosen to be here and to be part of this church. 465 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:47,760 I think we ought to ask ourselves this question. 466 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:50,840 I didn't ask you whether is the vibe of the church OK? 467 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,560 Is the tempo of the song OK? Because it's got nothing to do 468 00:31:54,560 --> 00:32:00,080 with that. But is the Word of God preached? 469 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,800 Are we administering the sacraments? 470 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:05,560 The sacraments are not the suggestion. 471 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:10,480 The sacraments are a command. Baptized, take the Lord's 472 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:11,680 Supper. It is a command. 473 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:15,160 It is an imperative and all of these things that we've 474 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:20,040 highlighted here, but ultimately Christ is the head of the 475 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,920 church. What am I saying to us, Oh dear 476 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,040 ones, the church is not optional. 477 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,600 The church is an essential part of the Christian life. 478 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,040 You need the church. I need the church. 479 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:42,040 We need one another. We need one another. 480 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,040 Perhaps. Then we answer the last question 481 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:48,440 is why does it exist? Why is the Church even in 482 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,080 existence this morning? The Church exists for the for 483 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,800 God and His glory. It exists to make disciples 484 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:57,920 where the Word is taught and practice. 485 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:02,280 It exists to make Him known. It exists for mutual fellowship, 486 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,760 the to observe the ordinances of the sacraments. 487 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,440 It also exists to remember the poor and the vulnerable. 488 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,560 All of these things, they ought to be informed and shaped by 489 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,480 Jesus. And again, you could add other 490 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:23,040 things there, but ultimately the Church is for God and his glory. 491 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:28,600 The Christian life is designed to be lived in community. 492 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,760 We are now called to isolate ourselves, but we are called to 493 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,640 be part of a community. The right of Hebrews writes the 494 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,600 following. And let us not, and let us 495 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,080 consider how we may spur one another towards love and good 496 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:47,240 deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in a habit 497 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,520 of doing, but encouraging one another. 498 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,520 And all the more as you see the day approaching. 499 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,880 That's the Church of God, a gathering community, a 500 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:03,800 transformed community, a rescued community. 501 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:08,080 John Wesley would put it this way, that the Bible knows 502 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:12,719 nothing about solitary religion. The Bible is always talking 503 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,800 about the gathering of God's people. 504 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,960 The Christian faith is communal, it requires support, it requires 505 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:26,080 growth, and we are never called to exist in isolation. 506 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:31,560 As we step into 2026, my prayer is that we would have a high 507 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:37,040 view of the church, knowing fully well that it belongs to 508 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:41,600 Christ, but also fully knowing that He bought it with his own 509 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,800 blood, that the cost of the church is that it's quite high. 510 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:51,159 It took the Son of Man to die in our place and for our sin. 511 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,440 May God bless you.