by: Wayne Wise
Choosing a Strong Church
• The practice of assembling with a church is important – Hebrews 10:24-25
• Naturally, we hope the congregation we assemble with is a strong one … Eccl. 4:9
• But such may not always be the case
– 1) In NT times, there were many good congregations
– 2) But some were not what they should have been – • Revelation 2:4, 14-15; 3:2, 15-17
What, then, is the "measure" of a strong church?
• Some might consider it on the basis of:
• 1) The building (or lack thereof)
• 2) The number of programs, classes, etc.
• 3) How smoothly it runs as an organization, with its committees, departments, etc.
• But a congregation can have all these things and still be dead! The strong church is one that functions as Biblically Described
• Body
• Family
• Bride
I. FUNCTIONS LIKE A "BODY"
• A. THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST - 1 Corinthians 12:27
– 1. As such, it is a living organism, rather than simply an organization
– 2. You can have organization, but still not have LIFE!
• “A dead body”; “Bureaucracy”
• B. THE BODY OF CHRIST HAS MANY MEMBERS...
– 1. Not all have the same function - Romans 12:3-8
– 2. Every member must appreciate his or her own function•
- 1 Corinthians 12:14-19 –
3. Every member must appreciate the function of others
• 1 Corinthians 12:20-22
• 1. Growth occurs when "every part does its share" - Ephesians 4:15-16
• 2. Every member is to be an “effective member”
• 3. As in the case of a chain with its links, So a body's strength is affected by weak and inactive members!
– a. Injury or physical handicaps limit the ability of the body to perform, so do weak members in the church
– b. Strong members may try to help out, but there is a limit to what they can do
II. A Strong Church is one that
LOVES LIKE A FAMILY
• 1. THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD - 1 Timothy 3:15 – It is the "family" of God – Do we think of each other as "family"? – We should, in light of 1 Timothy 5:1
• 2. A STRONG FAMILY IS ONE WHERE THERE IS...
– 1. Concern for one another
– 2. Care for each other
– 3. Love for one another
• 1 Thes. 4:9-10; 2 Thes. 1:3
TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF FAMILY REQUIRES
• 1. A willingness to get to know one another
• 2. Taking advantage of opportunities to spend time together -- As congregations grow, it becomes harder to maintain a sense of family
III. A Strong Church is one that is
PURE AS A BRIDE
• The church is spoken of as the bride of Christ
• 2 Corinthians 11:1-2 – ”Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ “ Ephesians 5:25-27
• “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
JOHN WAS TOLD OF THE FUTURE MARRIAGE
• Revelation 19:6-9 6 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Using Scriptural Function in the Matter of Descriptive Terms describing the Church as it Functions
• BODY … 1 Corinthians 12:25
• FAMILY … 1 Timothy 3:15
• BRIDE … Ephesians 5:27 The Church Jesus Will Return for
Revelation 19:6-9
• ”Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
The N.T. was Obligated to
“Purge Itself” from Uncleanness
• Revelation 2:20-21 20 • “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”
• What is the Implication to Thyatira? The church acting as FAMILY is
Most Successful in Correcting Unruly Members
• Families often deal with members who are “diseased” w/ physical infirmities
– The functional family refuses to tolerate conduct that is harmful to the member
– Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, etc.
• What about the spiritual family?– 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 The church acting as a BODY is also More Successful in Correcting
Unruly Members
• The body at Corinth had a duty to perform to the lost brother
• #1. For the sake of HIS soul– 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Cor. 2:6
• #2. For the sake of the CHURCH– 1 Corinthians 5:7
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-7
• It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Loved ones often make Difficult Decisions for loved ones confronted with infirmities of the flesh We make these choices because of our love for that member and our interest in their long term health
• Conclusion …
• Let’s all do our part in making this church strong as God would have it
• BODY
• FAMILY
• BRIDE