What Is a Church? - Part II

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This is the second sermon in a short series that attempts to explain what the church is and what it does. This message continues to explain the nature of the church from a biblical perspective. Various metaphors used in the Bible help us define the church and its purpose. 

Written Excerpts:

Ephesians 5:32 (NKJV) This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 

Introduction:

I came across this interesting story about a church. I hope our church does not match this one.

GETTING ATTENTION (Illustrations Unlimited)

Just before the beginning of the Sunday service at Saint Bartholomew's on Fifth Avenue, New York City, a man wearing a large hat was discovered sitting in the front row. An usher moved to his pew, leaned in, and discreetly asked him to remove his hat. The man replied that he would not. The head usher was then summoned, made the same request, and received the same answer. About that time the president of the women of the parish arrived and was asked to assist. She had the same dismal result. Finally, with only two minutes remaining before the opening hymn, the senior warden of the parish was summoned. He tiptoed up beside the man and tried to seize the hat, but the man nimbly dodged and there was not time for further attempts.

As the opening hymn began and the procession entered the church, the man stood, removed his hat and did not put it on again.

At the conclusion of the service, the four frustrated people waited for the man at the rear of the church. The senior warden approached him and said, "Sir, about the hat: perhaps you don't understand, but in the Episcopal church men do not wear hats at worship." The man replied, "Oh, but I do understand. I've been an Episcopalian all my life. As a matter of fact, I've been coming to this church regularly for two years and I've never met a soul. But this morning I've met an usher, the head usher, the president of the church women, and the senior warden."

Shame on us if someone visits even one service here without getting acquainted with someone! This story illustrates a glaring fault that exists in some churches. But the message today is not intended to focus on the faults of the church. We want to understand the biblical concept of the church – what it is and what it does.

Last Sunday I mentioned that I had preached a mini-series about the church over 10 years ago when I first came to Wayside church. Since a number of people are now attending here that were not attending then, I felt that God was prompting me to revisit the topic and help us grasp a true biblical view of the church.

Last week I started by identifying four things that the church is not.

• It is not an organization/denomination.
• It is not a building.
• It is not merely a ritual/ceremony/meeting
• It is not a social club

After identifying the what the church isn’t, I tried to describe what the church is, and we only had time for two points. 

• It is a congregation/assembly/gathering.
• It is a fellowship/community/common body.

You can’t “one-another” one another if you hardly gather with one another!

Today I want to add to the two points mentioned last week and speak to you more about what the church really is according to the Scriptures.

I.          The church is an organism.

Last Sunday I stated that the church is not an organization. I went on to say that while the church does have some elements of organization about it, that is not its primary characteristic. Rather than primarily being an organization, the church is better defined as an organism.

Organization implies man-made; organism implies God-made. Jesus Christ founded the church and initiated its beginning. He is the one that defines its purpose and mission.

Organization may imply status quo; organism implies growing and expanding. Many times the leaders of an organization eventually become more and more concerned with preserving the “machinery” of institution/ organization and end up making its mission secondary, while an organism is more focused on just doing what it was meant to do – keeping focused on its mission.

What are some words/descriptions/metaphors used in the Scriptures that indicate the church is primarily an organism?

“Body” – Romans 12:5 (NKJV)  so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NKJV) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

“Grow” – Ephesians 4: 14-16 (NKJV) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine… but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 

These are just a couple of words that indicate the fact that the church is a living, growing, thriving organism. 

II.        The church is a faith community.

Last Sunday we talked about the fact that the church is a fellowship or a community. The Scriptures emphasize over and over how the people of God – the members of the church are connected together with a common bond of mutual love, care and concern for each other.

As we talked about that we referred to the passages in the Bible where the apostles used the words “one another” in which there is an emphasis upon doing specific things with/for each other within the body. I will probably revisit that point again when we talk about “what the church does.”

If you think about it, there are plenty of other groups/organizations that function like the church in the way they care for one another. Social clubs and civic clubs do a lot of “one another” stuff. Other religions do similar “one another” stuff. What makes the church of Jesus different?

I would argue that the main difference is, the church is a community of faith. It is distinguished by its faith in God; By its faith in the reliability and authority of His Word; By its faith in the reality of salvation. This faith is what distinguishes a church from any other benevolent/caring club or organization.

So, a person cannot truly be a member of THE church until they have exercised faith in Christ and experienced the salvation offered only by faith. This distinguishes a true Christ-follower / Church “member” from a club member. You can join most any club without really having a personal change in your heart and life, but not the church.

Because of the community built on its faith, the body has a higher motivation for doing what it does. It has a higher calling with a higher accountability. Social organizations perform humanitarian assistance, but the church views its work as carrying out a mandate given by God for people God loves. The church has the motivation of not only obeying God’s commands but seeing others as either members or potential members of God’s family.

We’ll get more into the discussion of what the church does, but I’m simply trying to explain why the church does its work –  because of its faith. There is an eternal significance to it all.

III.       The church is a sacred community.

Not only is the church a FAITH community, but it is a sacred community.

I believe there are at least two reasons why it is a sacred community.

A. It is sacred because Christ purifies it and makes it holy.

Eph. 5:25-26 (NKJV) 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,

B. It is sacred because it is in a mystical union with Christ Himself. 

Ephesians 5:32 (NKJV) This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

The church will become the forever “Bride of Christ,” which means that even now it is the “betrothed” of Christ (His “fiancé”).

IV.       The church is a local and a universal community.

In the book of Acts, there was a recognition of individual local churches in specific geographic areas, yet there was an additional sense of the connection between all of them.

Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem…. 

Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified.

Rom. 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house....

Paul also uses the word “church” many times to include the entire church of Jesus – the church universal.

(Quoted earlier) Eph. 1:22-23 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

1 Cor. 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles….

Rev. 5:9 … You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

With these various passages we understand that the whole church is a universal church, but there is also a sense in which each local church is also a whole church. The universal church has all the gifts and graces necessary to perform the mission assigned by God. The local church, especially when it is Spirit-filled, has all the gifts and graces necessary to perform the mission assigned to it by God.

V.        The church is a visible and an invisible community.

By this we mean that members of the church of Jesus are real people living and working in the real world, and visible to others in the real world. But, there is also a sense in which people cannot always tell the difference between the real and the fake. We can’t always distinguish between the genuine believer and the hypocrite.

Cf. the parable of the tares. Matthew 13:24-30. The real wheat and the weeds mixed in together. Separation takes place at the end of life.

2 Tim. 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," ….

This verse is a quote from the OT passage, Numbers 16:5 (NKJV) and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.

In both the OT and NT usages, the point is that God knows all those that truly follow Him and those who don’t. He will distinguish between them when the time is right.

Conclusion:

I hope that these verses and our study has been a valuable reminder of what the church of Jesus really is. I trust that we recognize that the church of Jesus is a unique organism that God has raised up in the world.

This organism known in Scripture as the Body of Christ, soon to be the Bride of Christ, is God’s kingdom on earth and He has given His people a task and mission to fulfill, which we will take up in next Sunday’s message.

Closing Song: I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord

What Is a Church?

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This is a sermon that attempts to explain the nature of the church from a biblical perspective. The message describes what the church is NOT, and then begins to define what the church is. Various metaphors used in the Bible help define the church and its purpose. This is the first sermon in a short series that will continue to explain what the church is and what it does.

Written Excerpts:

Acts 2:47 (NKJV)  … And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Introduction:

Soon after I came to Wayside over 10 years ago, I preached a short series of messages on the topic of the church. The series attempted to provide the definition, the mission and the destiny of the church as taught in the Bible. Since then there have been other times when I have spoken about various aspects of the church as presented in specific passages of Scripture.

There are a number of people attending our church today who were not attending back in 2009 when I preached the original series, so I felt that God was prompting me to revisit some of that material and present it in a little different manner to remind us what the church of the Lord Jesus Christ really is and what it really does.

So that is my desire for today and for at least next Sunday or two – to review again what the church is and what the church does. (There is no possible way to give an exhaustive description of the church. We will merely “scratch the surface” in our discussion.)

I suppose that any discussion about what the church is, ought to include something about “what the church isn’t!”

I.          The Church is Not…

A. The church is not a denomination/organization.

If you ask some people what a church is, they might respond by saying the name of a denomination or group of churches. I don’t know if I’m right or not, but I assume that most, if not all, of us realize that there was a time when there was only one Christian church.

In the NT, we read about the church in Corinth, or Jerusalem, or Antioch, but we understand that this only identifies the geographic locality and identity, but all the believers in each city were understood to be a part of THE church.

Over time, as people sought ways to become more organized and more efficient, there were more steps taken to build structure into the groups. Even in the book of Acts we see the beginnings of “organization” with the appointment of deacons to care for the daily needs of the congregation. Some amount of organization is implied with the words, “bishop,” “elder,” “ruler,” etc. that we find in the epistles of Paul.

Differences began to develop over how the structure should be formed – mostly membership controlled, or mostly leadership controlled. Differences developed over interpretation of key doctrines and ethical norms. Divisions took place over irreconcilable differences and often, the subject of contention became the criteria for membership in any new denominations that came from the division.

For example, Wesleyan Methodist/Methodist Episcopal Church split in 1843 – slavery. Another example, the current divisions that have taken place in mainline denominations over the issue of gay marriage, gay clergy, the authority of Scripture, etc.

The concept of denomination can give the erroneous viewpoint that those who are in our denomination are true Christians and those outside of it are not. While the creation of denominations has aided the church in some ways, yet no denomination is the church.

B. The church is not a building.

We often use the word “church” in sentences that indicate we are talking about a building.

On Sunday mornings we say we are going to “the church.” If a congregation outgrows its building it is often said, “we need to build a new church.”

The concept of the church = building is fashioned after the OT idea of the Temple being the place where God dwelled. Church = building gives mistaken notion that the place is sacred, and one cannot truly commune with God unless in that place.

The early Christians did not meet in church buildings. Even many places in the world today, Christians do not meet in buildings that are specifically built for worship because openly practicing the Christian faith is illegal.

Some congregations have fallen into the error of putting buildings and facilities ahead of more important priorities like missions and ministries to the needy.

The building is not the church. The building can facilitate the church being the church, but it isn’t the church. 

C. The church is not a ritual ceremony.

Sometimes we use the word “church” in a way that indicates a special kind of program/ritual/meeting. “We didn’t have church today.” One of the things we will be explaining a little later is the fact that churches do conduct meetings, rituals, programs, etc. 

The danger is that we can begin to associate the meetings with church in such a way that we think we are not the church when we are not meeting. Or, we are not being the church when we are not doing the specific things we do when we come together.

D. The church is not a social/civic club (clique).

Sometimes people who claim to be the church and claim to be Christians, have acted as though the church is a social club or civic organization. In some congregations, outsiders are not really welcome, unless the newcomer happens to be a part of the correct social class in the community. If the new family mingles in the correct social circles of the community, then by all means, we’re delighted to include them in our “church.” “The poor and disadvantaged need not apply, because they would give our church a bad image.”

All these descriptions I have just provided are examples of what the church is not. They are misconceptions that many people have acquired regarding the church, but they are woefully inadequate for describing or defining what the real church is all about.

II.        The Church Is…

Having spent some time trying to spell out what the church is not, I want to take the next segment of time to define what the church is by referring to terms and descriptions that we find in the Bible.

A. The church is a gathering/congregating/assembly.

There are several references in the NT where the English word “church” appears, and it usually translates the Greek word, “εκκλησια.” This is the word that our English words “ecclesiastical” and “ecclesiology” are based upon.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) … ekklēsia …has its own pre-Christian history; and to those …who first heard it applied to the Christian society it would come with suggestions of familiar things. Throughout the Greek world …, ekklēsia was the designation of the regular assembly of the whole body of citizens in a free city-state, "called out" (Greek ek, "out," and kaleín, "to call") by the herald for the discussion and decision of public business. The [LXX – Greek translation of the OT] used the word to render the Hebrew ḳāhāl, which in the Old Testament denotes the "congregation" or community of Israel, especially in its religious aspect as the people of God…. 

See: 

Acts 19:39 ^(NKJV) But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 
Here the word "assembly" is the same word usually translated "church," but the context tells us that this civic leader is not referring to the church but rather a legal assembly.

Acts 7:38 ^(NKJV) This is he [i.e. Moses] who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us,

1 Chronicles 28:8 ^(NKJV) Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever. 
The Greek translation of this Old Testament passage would have used the word "church" to identify "the assembly of the Lord."

So, the very use of the word “church” (ekklesia), portrays the truth that the true church of Jesus is a called-out assembly or congregation. The word has both literal significance and spiritual significance. 

Spiritually, we are the church because we have been called out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light; called out of sin into holiness; called out of allegiance to self (Satan) to allegiance to Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

All of these terms used by Peter were common terms used for the people of Israel or a portion of Israel (priesthood). 

Literally, we are the church because we congregate. We assemble. We practice gathering just like the Jews of the OT and like the Christian believers of the NT.

There are people who claim to be Christian, and therefore, make a claim to be a part of the church of Jesus, but they rarely gather, assemble, or congregate. They never act as though they are a part of the people who have been “summoned” by the Lord to come together as a body.

Hebrews 10:25 “Forsake not the assembling [same word as synagogue] of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”

B. The church is a fellowship/community/common body.

Acts 2:42-47 ^(NKJV) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Not only is the church a congregation/assembly, but it is a community that is bound together in mutual love and care for each other. The early believers saw to it that the basic needs of fellow believers were being provided.

Lest there be those who think they have fulfilled their duty by showing up to a church worship service, but do not care for their brothers and sisters through the rest of the week, that kind of participation (or lack of it) is not what the Bible describes as the church.

Early last year I preached a couple of sermons regarding the “body life” of the church in which we looked at a number of Scriptures that use the phrase “one another.” They were verses that emphasized our responsibility to care for one another in the church in a number of different ways.

For example: love one another; live in peace with one another; edify one another; exhort/encourage one another, admonish and teach one another, and bear one another's burdens…

You can’t “one-another” one another if you rarely gather with one another!

Being a Christian / being a part of the church of Jesus is not a “Lone Ranger” way of life.

Conclusion:

There are a number of other ways to describe what the church is, which we do not have the time to cover today, so the Lord willing, we will continue the same theme next week. I hope that this review has helped us overcome some of the secular and worldly perceptions about the church that many good people have acquired. 

Our closing song is a reminder that the Word of God was incarnated into flesh by the birth of Jesus Christ. But that same Word has been revealed in written form through the prophets and apostles who wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The song goes on to emphasize the fact that this revealed, written word of God has been entrusted to the church to shine the light of truth in the dark world around us.

O Word of God Incarnate       

Walking with Christ in the New Year

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This is a sermon that was given on the first Sunday of the new year, 2020. It is based upon the text found in Hebrews 13:5-6 - (NKJV) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" The message seeks to provide encouragement for the uncertainties of the future.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Well, a brand-new year has begun, and in case anyone is interested in this bit of information… there are only 353 days left until Christmas!

I doubt many people are think about next Christmas already, but I imagine that there are several who have been assessing the past year and trying to anticipate the opportunities of the new year.

We all have probably gained much experience with making and breaking New Year’s resolutions. 

I don’t know if you have made any resolutions, but here are a few that are better left unmade:

·         I resolve to make better bad decisions.

·         I resolve to start buying lottery tickets at a luckier store!

·         I resolve to stop reliving the past and use that energy to worry about the future.

Or, a couple that seem fruitless:

·         I resolve to stop hanging out with people who always ask about my New Year’s resolutions.

·         I resolve to not tell the same stories at every gathering.

As I thought about a message that would be appropriate for this first Sunday, I checked out a set of books in the digital library on my computer. The set is called “Expository Preaching Outlines” written by Dr. Stephen Olford. I found a sermon outline that he had used for a “New Year’s Sunday” many years ago. I didn’t use his outline, but I did choose to use the Scripture text he had used for that sermon.

I have titled this sermon, “Walking with Christ in the New Year.”

The specific text is found in the passage that was read earlier – Hebrews 13. If there is any biblical text that ought to provide comfort and assurance for the future, it is the latter part of verse 5 in this 13^th chapter of Hebrews. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

There are at least 3 OT verses where this phrase appears.

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 (NKJV) Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." ⁸  And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." 

Joshua 1:5 (NKJV)  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

The reference in Joshua is the specific one in which the Lord is speaking and making the promise to Joshua. In the other verses, Moses is speaking for the Lord.

As I read these two verses in Hebrews 13, I found three truths that should inspire hope for the coming year.

When we walk with Christ through the new year, we will experience the promise of companionship which will result in contentment and confidence.

I.          God Promises Companionship

The author of this epistle has been urging his readers to keep their faith in spite of the opposition and persecution they have experienced. In this vein, he explains to them all the reasons why they are better off now than they were before – in Judaism (OT sacrifices, etc.). 

Now, in the last chapters of the letter, he is giving them various exhortations and admonitions for living out their faith. This 13^th chapter contains many such practical exhortations. In the few verses leading up to our text he has exhorted the readers to demonstrate genuine love toward one another and toward strangers and prisoners. He has also exhorted them to maintain fidelity in their marriage relationships and to avoid an attitude of covetousness.

In the middle of these exhortations Paul reminds the people of a promise recorded in the OT that still applies to them hundreds of years later, and it still applies to us as well. That promise is first recorded as a promise to Joshua from the Lord Himself, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This quote is a blessed promise of divine companionship.

I’m sure that most of us here today can remember when we were children and we were afraid of certain places or conditions. Remember how comforting and reassuring it was for Mom or Dad to whisper, “I’ll be right here beside you. Don’t be afraid.”? 

There are dozens of passages in the OT in which God promised to “be with” Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and a host of others. Those promises almost always accompanied some command or directive that God had given to them. Those commands or directives included such things as leaving familiar surroundings to settle in a land God promised or engaging the armies of Israel’s enemies. 

The promises of companionship made by God to the various leaders of Israel were literally applicable as they performed the duties of national leadership. The promises of companionship in the OT are spiritually applicable to present-day believers who are in a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

There are some other passages that are more general in nature.

Is. 41:10 _(KJV)  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

Prov. 18:24 _(NKJV)  A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

In the OT, companionship with God was based on covenant promises and covenant relationship. In the NT, companionship is based on the “New Covenant” in which we can participate when we accept the merits of Christ's atoning sacrifice to cover our sins and we are adopted into the family of God by faith.

Are you in companionship with Christ? Do you know that He is always with you on the basis of your faith in His sacrifice? Have you remained in relationship by faith, or have you walked away from Him?

II.        Companionship Produces Contentment

The second truth I find in this text is based on the first half of verse 5. 

The opening phrase is roughly translated as indicated by the words printed in italics in the English Bible. The original Greek has two words: one means “manner of life” or “conduct,” and the other word means “without covetousness.”

Standing alone they wouldn’t communicate very well, but when taken with the primary verb that follows, they communicate this thought, “being content with present things, let your manner of life be without covetousness.”

Lit. being contented with the things which are at hand. (Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament)

The word “covetousness” is translated “love of money” by most newer Bible translations.

Immediately following the opening half of the verse, the text goes on to say, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” The conjunction “for” clearly makes the intentional connection between the 1^st and 2^nd halves of the verse. In other words: “The reason we should be contented with the present things and live without a love for money (greed) is because God is always with us.”

Without Christ, I have nothing; with Christ, I have everything. Someone has said, “I didn’t know that God was all I needed until He was all I had.” If I do not have a close enough relationship with Christ to be content when I have little, then I will not be content when I have much.

The point of Paul’s comment is this: as long as God is my close companion, I can be content and live a life free of greed or grasping for more money and material things.

The trick of the Devil is to try to make us think that one more gadget or one more dollar will finally bring happiness. He does this knowing full well that we were created to only find true happiness and contentment in a relationship with our Creator.

The song writer C.W. Waggoner has penned these words:

I have found no satisfaction in the fleeting joys of earth 
I had hewn me broken cisterns that had mocked me by their dearth 
All the springs my soul had tested failed to meet my deepest need 

Christ, alone, has met my longing, He has satisfied indeed! 

I was tempted not to trust Him for so many things had failed 
But so patiently He waited, and His tenderness prevailed 
So, I swung my heart's door open, and His promises I tried 

Christ is not a disappointment; He has fully satisfied! 

I had tried the world for pleasure, but it could not satisfy. 
Though it promised much, it failed me. All its wells and springs were dry... 
Everything I tried was empty, and I thought my life was vain, 
Then, He came and tuned my heartstrings, 

And I learned to sing again.

Chorus 
Christ is not a disappointment! Every longing in my breast 
Finds, in Him, complete fulfillment, He has brought me into rest
I have tested Him and proved Him more than all I dreamed He'd be 

Christ is not a disappointment; He is all in all to me! 

Have you found true contentment in Christ? Is His faithful, abiding presence enough to satisfy the longing of your heart? If not, then I urge you to seek a fresh heart-felt connection with Him through the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit. His Spirit can cleanse away any and all competing affections until Christ is all-in-all to you.

III.       Companionship Creates Confidence

The third truth revealed in this text is the fact that genuine companionship with God creates confidence for the future.

Hebrews 13:6 _(NKJV) So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Psalm 118:6 _(NKJV) The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 

There are a number of natural fears that we may experience from day to day. Some of those will not go away just because we believe in God or have a relationship with Christ. But this verse, and the OT verse it is quoting from, seem to be specifically talking about the fear of what men may do (i.e. our enemies). 

Psalm 118:7-10 _(NKJV) The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 

The presence of Christ produces confidence in the face of the unknown. Political unrest, terrorism, and other conditions can generate fear in the hearts of people. But if we trust in Christ and have His constant companionship, we can face the future with confidence.

We may have a certain amount of anxiety over what might happen in the future if specific scenarios come to pass, but when we keep our minds focused on Christ, He brings peace and confidence that we can triumphantly endure anything He permits to come into our lives.

Conclusion:

I’m glad I can recommend the truths of this text to you this morning! God has promised unending and unfailing companionship through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. When we genuinely experience His presence then He brings contentment that the world could never bring, and He provides confidence in the face of an uncertain future.

If you do not have this companionship, contentment and confidence, I urge you to “dig deeper” and “climb higher” in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our closing song is a prayer for God to bring us to a higher level of spiritual life than we have ever been before. Let’s sing it with passion and sincerity.

Higher Ground 

Bethlehem's Shepherd Ruler

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This sermon is based on Matthew 2:6 which records the answer provided to the Magi regarding the birthplace of the newborn king of the Jews. The message provides a comparison with the original prophecy in Micah 5:2 as well as meditations of the ruling and shepherding roles of the Messiah.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

We have just celebrated the birth of Christ this week.

Those of us who believe in Jesus and have experienced his saving grace in our hearts continue to celebrate the miracle of the incarnation – God coming in the flesh for the purpose to redeem fallen humanity.

A few weeks ago, as I was reading portions of the Christmas account again in the Gospels, I was intrigued by this quote in Matthew’s gospel taken from the prophecy of Micah. In the OT, we read about David – the son of Jesse – who was a shepherd that became a ruler. Here in the Gospel of Matthew, it speaks of a Ruler who serves as a shepherd.

The word translated “rule” in the KJV is translated “shepherd” in the NKJV. (KJV reads, “governor” who will “rule”; and the NKJV reads, “ruler” who will “shepherd”) In the KJV the word is translated “rule” 4 times and translated “feed” 6 times. Probably why the word “shepherd” is chosen by some translators.

Matthew records this as part of the conversation which took place between the religious leaders (priests and scribes) of that day and the Magi who had come searching for the “newborn king.”

There are plenty of interesting details to consider surrounding Matthew’s account of these visitors from the East. We’ve all probably heard explanations that indicate such things as:
·         We don’t know how many men there were
·         We don’t know their exact origin (from the East)
·         We don’t believe they visited the stable (“house” vs “manger”)
·         We don’t know for sure how old Jesus was when they visited (“child” rather than “baby”)

The Magi came to the logical place to find a newborn king – Jerusalem. I don’t know for sure how they knew the “star” was the indication that the baby had arrived (other than, divine inspiration). It has been suggested by some that their knowledge of a coming king in Judah could have originated through the influence of the prophet Daniel, during his time of captivity in Babylon/Persia. Anyway, when they arrived in Jerusalem and asked their disturbing question, the “chief priests and scribes” knew exactly where to point them because of what they had studied in the prophets.

This morning I would like to focus our attention on these words attributed to a prophecy by the OT prophet Micah. I want to begin by comparing Matthew’s quote with the original passage in Micah. Then, I want to emphasize the significance of the two descriptive words that appear together in this verse – Ruler and Shepherd.

I.          Compare the New with the Old

Before we talk about the significance of the prophecy, I want to take a few moments to compare and contrast the NT and OT versions of the prophecy the scribes were referring to. Many times NT writers modified OT prophecies not to twist the meaning, but to bring out the true meaning better. These chief priests and scribes do the same thing here. (Lenski's Commentary)

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, 

Matthew 2:6 (NKJV)  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

Ephrathah vs. in land of Judah – (Lenski’s Commentary) The main purpose of quoting this prophecy was to give the location of the Messiah’s birth. 

According to 1 Sam. 17:12, (a verse providing the identity of David’s father, Jesse), “Ephrathah” would be a word that identifies a specific section of Judah in which Bethlehem lay, so the priests and scribes simply say, “in the land of Judah.” 

(Tyndale Commentary) There was a Bethlehem in Galilee, according to Josh. 19:15. This author also stresses the fact that using the name “Judah” implies the idea of royalty more so than “Ephrathah.”

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, 

Matthew 2:6 (NKJV)  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

(Lenski) Micah seems to be making a contrast, “even though you are little, yet out of you shall come…” [However, being little does not mean they are the “least” or littlest. So, in Matthew, it emphasizes the intended meaning – Bethlehem is little, but it is not the least.]

(Lenski, con’t.) Each of the “thousands” would have been headed up by a chief or ruler. Therefore, Matthew again is emphasizing the same meaning using different terms.

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)  "… out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." 

Matthew 2:6 (NKJV)  '… out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

The priests and scribes again use a phrase that more fully describes the real meaning of the original prophecy. What kind of ruler? The answer is in the context. See just two verses later:

Micah 5:4 (NKJV)  And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; 

The OT word for “feed” is translated as “shepherd” 63 times in the OT.

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)  "… The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." 

This last phrase in Micah’s prophecy is omitted altogether by Matthew.

Someone suggested (Lenski) that this phrase wasn’t pertinent to the question asked by the Magi, therefore was not included in the response of the priests and scribes. I believe it could also be due to the fact that they hadn’t fully grasped the concept that the Messiah would have existed from eternity.

I have tried to show that, rather than twisting the OT prophecy or doing any harm to its meaning, the NT simply brings out more strongly the intended meaning of the original passage.

II.        The Shepherd is a Ruler

In our discussion of the answer provided by the chief priests and the scribes, we notice that this “newborn king” is described as a ruler. I’ve already referred to the fact that each 1,000 of families would have a head or ruler.

Micah prophesied that there would be one coming who would be “ruler” of Israel.

“ruler” – to govern, have dominion over; trans 19 times as “ruler” and 4 times as “governor.”

As I mentioned during the introduction, King David was a Shepherd who became a ruler. 

Many Messianic prophecies emphasized the dominion and rule that would be exercised by the Lord’s Anointed One. Even the NT prophecies in Revelation highlight the final rule of the Christ.

I believe that we must fully grasp the fact that God does not merely rule over a nation (Israel), but He will rule the entire world. And, everyone who lives in that kingdom, will necessarily submit to His rule in each of their own hearts.

Philippians 2:10 (KJV)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

The primary defect in all of us before we come to Christ is that we want to be sovereign. We want to be the ruler in our world. It goes completely against human nature for us to surrender our will to the sovereign will of another. Yet, that is exactly what God calls each and everyone of us to do.

III.       The Ruler is a Shepherd

When David was at Hebron and the people were ready to crown him the king, this is what they said…

2 Samuel 5:2 (NKJV)  Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.' "

Psalm 78:70-72 (NKJV) ⁷⁰  He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; ⁷¹  From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. ⁷²  So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. 

Here are a number of verses that highlight the shepherd role of the Lord.

Psalm 23:1 (KJV)  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Isaiah 40:11 (KJV)  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 

Jeremiah 31:10 (KJV)  Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 

Ezekiel 34:23 (KJV)  And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 

Ezekiel 37:24 (KJV)  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 

What are the conditions without a shepherd?

Zechariah 10:2 (NKJV) For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. 

1 Peter 2:25 (KJV)  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

The final action of the chief Shepherd…

1 Peter 5:4 (KJV)  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

Oh, how comforting and precious to meditate on the fact that our Lord, our ruler, our sovereign God is also our Shepherd.

He provides every need of our lives.

He protects and guides us through the dangerous paths of life.

He loves us and gives Himself for us.

Conclusion:

Our Scripture lesson today tells the story of the wise men seeking Jesus, the newborn king of the Jews.

Have you been seeking Him as your personal King? 

The chief priests and scribes describe Him as a Ruler who will Shepherd (feed) His people.

Have you discovered His all-sufficient provisions for physical and spiritual life?

When the wise men finally found Jesus, they fell down and worshiped Him.

Have you truly worshiped Him from the bottom of your heart?

He is certainly deserving of all our worship and devotion.

He is deserving of our submission and obedience.

He is Bethlehem’s Shepherd Ruler who will return to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Closing Song: As with Gladness Men of Old 

Light a Candle

This is a short message based on Psalm 18:27 that was preached for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. The sermon speaks about God's light in our lives, to whom it is provided and the purpose it fills.

(KJV) Psalm 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Written Excerpts: (There was no audio recording of the message.)

Introduction:

Since this is a candlelight service, I decided to get real innovative and bring a message titled, “Light a Candle!”

A well-known quote that has circulated for decades goes like this, “It is far better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” (quoteinvestigator.com) It signifies the fact that it doesn’t take much effort or intelligence to simply criticize the conditions that exist. It is much more productive to actually do something to illuminate the darkness.

Christmas eve is a time when we recognize that God has provided the light for the darkness of this sin-cursed world. Yes, God’s Word repeatedly condemns the “darkness” of sinful behaviors and choices of men, but He didn’t stop there. He provided a remedy for the sin of the whole world by sending His only Son into our world. He is the light of the world.

For the next few minutes I want to use a passage from the book of Psalms to help us think about our mission of lighting the world with the light of Christ.

Psalm 18:27-29 _(NKJV) For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. ²⁸ For You will light my lamp (KJV-Candle); The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. ²⁹ For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 

I.          Light is provided by the Lord.

(KJV) “Thou wilt light my candle; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28)

God is the source of light. 

We cannot possess light or provide light in ourselves.

The light of God illuminates truth and the path we walk.

(Spurgeon, The Treasury of David) Candles which are lit by God the devil cannot blow out.

When we think of Christ as the light of the world, we can understand how He lightens our darkness. He is our candle. He is our source of light.

Light – illuminates literally & spiritually; to not only remove darkness but to expose error, deceit, and display the path of truth.

II.        Light is provided for the humble and faithful.

The verse right before our text gives an indication of who the Lord provides light for.

Psalm 18:27 (NKJV)  For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. 

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – The Hebrew has literally ‘exalted eyes’, used in Ps. 131:1 to refer to someone who has a proud demeanor.

Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised - The “haughty” are those who have little or no regard for the Lord…

Over and over throughout the Bible, humility is emphasized as the primary condition that is necessary for one to receive any help from the Lord.

“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Jam. 4:6

III.       Light provides courage in the face of darkness and opposition.

The verse immediately following our text tells what the light enables one to accomplish.

Psalm 18:29 (NKJV)  For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – … with your help I can advance against a troop, [or]… alternative found in the footnote [of NIV]: ‘with your help I can run through a barricade’. In either case, along with the second colon (with my God I can scale a wall), the psalmist proclaims that God enables him to overcome any obstacle put in his way by his militaristic enemies.

The connection (“for”) at the beginning of the verse signals a continuation of the thought. It clearly seems to imply that the lighting of one’s candle gives the necessary ingredient to advance against opposition.

When we walk/grope in the darkness, we go with hesitancy and apprehension. We have little confidence because of uncertainty regarding what’s ahead. But, with the bright light of God, we march forward with confidence and we have the courage to go up against overwhelming odds.

Another application that came to mind as I considered this aspect relates to the tremendous asset a brilliant light is when in the hand of the user, but in the eyes of an opponent/enemy a brilliant light is blinding and unnerving. It diminishes the ability to fight.

When the enemies of Christ are blinded by the light of truth, then those who carry the light can truly “advance through the troop and scale the walls.”

Conclusion:

As we live our lives in accordance with Christ's mission, we need to “light a candle” in our world and spread the light of truth, faith and hope.

Jesus stated that His disciples are to be the “light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14)

We are the candles that God wants to use to bring the light of truth and the light of salvation to the dark world.