The Church...the Wayfarer 6/21/13

“The Church”
 6/21/13

“This people draweth night unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me!

 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

(Matthew 15: 8 &9)

Today’s message is prompted through several experiences and conversations over a period of time that have deeply troubled my heart and continues to do so.

In a previous sermon I mentioned a young man who was cast out of a body that calls itself a church, one I am familiar with, and know, not for its work for the Lord, but for its self-promotion and fund raising abilities to pay its rather large staff, and to provide all the current electronic enhancements available instead of expending time and effort in the things we will discuss in the scripture used today.

Once again, I find vexing of heart, an announcement by a dear friend, sincere in his efforts to find the way, and to serve the Lord, who informs me that he, too, has been ostracized from a rather large congregation professing itself to be a “church”,  because of his having voiced  concern over the exact same direction taken by that congregation, away from a local body serving Christ to an electronically enhanced civic organization, seeking to glorify  a highly paid “Pastor and his “ staff” ,  opening up various business interests to provide more funds to be expended on that same, ever expanding staff, whose sole interest appears to be monetary gain and popularity  within the confines of its association.

Before actually getting to the nitty gritty of today’s message  I ask that if you have not done so you please review past sermons entitled:

Den of thieves,

Will a man Rob God

And, By their Fruits.

Several more come to mind that are also applicable, but these three in particular bear on the meat of today’s message.

Not to seem repetitive,  but as is dictated by the need to comprehend that “THE Church”  is to be that which Christ himself selects, and will be comprised of many of what we normally think of when the word “Church “ is used, I have returned to the book of Matthew for the opening portion of our scripture.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet”

(Matthew 24:4&5)

All who know or attempt to follow what I preach will readily understand that I feel that we have reached the point of the beginnings of sorrows that is lamented  in the 8^th verse of this passage.  As time goes on and the news around us turns far darker seemingly by the day, that belief is continually reinforced.

 I will not include, but ask that you turn to the 24^th Chapter once more to look at what Jesus had to say was to come,  and compare once more where we stand today in regard to the time that he said, “would be as it was in Noah’s day”, in the 37^th verse of this same chapter.

 All of these scriptures point to a day of an “Apostate” church that is often referenced by another friend of mine for whom I have a deep regard and respect.

What is the true function of a body that calls itself a church?

Is it not to follow the teachings of our Lord... and to promote the understanding of those teachings through the way we live as well as speak to all people, carrying the promise AND THE WARNING to ALL nations as was asked of us in the Great Commission?

In order to do this, once again requires more than lip service,  an electronic media intended to enrich the bank account, furthering the financial goals of a large group of people in a clique whose only real interest is in the appearance of righteousness, and not that which Jesus  Himself taught.

Repetitive though I may be, I take you a little farther into this same book , using no teaching of my own but the very words of my Savior to make a serious attempt to enlighten you as to the requirements of the Bride that will eventually be taken by that Savior. That Bride is “THE CHURCH” not a church!

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory;

 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

 And he set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least  of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

(Matthew 25:31-40)

“ “And I saw  a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

(Revelation 20:11-15)

I have intentionally given the scripture chosen for these last two passages without comment so that the totality of context may be readily identified.

First allow me once again to address the quote from Matthew 25:

Jesus tells us that those who only offer lip service will be separated from the true followers, who, through their actions as well as words prove themselves worthy of the Kingdom!  Nowhere within this passage, nor any other are we asked to build a fortune through mere lip-service, but are told that ACTIONS will follow TRUE belief. 

Where is the call to build a coffee-shop to put more money in the hands of those already stealing from God himself included in these scriptures?

The teachings found in that 25^th chapter of Matthew are further reinforced by the writings of Paul, an ardent advocate of assuring that those chosen to evangelize were not be an encumbrance on those to whom they were sent, and did in fact provide for himself to assure that what he taught was NOT for financial gain, but spiritual gain.

The continuation of this passage not included here but included in a previous sermon and readily available, if the reader will PICK UP THE BIBLE for himself, tells us what happens to the “goats” or those guilty of the hypocrisy of mere lip service.

The passage from Revelation is given as further reinforcement to the point I attempt to make. I include one last reference for those who fail to realize the impotence and irrelevance of mankind.

“For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

Not of works lest any man boast

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

(Ephesians 2: 8-10)

Works, by themselves cannot and will not be acceptable to get into the kingdom of God. It is only through Christ Jesus and His intercession that this is possible.  He will only intercede for those who heed the warning given throughout his earthly ministry to:

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

I close for now, as always in the knowledge that I am nothing more, nor less, than a simple sinner, saved by grace through that required faith in my Lord, still a simple soldier in his service only able to echo His words of warning.

The purpose of the Church was, is, and must always be to return man to his original status,  given by God in the beginning.

Service to GOD and Praise for Him given in spirit and in truth  may only come about through INDIVIDUAL acceptance of man's insignificance and inability to live as intended while here, the fact tat we are imperfect sinful creatures unworthy of eternal life without the acceptance of the blood sacrifice given by Christ Jesus, and the acceptance of His ability alone to return us to our place given by the Father.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer