Title: A Description of The Church
Text: Rom 1:6-13
Date: 8-05-07.am
Passage:
Introduction:
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy puzzles as long as they are not hard. I enjoy crossword puzzles that are not too challenging like the ones in TV guide. The ones I really like are the “can you find” kind of puzzles; the kind that show you a scenic picture and then ask if you can find other things that are hidden in the picture.
At first you can’t see anything except the actual scene, but as you continue to look at the picture and examine it the other things in the picture begin to jump out at you. You see the face hidden in the clouds and the shoe and the fish and hammer. Once you’ve found them you look at the picture and instantly see these things and wonder why you didn’t see them before.
These first verses in Romans are like that; Last week we saw how much was contained in a simple greeting to the church there, we discovered some things about Paul’s life and testimony and a description of the gospel. This morning as we continue to look at Romans we see how Paul’s describes the church.
I. Who makes up the church
Let’s look first at verse 6 to see how Paul describes those who make up the church. We looked briefly at this verse last week. but I believe there is more God wants us to see and understand about who the church is. Paul uses three phrases to describe the true church. What do we mean when we say true church. It’s always important to emphasize and to understand people are the church. Bethel Baptist Church is not this building. This building is where Bethel Baptist Church comes together to worship and fellowship. But the church is made up of the people of God and we are a local assembly of those people.
Here is how God describes the church through Paul. He does it in three ways: The church is (1) Called of Jesus Christ, (2) Beloved of God, (3) Called as Saints each describing in a different way who the church is.
1. Called of Christ V. 6
The church is made up of those called of Christ. Paul began his letter by describing himself as a “servant of Christ, called to be an apostle” Paul said the church is made up of those called to belong to Christ. Calling is an invitation to join God and join with God. We talked about that last week. We mentioned four ways God calls us. First He calls us all to salvation. He also calls us fulfillment becoming the person the individual he created us to be. He calls us to fellowship, to be in fellowship with Him to know Him personally and intimately and He calls us to serve Him. So calling is an invitation but it more than just an invitation. It is also the supernatural empowerment of the Holy spirit effectively working in the lives of individuals to claim them and call them to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus and then enabling them to put that faith into action.
2. Beloved of God V. 7
He also says the church are the beloved of God, those God loves. God’s love is one of the most important things humanity needs to understand. The one who created and sustains all of creation loves us individually. He does not love our sinful actions, but he loves us. He loves the homosexual, but He does not love homosexuality, He loves the adulterer and adulteress, but He does not love adultery, He loves the drunk and the prostitute and the drug addict, but he does not love nor does He condone or ignore their actions. He even loves the agnostic who believes He may or may not exist and the atheist denies He exists. This is the truth of John 3:16 and also 1 Jn 4:10
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. NASB It is because of His Great love Jesus Christ was sent into the world.
Those in the church are Beloved of God, But not everyone is included in the church. Why? When use church here we are not talking about everyone who has their name on a church role or who attends a church. We are talking about the true church, the redeemed of God. Not everyone who attends a local church and joins a local church is a part of the true church, because not everyone in the local church has respond by faith to Gods calling. That’s not entirely a bad thing. We want those in the local church to be believers, but we also want the local church to be a place where non-believers can come to hear the good news and become believers even if they have joined a church. I joined a local church and was baptized when I was a young boy. I didn’t become a member of the true church until I was 31. God loved me before I was a member of the true church but for those who follow by faith love is carried to a higher level. We are not just loved we become beloved. We become the children of God in Christ, uniquely his possession. The Bible says in 2 Cor :1 7 that we are new creations in Christ.
3. Called as Saints V.7
The third term Paul uses is saint. We think of a saint as someone placed on a higher level than a normal person. In the Roman Catholic church saint takes on an entirely different meaning than Paul uses here. But, as God’s unique possession and new creations we are all called as saints. The word saints derives its meaning the Old Testament it means to be set apart. Things that were used in the tabernacle as well as the priesthood itself were considered holy or set apart for God’s service. The word saint comes from the same root as the word holy. All who come to Jesus Christ by faith are sealed with His Spirit and set apart for His service so that they become saints. Not super believers but set apart holy people of God.
II. The witness of the church
The idea of service leads to the second way Paul describes the church at Rome they are known by their witness. In this case the word witness has a dual understanding. Not only is it what the church does, but also about who sees or witnesses what the church does. Paul illustrates this in two ways one by his commendation of the church in v.8 and the other through a personal word of testimony in v. 9.
1. The witness of the world v.8
In verse 8 Paul expresses thanksgiving because the church has witnessed in the world, but also because the world is a witness to the faith and faithfulness of the church. Contrary to what many people think faith is not a private matter, at least not the faith of Christ and the Bible. It is personal but it is also a public faith. It is a faith that is meant to be shared. It is a faith that is to be used. It is the faith of the Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples. Jesus said in Mt 5:14-16:
14 "You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (HCSB)
The world bears witness to whether that kind of faith exists not only in the universal church but in local churches as well. We want to witness in and to our world. We want the world in which we live, our community to bear witness to the kind of faith we have as individuals and as a local church body. We want that witness to be good and positive.
2. The witness of God v. 9
The second thing Paul mentions is what God witnesses. Paul says that God is the one who witnesses what he does and says and desires when no one else can. This applies to us as individuals and to the church. While Christianity is and must be a public rather than private faith it is a personal faith. We accept God personally as individuals no one can accept Him for us and we have a personal relationship with Him. This is where the truth of our faith is most accurately measured – the witness of God. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we might know if we are believers. But It is God who knows whether the practice or practical side of our faith genuine.
I keep referring to the intimate relationship we are to have with God because it is important. I have a relationship with you each of you, but it is not the same kind of relationship you have with your husband or wife of your children or your parents.
That’s a deeper kind of relationship and ideally it is close and personal. I love each and every one of you but when I’m down or when I feel bad or when I’m hurting or in the hospital while I appreciate you and your concern and visits and your encouragement and those are important it’s Deborah that I look for to be there with me. I’m sure it’s the same with you. I want to be there for you and I hope so you appreciate my presence, my encouragement and they are important to you but it’s mom or dad or husband or wife that really bings comfort. That’s the kind of relationship God wants with us. So that when things are good or bad He’s first on our list even ahead of husband, or wife son or daughter or whomever. He wants to be first in every situation and circumstance and He knows where you fit Him in. We can do a lot things publically for others to see but God is the witness to our private thoughts, the desires of our hearts. He witnesses what the world can’t.
Ill. The Will of the church V 10
In verse 10 Paul speaks of the will of God in his own life, but again what he says about himself applies to the church. The will of the church, any church, should be and must be to do the will of God. Paul’s will by his own admission had been to come to them, but he followed instead the will of God. We see a very good example of this quite clearly when Paul is on his 2nd missionary Journey in Acts 16:6-7. Luke tells us Paul desired to go the province of Asia to preach, but the Spirit forbid him to go there. Paul then desired to go to Bythenia and again the Luke tells us the Spirit prevented him from going. That’s what Paul wanted to do and wanted to go, but instead of following his own will Paul followed the will of God.
We already know to some degree what His will is, both personally and corporately. He has told us to take the gospel Into all of the world. He has told us that we are to be his witnesses where we are, we are to be salt and light, we are to make disciples. I’ve discovered there is some flexibility in how we accomplish that. But sometimes instead of spending time in prayer seeking the mind of Christ and asking that He make His will known we make our own plans. We decide what we want to do, then we tell God ok this is what I’m going to do for you and I want and expect you to bless my efforts because after all I am doing it for you.
Here’s what I mean. Suppose, for example, God says I want you to go to the slums of Chicago or the jungles of South America or any destination that doesn’t seem desirable near or far and be my witness. You don’t think that sounds very appealing I’d have to give up a lot to go there and do that and you reason in your mind well the folks in Hawaii, or the Bahamas some tropical paradise need to know the Lord too and God really just wants me to be a witness not matter where I am so I think I’ll go some place I like and be a witness there, and that will make me happy and God will be happy because I’m doing His will. But that is your will not God’s. As individuals and as a body we have to do things according to God’s will. God wants us, He wants you to be faithful where you are and He wants you to surrender to His will. He may or may not send you anywhere else but He want’s you to come to the place in you life and faith where you are willing to follow His will whatever it is and wherever it leads.
IV. The Work of the church
The last part of the description of the church we discover is the work of the church. Paul describes that in two ways.
1. Proclaiming our faith
First their faith was proclaimed through out the world. We proclaim Our faith by meeting the needs of people. The greatest need is that of salvation so we proclaim our faith through preaching and teaching sharing the Word of God and our testimony of what God has done for us just as Paul did. Paul said this was his particular calling. This is the heart of the Great Commission which is the purpose or our church. To go and make disciples. We also proclaim our faith by helping meet physical needs this is why we are working to increase our involvement with the City Mission, and Pastor Tom Barber Direct of People’s City Mission will be here this month on the 19th to talk to us about what the Mission is doing and how we can become more active in helping them. This is what we did yesterday in giving away the back packs and school supplies at Tri-Community, and what the block party this afternoon is about. That’s the purpose of mission trips like Arkansas and Kansas and Africa and Brazil, and the purpose of local missions outreach, like Tri-Community and the City Mission and we need to become more active and involved in both areas.
2. Mutual Encouragement v.11 - 12
The second thing he said about the church is that it is designed for encouragement. We encourage one another with our faith. I kind of touched on that earlier but when my faith is weak yours is strong and it encourages me. When yours is weak, mine is strong that I might encourage you. Together we encourage one another. We encourage each other to obedience and fulfillment. We encourage each another when we’re down or weak, but also to fulfill God’s calling and God’s purpose for our lives and our church. We encourage one another to use our spiritual gifts and our talents. That is why it’s important to be in church and in fellowship with one another for that support and encouragement we get from each other. Our summer home fellowships are not just socials. The main purpose of our summer fellowships is to encourage and strengthen our relationship with one another, to become friends as well as church members. So that we can better be encouragers to one another and fulfill the work of the church together.
Let me ask you this morning how is your relationship with the church. I’m not talking about being part of a denomination or having your name on a church roll or regular attendance, but are you a part of God’s church through a relationship with Jesus Christ? Have your come to the place where you have recognized your need for a Savior. Maybe you have already trusted Jesus but have been holding back part of your life. Your following your will rather than His. Maybe you need to make a commitment to obedience Whatever your need is this morning Jesus stands waiting and calling inviting you to come just as you are.