A strong church versus a weak church 6.3.07

1. If you have opened your Bible to Mt. 13, let’s begin reading with verse 31 – READ.

2. The “Kingdom of heaven” is in this passage another way of describing the church.

3. Jesus likened the church to a very small seed; He said this seed grows – verse 32 – READ.

4. Sometimes a matter is so important we say it more than once.

5. Jesus did this as He spoke about the church – verse 33 of this same chapter – READ.

6. This parable teaches the same point as the mustard seed illustration.

7. Skipping down a bit we come to another kingdom (church) parable – verse 44 – READ.

8. Jesus deals with this same topic once again in verses 45-46 – READ.

ONE GETS THE IMPRESSION FROM MATTHEW 13 THAT THE CHURCH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GOD. JESUS’ ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE CHURCH ALSO SET ANOTHER TRUTH BEFORE US:

1) God is interested in a strong church.

2) A seed that grows into a huge tree is an image of power.

3) Jesus spoke of leaven affecting an entire batch of dough; leaven is also a strong force.

4) In the treasure and pearl illustrations we see great value – men sold all they had for the church.

5) Today we want to think about having a strong church in the sense of a local congregation.

6) Matthew 13 tells us the church is to be strong, so let’s consider how that can be achieved.

a) Strong churches are sturdy because they hold to God’s word.

b) In Acts 4:31 we are told how Christians in the first century “spake the Word of God with boldness.”

c) Luke says in Acts 13:5 the first Christians “proclaimed the Word of God.”

7) A strong church clings to the Scriptures, the information Jesus said is “the truth.”

8) A congregation holding to the Word of God may not have the most people present in their assemblies.

9) A high attendance figure does not make an organization a strong organization.

10) Suppose that in our area there are two factories.

a) One factory has 50 employees. In the second work place there are 100 employees (twice as many).

b) The shop with 50 workers has 30 men and women who are dedicated to the job. They really work.

c) In the shop with 100 employees, there are only 15 men and women who are really dedicated.

11) Which business would we say is the strongest? It is the first, the company with 50 employees.

12) Although the second company has twice as many people, numbers alone can be deceiving.

13) Weak churches are weak because of how they deal with God’s word.

a) In some places the Bible is hardly used or perhaps never used.

b) Last February I listened to a man tell me about some of the places where he is asked to go and speak.

c) He said in some of the places where he goes it is just enough to wave a Bible in front of the people.

d) People do not have an interest in the Word of God, they just want to see a Bible waved in the air.

e) Churches that have this type of mindset are weak. They are not founded on the rock.

f) If a congregation is not grounded upon and resting upon the Word of God, the foundation is like sand.

g) Another way to weaken a church is by using the Bible but relying upon a poor translation.

14) There are dozens upon dozens of Bible translations available in the English language.

15) Not everything that says “Bible” is an accurate rendering of God’s word.

a) I have had people tell me over the years they use a particular translation because it is “easy to understand.”

b) If we are going to read a document, we do need to be able to understand what it says.

c) The criteria for selecting a Bible goes beyond having a translation that is understandable.

d) What if someone said they need to go to Chicago this afternoon?

e) We tell them to leave our parking lot and take every right turn that is available to them.

f) Our directions would be easy to follow. To get to Chicago, we need more than easy directions.

g) Directions must also be right. Such is also true when it comes to the Word of God.

h) We need to look for a reliable that has language we understand and it is a GOOD translation.

i) This is a simple but important way to stay on the path to being a strong church.

j) Other things are also required to be a strong church.

16) In fact, God has specifically shown some things necessary to be a strong congregation.

17) In Acts 2 we find the beginning of the first century church, and we are told what these Christians did.

18) Listen to what Luke says after several thousand people had been converted.

19) Acts 2:42 – READ.

a) Christians “continued steadfastly” in 4 things.

b) First, they continued to abide by the “apostle’s doctrine.”

c) In Jerusalem there was a strong church and this congregation was grounded in doctrine.

d) The information we have written down was available orally to these people.

e) God’s word is described in many ways, one of which is “powerful” (Rom. 1:16).

f) In order to be a strong church we need the power of the gospel.

20) If we will not abide in the apostle’s doctrine (the written word), we are destined to be a weak church.

21) A second item God lists for a strong church in Acts 2 is “fellowship.”

a) The first Christians assembled together on a regular basis.

b) They worshipped together, they ate meals together, they prayed together, and they likely played together.

c) Fellowship (togetherness) is a great bonding mechanism.

d) Where there is division, faction and strife, we see disunity and usually weakness.

e) Where there is harmony and unity, there is strength.

f) A strong church comes from a unified congregation where the people interact with one another.

g) This comes by attending services, but attendance is only the beginning point.

h) God’s people work to intertwine themselves in the lives of one another.

22) In addition to fellowship we read about the “breaking of bread,” item 3 in Acts 2:42.

a) If this were mere fellowship, Luke repeated himself.

b) In the original text there are definite articles – “the” breaking of “the” bread.

c) By using the definite articles and separating this action from fellowship Luke describes something else.

d) He had in mind the Lord's Supper.

e) Christians began partaking of this memorial shortly after Jesus’ resurrection.

23) Notice from 42a that the actions described were done “steadfastly.”

a) Let’s take that word out of the realm of religion for just a moment.

b) Suppose a person says “I clean my house steadfastly” (it gets cleaned once a year).

c) Would that not seem a bit odd to us?

d) The person sees our shocked look and changes the story:

e) “I meant, I clean my house once a quarter.” Would that be cleaning steadfastly?

f) Another person chimes in and says, “I am even more steadfast: I clean mine once a month.”

g) Steadfast does not have these meanings; it describes something regular, habitual, on-going.

h) When the disciples meet week after week, they worshipped on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

i) This was a time to learn and continue in the apostle’s doctrine.

j) It was also a time to steadfastly break bread (have the Lord's Supper).

k) Christians engaged in worship on what is called the “Lord’s Day” (the day Jesus was raised).

24) Luke then adds in verses 42 the assemblies included prayer.

25) Those first Christians would have been praying for many things.

a) They wanted the church that Jesus likened to a mustard seed to grow.

b) When threatened with death and punishment, they prayed for the boldness to speak.

c) During the times they were condemned to death, they prayed for their killers.

d) Christians prayed about something else: Christians who would do special things in the church.

26) By the time we come to Acts 6 we find the apostles were involved in helping some widows.

27) This was a great work, but it took some time the apostles needed to devote to other things.

28) Thus, the church was asked to select 7 men who could help distribute some food.

29) Acts 6:6 says 7 men were put before the apostles, there was prayer, and the men were put into service.

30) God knew the apostles could not do it all.

a) Today the apostles only live on through God’s word.

b) Now those who communicate the gospel on a regular basis are often designated as preachers, ministers, evangelists.

c) No matter how young, strong, smart, or good a preacher is, he cannot do all the work by himself.

31) A preacher is most effective when he is working with a strong congregation.

32) I believe Goshen is a strong congregation and greatly appreciate that fact.

33) A preacher and a strong congregation are not the sum of God’s will.

a) God has arranged for local congregations to have elders to help care for a local church (1 Tim. 3:5).

b) In this same chapter He has spoken about deacons (men who do the type of work described in Acts 6).

c) A strong church has good elders and good deacons.

d) A strong church also works to prepare future men to become preachers, deacons and elders.

34) Today we are pleased to install three men, two deacons and an additional elder.

35) It is our hope and prayer that these men will help this congregation continue to be a strong congregation.

36) Today the challenge to each one of us is this

37) Are we doing our part to make this congregation a strong church?

38) The way we begin the process is to become a Christian. Have we done that?

39) If we have, are we doing our best to make this congregation as strong as it can be?