The Church As Built By Christ

Introduction

In Matthew chapter 16, beginning in about verse 16, Jesus asked of his disciples, who do men say that I am? They replied, Well, some say that you’re John the Baptist, and some Elijah, and others say you’re Jeremiah or one of the prophets. And then he pointedly asked, But who do you say that I am? With that, the apostle Peter answered, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied, Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Then in Matthew 16 and verse 18, Jesus said, And I say also unto thee that upon this rock, that is the confession that Peter just made, that he is the Christ, the Son of God.

Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell, or of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I’ll give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Jesus here stated, about a year before his death, I will build my church. But as you read that passage and then witness now nearly 2,000 years later, what is the church that Jesus Christ built? What is it like? Our world today is certainly filled with different kinds of churches in every city. One can pass by buildings with different religious names, and knowing that those members practice different religious doctrines. And the question certainly legitimately arise, can all of these be right?

1. The Church According to God’s Eternal Purpose

Does it make any difference which church we attend? Where did all the churches come from? Lord, last Lord’s day, I began to study, a series of lessons with you concerning the Lord’s church. We talked last week particularly about the church in God’s eternal purpose and God’s eternal plan. Lord willing, today I want to conclude or continue that series with the church as built by Christ. And then we will continue in our studies next Lord’s Day with well, what happened, the changes, the church as men have changed it. And then we will come back to the study. Well, indeed, can the church exist today as it did in the first century? Does it make any difference which church we attend? You may recall, those of you who were here at least, that last week we pointed out how that really the church is according to God’s eternal purpose.

When we talk about the church, it is not something that man has the right to design. It is not something that we make and shape according to what we like. And even before Christ came, hundreds of years before he came to the earth, it was prophesied that God would have a building, that God’s way would be, would be uh would come forth in the last days. We read from Joel chapter 2, how that he had promised that he would pour out of his spirit upon all flesh, and the purpose that whoever would call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. We read from Isaiah chapter 2 that in the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house would be established in the top of the mountains.

In fact, he listed the city, even the word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem. And then we observed how in Daniel chapter 2 in verses 40 through 44, but really even earlier than that, of the prophecy that Daniel made interpreting the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. How that there would be various world empires, but ultimately in the days of the fourth empire, that is dating from that of the Babylonian Empire, that in the days of what we now know as the Roman Empire, even specified a time, that God would set up his kingdom, a kingdom that shall never be destroyed. And even in Jeremiah chapter 31, verses 31 through 34, how that there would come a time when God would give forth a new covenant, and a covenant by which there would be sins forgiven, never again remembered by God, forgiven.

And we raised the question in our study: have all these prophecies been fulfilled? We began to point out how that indeed, even in Acts chapter 2, the apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost quoted from Joel too and said, This is that of which the prophet was speaking. He made the point that indeed, even as they had witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, beginning first of all with the Holy Spirit baptism that fell upon the apostles. And that he said, This is the very thing of which Joel had said would come to pass in the last days. That the gospel now would be preached so that men would know how to call upon the Lord that they might be saved. And from Isaiah, we pointed out how that even the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled on that day, for it was in the city of Jerusalem, that indeed the Holy Spirit had fallen upon the apostles.

And now the mountain of the Lord’s house was established as the first gospel sermon was preached, and men and women obeyed that gospel. And according to the prophecy of Daniel, it was in the days of the Roman Empire. Or even Jesus has said in Mark chapter 1, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom is at hand. And as as both the prophet had said hundreds of years before, now Christ confirms. This is the very time of which the prophets did speak. God’s kingdom is established. And with that, the gospel is now preached. A new covenant. We now do not search the Old Testament or the law of Moses to learn how about the design of the Lord’s church or how we worship, worship and work in the Lord’s church.

We come to the gospel, the New Testament. And there we read, even the way by which we call upon the Lord that we might be saved. We learn indeed the new covenant that sins no longer shall be remembered. Prophecies, yes. Even as Ephesians chapter 3 describes how the church, by the church is the manifold wisdom of God made known. Even as he purposed, even according to his eternal purpose, the scripture says, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. So today, when we talk about the church, we’re talking about something that is so very important in God’s plan that hundreds of years before it was established, God had it in mind. But in the text that I just read from you from Matthew chapter 16, about a year before his death, Jesus said, Upon this rock, I will build my church.

2. Widely Different Concepts of What a Church Is

It was yet future, in future tense. Upon the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then upon the foundation, proving that he is the Son of God, raised from the grave, breaking the bondage of death that Satan held over men by sin. That now the church indeed is established. But today, as I say, nearly two thousand years later, our world is filled with with different kinds of churches. There are different, there are widely different concepts as as to what a church is, what it’s supposed to be. I’m sure everyone in this audience is well aware that there are different concepts. What really is a church to be like. You find in some quarters there are people who think, well, the church is just a good place to go and meet people and to have friends and good moral people, and if you want good companionship, then go find a church and find people that you like.

And there are some people who select a church based upon those kind of standards. They maybe find a building they like they think is the prettiest building, or they find the kind of people in it that they they want to be associated with, whatever standard they might be, and that’s how they pick a church to attend. There are others who say, well, you know, the church is more than that. It’s not just a place for good social standing and recreational activities. There are some spiritual things that are involved in a church, and yet they still view a church as, even with its spiritual activities, as activities that their own board can decide what is right or what is wrong and what fits their desires. And certainly you know that there are some churches today that indeed uh have some kind of vote on what they do.

There are some, for example, that will accept certain leaders who are women as women preachers. Other churches believe that’s not right. There are some churches that have homos admitted homosexuals in their leadership, in their pulpit. Other churches say that’s not right. There are some churches that say, well, abortion is a is a good way for planned parenthood. Other churches say, no, that’s not right. And so there are people who sort out and try to find, well, if we’re just going to go by what man thinks is right. If I think abortion is all right, I’ll go find a church that says it’s right. If I think homosexuality is all right, I’ll go find a church, or if I think we so they they again go by standards according to human judgment.

3. What Does the Bible Say About His Church?

But today we want to talk about the church as built by Christ. Not as that which is designed by man, not that really which is designed by any group or board of men. We’re not going to talk about what some man has said, not what Alexander Campbell said, not what Martin Luther said, or the Catholic Pope may have said. But really, what does Christ say? What does the Bible say about his church that he said that he would build? And really, when I tell you this, and I would say to an audience, and I know not everybody in this audience, but and what your concept may be, but I want you to know from the very outset that what we’re talking about today is not, quote, church of Christ doctrine, unquote.

For in effect, I would have to tell you there there should not be church of Christ doctrine as such. If we’re going to talk about the church that’s built by Christ, then we’re going to say, well, what does the Bible say about it? What does the gospel say about it? What does the New Testament say? The church that Christ built should be like. And when we began to read about it, you know, the first reference, this side of the cross of Christ, is found in Acts chapter 2. In fact, the very last verse of Acts chapter 2, particularly in the King James translation, the scripture says, the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. Now there are some translations, and you may have a different one that simply says they were added or added together, such as should be saved.

It does not really use the word church. But in effect, this is the first real reference we have. For that was the record in Acts chapter 2, the first gospel sermon that was preached this side of the cross. And therefore, what occurred on that day as men and women heard about the Christ, became believers that indeed He’s the Son of God, who was crucified for us, who was raised the third day, and is now at the right hand of God. As they became convinced, they asked the question in verse 37 Men and brethren, what shall we do? What shall we do to be saved? What shall we do in order to call on the name of the Lord? was really their question. And in Acts 2 and verse 38, Peter answered, Repent and be baptized.

4. The Church Is a Relationship of Saved People

Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. In Acts 2 and verse 41, then they that gladly received the word were baptized. The same day they were added unto them about three thousand souls. And then as you read on in that chapter, it describes these early Christians, these early disciples. And as you see in verse 47, the last phrase, the Lord added together, or added to the church, who? Such as should be saved. Therefore, the real first point that we need to make in understanding the church as built by Christ is that it is simply a relationship of saved people. That’s what the church is all about. It is a relationship of saved people.

Let me say in a negative contrast the church is not a corporate entity. It is not a corporation with its rules and regulations that are governed by a board of directors. Christ is its head. And there are no men who can design or change the church that Christ built. Nor is the church composed of several different kinds of social clubs. And so you go pick which church you want or which social club you want, and you can join it, kind of like people pick out, whether it’s the rotary or the lions club or whatever. It’s not like that. Jesus didn’t say, I will build my churches, and you pick the one you like. Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church. And as he designed it, then we are without choice of which kind really we want to be a member of.

But also may say the church is really not even like a building that exists with or without people. I mean, sometimes people go down the street and they say, oh, that’s the South Bumba Church, and they talk about this building. But the building is not the church. Whether you are in this or not in this building, it’s going to exist, right? But the building is not the church. The church is a relationship of saved people. Now, the people, those of us who are gathered today, who have obeyed the gospel, we are the church. You see, the church is a body of saved people, saved according to God’s eternal plan. In fact, look with me, the passage that we referred to last week in Ephesians chapter 3.

In Ephesians chapter 3, where he speaks about it being according to God’s eternal plan, the background of that very verse talks about how that there’s the revelation of God according to the mystery. Now, if you’re familiar with the Bible, you know that in the New Testament, many different references are to the mystery of God. That doesn’t mean that God gave us something that could not be understood. But it simply says, back in the days when the prophets were foretelling of this redemption that would be through his son or through the Messiah, that when the prophets were foretelling of a time and place when the kingdom would be established and the mountain of the Lord’s house should be established, they didn’t fully understand. They didn’t fully comprehend even the sufferings of Christ.

They foretold some things, Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, that now we can look back and corroborate, and we understand that it’s talking about the Christ and its prophecy being fulfilled in Christ, but at the time it was delivered, they didn’t have the full comprehension. So therefore it’s called a mystery. It was something that had not yet been fully made known. But now in the gospel, it is fully made known. So listen, Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 1, when Paul says, For this cause I call the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you, Gentiles. If you’ve heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you, have that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery. As I wrote afore in a few words whereby when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

That the Gentiles, what is the mystery? That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel, whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, whom the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world have been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent, notice now verse 10, to the intent or to the purpose, that now, under principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You see, the Lord’s church, therefore, is according to God’s plan. It is a relationship in which both Jew and Gentile, whether heathen or whether now the family of Abraham, these are brought together into one body, calling upon the Lord, finding salvation. Actually, in this very sense, knowing that the church is a relationship of saved people, you can understand why the word church is even applied to it.