The Mission of the Church

Let's pray and then we'll get into our study. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time together to restart Sunday school after a time where we haven't had it. We just pray that each heart would be blessed and we'd receive something from your word that we can take and use and apply to our lives and be able to teach others also.

We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. All right, what we're going to do this morning, I think, is to look at the church statement of faith because as most of you know, Dennis Jacob is going to be teaching Sunday school and that'll start next week.

But he was asked to preach this morning at another church so he's there and then he's going to be preaching in Greenfield two weeks from now. The Alliance Church. So basically I'm filling in this Sunday and I'll be filling in in a couple weeks so I can't start any type of series.

Dennis is going to be doing that so I thought this would be appropriate a time to get together and look at our statement of faith. Do you know what this series is going to be? Colossians, I believe. Galatians and Colossians were discussed so I think it's Colossians.

So I'm just going to read this and we'll go through point by point and then what we don't cover this morning we'll pick up in the next in the next class probably two weeks from now. All right so in the church constitution article two, this is the purpose of Morris Corner Church.

It says the purpose of this church is to glorify God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in the following and then it's listing sub points. So this is how this church is to glorify Christ. A is to seek seeking to lead people to a personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

The Great Commission and Personal Faith

Seeking to lead people to a personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Let's turn to Matthew 28. The Great Commission verses 19 and 20. Absolutely. So you notice that we're seeking to lead people to a personal acceptance and this really stands in contrast to what is called baptismal regeneration.

This is the idea that many people have. Matter of fact, I think it's safe to say that most professing Christians in the world hold to some sort of view like this. That when you're sprinkled or baptized as a baby that is what makes you a Christian.

This historically has been the view of the Roman Catholic Church. So when a baby is as they call it baptized really just poured upon or sprinkled that that is what makes you a Christian. What's the problem with that?

How does that line up with what we just read in our statement of faith? I can't remember that far back. Yeah, you probably it's and I'm sure this has happened to people here when they were babies. They were baptized.

Did you come to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as a two week old infant? Obviously not. So let's look at Matthew chapter 28 verse 17 or excuse me verse 18. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. So notice which comes first the baptism or making disciples. So obviously you need to convert somebody to Christ and then baptize them.

And this is one of the reasons why we don't believe in infant baptism is because baptism is for the believer. So it's so essential in order to be saved you need to have a personal knowledge of the Lord.

I don't think any of us have any problems understanding that right? Okay so seeking to lead people to a personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Your faith is what makes you a Christian not what happened to you in the past maybe as as a baby.

Any questions or comments before we move on from that? Stacey?

And I could be wrong because I don't know. I thought they called it a.

Dedication not necessarily a baptism. Some churches do but Rome and many Protestants do call that baptism. There might be other churches that will dedicate a baby and pour water on its head or put oil on the forehead.

So churches may do that but Rome and many of the Protestants they do they do consider that baptism. Larry? Isn't the dedication that you're.

Just referring to I mean we kind of do that here but it's more the parents saying we will raise this child in this way right right. As opposed to that because the child can't do or say.

Anything. Yeah when we've had dedications here the parents will come up with the baby the pastor will pray and the baby yeah the parents are saying we will raise this child in the faith and you may say we're dedicating the the child to the Lord but yes very good point.

All right anything else before we move on? All right so we're all in agreement this should be an easy one. B so this is the purpose this church to glorify God through the edification and training of Christians through the teaching of God's word.

The Church Centered on God's Word

The Bible says study to show thyself approved unto God. It's all about God's word so you notice just about everything we do here whether it's Sunday school the the Sunday morning worship service the men's breakfast the Saturday men's everything this church does is centered around and revolves around the word of God right so what would you call it if a church had all sorts of events even the worship service itself the Bible is is never really opened or or taught what would that typically be called yeah a social a Christian style social club because so everything is centered around the word of God so the edification and training of Christians through the teaching of God's word.

So that's why we do it. All right. C the worldwide proclamation of God's saving grace expressed in the shed blood and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross of Calvary arose from the dead and the third day.

So we want to glorify God in the worldwide proclamation of God's saving grace and how do we do this? Well this is one of the reasons if you look on the the board on the wall you notice these are these are the missionaries we support.

So we believe in the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. So Morris Corner Church supports missionaries because of this going back to the great commission again this same idea to make disciples of all the nations but really it's not just supporting missions work overseas that's wonderful if we have a missionary in India who is trying to lead people to saving faith in a foreign country but what do we not want to neglect?

Yeah right here and I think we all see it that there is just as much of a need maybe even more so in some circumstances there's just as much of a need for missionaries if you want to use that term for the evangelization of the town of Leverett and the town of Montague and just move out.

I had mentioned last week that I had a burden I believe the Lord laid this burden on my heart to have a track it's basically a brochure slash gospel track that this church had printed up. It's my desire to get that track to every household in Leverett and you know the first piece of input I heard about that was well I don't want someone knocking on my door I don't think we should do this or if I got it in the mail I would just rip it up like it's junk mail that's the wrong attitude okay first of all I understand that that is true.

Okay I'm not stupid I get it people don't actually want people knocking on their door and yeah people will probably take it and disregard it that's not the point if you go out and preach the gospel if you witness to someone and you know that you know most people in New England don't care or they're not going to receive it is that a justification to say you know we're just not going to do it then we're just not going to preach the gospel because people don't care so let's just we might as well close our doors and just do something else on Sundays so on the one hand I get it I understand that mindset but that mindset cannot affect us to where we we don't reach out to our community or overseas Marcus as you're as we're doing these.

Sorts of things. The majority of people will be opposed right. It's no different in sales. You don't worry about those that don't want to buy. You just keep you know putting your product out there and eventually one will do it.

You don't let.

All the refusals. Yeah to purchase it but.

The point that I've thought about more lately in Isaiah 55 where it says the Lord's Word will accomplish the purpose wherewith it was sent it won't return empty. Yeah you're saying well it's ripped up and thrown in the paper.

Recycling. Oh because they're really worried about recycling. They're not worried about their own soul. They're yeah. But they are worried about recycling. And this purpose it will accomplish the purpose wherewith it was sent.

And I'm sorry to say it does grieve me that at the final judgment the Lord's going to say you had a chance you ripped it up and you threw it away.

Right yeah. And just for the record I technically I never said that I was going to go knock on doors. Technically I've never said that. And if that was your first thought that well you're kind of a naysayer about it.

You know I'm not mad at you I'm just saying that even if I was the only one and I'm not but even if I were um you know I'm not even asking hey everyone else needs to do this. This is simply what I feel is necessary.

So yes Larry.

And we don't know who that one that we reach right who he may he may turn out to be another movie right. Just that one person out of the hundreds that we may witness to or give a track to. Right that one it's all should always be you know I mean God is the one that's orchestrating these people anyways that we're going to come in contact with.

Yeah well it's like it was a Kimball that converted D .L. Moody while he was working in the shoe store right. Is that the story. I think. So what if he said well this young kid he does. He's not going to care because the 50 other kids I've witnessed to prior didn't care.

So I'm not I'm not going to witness to D .L. Moody. Well I believe God would have used someone else to save him personally. But um yeah you never know what kind of impact you are going to have. We're looking for that one Christian family that moved into town and we're going to reach them.

Or that one person that the Lord has been dealing with and and they read the gospel and they come to salvation. Or that that one person who's been backslidden for the last five years and this is exactly what they what they need.

So yes Marcus the first word in the great.

Commission is go go ye therefore and teach all nations. But some translations not King James or I don't know about New King James but NASB translates it as you are going because of the tense of the verb go as you are going we are all going to be going.

We're all going to be going out this door. And as you are going you are going to meet people granted in the Massachusetts or and especially in not so bad in Franklin County but in Hampshire County. You walk down the street and nobody will give you eye contact right.

But that is all that it takes is eye contact.

And a greeting good morning. Yeah when I went when I went down to Pennsylvania and like it's so different down here people actually look at you in the eye and hi how are you doing. It's so different than New England people are.

Just yeah. And one last thing on this you know it's part of the pastor's job to kind of nudge Christians a little out of their comfort zone. So that's that's partially my job to encourage you to maybe you know stir up that that gift that God has has given you.

Let's turn to second Timothy four. Second Timothy four. The next point for the purpose of this church is the promotion of godly worship. And that would be you know as opposed to ungodly worship. Well how can you have ungodly worship.

Can anyone think of a way that you could have ungodly worship. Worshiping the wrong god. Worshiping the wrong god. That's true. All right. Second Timothy chapter four. The apostle Paul says starting in verse two saying this to Timothy.

What does he say. Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers.

And they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fable. So there's a lot of things we could say about ungodly worship. In the old testament the sacrifices were to be made a certain way and when the priest ignored that god was not pleased when Saul offered a sacrifice when he should have waited for Samuel offering a sacrifice was good but the way it was done was ungodly because he was violating god's command.

So here what you see there can be a new testament church that's on the surface worshiping god. But they're doing it in the wrong way. So Paul says preach the word. It's not uncommon at all for churches to abandon the preaching of god's word to preach a message of um what.

Some examples. Yeah the prosperity gospel. Usually i mean i'll say this about a lot of the prosperity preachers. Usually they'll take the gospel and then blend it with the prosperity message. So sometimes even the prosperity preachers do have the gospel in there somewhere.

But the social gospel really has been a complete abandonment from the the teaching of god's word and the gospel of jesus christ because it's all about good works. And many of them will admit that the cross biblical christianity.

Some have even called it a bloody religion which it is right. Jesus bled he died he shed his blood for our sins. So this social message of just trying to improve society. That's one example of people gathering together as a church.

They may even be singing the same hymns. But they've abandoned the preaching of god's word and the gospel message. So they heap up for themselves teachers because they're not willing to endure sound doctrine.

If you went into one of these churches and started preaching the book of revelation what god is going to do to this earth in the end times they they would be like the unbelievers in in revelation. And they would.

They would gnash their teeth and blaspheme. Yes i saw a hand in the back. Right. That's that's the popular message today stoning yes.

All right. Anything else marcus. Prosperity. I speak of joshua 1 -8 this book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for them thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then you shall have good success.

So it has to do with how large a part is god's word of your life. It's certainly a part of it. Right here right now. This hour amen and next hour amen. And uh but what about the rest of the day. What about the rest of the week.

How are you really abiding in. God's word is as he you know if you abide in me and my words abide in you. I was preaching last week boy now i'm preaching again.

Sorry all right. Next thank you. The defense of the faith once delivered. I really like this i really like this one. So the purpose of this church is to glorify god the father and our lord jesus christ in the defense of the faith once delivered.

Defending the Faith Once Delivered

So defending the faith part of this is apologetics that we not only know what we believe we know why we believe it and we can give an answer to those who ask us. Let's turn to first peter chapter three.

First peter chapter three. Oh this is all written down in there. This is all this is in the church doctrinal statement. If you want a copy i can give it to you. I probably should have printed them out so i apologize uh for that but most of you have a copy at home.

You're forgiven. Thank you. There we go.

We've become closer friends again each time you forgive your.

Friend the defense of the faith once delivered who would like to read first peter 3 verse 15. Jen all right so be ready always to give.

An answer to everything and not ask if you are reasonable.

Okay thank you. So we need to be ready to give a defense. Every christian needs to be ready at all times. Whether you're going into work whether you're at a family get together whether you're with a group of friends.

You know they know you're a christian. They know you go to church if they ask you you know why do you believe that stuff. Or you know any question or i heard something about uh evolution. Or you know a child might ask you.

This is very common. They go to school and they hear about evolution and and all this atheistic teaching. And they say well you know you say adam and eve. But my teacher says charles darwin you need to be ready to have those conversations.

So it's not necessarily you have to go out in public and grab people by the arm and and corner them. That's not what peter's saying. But the very least you need to be ready to give an answer. So every christian needs to know number one what you believe and then number two why you believe it.

And then number three uh you should be able to articulate.

Um those things to other people. Stacy and why. In in iv also adds. But do this with gentleness and respect. Yes yeah. There's a difference between assaulting somebody with you know the gospel right presenting it with gentleness and respect.

Right was it on wednesday. Who is here wednesday. Jim was talking about hammering somebody. You don't need to hammer them with the gospel. Obviously. Uh we could share these things you could preach a sermon you could witness to somebody in an obnoxious way.

Here's the thing an unbeliever will already see it as being obnoxious. We don't need to make it more obnoxious through our tone of voice or you know pointing out all of their flaws or anything like that.

So we should be gentle. Remember the the whole purpose is to win them over not just to tell them they're wrong. Being right is overrated. Okay. We have the truth and sometimes in our flesh we just want to prove that we're right.

Well but that's not. That's not the ultimate goal here. So thank you for adding that. Yes i forget what your phrase was but it.

Was i've maybe you said at the very least or something something like that where it says be ready to give an answer to everyone that asks you so if you sit and wait for someone to ask you i mean that really really would be nice.

But when jesus witnessed to people he he kind of started the conversation towards things eternal yeah or twisted.

Them from the temporary to the eternal. Right. And i know what you're saying. I i get where you're coming from. Here's the thing if there is a window of opportunity if that door opens walk through it.

Okay. But not every christian has the gift of preaching and teaching. Okay. So um not every believer is really uh capable of getting up and just uh going on at length about the the depths of uh the atonement and everything.

It would be wonderful if everyone could do that. So uh i am not saying i'm not saying that. Yeah. You don't have to say anything to anyone just wait for them to come to you. That is. That's not what's being said it's just that not everybody is is cut out to be a missionary or a preacher like we like we think of it.

Find out what spiritual gift you have and use that. Be a witness. Uh live godly in this world. People will recognize that and that will give you opportunities to to share. Okay. So that's where i'm coming from.

Um yes. How many comments. Can i make one more. This is your last one.

Make it good. Can i make. Can i take three minutes now. Maybe we maybe we aren't that way. But we can tell when somebody's friendly or not. Um yeah some people have the gift of death. Obviously i do. So there's jim brennan.

Really richie is one of the best people i know for being able to start a friendly conversation with someone someone that's just sitting there. So i don't know it doesn't seem like it. And then you can just tell.

But then yes you're going to have to risk rejection. Right. But if you can become popular or well-liked by anyone and i'm talking about anyone that you anyone that you still call a friend you're not being.

You're not being much of a friend. Really. If you've never never tried it's as simple as saying gee wow i yeah i went to church. They're not going to know that we go to church. And uh they had this track rack and i did this one and it's it's really interesting.

I think maybe you might find it interesting too and then pray like crazy for that person that they will find it interesting. But god's the one that does this work. He's the one that makes his perfect timing.

It's the person that pulls out in front of you that you treated courteously to let them out and it's going to slow you down enough so that you are going to meet that right person.

Sound like uh. All right. That's i guess that's all we have. Sound like a calvinist mark. All right. Never mind we'll ignore that statement. Well if you have a gap then you also have the gift.

Being able to take rabbit trails and it will naturally open up.

Yeah good good all right. Let's turn to acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. This whole idea of the the defense of the faith once delivered part of defending the faith is not just giving an answer for what you believe.

When you see error sometimes you do have to point it out again. This isn't everybody's spiritual gift it's not everybody's calling. Uh you don't have to go around. And and that's the job of every christian to you know point out error.

And every time you see it. But certainly for pastors and church leaders for elders i think it's titus 1 verse 9 the the bishop or the elder must be able to refute those who contradict. So when we hear people teaching things that are uh false and unbiblical that is part of my job at least to say hey that's not right.

And we see this all throughout the bible. I've said it many times this warning against false teachers. So acts chapter 20 starting in verse 29 says. For i know this that after my departure this is the apostle paul speaking savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock.

Also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for three years i did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Uh one one of the things we would call this is the gift of discernment. And if any of you know anything about discernment ministries there are certain men that are well known in the church and it's kind of their job and calling and their ministry to point out error in the church.

To call out like you're talking about the prosperity gospel. And to warn christians that hey this isn't right. And here's what the bible actually says. And one of the most common pieces of criticism is you know you that's all you ever talk about.

Uh you're just constantly pointing out error. What did paul just say he did this. What. How often. Right night and day for three. So if that's wrong if that's sinful if that's wrong then the apostle paul was in sin.

And guess what. The apostle paul was not uh in sin. Obviously anything. Any good thing uh can be done. Maybe to the neglect of other things that need to be done. But still. Um all right. Second timothy chapter two.

I think this is the right the right scripture reference. I'll find out. Second timothy two. Go ahead and turn there. Well let's see. Well i might need your help. I think i wrote down the wrong hymenaeus and philetus.

Where is this. Is that first. Maybe that's uh oh there it is. Second timothy chapter two. Paul says starting in verse 16. But shun profane and idle babblings. For they will increase to more ungodliness.

One of the things that i had been accustomed to hearing is that yes you do need to point out things that are false. You do need to warn about false teachers. But you should never do it by name. How many of you have heard that you should never name names.

Well again if that's wrong what does that say about the apostle paul. And their message. Verse 17 will spread like what gangrene or cancer. Hymenaeus and philetus are of this sort who have strayed concerning the truth saying that there that the resurrection is already passed and they overthrow the faith of some.

So here are these men saying jesus already returned. You missed out. Uh the resurrection already happened. Probably the implication is there's no hope for eternal life for you. And people bought into it and they were abandoning the christian faith.

So these two men were teaching this. They were overthrowing the faith of these people. And did paul take the approach that well you know i don't want to be mean i don't want to mention them by name. Was that his approach not.

Well so paul clearly mentioned them by.

Name larry. Well and then it says here at the end of verse 16 will increase to more ungodliness so profane and idle babblings are part of that. But there's all the rest of sin that is ungodliness. So if we see a brother or sister living in sin you know we should gently go to them um you know and try to point them through scripture to the error of the way.

Yeah. And uh disciple them bring them back.

Right we have to be specific we can't just do everything these vague warnings or there's this guy out there somewhere who's teaching this like people should know what it is you're talking about. If you're not willing to be specific why bring it up.

Because they're just not gonna not gonna know. Obviously this can you know maybe be taken too far where every church service you're calling out this guy and calling out that guy. Maybe you don't. You don't want to do that necessarily.

But most of you probably well some of you have known that there'll be this guy on the radio that's very popular. Everyone's listening to him. He's got the largest church in the country this other guy.

He's got the second largest church in the country. There's this other guy. He's got the best-selling book in the country. And most evangelicals either are listening to them or have listened to them. And i listen to them.

You know why i listen to them to make sure that what they're saying is actually in line with scripture. Because i know people from moore's corner and every other church around here at least some people are are hearing their message.

And if that message is clearly false and as the the shepherd i think that it's it's dangerous. I feel the burden that i need to say something. Because if i know it's false and i don't say anything and it does end up leading someone astray.

Then god's gonna hold me accountable. If i knew of the danger but did not warn the flock i understand that when that happens sometimes someone will be listening to a person for maybe a while. And then here the pastor comes along and says beware of that person.

And you can become offended. And i understand that because when i was younger i watched christian television all the time it was christian television and the news and that's pretty much the only tv that i watched.

And i listened to many of these same people. And i had no earthly idea that what they were saying was wrong. I didn't know until somebody said something. And then my first response was wait a minute i like that guy and you're saying you shouldn't listen to him.

And that's a difficult thing. So i understand that on a personal level but instead of being offended you take what he said. You take what he said. What do you do with it. Simple question what do you do with it.

You go to the scripture and the scripture will decide it all right anything on this before we move on. I also like verse 23.

Yes you want to read it. Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes knowing that they generate strife. That's true. One thing when you witness to people uh they may have an argument already waiting for you and if you buy into the argument and buy into what they're telling you then that's that's what this verse is speaking of.

It's foolish. Yeah. And it detracts from the whole purpose of you witnessing.

Right. Yeah. No. Thank you very much for bringing that up. Because going back to you know trying to reach uh the community and witnessing to people evangelizing uh others in the community what will happen is i think this is what you're saying they'll bring up.

Well what about this. What's the church's stance on this. And that may be important but why are you there. What's our goal. Talking to an unbeliever. Our goal is not to discuss some political issue not some social issue that everyone's all riled up about.

Once you go down that road you've lost sight of of why you're there and what you're doing. Uh you need to. The person needs to be converted to the gospel converted to christ. Uh if they're an unbeliever of course they're going to believe in these atheistic ideologies.

So yeah let's not get sidetracked on all of that stuff even if it is an important biblical issue. If you're trying if you know they're unsaved and you want to see them come to christ stay on that topic don't allow them to get sidetracked.

So that's. That's very important. Thank you. Anything else. All right. And you know as i always like to say if if anything you hear if you want to challenge or you you know maybe you have a different take on something i i'm totally open to somebody giving another viewpoint if you have scripture to to back it up.

So that do you have an opposing viewpoint. Marcus. Is that why the hand's going up. No. Okay we'll give them one more contest. That was my question.

Let me see i'll even choose i'll even choose the new king james there it is for false correct matthew 24 24 for false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect.

We are living in a day and age where truth we're getting more lies than ever. It's it is to the point where god's word is pretty much about the only thing that i do trust right. Jesus said i'm the way the truth he is the truth.

If you want truth you need to be very very close you need to have a really really good relationship.

With him. All right. All right. Very good. Um let's go to the final point. So it looks like we're going to get through article two. So that's good. This is this is our the beginning of our statement of faith our our mission statement if you will.

So the purpose of this church is to glorify god the father and our lord jesus christ in cooperation with christian activity functioning in harmony with god's holy word the bible. Let's turn to second corinthians chapter six.

So we at morris quarter church believe that we should cooperate with other churches. We believe we should cooperate with other ministries. I'm a big believer in that. I i think it's it's not a good thing when there's 25 evangelical churches within 40 miles of each other nobody knows each other.

The pastors don't even know each other. There's never any working together. There's never any cooperation there's now. On the other hand we're not going to yoke together with somebody. It's also in our church constitution that this church will never become part of a denomination.

I'm not against churches that are parts uh part of a denomination. I mean i guess it depends which denomination and what they're teaching. But um we want to cooperate with other christians. I mean isn't it a poor testimony when you can have a church right down the road.

And that's not the case with us thankfully. But when you can have a a fellow evangelical church right next door or right down the road. And there's never any interaction between the two like there's something wrong.

There's something wrong. Larry. Well the.

The body of christ as it talks about in first corinthians chapter 12 is the universal church of christ and jesus is the head and we as believers make up the body. So wherever we go in this world when we meet another believer he or she is a brother or sister in christ.