The Local Church | Romans 12:1-21

Okay, again, welcome everybody. Today we're going to cover, I'm covering again for Tim and Carlos. Keep them in your prayers. We are going to, like I said earlier, go to page 37 in the Confession. Page 37 in the Confession.

It is chapter 26. If yours is different, it's chapter 26. And we're going to cover numbers 12, 13, and 14 in the London Baptist Confession 1689. Alright, so I'm going to go through a lot of scripture today, so have your Bibles ready as well.

I am not going to be preaching the Confession. I'll be preaching the Word using the Confession as framework and as a guide. Alright, so we're going to start with 1 Corinthians 15. Very familiar chapter to most of you.

1 Corinthians 15. So the question is, what is the Gospel? Because we're talking about the Church. So the Church is made up of believers. And believers in what? Believers in the Gospel. So, chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

And here it is, For I delivered to you, first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve.

After that, He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. Okay, so then we'll go to, let's go ahead and go to number 12 in the Confession.

And I'm going to read that real quick, and keep in mind that all of these, again, because they're believers, they should do this. So we're going to cover number 12 here. And number 12 says, As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular churches, when and where they have opportunity to do so, so all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church are also under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule of Christ.

Okay, so they give us some verses there. I'm going to cover those real quick. So for the first one, number 12, I'm going to kind of title it, Join a Church. Be a part of a church, okay? So let's go to 1 Thessalonians 5 .14.

Oh, I'm sorry, is everybody still standing? I'm so sorry. Go ahead and sit down. Yeah, I'm so sorry. Thank you. I am a little new at all this, so bear with me. Okay, so 1 Thessalonians 5 .14. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

Okay, so the first thing you see there is brethren. They're talking to the brothers, people of the church. They're told to warn those who are unruly. Different versions, mine's the New King James, different versions say it different ways.

I believe one says lazy. And so you see a warning there, and you see that they should not put up with that. They should warn that. They should go to them and tell them, hey, this is not right. This is not acting like a Christian.

But you'll notice that the second part of the verse, three times, three times we're urged to be patient with them. Uphold the weak. Be patient with all. I'm sorry, I missed one. Comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, and be patient with all.

So you see one admonition, and three times you see patience with them. Be patient with them, okay? Jump over to 2 Thessalonians 3, which is the next one I have here. Verses, start at verse 6, all by itself.

And this sounds almost exactly like what we just read. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

Okay, so, and then we'll go jump to 14 and 15, pretty much the same thing again. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Okay?

So, you're seeing here again, generally you see no freeloaders in the Christian church. This is not a place to, not a place to, and many of you maybe have seen this in other churches, and maybe you've seen this in your lives, but this is not a place to come and just expect, I'm not talking about the gospel, I'm not talking about preaching, that's very important.

You should come and receive that, and you should hear that. But, we're also admonished, we're also asked to join a church and to bless that church with our spiritual gifts, whatever they may be, serving, we'll read some of those here in a minute.

So, you see in verses 14 and 15, what another book of the Bible calls putting off. You put off the old man, you don't act like that anymore.

Okay?

So, what we want to do is put on, and we're going to go to Romans 12 real quick. Romans 12, and I'm going to go ahead and read the whole chapter. It's a lot there, but I'm going to read the whole chapter.

Romans 12, and think of this as the put on. This is how you should be as a Christian. Romans 12, verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or ministry, let us use it in our ministering. He who teaches in teaching, he who exhorts in exhortation, he who gives with liberality, he who leads with diligence, he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.

Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for good. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath.

For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. So, I think it's a very positive chapter. There are some admonitions in there, but for the most part, it's put on these behaviors as a Christian.

Let's jump to number 13. 13 says, No church members, upon any offense taken by them, having performed their duty required of them, towards the person they are offended at, ought to disturb any church order or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church or administration of any ordinances upon the account of such offense at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the church.

Okay?

So, I'm going to call this one Reconciliation. Kind of a general title for this number 13, Reconciliation.

Okay?

The verses we're given are Matthew 18. Very familiar, probably, to all of you. So, let's jump to Matthew 18. Generally known as Church Discipline, with the goal of Reconciliation, as always. Matthew 18 .17.

I'm sorry, 18 .15. Matthew 18 .15. Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

Okay?

So, here we're handling offenses. Offenses are going to come in the church. People do things that are wrong. We're still sinners, even though we're saved by grace and we have been born again and made alive through the Spirit.

We still sin. We battle that sin. And we're going to sin against others. Others are going to sin against us. And here's how we deal with it. And it says, if you notice, it says, deal with it privately, and then publicly, and then openly.

Only after it's not dealt with privately, deal with it openly. Let's jump to Ephesians 4, which is the next verse. The next chapter, Ephesians 4, verses 2 and 3. Ephesians 4, verse 2. With all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

So, this is why I mentioned, this to me is the, number 13 really is about reconciliation. Seeking unity in the church. And that we walk worthy. If you notice that, walk worthy. Actually, let me go back to verse 1.

I meant to read verse 1 as well, I'm sorry. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you are called. So, you're called to be a Christian. You become a Christian.

Walk worthy of that calling. Now, how do you do that? Verse 2. With all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

And as you know, with our recent situation, this has been kind of difficult going through this, because the goal, as always with these issues, is reconciliation. And it's difficult not to have that. So, we work through it.

But this is the appropriate biblical way to handle it. This is the way we want to handle it. And let's go to number 14 real quick. It is, as each church and all the members of it are bound to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ, in all places, and upon all occasions, to further every one within the bounds of their places and callings.

In the exercise of the gifts and graces, so the churches, when planted by the providence of God, so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it, ought to hold communion among themselves for their peace, increase of love, and mutual edification.

All right.

So, the verse we're given here first is Ephesians 6 .18. We're right there in Ephesians still. Okay, so instead of just jumping in the verse, I'm going to go back a little bit in Ephesians 6, because you want to get the context here.

So, the verse we're going to read is on prayer, all right? But let's go back to verse 10. Now, of course, before that, the last three chapters of Ephesians is kind of what we're talking about here. And you'll notice in chapter 26, real quick, I'm going to jump back to the confession.

Chapter 26, if you go look, is the longest of all the chapters. It's the longest chapter in the entire confession. And there's a reason for that. You'll notice also in your Bible, you have 27 New Testament chapters, and four of them are about the gospel.

We have four gospels. The rest are how to live the Christian life. So, the confession appears to do the same thing as chapter 26 on the church and how to live out these things is the longest of all of the chapters in the confession, okay?

I just want to point that out. So, again, back to Ephesians 6, verse 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And now our verse, 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. All the saints. So, what the confession is showing us in 14 is that this is just one church.

Where you are tonight is just one church in the body of Christ. We have to remember that. As troubled as many of us are right now with the state of the church in America, and maybe even around the world as well, it's the church.

Before I go on to the next verse, jump in your confession back to, say in chapter 26, but go to number 3. So, chapter 26 still, number 3. It says, The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error, and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan.

Nevertheless, Christ always hath had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him and make profession in his name. So, keep that in mind as we go through this.

That the church is still the church. As bad as it might be in America and again other places as well, the church is still the church.

Okay?

So, in Ephesians and other chapters in the Bible that Paul wrote and Paul penned, he's always praying for the church.

Always.

I pray for you. I pray for you. I pray for you. You see it all over the place. He prays for specific people. He prays for groups of people. He prays for the church as a whole. He's grieved over the church.

He worries about him. He thinks about him all the time.

Okay?

And, of course, keep him in prayer. That's where we're going here. Psalm 122, verse 6. I thought this was a very interesting addition in their verses. So, Psalm 122, 6.

All right.

And, again, because the chapter is short, I'm going to go back and start from verse 1. Psalm 122, verse 1. I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

And here's our verse. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Now, I don't know about you, but I know that verse is one that's used, I think, out of context, unfortunately. Big time out of context.

It's basically used in America to support and give money to Israel. That's a whole different area that we could go. But, very clearly, I think it's wonderful that the writers of the Confession, that they included this.

Okay?

Because verse 1 calls it the house of the Lord.

Alright?

Jump with me to John chapter 2. Many of you will remember this. We just heard this a few weeks ago from Tim. John chapter 2, starting at verse 13. John chapter 2, verse 13. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

And he found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the money changers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.

And he said to those who sold doves, Take these things away. Do not make my Father's house a house of merchandise. Then his disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house has eaten me up.

So the Jews answered and said to him, What sign do you show to us since you do these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. And the Jews said, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days.

But he was speaking of the temple of his body. Therefore, when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them, and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

Alright, the next verse they gave us is Romans 16. So Jerusalem, by the way, means city of peace. Is a translation, I guess, I don't know if that's a direct translation or kind of a... But it means city of peace.

And so, comparing Jerusalem in the Old Testament to the church in the New Testament, I think is wonderful, because we're here to worship God. We're here to hear his word preached. And like David, there's nowhere we'd rather be as Christians.

Okay, so Romans 16, verses 1 and 2. I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church at Centuria. Not sure how to pronounce that. That you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you, for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Okay, so Phoebe, I don't remember if that's the first time she's mentioned in Romans, but I think it might be. Okay, so who's Phoebe? First of all, I'll jump back to Romans 1. Romans 1, verse 7. So Paul writes this letter to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So it's to the Romans, hence the chapter, the name of the book. And Phoebe is the person who brought the letter. So Phoebe is introduced here and commended.

She's commended as a faithful servant of the church, and to receive her and assist her in whatever business she has need of you, and indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. So I checked and it's 767 miles from, it's called something else now, starts with a K.

Centuria to Rome is 767 miles, and you have to cross an ocean or a sea, Adriatic Sea I believe it's called. So Phoebe's from Greece and Rome is in Italy. She goes really, really far for this. So she's trusted with this very important letter, which we all love.

I don't know about you guys, but Romans is one of my favorite books in the entire Bible. There's so much in there. Law and gospel, it's just filled. And a defense of the gospel, and basically making sure we don't confuse law and gospel, making it very clear that the law is God's law that we all break, and the gospel is what I read earlier from 1 Corinthians 15, that Christ died for our sin according to the scripture.

Jump with me to Luke 19, Luke 19, verses 45 and 46. Luke 19, 45 and 46. Oh, you know what? That was supposed to be part of my other one, I'm so sorry. But I'll read it anyway, okay? This is about Jesus cleansing the temple.

Okay, then he went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, it is written, my house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Okay, so in Psalms we saw, when we read the Psalms, we saw that it was about prayer.

In Ephesians we saw that Paul prayed for the church, and this, our church is about prayer, reading the word in prayer. So let's jump to, sorry, jump to 1 John chapter 3. Okay, 1 John chapter 3, verses 8 through 10.

Okay, and this is the last one they give us here, which is, He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him, and he cannot sin because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Right there we get to the key, right there, he who does not love his brother. Many of you were here last week when I gave my testimony, and one of, I told you I wrangled with for years, after starting to go back to church again, whether I was saved when I was younger or not.

And one of the key evidences, charges against me was I didn't love the church. I didn't love brothers. And that troubles me now, and I look back and I go, I just, I didn't. And 1 John 3 is so very clear.

Now we know what he means when he says the part about sinning. Verse 9, very famous verse, everybody knows. Whoever has been born of God does not sin. We all know that doesn't mean we don't sin anymore as Christians.

It means that we don't live a perpetual, habitual lifestyle of sin, because we're convicted by the Holy Spirit. We turn from that sin. We put off, we put on, like I said earlier. This is, and of course we know the greatest sin is unbelief.

But as you also know, we have many verses in the Bible that tell us that we will obey God. 1 John is very, very clear on that, all throughout 1 John, that Christians will act differently. Not perfectly, not sinlessly, but differently.

And so I wanted to include that part. I really wrangled with that as I was determining, you know, growing up in the church and going to church every week with your parents and being made to go to church.

And honestly, if you ask 100 Americans what religion they are, you're probably going to get a pretty high number, pretty high percent that would tell you that they're Christians. And what they mean by that is what most other religious people mean by that, is that that's what they were raised with.

That's what they grew up with. Do they have a love for the Word? Do they have a love for their brothers? Do they have a love for the church? Do they want to see their family members saved? Do they want to see their friends and their acquaintances saved?

You know, those things we need to wrangle with as we, you know, Christ builds the church, but we're going to do our part to help. And we're going to do through the preaching and through prayer and through evangelism to the people we know and the people we meet, we're going to try our hardest to bring as many to Christ as we can, knowing that God ultimately gets the glory for any who are brought to Christ.

And brought to faith.

Turn with me real quick to 1 John 4, very next chapter, 1 John 4, verse 20 and 21. Pretty much the same thing here.

Thank you for listening to the sermons of Thorn Crown Covenant Baptist Church, where the Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety is applied to all of faith and life. We strive to be biblical, reformed, historic, confessional, loving, discerning Christians who evangelize, stand firm in, and earnestly contend for the Christian faith.

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And may the mercy, peace, and love of our Triune God be multiplied to you.