April 22, 2007
Now that I am saved – What?
Introduction: Salvation means that Christ has saved you from your sins and the penalty of your sins. Sin at its essence is a betrayal of love. We, all of us have betrayed God’s love through our unbelief, pride and disobedience. Jesus gave up His own will and in perfect faith and obedience took the cross and death as the penalty of our sins and He was resurrected from the grave so that we could live in the newness of life. We appropriate His salvation when we ask Him to be our Lord and Savior and confess Him as such.
Romans 10:9 - 11 (NKJV) 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Today we are going to answer, in part, what do I do now that I have received His salvation?
Acts 2:46 - 47 (NKJV) 46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
What is the Church?
Those who have received the revelation of who Christ is make up the Church
Matthew 16:13 - 19 (NKJV) 13When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The Church is always a local assembly
1 Corinthians 1:1 - 2 (NKJV) 1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
The Church which is in Corinth
Those in every place
Acts 8:1 (NKJV) 1Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts 13:1 - 3 (NKJV) 1Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Which is the Church?
A. Plural in structure
Galatians 1:1 - 2 (NKJV) 1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
Galatians 1:18 - 24 (NKJV) 18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24And they glorified God in me.
Notice the plural form – there were more than one and they all were “the church”
The Church is comprehensive
Rev 5:8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
From every ethnical, cultural, social, and political group!
Imperfect
Matthew 13:24 - 30 (NKJV) 24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
ILL: I knew a pastor one time who said that he was going to have a pure, perfect congregation – he of course ended up with no congregation!
Yet perfect
Hebrews 12:22 - 24 (NKJV) 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
A Denomination is a group of churches centered on an idea
The Roman Church is the largest Christian denomination and it is centered upon the idea of the Apostolic succession of the Popes
The Greek Orthodox is a Christian denomination centered on the Greek language and ritual as central to worship
The Baptist churches are denominations centered upon immersion as the method of baptism
The Presbyterian churches are denominations centered on the separation of clergy from government
The Methodist churches are denomination centered upon the teachings of John Wesley
The Pentecostal churches are denomination centered upon the experience of Pentecost
Do I have to unite with a church?
Acts 2:38 - 42 (NKJV) 38Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The primary purpose of a church is cooperate worship and praise
1 Peter 2:9 - 10 (NKJV) 9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Priests gather in a tabernacle or a temple to worship
The church was born in worship
Acts 2:1 - 11 (NKJV) 1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
They were in one place
They were of one accord
The Holy Spirit took over
They were telling the “wonderful works of God”
Then Peter brought the first sermon
(Sounds like a church service to me!)
The second purpose of church is to grow in family
Ephesians 3:14 - 21 (NKJV) 14For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
What Church should I unite with?
2 Timothy 4:1 - 5 (NKJV) 1I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3For 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; 4and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
A Church where the Bible is taught
A Church where souls come to the Lord
A Church were the Holy Spirit is welcome
Conclusion: Should you unite with The Cathedral of His Glory?
Not if you are “Spiritual”
Not if you are trying to establish your own ministry
Not if you are not teachable
Do me a favor – I’m not “spiritual” enough to be your Pastor so before you start criticizing me and the Cathedral unite with some other church. But if you are hungry for God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit, if you’re eager to grow, and serve and give please consider becoming part of our family!
