What is the Church?
Series by Anand Mahadevan
What is church/ why do u go to church/ what should we do in
church/whats gods design for church/
The most miss used term in today’s generation
The Church is universal and local:
Mathew 16:13-20, Matthew 18:15-20
13
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still
others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not
revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I
tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and
[b]
the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the
[c]
kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
[d]
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he
[e]
ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Matthew 18:15-20 (practical life instructions)
15
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just
[b] [c]
between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them
over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that
‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three
witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they
[d]
refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a
tax collector.
18
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
[e]
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
[f]
19
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything
they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where
two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
The Church is both Universal and Local
Christ Jesus God introduced the word Church
What church Jesus is referring to build? – body of Christ – universal church
All believers in the past, present and future became church
We sit with him on throne in heaven;
Ephesians 2:5-6 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead
in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God
raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly
realms in Christ Jesus,
By Theologians Pastor Jonathan Lehman the universal church is
assembly of everyone past present and future who belong to
Christ’s New covenant.
Tell it to the church, what church is God is asking to tell?
It’s the Local church.
We live in a generation, which longs for belongings but it afraid for
commitments.
We need a power to commitment
Both the universal and local church are equally important.
We are called to engage the local church and universal church
Application 1
Some people over emphasize one church – equal emphasize needed
Application 2
Local church is not a just Sunday event
Mutual submission to one another
He is calling us to live in a gospel community with submission in
meaningful relation to one another
Coming and going on Sunday is not what God is intended for the
church
Local Church is not a building, not just a Sunday event
Local church is believers living in meaningful relationship and
mutually accountable to one another.
Individualism became imp aspect in church,
Trinity represents church- how to show you believe in trinity
If u don’t understand the church u don’t understand trinity
Application 3
We are called to Belong to one Local Church
Act 20:28 8 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church
of God, which he bought with his own blood.
[a] [b]
Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to
their authority, because they keep watch over you as those
who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be
a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
All churches are good and all churches are imperfect
Commit and belong to one church, committing is not going on Sundays and weekdays
submitting under pastors /leaders – spending time, mentoring, pruning
submission is not attending meetings, prayers worhsip
After this if u commit to one church and leave crossroad, we miss you but we rejoice
in you because you are leaving in God’s design
You are obedient to Christ Jesus
Its safe to your soul if you belong to one church
Its okay to shift church- but not every 3months
God created local churches with so much of diversities
U may not flourish in one church u can be in another
Take time and make up your mind to be a part of local church
Application 4
Basic Christian living and growth is impossible without a
wholehearted enjoyment and commitment in one Local church.
Application 5
Local church has to be primary place for Ministry Mission and
discipleship
19
by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the
Spirit of God. So, from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I
have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my
ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I
would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it
is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.” [g]
22
This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Did Paul preached every people off Corse not, he planted church in
every part of that place
Local church is the God’s chosen vehicle for discipleship.
Nothing wrong with Partnering with different organising working
with kingdom
It has to secondly, primarily ministry to the local church
This is God’s design
Local church has to be your primarily calling for mission
Crucified song is messed up theology
God died for me alone is Postmodern western individualistic notion of
salvation
If we don’t understand local church, we don’t really understand why Christ
redeemed
