What Makes A Healthy Church #5

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Text: Ephesians 4:14,15

Good morning to all those who have gathered with us today at the West Side Church of Christ in sweet remembrance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. While so much is being said today about the end of the world being near, and we don't know if that is true or not, it is true that Jesus said he is coming and that those who are his have no need to be afraid of Y2K or any other K, whether it be special K or anything else!

It is going to be a wonderful morning for all the redeemed when Jesus Christ comes from the skies and all eyes shall see him and bow down before him and declare him to be King of kings and Lord of lords.
If you are one of his followers don't be afraid and look forward to it, if you are not yet one of his followers, don't delay become one today because it might even be today that he does return and what better way to be found than to be found as part of the saved.

What makes a healthy church?
What makes a church that its members can grow together into the image of Jesus Christ?
Last week we mentioned the fourth trait on the peak and that is when each member seeks to serve. It is so wonderful when a church family is filled with members who have enough concern for the church's health that they want to serve their Lord to the best of their ability!
This week we want to speak about a very important trait. This trait modifies the last one. It brings guidance to our service and if we want to be God's church, we have to get this right!
The importance of this to the church is seen in Paul's remarks to the Ephesian Christians in ch.4:14,15- that we be not carried about with every wind of doctrine!
The fifth trait of a healthy church is a healthy church is one that is bound by the Bible!
It is important to notice that different teachings other than the teachings of the scriptures are very dangerous. Hebrews 13:8,9!
Why is the Bible so important to church health?
Why are the Holy Scriptures essential to a church's membership growing in faith and resemblance to Christ?
Rom.10:17- faith cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God or Christ.
Heb.5:8,9- he is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him! There must be a word to obey in order to be saved by Christ!
John 12:48- the words that I speak shall judge him in the last day!
Rom.6:17- you obeyed that form of teaching!

Why? What's the big deal about the word?
Listen to Jesus himself describe the word of God in John 6:63
This brings us to a very important question:
how do we use the Bible?
Is the Bible simply a set of rules that covers every activity of one's life?
Or, is it merely a book of loose principles that are unclear as to the exact method of obedience?
I want to look at some clues the Bible itself gives us in answering this question.
The Bible's central message is Christ!
The 39 books of the Old Testament right from Genesis three to Malachi four look ahead to his coming and sins destruction! The 27 books of the New Testament are focused on the work Christ did.
Genesis - seed of the woman. Exodus - the Passover lamb. Leviticus- high priest. Num.- the Star of Jacob. Deut.-the prophet. Josh.-the leader into the land of Promise. Psa.- King of kings. Isa.- the sacrificial lamb. Jer.- the coming shepherd. Dan.- the Son of Man. Micah - the everlasting ruler.
Jesus is the theme of the entire Bible! John 5:39,40, 20:30,31

So how does this help us in our use of the Bible?
  1. Any understanding of the Bible that makes us un-Christ like in compassion has to be improper! If we get into a Jesus vs. scripture argument, our understanding of scripture is off!
  2. Any understanding of the Bible that makes us un-Christ like in morality has to be improper! If we get into the idea that to follow Jesus means we don't have to strive to be better and imitate him, our understanding of scripture is off!
  3. Any understanding of the Bible that makes us un-Christ like in obedience has to be improper! If we get into I can follow Jesus without having to obey God, our understanding of scripture is off!
If Jesus is the central theme, the Bible then moves us into becoming more and more like him! We must make sure we have got a clear view of him, and not our distorted view of him!

There are a few warnings about Bible study in the bible!
  1. Sadducees! Matt.22:23-32. You don't know the scriptures!
    Taking your own cherished view and not looking at the Bible fairly!
  2. Pharisees! Matt.24:23. You take some and neglect others!
  3. Balaam! Num.22:7-22. Looking for your preferred answer and not being content with God's message!
What is a healthy view of the Bible?
  1. Looking for God's will! John 7:17
  2. A motivation of loving God! John 14:15, 1 John 2:3,5
  3. Willingness to stop when the word of God stops! 1 Cor.4:6
To be healthy we must be a Bible believing, preaching & practicing church! We must not go beyond God's word and bring different commandments into areas of life that the Bible doesn't cover!
Yet, we must not neglect the clear principles and commandments that Jesus does indeed endorse!
How to become a Christian?
The Bible said that all people after Acts 2 became a Christian when they believed in Jesus, repented of past sins, confessed their faith in Christ and were baptized into Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins!
How to worship in the assembly?
The Bible tells us that on the Lord's day the saints gathered to partake of the Lord's supper, sang songs of a spiritual message, heard different portions of the Bible read, heard a message of exhortation and gave of their means.
How to live day by day?
The Bible gives us both principles and commands for how husbands & wives are to relate to each other and their children. It tells us how to relate to our government, our bosses etc. It tells us there are certain activities that the Christian must seek to abstain from!
The world needs a church who doesn't toss the Bible away or turn the Bible into a heavy yoke. The world needs a church who will have a deep love for the word of God because they have a deep love for God so that Jesus can be clearly seen as the One who saves one unto heaven and guides them while living to get them there!

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