Foundations: Why The Church Exists (part 1)

Why is Attending a Church Important?

1.14.2024

Why Church?

Are we in the time of shaking spoken of in The book of Hebrews?

Everything that can shake will shake at some point.

Hebrews 12:25-29 (NKJV)

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

The shaking is causing people to question everything.

Anything that has been standardized in the past is being called into question.

There is a shaking in the Kingdom of God with churches and their mission and how they do things.

Churches and how people relate to them have changed over the past few years in some very big ways, particularly in the last 4 years after Covid.

More broadly, In church life, the Charismatic movement of the 1970’s and 1980’s gave way to the seeker sensitive church movement of the 1990’s.

And for over 15 years now, churches in America have been driven to popularize the idea of church as an “experience,” with high tech gadgetry and an environment welcoming to the non-religious – instead of the church of Jesus being a culture challenging, disciple making place.

The Covid situation popularized the idea that church experience is just as good online as it is in person.

Covid also emphasized the idea of attending multiple churches online and enjoying more content at the expense of relationships – which actually produce spiritual growth.

There is a lot of info at our fingertip online for sure.

But, be aware that information does not translate into personal transformation without relationships.

Bottom line is the we need in person church services. We need to be a part of a local church!

I wonder what God has to say about all of our changes in methodology?

What does God say about the local church in America?

Why does the church exist?

Why do I need to be a part of a local church?

Can’t I be a good Christian without being committed to a church?

Can’t I just listen to preachers on Facebook or on websites I find and be a good Christian?

Who started this whole church thing anyway?

Is it ok to have several churches that I attend, and just not be committed to any of them?

What am I supposed to get out of going to church?

How often should I attend church?

We are going to take a few weeks to answer these questions, and to define what Victory Church is about too.

The two institutions that God has given His approval to in the world are Marriage and the Church.

1. God established marriage (a relationship between a man and a woman) as the foundational relationship for family life.

Genesis 2:21-24 – NKJV

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. (22) Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. (23) And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” (24) Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

With one Supreme Court directive in June of 2015, our nation has changed God’s forever purposes for marriage!

Does that change what God thinks? Of course not!

God’s idea of family has no changed at all!

Through God honoring families with female mothers and male fathers, children are taught to love, respect, and and honor God and His Kingdom.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NLT)

Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

2. Jesus set the Church as a force in the world that will manifest His Kingdom!

Lucifer and his crowd hate holy, Christ honoring, teaching churches.

Matthew 16:13-19 – NLT

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (14) “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” (15) Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” (16) Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (17) Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. (18) Now I say to you that you are Peter (petros – a little rock or pebble), and upon this rock (petra- a BIG rock) I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Here Jesus asked His disciples who people said He was. Peter replied with a statement that was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit – You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Jesus replied to Peter that He was correct, and that the information came from the Holy Spirit to him, and that Jesus would build His church on the rock.

So Jesus was saying: Peter, you are a little rock and a BIG rock just came out of your mouth. Peter isn’t the rock upon which the church is built!

What is the rock that came out of his mouth?

What is the rock upon which the church is built?

It’s what Peter said! You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God!

The church is built on the Lordship of Jesus.

The church is built on the Lordship of Jesus in a person’s individual life. When a person confesses Jesus as Lord, He becomes part of the family of God!

Paul made it so clear in Romans 10:9-10:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

That confession joins you to the “church,” which we will define in just a moment.

Notice again Matthew 16:18:

Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

The word church here is the Greek Word Ekklesia

Ek- out and Klesia – to call. It means those who are called out! Or, an assembly of called out ones.

We are called out from the world and from sin, and we enter into a relationship with a family called the church!

Jesus is the “cornerstone” of the church. We are individual “stones.” Peter calls us living stones (1 Peter). And the church of Jesus is built up by each person who joins it by being saved from their sin by being born again!

Peter says that Jesus is the Cornerstone o the Church.

Originally, the cornerstone in a building determined the position of every other stone and set the position of the entire building.

1 Peter 2:4-5 – NLT

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. (5) And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

We collectively make a place for God to manifest!

1 Corinthians 3:16 (AMP)

Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you,collectively as a church and also individually]?

Notice what Jesus said that these called out people (the church) would do:

(19) And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

We are to enforce the will of heaven, God’s will, on earth!

We are called out to make a difference in our communities!

We are salt and light! We keep the kingdom of darkness at bay.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (NKJV)

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

We are the light right now in a dark world!

The church is universal.

Ephesians 3:14-15 (NKJV)

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

The church is the visible representation of the Kingdom of God right now on earth.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

When we gang together in a local church – we create a bright light in our community for Christ!

3. The Church is the incubator of spiritual life on earth.

Jesus placed a special anointing on people who stand in ministry offices who are empowered by the Holy Spirit for special tasks.

Ephesians 4:7-12 (NKJV)

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

These five ministry offices help both prepare and lead the Kingdom of God on earth today.

They are:

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers.

It is the will of God that every believer be a committed part of a local church.

And each God called local church should be led by a God called, Jesus anointed, ministry office called, Pastor.

You don’t qualify to pastor in the Kingdom of God just because you like to talk and have a large following on Facebook or YouTube or Instagram, or just because your Reels are popular!

You qualify when God calls you and Jesus anoints you!

When believers commit to a Jesus centered local church, then they will grow spiritually, and the Kingdom of God will expand!

The size of a church has nothing to do with spirituality!

Size has to do with systems in place and with strategy and principles of leading and marketing.

Spirituality has to do with the Word of God, the Holy Spirit’s influence, and people who choose love instead of satisfy their flesh cravings and self centered ways!

Never equate church size with spirituality!

There are spiritual mega churches and carnal ones.

There are spiritual midsize churches and there are carnal ones.

There are spiritual small churches and there are carnal ones.

Jesus changed the world with 12 committed men.

Here are 10 things that are important to know about the church:

1. The church is Jesus’ personal work. He oversees and communes with each individual part. The church is not a human organization, it’s a spiritual organization. It grows as we all obey Jesus.

2. Local churches have different flavors. They are like restaurants. No two are exactly alike.

3. Churches are not perfect, because people are not perfect.

4. There are two churches – the universal church worldwide, and the local church. Some members are in heaven, and others are on earth.

Ephesians 3:14-15 – NKJV

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

5. The local church is a visible representation of the church of Jesus Christ worldwide.

6. Jesus wants every believer to be a part of a local church. You don’t choose your local church. Jesus deals with you deeply inside as to where you should go.

7. It is not possible to develop spiritually as you should without on-site involvement in a local church.

Why?

Meeting and working with people who are unlike you helps develop the love of God in your life. It challenges self-centeredness. And, there is really no spiritual growth without growth in love.

So, if you find people in your church not like you, it means the Father deeply loves you and has put you into a potential environment of growth!

8. Jesus appoints pastors or shepherds to local churches. These people have His heart for His people and have the ministry of a shepherd to sheep. His responsibility is for the spiritual care and spiritual oversight of each person.

9. God’s work on earth today centers around the local church.

It is the epicenter of activity in the Kingdom of God on earth.

10. The local church is a training ground for all ministry.

Next time we will talk about the pastor’s responsibility in the local church.

Then, we will talk about your responsibility in the local church.

We’ll talk about qualities like faithfulness and dependability that are indispensable for spiritual growth.

Then we will talk about Victory Church and what our vision and focus is as a church.

Action Points:

1. How can we expect to win people to Jesus and help them if we are not a part of a vibrant church?

2. Do you see the local church as a place that is in the center of your spiritual life?

3. Do you actively seek to make sure your family is involved in a local church?

4. Are you actively involved in a local church? Do you make yourself available to help in your church?