LET THE BIBLE SPEAK ABOUT THE CHURCH
 Mike Gurganus
Adapted from a sermon by Dave Miller

INTRODUCTION

  1. Ephesians 3:10,11, "To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,"
     

  2. At the very same time that God pre-planned to send Jesus into the world to atone for sin, He likewise pre-planned to bring the church of Christ into being.
     
  3. Just, how many churches are there?

  1. Ephesians 1:22,23, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

  2. Ephesians 4:4, "There is one body…"

  3. Church=body. Only one body, then there is only one church?

  1. Does it make a difference to what church I am a member of?

  1. Psalm 127:1, "Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it…"

  2. Matthew 15:9, "And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men"

  3. Matthew. 15:13, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted."

  1. Seeing that there is only church and that it does make a difference to what church one is a member of, may we seek to go to the word of God to determine if we are in the right church.

 

  1. THE CHURCH IN PROPHECY.

  1. Isaiah 2:2-4

    1. Last days.
    2. Lord’s house.
    3. All nations.
    4. Jerusalem.

  1. Daniel 2:44

    1. Roman kings.
    2. Kingdom.
    3. Never destroyed.

  1. Joel 2:28,31

    1. Spirit poured.
    2. All flesh.
    3. Whoever calls.

  1. Matthew 3:2; 4:17

    1. Kingdom near.

  1. Matthew 16:18,19

    1. Christ’s church.
    2. Hades will not prevail.
    3. Keys of the kingdom.

  1. Mark 9:1

    1. Some disciples alive.
    2. Kingdom.
    3. Power.

  1. Luke 24:46-49

    1. Repentance.
    2. All nations.
    3. Jerusalem.
    4. Power.

 

  1. THE CHURCH IN FULFILLMENT.

  1. Isaiah 2:1-3

    1. Last days. Acts 2:17
    2. Lord’s house. 2:47
    3. All nations. 2:5
    4. Jerusalem. 2:5

  1. Daniel 2:44

    1. Roman kings. Luke 3:1
    2. Kingdom. Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:13
    3. Never destroyed. Matthew 16:18

  1. Joel 2:28,31

    1. Spirit poured. Acts 2:4,17
    2. All flesh. 2:3,4, 11:18
    3. Whoever calls. 2:21,38

  1. Matthew 3:2; 4:17

    1. Kingdom near. 2:14

  1. Matthew 16:18,19

    1. Christ’s church. 2:47
    2. Hades will not prevail. 2:27
    3. Keys of the kingdom. 2:24,38
  1. Mark 9:1

    1. Some apostles alive. 2:14,43
    2. Kingdom. 2:33
    3. Power. 2:44

  1. Luke 24:46-49

    1. Repentance. Acts 2:38
    2. All nations. 2:5
    3. Jerusalem. 2:5
    4. Power. 2:4


CONCLUSION

  1. There is only one church. I Corinthians 3:11

  2. What must one do to become a member of this one church?

On a beautiful morning, just before dawn, a car was driving down the interstate. The driver suddenly saw in his rear-view mirror the blue light of a state trooper. He pulled his car over onto the shoulder and the trooper got out and all that he said was, "follow me." So the trooper pulled around him and went on down the interstate and in a little while he pulled off onto a side road and then off onto a gravel road and finally to a dirt road. In a little while that road ended and there was a lake, and the deer were grazing around the lake, the ducks were swimming on the lake, the dew and the frost were misting off the lake. And the only explanation the trooper gave was, "this was so beautiful I just had to show it to someone.

That’s the church of Jesus Christ.

 

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF CHRIST’S CHURCH?