How Important is the Church?

Ephesians 5:25-27

Introduction:

1. During the 60's many said, “Jesus yes, the church NO.”

2. The opposition was a resistance “organized religion”

3. This idea has remained – Jesus is important, the church is not.

4. The words church, churches, etc. - 111 times in the NT

1. The Church is so Important that God Planned it from Eternity, Ephesians 3:10, 11 - ¹⁰to 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, ¹¹according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

   1. Prophets foretold it

   2. Isaiah 2, mountain of the Lord's House

   3. Daniel 2, Kingdom that will never be destroyed

   4. God doesn't plan & foretell unimportant things!

2. The Church is so Important that it Bears a Unique Relationship to Jesus

3. He loved it & died for it, Ephesians 5:25-27 - ²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

   1. Does Jesus love that which is unimportant?

   2. Would Jesus "give Himself (up)" for something that really didn't matter? (Illust. For what would *you* die?)

4. He bought it with His blood Acts 20:28 - Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

   1. Price tag: His own blood

   2. How important (valuable) must the church be to carry such a price tag? (Illust. a diamond ring versus a dime-store fake)

5. He built it, Matthew 16:18 - And 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.

   1. If it was unimportant, why build it at all?

6. He built ONE, Ephesians 4:4 - There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

   1. Obviously that one was what He loved, died for, purchased, etc. Is there any need for me to build another?

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

   1. Less important institutions have less important heads (e.g. I was “mock” Secretary of State in Michigan, 7^th grade)

   2. No mere man is fit to head Christ's church!

   3. Jesus is the head, having ALL authority in Heaven & on earth, Matthew 28:18.

8. The Church is so Important that to Persecute the Church is to Persecute Jesus Christ Himself

   1. "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting" (Acts 22:7, 8 -- cf. 1Corinthians 15:9 & Galatians 1:13, Paul persecuted the church)

   2. This makes sense, esp. since the church is the "body" of Christ, Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:23

   3. Therefore, to claim loyalty to Christ while distancing oneself from the church is absurd!

9. The Church is so Important that it is called the Pillar & Ground of the Truth, 1Timothy 3:15 - but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

   1. Pillar & ground -- i.e. the church is that body of people who upholds & supports the truth (God's word)

      1. By proclaiming it to the world (evangelism)

      2. By defending it from attack from w/o or w/in (Jude 3 contend; Philippians 1:17 set for defense)

   2. So, the church is as important as upholding truth!

      1. God's word is truth, John 17:17 -- how important is that?

      2. Truth sets free, John 8:32 -- how important is it to be set free from sin?

10. The Church is so Important that ONLY the saved are Added to it, Acts 2:47 - praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

    1. No one "joins" the ch/ in the sense one would "join" a social or civic club

    2. God doesn't add any unsaved person

11. The Church is so Important that ALL the Saved are Added to it, Acts 2:47

    1. ALL the saved are "in Christ" 2 Timothy 2:10 - Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

    2. One gets into Christ via baptism, Romans 6:3

    3. Same process puts one into the church, 1Corinthians 12:13. Therefore all the saved & only the saved are in the church.

    4. If the saved are not in the church, then where are they?
       If they are not in the church, they are not in Christ!
       If they are not in the church, they are not in His body!
       If they are not in the church, they are not in His family!

Conclusion: The church is tremendously important! The church does not save, but it consists of all the saved & only the saved! You cannot be loyal to Christ while rejecting His church!