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Introduction:
As Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and those they influenced in
Luke
7:31, He asked, “To what then shall I compare the men of
this generation, and what are they like?” These kinds of
comparisons are often helpful in teaching. A friend of mine once
borrowed from this verse asking a similar question and I would
like to ask it here today. If we asked, “To what shall I compare
this church,” what would our answer be? Examine what many people
think about “church” and take note of the proper perspective. Discussion: I.
To what some mistakenly compare Christ’s church. A.
A
Funeral Home 1.
Too many view the church as a funeral home. For them it is
a place where nothing happens, all ambition has died and all
action has ceased. They come because they feel obligated to pay
their respects, but if they can get out of it, they will.
Regrettably, some churches are like this. They do nothing because
they do not realize the great power they have through the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. Their teaching is dead and lifeless, saving no
one. 2.
Certainly we recognize that the church is made up of those
who are dead to sin (Romans
6:11). But we are not to be just dead—we are alive in
Christ. The Gospel we teach brings the newness of life (Romans
6:4-5). It is the power of God to save (Romans
1:16). We should view it accordingly and allow it to
charge us with life, vitality and action. The church is not to be
a funeral home. B.
A
Gas Station 1.
Too many view the church as a gas station. That is, it is a
place to go whenever they are on empty. It is amazing how much
mileage some Christians can get out of one sermon. How many
Christians are going to miss our services tonight thinking, “I
have already had enough church this week.”? How many will miss
for weeks on end because life seems to be going well, but will
show up when they hit a snag and need a pick me up? This is often
the kind of mindset people have who church hop because, “We are
just not getting what we need out of the worship here.”
Regrettably, too many churches try to fill this role. Instead of
encouraging and pushing Christians to grow, work and provide
input, some churches try to be the need fulfiller. They want to be
the place for folks to come get their weekly spiritual feasts,
with elders, deacons and preachers doing all the work to meet
everyone else’s needs. 2.
No doubt, worship can be rejuvenating as the Good Shepherd
leads us beside quiet waters and restores our soul (Psalm
23:2). But the church is not a place to go to get our
needs fulfilled. The church is a group of people with whom we
assemble in order to serve and help them (cf. Hebrews
10:23-25; Philippians 2:3-4). The church is not to be a
gas station. C.
A
Discount Store 1.
Some people want the church to be a discount store, selling
a discounted, cheap gospel. Some want a church that preaches the
saving Gospel of Jesus without preaching the obedient, sacrificing
and growing Christian. Too many want the grace of the Gospel
emphasized and the challenges of the Gospel ignored. Anything that
might be unpleasant or disagreeable to anyone should be placed on
the gospel bargaining table of Romans
14. Regrettably, too many churches are willing to fit this
bill, watering down the gospel, following social agendas, removing
the Biblically distinctive features of Christ’s church, all the
while claiming they are doing such to appeal to the masses. 2.
As someone once said, “Christ’s grace is free, but it
is not cheap.” We cannot earn salvation. We will be saved by
God’s grace that we cannot earn. But, in so saving us, He has
not granted us permission to continue living the same way that
condemned our soul. His Gospel saves us, but it also challenges us
to grow. If the Gospel does not change us and continue to change
us, then it is not saving us (Romans
6:1-2, 12-13, 22-23; II Peter 1:5-8). Our job is to preach
that challenging word whether people like it or not (II
Timothy 4:1-4). D.
A
Court Room 1.
On the other hand, some view the church as a court room.
They view the church as the place where everyone is to be put in
their place, filled with lawyers and judges who seek out every
infraction and then prosecutes and punishes to the full extent of
the law. They push every difference of judgment as a matter of
doctrine, wanting the church to establish lines of control over
every member (and sometimes over other churches). In this
scenario, God’s grace and room for growth are lost. Regrettably,
too many churches are willing to take up this role. They want to
seek out everyone who might possibly believe or practicing
anything questionable. They want to draw lines where God has not.
They want to stamp out every possible difference of opinion on any
possible issue. If someone does not line up with the controlling
influencers, they have to hit the road. 2.
No doubt, God wants us to be of the same mind and judgment
(I
Corinthians 1:10). No doubt, the Gospel does make demands
of our lives and we must repent of our sins or else, at times, the
church will have to take disciplinary action (I
Corinthians 5:4-13). At the same time, we must not lose
sight of Christ and His grace, who died that imperfect people
could have their sins cleansed. We must not lose sight of the fact
that Christianity is a growth process (Hebrews
5:11-14; I Peter 2:2; II Peter 1:5-8). The church is not
to be a courtroom. E.
A
Resort Hotel 1.
Too many view the church as a resort hotel. That is, it is
a place where they gather with good people to relax, be
entertained and enjoy themselves. It is a place where they go to
keep company with folks who have no problems, no faults and no
sins. It is a place to be served. Regrettably, too many churches
are run this way. All the Christians come dressed up in their best
Sunday clothes and put on their best Sunday faces. They never want
to admit problems because they are convinced they are the only
ones dealing with the real issues of sin and temptation. Further,
they view the church as having staff and guests. If you are an
elder, deacon or evangelist, you are on the staff and have to do
the work, everyone else gets to lounge around and be served.
Worship becomes entertainment instead of personal involvement in
submission to God. 2.
No doubt, the church is a haven from the world. When we
gather with the saints, we are gathering with people whose
attitude toward sin is different from everyone else. However, look
around at the people who assemble here. Every single one of us is
a sinner (Romans
3:23). Every single one of us struggles with temptation,
doubts and sin. Whether you are looking at an elder, evangelist or
new convert, you are looking at someone with problems. We all have
our game faces on today, but inside we are all people with hurts,
wounds, struggles and issues. We are all striving to grow in
Christ. Most of us are convinced of our own personal unworthiness
and we are also equally convinced that we are the only ones in
that situation. But we are not. The church is not to be a resort
hotel. II.
To what shall we compare the church? A.
A
Hospital 1.
It
is a place for people in need.
The church is where sinsick people turn for healing and recovery.
We come to the Great Physician (Luke
5:31-32). In Him we find healing and in His people we find
relief and aid for the burden we bear. 2.
It
is a place of service.
Those who find their healing from the Great Physician, do not
simply return to the world to go back into sickness. Rather, as we
continue our recovery, we become the instruments of the Master
Healer (II
Timothy 2:21). As His tools, we become servants. While we
entered His hospital to receive healing, we remain to help others
heal. We become ministers and servants, working to build up
Christ’s body (Ephesians
4:12). 3.
It
is a place of compassion.
As we work to help others recover, we do not try to set ourselves
up as the examples. We do not strive to put others in their place.
We do not seek our own. Rather, we bear with one another. We work
with one another. We are gentle and have compassion on one another
(Galatians
6:1-3; Ephesians 4:31-32; I Peter 3:8). 4.
It
is a place with a mission.
When we recognize the great healing work Christ accomplishes
through His church, we begin to see that we have a mission. Sure,
there are people who are already healed and recovering here in
this church. But there are so many outside this congregation that
still need the Great Physician’s medicine. They are struggling
in sin and some of them do not even know they are sick. We have to
get that great message out so they might be healed (Romans
10:13-15). This mission drives us and keeps us together.
Recognizing this great mission causes us to sacrifice ourselves to
Christ’s work. Because this mission is so important we would not
think of leaving. If something occurs between us, we do not
abandon the cause of Christ. Rather we work together through love
to overcome our issues with each other and continue on
accomplishing God’s work (Ephesians
4:1-3). Conclusion: How do you view the church? Allow me to say, while for the sake of easy explanation, I have repeatedly spoken of the church as a place, the way we might any of the comparisons we used, we must recognize the church is not a place. The church is the group of people. We are the ones with needs, we are the ones who compassionately serve and we are the ones with a mission. One further aspect of Christ’s church that we must understand. According to Acts 20:28, it is God’s church that Christ purchased with His own blood. If you are not a part of His church, then Christ’s blood has not purchased you. How do we become a part of Christ’s church? Acts 2:47 says God will add us when we are saved? When are we saved? Peter said to be saved we must repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38). Have you been saved and added to God’s church, purchased with the blood of Christ? If not, why not submit right now?
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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