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The Growth And Revival of Church

"THE MEASURE OF A STRONG CHURCH"
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. The practice of assembling with a church is important - He 10:24-25
 a. Naturally
we hope the congregation we assemble with is a strong 
 one
 b. But such may not always be the case
 1) In NT times
there were many good congregations
 2) But some were not what they should have been - e.g.
Re 2:4

  14-15; 3:2
15-17
 
2. What
then
is the "measure" of a strong church?
 a. Some might consider it on the basis of:
 1) The building (or lack thereof)
 2) The number of programs
classes
etc.
 3) How smoothly it runs as an organization
with its committees

 departments
etc.
 -- But a congregation can have all these things and still be 
 dead!
 b. I suggest a better measure is to be found when we think of the 
 church in terms used in the Bible to describe it...
 1) Such as "body
" "family
" "temple
" "kingdom
" "bride"
 2) Granted
these are terms used to describe the UNIVERSAL 
 church; but I believe these figures of speech can help us to 
 properly measure the strength of a LOCAL congregation
 
[In other words
a "strong" church is one that...]
 
I. FUNCTIONS LIKE A "BODY"
 
 A. THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST - 1 Co 12:27
 1. As such
it is an organism
rather than simply an organization
 2. You can have organization
but still not have LIFE!
 a. E.g.
a dead body
 b. "the foot bone's connected to the leg bone..." can just as
 easily be said of a corpse as with a living body
 
 B. THE BODY OF CHRIST HAS MANY MEMBERS...
 1. Not all have the same function - Ro 12:3-8
 2. Every member must appreciate his or her own function - 1 Co
 12:14-19
 3. Every member must appreciate the function of others - 1 Co
 12:20-22
 
 C. THE BODY MUST HAVE MEMBERS WHO FULFILL THEIR FUNCTION!
 1. Growth occurs when "every part does its share" - Ep 4:15-16
 2. We understand that a chain is as strong as its weakest link
 3. So a body's strength is affected by weak and inactive members!
 a. Injury or physical handicaps limit the ability of the body
 to perform
 b. Strong members may try to help out
but then that limits 
 what other work they would normally do
 
[How each of us functions as a member of the body affects the strength
of this congregation!
 
A strong church is also one which...]
 
II. LOVES LIKE A "FAMILY"
 
 A. THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD - 1 Ti 3:15
 1. I.e.
it is the "family" of God
 2. Do we think of each other as "family"?
 3. We should
in light of 1 Ti 5:1-2
 
 B. A STRONG FAMILY IS ONE WHERE THERE IS...
 1. Concern for one another
 2. Care for each other
 3. Love for one another
 -- The church at Thessalonica is a good example - 1 Th 4:9-10; 
 2 Th 1:3
 
 C. TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF FAMILY REQUIRES...
 1. A willingness to get to know one another
 2. Taking advantage of opportunities to spend time together
 -- As congregations grow
it becomes harder to maintain a sense 
 of family
 
(But how well we one love one another will be a true measure of the 
strength of this church!
 
A strong church will also be one that...]
 
III. PRAISES LIKE A "TEMPLE"
 
 A. TEMPLES OF OLD WERE BUILT TO GLORIFY THE BEING TO WHICH THEY 
 WERE DEDICATED...
 1. The design of the structure itself was designed to praise
 2. The sacrifices and services rendered in the worship also
 
 B. THE CHURCH IS GOD'S TEMPLE TODAY - 1 Co 3:16-17
 1. We are both the "temple" and the "priests" who offer
 "spiritual sacrifices" - 1 Pe 2:5
 2. Our purpose: to proclaim the praises of God - 1 Pe 2:9-10
 
 C. HOW DO WE OFFER SACRIFICES AND PRAISE TO GOD?
 1. By lifting our VOICES in song and prayer - He 13:15
 2. By doing GOOD DEEDS - He 13:16
 3. By offering OURSELVES as living sacrifices - Ro 12:1-2
 
[How each of us praise God with our voices
body and service is a true
measure of this church
 Let's be careful not to despise the name of 
the God we serve as a temple and priests (cf. Mal 1:6-8).
 
And then consider that a strong church is one that...] 
 
IV. SUBMITS LIKE A "KINGDOM"
 
 A. AS THE CHURCH
WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
 1. As were the Colossians - Co 1:13
 2. As was John the apostle - Re 1:9
 
 B. A KINGDOM SUGGESTS A KING
TO WHICH SUBJECTS SUBMIT ALLEGIANCE
 AND OBEDIENCE...
 1. Unfortunately
many churches are more like the kingdom of 
 England
 a. Where the king (or queen) is only a symbolical figure head
 b. The true decision-making power is in parliament
 2. But a strong church is one in which the citizens (members) 
 submit to Christ as King in reality - Co 3:17; cf. Ac 2:36
 a. Where things are done as He directs
by His authority
 b. Where we follow His commands
and not make up our own rules
 
[How each person submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is a true
measure any congregation.
 
Finally
a strong church is one that is...]
 
V. PURE AS A "BRIDE"
 
 A. PAUL THOUGHT OF THE CHURCH AS A BRIDE - 2 Co 11:1-2
 1. One that he had betrothed to Christ
 2. One that has a responsibility to be pure and chaste
 
 B. CHRIST THINKS OF THE CHURCH IN THE SAME WAY - Ep 5:25-29
 1. He offered Himself to enable her to be pure and holy
  2. He did this out of His great love for her!
 
 C. JOHN WAS TOLD OF THE FUTURE MARRIAGE - Re 19:6-9
 1. Note that bride "has made herself ready"
 2. She was adorned by the righteous acts of the saints
 
 D. AS THE BRIDE
AWAITING MARRIAGE
WE MUST MAINTAIN OUR PURITY AND
 ADORNMENT!
 1. By being cleansed through the blood of Christ...
 a. First in baptism - Ac 2:38; 22:16
 b. Then in confessing our sins - 1 Jn 1:9
 2. We also maintain our purity...
 a. By our "righteous acts" - Re 19:8
 b. By abstaining from unrighteous deeds - cf. Ep 5:3-5
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Such is "The Measure Of A Strong Church"
one that...
 a. Functions like a BODY
 b. Loves like a FAMILY
 a. Praises like a TEMPLE
 d. Submits like a KINGDOM
 e. Is pure as a BRIDE
 
2. How each person does his or her part will have an effect on the 
 measure of this church...
 a. We may have the best organization
and all the outwards signs of
 a strong congregation
 b. But we may be just like the church at Sardis ("...you have a name
 that you are alive
but you are dead.") - Re 3:1
 
Are ALL OF US doing what we can (indeed
what we must) to make the 
church strong in the eyes of the Lord?

－－《Executable Outlines》

"THE MEASURE OF A STRONG CHRISTIAN" (II)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. When Samuel was sent to anoint the new king of Israel
he learned 
 that God's measure of a person was different than man's - 1 Sa 16:
 6-7
 
2. The same is true today...God's measure of a Christian is often 
 different than that applied by many people
 
3. In this lesson...
 a. I want to review the measure often used by brethren to evaluate 
 one another
 b. And then consider what is God's measure
which ought to be ours
 as well
 
[We begin with...]
 
I. THE MEASURE OFTEN USED BY BRETHREN
 
 A. WE OFTEN MEASURE CHRISTIANS BY...
 1. Their ATTENDANCE at the services of the church
 a. If they attend ALL of the services
then they must be 
 "faithful brethren"
  b. If they attend SOME of the services
they must be "weak 
 brethren"
 2. Their PARTICIPATION in church-related activities
 a. If they participate in ALL of the activities...
 1) Such as Bible classes
 2) Or Evangelism classes
Visitation programs
etc.
 -- Then they truly must be "strong brethren"
 b. But if for ANY reason they do not participate in all that
 the church offers
their "commitment" is certainly suspect!
 3. Their LEADERSHIP abilities
 a. MEN are considered strong Christians if they...
 1) Lead singing
prayers
help serve the Lord's Supper
 2) Teach classes
preach sermons
 b. WOMEN are considered strong Christians if they...
 1) Teach children's classes
women's classes
 2) Prepare communion
clean the building
 
 B. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MEASURE...
 1. It tends to measure the OUTSIDE of man
 a. People can do all these things
and still be spiritually
 destitute on the INSIDE (I have known some like this)
 b. "Hypocrites" can exist very comfortably with such a 
 measure!
 c. Brethren can remain in "spiritual immaturity" if this is 
 the only measure given to them
 2. It tends to neglect the multi-faceted nature of the body of 
 Christ
 a. Especially if emphasis is on the PUBLIC functions of the 
 church
 b. And if emphasis is placed on one function over another 
 (e.g.
teaching over service) - cf. Ro 12:3-8
 
[Because of these "tendencies
" the use of such measures is wrought
with the potential of misjudging and condemning one another. This is 
something we want to avoid (Ja 4:11-12).
 
What
then
ought to be the measure of a strong Christian?]
 
II. THE MEASURE OF A STRONG CHRISTIAN
 
 A. IS FOUND IN SCRIPTURES SUCH AS...
 1. Ga 5:22-23
 a. Here are qualities of man who is truly SPIRITUAL
 b. This is evidence that is truly led by the Spirit of God
 c. Now one who is truly "spiritual" will certainly be involved
 in various "activities" of the church - e.g.
Ga 6:1-2
 d. But this measure requires that the "inner man" be changed
 first!
 2. Co 3:12-17
 a. Again
this measure begins with the "inner man"
 b. But it carries over to our relationship with one another in
 such activities as Bible study and singing
 3. Consider other passages
such as those given to:
 a. Preachers
 1) One may preach a great sermon
but what of his personal
 life? - 1 Ti 6:11; 2 Ti 2:22
 2) He may be willing to contend for the faith
but in the
 right spirit? - 1 Ti 6:12; 2 Ti 2:23-25
 b. Bishops (elders
pastors)
 1) They may be married and have children who believe - cf.
 Ti 1:5-6
 2) But are they quick to anger
unable to teach others?
 - cf. Ti 1:7-9
 c. Members
young and old
 1) They may be attending the services faithfully
 2) But is their conduct becoming their stage in life? - cf.
 Ti 2:1-8
 
 B. THE CHALLENGES OF SUCH A MEASURE...
 1. It emphasizes the reformation of the INSIDE of a person first

 trusting that the outside will naturally follow
 a. I.e.
it requires "transformation
" when conformation would
 be a lot easier
 b. Transformation takes more time than simply conforming
 1) Time some brethren may not wish to take
 2) Either for themselves
or for those whom they want to 
 quickly conform to their ideas and programs
 3) E.g.
trying to get involved in teaching before one is
 ready
just to make oneself look good - cf. Ja 3:1-2
 2. This is a measure that often only the LORD sees
 a. We see each other only for a short time each week
 1) It is easy to "put on a front"
to pretend to be 
 something we are not
 2) But the Lord sees us as we really are!
 b. On the other hand
brethren who may seem "passive" when we
 are together may be extremely "active" when apart
 1) Active in their warfare against personal sin
 2) Active in their daily service to others in the name of
 Christ
 -- Activity which we may never SEE
but the Lord knows!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. The purpose in discussing the true measure of a Christian...
 a. Has NOT been so we can go around and judge others
 b. But to suggest caution in how we measure others!
 c. And to make sure that we are properly measuring our own selves!
 
2. The statement of the Lord to Samuel still applies today:
 
  "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature

 because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees;
 for man looks at the outward appearance
but the LORD looks at 
 the heart." (1 Sa 16:7)
 
Let's be sure the "measure" by which we examine ourselves is the same 
one used by the Lord!

－－《Executable Outlines》