To Treasure Jesus Together (Membership)

Jack and Grace met through a mutual friend.

From day one, they just seemed to be perfect for each other.

Grace was everything Jack had always wanted.

She was beautiful and she was outgoing and she was caring.

She was always there whenever Jack needed her.

For the first five months, they were inseparable.

Jack could hardly think of anything else but Grace.

He didn't need to look further.

He, in fact, told his friends, she's the one for sure.

But now almost three years have passed.

Jack still enjoys the comfort and the familiarity of being with Grace.

But that sort of initial spark is gone.

Grace's flaws seem a little more obvious to him now.

He's not sure he finds her as attractive as he once did.

And he's beginning to resent all the time that she wants to spend with him.

And so one day when she asks if she can define the nature of their relationship, Jack blows up.

We're together, aren't we?

He asks angrily.

Why isn't that enough for you?

Obviously, Jack isn't quite ready for commitment.

He's not sure he, in fact, ever will be ready for commitment or, in fact, ever really needs to be ready for commitment.

Have you ever been in a relationship like that?

Do you know people who are in a relationship like that?

I do.

Let me say, if that is you, if you're in a relationship like that, this is not God's purpose for your life.

God wants you to be in a relationship that is defined by both passion and commitment.

The reality is there are millions of Jacks walking around today.

But there is something more you should know.

Grace isn't a girl.

Grace is a church.

And this is the let's define the nature of the relationship talk.

Three things I want us to explore this morning.

Number one, what is the church?

Number two, what is the purpose of the church?

And number three, how to be a church member on purpose.

So what is the church?

It's really hard to get clarity on the word when there are so many different uses of the word church running around today.

In fact, as I was writing this message, it was Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday.

I was sitting on the balcony over at the rectory, just having a quiet moment writing this.

And as I was writing this message, there was someone walking through the car park on the other end of their phone.

And they said to whoever was on the other end of their phone,

hey, you could park in the church.

There's plenty of room here.

Well, actually, no.

I've got two problems with that.

Number one, your definition of church, because I'm writing in this space right now.

But I won't go there in this moment.

But secondly, no, you can't just park here whenever you choose to.

So other views of church is that church is a set of a system of beliefs,

or it's a program that you attend for an hour and a half, two hours on a Sunday,

or it's a denomination that you belong to, or it's an institution.

That exists in society.

The word that is translated as church in our Bible, in our New Testament,

comes from the Greek word ecclesia.

It's used just under 80 times in the New Testament.

And all but three of them in the New Testament,

it is translated into the English word church.

Now, if we look at one of the places where it isn't translated into the English word church,

you actually get an idea of what the New Testament meaning is behind,

but what is the meaning behind the original word for ecclesia?

So it's Acts chapter 19.

Acts 19 · chapter mention

And a silversmith named Demetrius used to make a great living out of making idols

until the apostle Paul arrives.

He preaches and all these people start to become Christians.

So that's great for the church, not so great for the idol business.

And so what Demetrius does, realising that his income's dropping,

he decides to whip the city up into a riot.

And next thing you know, there's this large gathering in this amphitheatre,

and it says this in Acts 19.32.

Now, that's not the description of the church,

but let me just pick up the word assembly there,

is the Greek word ecclesia.

It's translated elsewhere in the New Testament as church.

So you could literally read this,

the church was in confusion.

It's just a gathering.

The word church, at its core,

simply refers to a crowd of people gathered together.

It's a mob.

Sometimes in the New Testament,

church is used to refer to the gathering of Christians

around God in heaven from all time and places.

Theologians refer to this as the invisible church.

Everyone who knows Jesus from every time and place,

both alive and dead,

are gathered spiritually in God's presence and magnifying him.

And what we are waiting for is the end of all things

when we will physically,

everyone be in his presence,

magnifying him.

Mostly,

the word refers to the local church,

the local gathering in a particular place,

like the church at the corner of Fuller's Road

and View Street in Chatswood.

This is the church visible.

But it's not just any mob.

It's not just any crowd that has gathered.

The Greek word ecclesia

is made from two other words,

two other Greek words which are joined together.

And these words mean to call out.

Two words, to call and out.

To call out.

And so the word church

really refers to those who were called out by God

from the world

to join together as his people,

the followers of his son,

the Lord Jesus.

Now this is crucial

for us to,

in understanding

what the church is.

But also,

what the purpose of the church is.

Last week,

we looked at the

much broader question

of

what is the purpose of life?

And we saw that God

created us

and saved us

to magnify him

because he is magnus.

He is great.

We saw that God

is worthy

to be magnified

because he is great

and he is good.

And this great and good God

has a great

and good plan.

So let's have a look

at what that plan is.

And we're going to begin

in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 8.

Ephesians 1:8

I've given you a list of references

so

you can go back

and check them later on

or scribble them down

if you like.

So Ephesians chapter 1 verse 8,

Ephesians 1:8

with all wisdom

and understanding,

he,

that's God,

made known to us

the mystery of his will

according to his good pleasure

which he purposed

in Christ

to be put into effect

when the times

reach their fulfillment

to bring unity

to all things

in heaven

and on earth

under Christ.

Christ.

So

that's where

everything's going.

That's

the plan.

That's the goal.

This big God

has a big plan

and the big plan

is everything

gathered together

under Jesus.

Jesus supreme

and Lord

over everything.

So that's the end.

So let's go back

to the beginning

and let's see

that this is in fact

been God's plan

all along.

It's the reason

why you and I

were created

and saved.

So back in the beginning

it's the Garden of Eden

and in the Garden of Eden

you're not going to read it

but there's a real sense

in Genesis 1 and 2

where all things

are gathered

to God.

He's made it.

Everything's at peace.

Everything is ordered.

Everything is perfect

in relationship

with Him.

And then

the first people

make the decision

to

instead of

magnifying

God

they decide

to magnify

themselves.

They decide

to live life

their way

and to make everything

about them

rather than about God.

The Bible calls

this attitude

in this action

sin.

And the consequence

of sin

is everything

that is ordered

now becomes

disordered.

There's no more

harmony.

There's no more

peace.

Everything's turned

upside down

and relationships

with God

is broken.

Where there used

to be unity

and closeness

with God

now because of sin

there is just

distance and

disunity.

And then God

what He does

is He removes

people from

His presence.

He judges

their sin

by

it's a theological

word

scattering them.

He scatters

them from

Himself.

And this is

the principle

that you see

right throughout

the entire

Bible.

You can trace

it right to

the Bible.

Wherever

humanity

sets itself

up against

God

He scatters

them.

But when

He saves

them

He gathers

them to

Himself.

You see it

not far

into

Genesis

where the

Tower of

Babel

in Genesis

11

and where

He scatters

people from

Himself

and from

each other

and yet

in

Genesis

12

He calls

Abraham

to

Himself.

It's a

theme that

runs right

through the

Bible.

When God

saves He

gathers

people to

Himself

but when

they rebel

against

Him He

scatters

them from

His

presence.

Which is

the ultimate

thing that

happens.

The goal

of all

things God

will gather

those to

Himself

who are

His for

eternity

in His

presence

and those

who are

not His

He will

cast them

from His

presence for

all eternity.

In Isaiah

11

several

hundred

years

before

Jesus

Isaiah

is looking

forward

to this

day

when

everything

is

finally

ordered

and

harmonious

and

peaceful

and in

right

relationship

like it

was in

Genesis

1 and

2

and he

refers to

a particular

person

who will

accomplish

God's

great

plan

and in

Isaiah

11

this person

is called

the root

of Jesse

this person

is the

Messiah

he is

historically

known as

the son

of great

King

David

and in

verse 12

it says

this

he will

raise a

banner

for the

nations

and gather

the exiles

of Israel

he will

assemble

the scattered

people

of Judah

from the

four

quarters

of the

earth

then

as

Isaiah

keeps

going

you get

to

Isaiah

56

8

and

God

himself

declares

there

that he

will

expand

his

plan

beyond

his

historic

people

Israel

and this

is what

God

says

he says

I

will

gather

still

others

to

them

besides

those

already

gathered

and the

climax

of God's

plans

is revealed

at the end

of the book

of Isaiah

in Isaiah

66

18

we read

and I

this is

God

again

and I

because

of what

they have

planned

and done

am about

to come

and gather

the people

of all

nations

and languages

and they

will come

and see

my glory

see

God's

plan

is to

gather

people

from all

nations

and tribes

and peoples

and cultures

to himself

that they

might see

his glory

that they

might

magnify

his

magnus

it's a

plan

that starts

to get

worked out

in history

with the

creation

of the

church

by the

Lord Jesus

Christ

and you

see that

in Ephesians

2 11

the passage

that was

read out

to us

therefore

formally

remember

that formally

you

who are

Gentiles

by birth

and court

uncircumcised

by those

who call

themselves

the circumcision

which is

done in

the body

by human

hands

remember

that at

that time

you were

separated

you were

scattered

from Christ

excluded

from

citizenship

in Israel

and foreigners

to the

covenants

of the

promise

without

hope

and without

God

in this

world

see what

Paul does

here in

Ephesians

is he

highlights

the

massive

division

between

Jews

and Gentiles

but also

between

them all

both Jews

and Gentiles

and God

there is

deep

deep

hostility

which is

hard for

us to

understand

and what

Paul does

in verse

13

is he

shows us

how God

brings about

the end

of this

hostility

and gathers

these people

to each

other

and to

himself

so

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:13

verse 13

now in

Christ Jesus

you who

once were

far away

you who

once were

scattered

have been

brought near

been gathered

by the

blood of

Christ

for he

himself is

our peace

who has

made the

two groups

one

and has

destroyed

the barrier

the dividing

wall of

hostility

by setting

aside in

his flesh

the law

with its

commandments

and regulations

his purpose

was to

create

in himself

one

new

humanity

out of

the two

thus making

peace

and in

one body

to reconcile

both of

them to

God

through the

cross

by which

he put

to death

their hostility

sin

death

hostility

between

Jew and

Gentile

is finally

dealt with

by Jesus

at the

cross

Jesus

is the

one who

gathers

these

diverse

people

together

and he

calls them

a new

people

a new

humanity

and we

will talk

a little

bit more

about that

next week

a new

people

gathered

to God

in relationship

with God

so what's

God's purpose

in all of

this

we're still

asking that

question

what is the

purpose of

the church

why do

this

why gather

like this

Ephesians 3

10

his intent

God's intent

was that

now

right now

here

through the

church

the

manifold

wisdom

wisdom

of God

should be

made known

to the

rulers

and the

authorities

in the

heavenly realms

according to

his eternal

purpose

that he

accomplished

in Christ

Jesus

our

Lord

the

manifold

wisdom

the

multi

colored

spectacular

wisdom

of God

should be

made known

through the

church

the great

and glorious

God's great

and glorious

plan

is to gather

a very diverse

people

to each

other

in unity

with each

other

and to

himself

in such

a way

that his

greatness

and his

glory

is made

known

to all

the heavenly

realms

God

does this

work

so that

his

magnus

might be

seen

there is

a sense

here

where

right now

God

calls

over

the rulers

and the

authorities

and the

heavenly

realms

and he

says

hey

Gabriel

Michael

have a

look at

that

have a

look at

that

look at

St.

Paul's

Chatswood

that is

what I've

been doing

for all

of history

working

this out

my son

made that

possible

he brought

these diverse

people together

he broke

down the

dividing

walls

and he

says to

the demons

hey

Satan

get over

here

and take

a look

at this

not even

the gates

of hell

are going

to stop

my son

doing that

until I call

them all to

myself

you can't

stop that

every

every tribe

every tribe

and language

and peoples

gathered

together

unified

in my

son

that

displays

the

magnificence

of God

United

Nations

can't do

this

it can't

achieve

this

God

you see

what did

you say

that you

what is

church

about

what did

you say

this morning

you see

before church

is about

serving one

another

before it

is about

learning

more about

God

before it's

about

whatever

other things

you came

up with

it's about

us being

gathered

together

to God

so that

God

looks

magnificent

that's

what it's

about

this

is so

fundamental

for us

to grasp

in fact

I'd say

it's

critical

for us

to grasp

before

church

is about

me

before it's

about

you

before it's

about

us

it's

about

God

this is

his

design

this is

his

grand

plan

for all

time

and

eternity

dare I

say it

transcultural

church is

his

grand

plan

transcultural

church is

his

grand

plan

and I

think this

is again

captured in

our purpose

statement

here at

St.

Paul's

treasuring

Jesus

together

for God's

glory

and the

joy

of all

peoples

so let's

move on

how to be

a church

member on

purpose

how do we

as individuals

be members

of a church

on purpose

let me say

first of all

first of all

that you

become a

member of

God's

church

not by

completing a

membership

course

church

or by

attending a

church for

a very

long time

that's not

how you

become a

member of

a church

you become a

member of

God's church

by repenting

of living

independent of

God

by putting your

trust in the

Lord Jesus

by receiving the

Holy Spirit

who unites you

with God and

with other

believers

that's how you

become a member

of the church

that's the

fundamental

first step

so you could

be sitting in

church for

decades and

not taking that

fundamental first

step

there will be

plenty of

people in

heaven who

haven't done

the St.

Paul's

Chatswood

pathways

course

plenty of

people

but there

won't be

anyone who

hasn't repented

of sins and

trusted in

Jesus

not a single

one

and maybe

today this is

the first

fundamental step

that you need

to take

maybe you've

come along

you got involved

in the local

expression of the

church and

you're doing a

bunch of stuff

maybe doing a

bunch of stuff

for ages

but you've got

confused

you're doing

step two

before you even

got to step

one

maybe today's

the day you

need to take

step one

if you've

taken step

one

then the

most important

way you can

be a member

on purpose

at St.

Paul's

is to

embrace the

vision the

values

that we have

as a church

our mission

statement and

live out our

core values

our shared

values which

are driven

by

God's

grand plan

one of the

key values

that helps us

think about

the sort of

gathering that

we are and

the sort of

gathering that

we aspire to

be at St.

Paul's is

treasuring Jesus

together and

it was written

specifically to

enforce if you

like to

highlight the

need to

gather and

how we

gather let

me read it

to you

having been

led individually

by the

spirit of

God to

receive

Jesus Christ

as the

Lord

Saviour

and supreme

treasure of

our lives

we now

most solemnly

and joyfully

enter into

covenant with

one another

as one body

in Christ

we believe

the people

whom Jesus

has called

into relationship

with himself

are his

church

and not

an institution

or a

building

in an

age of

individualism

we value

vigilance

and accountability

in treasuring

Jesus

together

together

now in

Ephesians

Paul goes

on to

spend

extensive

time on

what God's

new humanity

his gathering

his church

looks like

in their

life together

and

treasuring

Jesus

together

is a

value

that tries

to capture

things like

the rest of

Ephesians

and a whole

heap of

New Testament

language

it's all

about life

together

it's about

relationships

it's about

our

togetherness

and like

all our

values

this one

is highly

practical

like all our

values

it is

highly

practical

it says

things like

as a church

we are

committed

to

and then

there's a

bunch of

statements

one of

them is

making

corporate

worship

a weekly

priority

in other

words

if God's

purpose

is

for all

the time

and eternity

to gather

to himself

people

under the

lordship

of Christ

then we

express

God's

ultimate

goal

by gathering

really

simple

we gather

is what

we do

in the

Bible

to

magnify

God

always

requires

the regular

gathering

of God's

people

so

I'm not

going to

throw

around

too

many

statistics

here

but

have you

ever

calculated

how many

gatherings

you miss

a year

did you

know

that

in our

culture

regular

nowadays

has become

somewhere

between

30 and

40 percent

attendance

I'll just

let that

sit

we don't

need a

rule

here

I'm not

looking for

rule

what we

need

is to

see

the great

and the

gracious

plan of

a great

and a

gracious

God

I said

it last

week

how do

we grow

in

magnifying

God

by

gazing

on him

and being

blown away

by him

we need

to see

what it

cost him

to gather

us

together

and to

gather

us to

himself

nothing else

will motivate

us to

gather

no rule

will motivate

us to

gather

that's

for sure

treasuring

Jesus

together

not only

says that

we value

being

together

but how

we value

being

together

we're

committed

to

meeting

together

in small

groups

for more

intimate

opportunities

for nurture

for growth

accountability

and service

we are

committed

to engaging

to watch

over one

another

in brotherly

love

committed

to remembering

one another

in prayer

committing

to aiding

one another

in sickness

and distress

committed

to cultivating

Christian

sympathy

and joy

committed

to being

slow

to take

offense

but always

ready

for

reconciliation

and mindful

of the

command

of our

savior

to secure

without

delay

we are

committed

to welcoming

people

from every

background

we are

committed

to openness

towards new

people

and the

avoidance

of clickiness

we are

committed

to purging

our lives

of the

sin

that causes

division

we are

committed

to pursuing

increasingly

visible

authentic

and practical

ways of

loving each

other

and patriarchy

so i am

want to

the beach sort of stuff.

So get ready for this.

Jesus started it with these words.

A new commandment I give you, love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this all people know that you're my disciples if you love one another.

John 13, 34, 35.

Paul states the commandment to love each other in more than a dozen ways.

Romans 12, 5.

In Christ, we who are many for one body,

and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 12, 10.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Again in 12, 10.

Honour one another above yourselves.

Romans 14, 19.

Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 15, 14.

Instruct one another.

1 Corinthians 12, 25.

There should be no division in the body,

but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

Galatians 5, 13.

Serve one another in love.

Galatians 6, 2.

Carry each other's burdens.

Ephesians 4, 2.

Be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4, 32.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other.

Ephesians 5, 21.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Philippians 2, 3.

In humility, consider others better than yourselves.

Colossians 3, 9.

Do not lie to one another.

1 Thessalonians 4, 18.

Encourage one another.

1 Thessalonians 5, 15.

Always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

That's Paul.

Okay.

And then the book of Hebrews joins in the chorus.

Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.

And do not forget to meet together.

Then James pipes in, in chapter 4, verse 11.

Do not slander one another.

5, 9.

Don't grumble against each other.

5, 16.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

And then Peter jumps in, in 1 Peter 4, 9.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

5, 5.

Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another.

And that doesn't even get into John.

Revelation.

We'll just leave it at that.

What is obvious from all of this is the prominence of loving, Christ-exalting, other person-centered personal relationships.

So let me say it.

There is no such thing as isolated, individualistic, meet-my-needs consumer Christianity in the Bible.

It doesn't exist.

And it works against all of God's purposes.

You see, a church dater has an attitude towards church that is me-centered.

What can church do for me?

How are my needs and personal preferences going to be met?

Church daters are independent.

They're disconnected.

And they're minimally involved in people's lives.

And don't at all like the idea of accountability to one another.

Essentially, however, a church dater is critical.

They're short on allegiance.

And they are quick to find faults.

They're looking, if you like, for the best product for their price of two hours on a Sunday.

They are, if you like, they're like the lover with a wandering eye, always looking for something better.

The sad thing is, what the church dater is thinking, is working in their favor, is actually working against them.

It results in a serious loss for them and a loss for others.

You cannot fulfill the command to love and to serve and to give by yourself.

Normal, essential Christianity is loving, Christ-exalting, other person-centered, personal relationships in the local church.

And so what we're seeking to do here at St. Paul's is to build a gospel community.

Another way of putting that is what we're seeking to do is to build a supernatural community, rather than simply a natural community.

A natural community is where people feel connected because of a demographic phenomenon.

That is, people who would normally gravitate to each other and find a sense of belonging with each other because of similarities, irrespective of whether gospel is true or not.

That's natural community.

Like, gathering together with like, with similarities.

Now, that's not entirely a bad thing.

I share common interests with basically all of my friends.

In fact, all of my friends.

I can't imagine not having any common interests with any of you.

I think all of my friends have got common interests of mine.

And so it's not a bad thing to have those connections and affinities here at St. Paul's.

What I want to caution us about is not to think it is the sum total of gospel community and what gospel community is about.

In fact, we do church the way we do church.

With a shared discomfort in order that many more people who are diverse might find affinity in a congregation like this.

But at the end of the day, you can have natural community without Jesus.

And when Jesus becomes dominant and we start sacrificing for the sake of Jesus being dominant so that more people might come to know Jesus,

that natural community gets fractured.

That's what happens.

The heavenly realms look on and see the wisdom of God when they gaze on supernatural community.

When they see gospel community.

It's the kind of community that could really only exist because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

This is when people who would not gravitate to each other normally or people groups who have open hostility towards each other historically

are drawn together in peace and in love through the unifying work of the Holy Spirit and Christ's work on the cross.

So how do we be church members on purpose?

Number one, gather.

Really simple.

That's what God has saved you for together.

Number two, by building supernatural community.

And lastly, by being willing to purposefully fracture the community.

It is awesome to be part of a gospel community that God is growing.

But one of the painful realities is the need to keep fracturing it in order to make space for others to be welcomed into it.

One of our principles is we must fracture in order to welcome and to gather more people in.

When we're comfortable and we're comfortable and we're comfortable and we're settled, we don't want to fracture what we have.

And we start moving from gospel community into natural community and affinities.

It is wonderful to form and to build deep relationships.

Deep relationships.

Deep relationships.

But let me say, you can do that naturally.

You can do that naturally.

Deep relationships.

You don't need the gospel for deep relationships.

What is supernatural is the willingness to fracture community groups, to fracture congregations and time with people I love in order that others might be part of what we have in gospel community.

We must never forget that community is not the goal of the church.

As great as it is, the glory of God is the goal of the church and he is magnified as he gathers more and more people to himself.

That they might see his glory.

And so our core value, treasuring Jesus together, living in unity with one another, accepting and loving each other,

is valuable finally because it makes God look good.

It displays to the world the greatness and the glory and the value of the Lord Jesus and his love towards us.

It is from God.

It is through God.

And it is to God.

And we can practice it this morning very simply, very simply by not rushing off.

By engaging with someone totally different this morning.

Rather than just, you know, walk out of here and...

By sitting somewhere different in the...

By going deeper in a relationship.

Now there are a few metaphors that the Bible uses to describe the intimate way that the Lord Jesus views his church.

He calls it his family.

He calls it his body.

He calls it his bride.

He loves his church and he gave himself over to death for his church.

And he looks forward to the day when his bride, in all its perfection, will be presented to him and will be with him forever in delight.

As I said at the beginning, today is the commitment conversation.

Are you still dating his church?

If so, you're still dating him.

You haven't fully surrendered to Jesus.

The church matters because God chose it to show and to tell the universe his wisdom and his love.

This message is the world's only hope.

And if you're a Christian, you have a crucial part in God's eternal plan.

Your life...

Can I just push this a little bit harder?

Your life is so much bigger than a good job.

It's so much bigger than an understanding spouse.

It's so much more important than non-delinquent kids.

Good friends and an active social life.

It's so much bigger than beautiful gardens and nice holidays and fashionable clothes.

You are part of something immense.

Something that began before you were born and will continue long after you are dead.

God is rescuing fallen, scattered humanity, gathering to himself and progressively shaping them into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He gathers you to himself so that you might be taking part in his grand and glorious plan.

Does your life reflect it?

Does your life reflect it?