20260308 The Church Sunday Sermon Mike Dickmann

Pray together once more, please. Heavenly Father,

we are thankful and grateful to be your people

and thankful for your help thus far in the meeting.

We ask you to continue with us now as we attempt

to open your Word and to hear from you and to

learn all that you have for us this morning.

We claim the promise that you indeed will accomplish

all of your perfect will and that your Word will

not return until you avoid. So we ask that that

would be the case this morning, that you'd enable

us to humble ourselves under the Word, to apply

it to ourselves, and to seek after you to change

whatever needs to be changed in our lives. Help

me as I present the Word, keep me from error,

but enable me to present the fullness of all

that you've given. And so we do ask again this

morning for the lost, that they might be found

of you. that you would grant repentance and faith

to many who are yet in their sins, not only in

this assembly, but in others who are faithfully

proclaiming your word. And we ask in Christ's

name, amen. Well, I'm going to be dealing with

the church this morning, and I'm going to be

continuing on the subject for a number of weeks.

And so I just want to introduce the subject this

morning. Some of these verses that we... Today,

I'll be more in detail in subsequent weeks. But

I think there's possibly an underappreciation

of the value of the Church in our present -day

society, perhaps even here. So that's really

the heart, my heart this morning, is for us to

see the true value of what Christ has accomplished.

in his church. So I've got a number. We're going

to take a tour through the New Testament here.

So I've got a number of different verses. You

don't have to try to turn two of them all. Most

are sharp. And I'll be reading them. But if you

want to turn as we go, that's fine. I'm going

to begin with Matthew 16 verses. 15 through 18

In verse 15 we read he saith unto them but whom

say ye that I am and Simon Peter answered and

said thou art the Christ the son of the living

God and Jesus answered and said unto him blessed

art thou Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood

hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father

which is in heaven and I say unto thee that thou

art Peter and upon this rock I will build my

church and the gates of hell shall not prevail

against it." So there's a lot here but all I

wanted to do this morning was to focus on this

last sentence in the last verse where Christ

declares that I will build my church and the

gates of hell will not prevail against it. So

the church is Christ's Christ is building his

church and the church We should understand as

his called out people the Ecclesia The ones whom

Christ has called out from the world brought

unto himself and put into his church He's building

it. He's building it from the time he Started

and he's continued to build it today all of us

here are a result of Christ's work within us.

And He worked within us to bring us to Himself

and to His Church. There really is no separation.

Remember? The Church is Christ's body. The Ecclesiads,

the called out ones, are Christ's body. Christ

is the head. It's His Church. But He does have

a body. That's you and me. So, in other words,

This is a miraculous thing that Christ has done.

All of these years, this poor, helpless little

church has persevered and prevailed because it

is Christ that built it. The gates of hell cannot

prevail against it. Nobody carries their gates

into battle. It's not a picture of the gates

of hell battling against the church. It's a picture

of the church battling down the gates of hell.

In other words, bringing men out of the service

of Satan and bringing them unto Christ. Nothing

will prevail and it's been true. It's been true

for centuries. It'll be true as long as this

old earth keeps spinning around. Christ is building

his church. It's a spiritual reality. None of

us contributed anything except our sin. Spiritual

reality. Christ is building his church. It's

not so -and -so's church. We should never talk

like that. That's prevalent in our day. It's

not Mr. So -and -so's church or Elder So -and

-so's church. It's Christ's church. That's who's

the head of the church. Okay, then we're going

to turn to Matthew... 28, I believe, Matthew

28. I'm sure it's a very familiar passage, the

so -called Great Commission. So in Matthew 28,

Matthew 28:18

verses 18 and following, And Jesus came and spake

unto them, saying, All power is given unto me

in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,

teaching them to observe all things whatsoever

I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always,

even unto the end of the world. Amen. So here's

Christ's last bit of instruction here while he

was... before he rose before he ascended into

heaven and he's telling his disciples that I'm

in charge I have all power there is no power

on earth that can resist me I will in other words

accomplish all of my purposes and I will accomplish

my purposes through you you understand it's through

us that he's going to accomplish his purposes

he could have He didn't need to use men. He has

all power. But the plan of God and the purposes

of God is to call the people out of the world

unto themselves and then empower them to be useful

servants of Jesus Christ. So he's telling these

apostles and no doubt this commission is primarily

fulfilled here by the apostles themselves when

he's telling them to go out into the world and

make disciples. But that's not the only people

that should learn and follow these directions.

We all should follow these instructions to a

greater or lesser degree in our workplaces, but

also in our homes. Our homes should be gospel

centered. We should be calling our children to

Christ. We should be setting a proper example

to them daily, living before them. as Christ

has told us to live, teaching them all that Christ

has taught us. It's quite a commission, it's

quite a responsibility that He's given unto His

people and it's one that we cannot do apart from

Him. Everything that we do must be bathed in

prayer. Everything that we try to accomplish

must be bathed in prayer. We don't have the strength

apart from Christ to do any of these things,

but in Christ we can do all that He's called

us to do. And this is what He's called us to

do. To bring or to call men and women to Himself,

to Christ. Point them to Christ. Now remember,

this is a supernatural act. We can't save anybody.

All we can do is point them to Christ. Be an

example of Christ. And that's what we're called

to do. The results are up to Christ. We might

witness to a hundred people that are not called.

The hundred and first might be called and will

be called. Remember, the only confidence we have

in evangelization is what? That God has a people

for Himself. And He's called us to call them

out. And He then will bring them to Himself.

The Gospel, the power of God unto salvation to

all who believe. This is what we're all about.

This is what we're supposed to be doing. So,

we don't want to minimize this calling out. We

don't want to minimize sharing the Gospel. We

have special events and such where we go out

into the community and share the gospel, but

we must take the opportunities day by day that

God presents us with to share Christ with the

dying world. The church gets this privilege and

it is a privilege to share the gospel. It's the

greatest news we can tell anybody. Okay, then

we'll go on. We'll look at Acts. Very familiar

passage, Acts 2. Remember, we're just taking

a little cruise through the New Testament. We're

going to get into more detail in probably all

of these subjects through the next few weeks.

But in Acts 2, now this is the day of Pentecost.

You're familiar with that. The Holy Spirit's

been poured out. And a great many people were

converted as a result of the outpouring of the

Holy Spirit. Again, it's a supernatural act.

It's all of God. Peter got up there and proclaimed

the gospel. Just like what we were talking about.

Just like what he was told to do. and lo and

behold God saved thousands of people but we read

here in verse 41 of the second chapter of Acts

then they that gladly received his word were

baptized and the same day there were added unto

them about three thousand souls and they continued

steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship

and in breaking of bread and in prayers and fear

came upon every soul and many wonders and signs

were done by the apostles and all that believed

were together and had all things common and sold

their possessions and goods and parted them to

all men as every man had need. So here's a picture

of the communion of the saints. The fellowship

of the saints is pictured here right off the

start. They didn't get converted or God didn't

save them. And then they just scattered around.

They formed a community, a people. And they had

certain goals. And the goals are clearly stated

there. The apostle's doctrine, the fellowship,

the breaking of bread, prayers. That became the

central thing in their lives. We can read on

and see how they gathered frequently. They gathered

at the temple on on the Jewish Sabbath and proclaim

the gospel then. They gathered on the first day

of the week and worshiped Christ together. They

were a group, an ecclesia, together. And they

took it seriously. If there were needs among

them, they did all they could to meet those needs.

That's what it says. So again, we'll probably

see some of these things. more detailed but if

you're going to think on this these verses through

the week just think of the community of believers

the wonderful miracle that had happened just

a bunch of individual peoples and and because

of what christ did in their lives they became

new people new creatures They wanted fellowship.

They wanted to learn. They continued steadfastly.

It wasn't haphazard. It wasn't hit and miss.

It wasn't, well, when I get around to it, or,

oh, if I got time, I will. No, they were steadfast

in these things. That's how important Jesus Christ

was in their lives. Again, this is the beginning

of the church, right here. This is what we need

to continue on and what has continued on through

this through the centuries Okay First Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

Chapter 12 beginning at verse 12. For as the

body is one and hath many members, and all the

members of that one body, being many are one

body, so also is Christ. For by one spirit are

we all baptized into one body. Whether we be

Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and

have been all made to drink into one spirit So

here I want it again to emphasize here the spirituality

of the church It's it's all the work of the spirit.

We've all been baptized into Christ. We've all

been baptized into the same spirit That's our

commonality We're all one in Christ. We're all

different Just like the body has different members,

but we're all one in Christ. We're united in

Christ We're a functioning body in Christ That's

the church We're here to function as the body

of Christ to carry out Christ's wishes To bring

great glory to our head to acknowledge him as

our head He is His church. He's running it. We

want His will to be done. We don't want our will

to be done. That's a disaster. We want to follow

Christ and His will be done in our midst. We

need to value one another. We're not cutting

any members off. We're not leaving any members

behind. We're all tied together in this one spirit

in Christ And we want us all coming together.

We want us all going together We want commonality

we want unanimity in the church It's important,

you know, we don't work for unity God's provided

it Christ has given us unity. We are united all

word called upon to do is to maintain that unity

that He has given us. We can't allow any interference,

any division, any work of the devil to come between

us, any temptations, our own pride, our own jealousies.

We can't give any place to any of those things

in the church. We are one in Christ. Love our

brothers, love our sisters. Do whatever we can

to help them and bring them along. They had all

things in common. That's the Church. It's a beautiful

thing. It's glorious in Christ. It's certainly

nothing that a man could have ever devised or

maintained or anything else. It's supernatural.

It's a glorious miracle. And we're part of it.

We're not the church, we're part of the church.

All those faithful communions are all at one

with us. Alright, back to Acts. Did God give

any structure to this church? Is it just a majority

vote? Is that what it is? I think they call that

congregationalism today. I think if the majority

of the congregation votes on something, then

that's it. Is that what's set up? Has he set

up a dictatorship? What has he set up? Has he

set up capitalism, socialism? What's the government?

What's the governance of the church? Well, as

you already know, but I'm just simply reminding

you that governing the church falls to the eldership

according to the Bible. And it's always a multiplicity

of elders. It's never a one -man show. It's never

a one -man centralized leadership. That's dangerous.

It's always a multiplicity of multiple elders.

And it's people, it's elders that God has gifted.

Just ordinary men that God has gifted. to do

the work of an elder. And it's only men. That's

the Bible. We'll probably get into some of this

as we go on, but I'm introducing the subject

now. You know that we do have three elders here.

And we should be reading this Acts 20 more often

than we are probably. But this is Paul's farewell

address to the Ephesian elders. And so this is

what he tells them. I'm only going to read one

verse, verse 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves.

That's number one. You want to be a faithful

elder. You want to be able to lead a body of

Christ. You want to be able to lead your church

if you're not an elder and you're a man. be able

to lead your family as a husband, as a father.

Take heed to yourself. You can't lead anybody

unless you take heed to yourself. Look at yourself.

Honestly assess yourself. Then after you have

taken stock of yourself and Paul says to all

the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made

you overseers. bishops same word here's translated

overseers elders God has made overseers for his

church and you got to take heed to those folks

that you're leading that you're overseeing says

so is even says the Holy Ghost hath made you

overseers Take heed to all the flock. When we

went through this before, remember, we talked

about the vital relationship between people and

elders, people of the leadership. You call it

pastor, whatever, elder, bishop. The vital relationship

that is supposed to exist between these two peoples.

It's a love relationship we said. The elders

are to love the people, and the people are to

love their elders. They're to be working with

each other, not against each other. The elders

are to bring the folks along, equip them for

the service, all manner of things that I'm not

going to get into today. But the flock that God

has made you oversee is what a responsibility

that is for the elders. We should appreciate

and pray for our elders as the elders do for

the people. And what is one of their main things?

To feed the Church of God. To feed them. Feed

y 'all. I don't you know we get together we have

our elders meetings and we talk about the needs

and so and such and such and then we go our way

and and I'm preaching for a while here now and

I've got to seek the Lord how am I supposed to

feed these folks what am I what do they need

to hear what can I bring today or what can I

bring the next day or the week or whatever it

is that's how it is you know If I didn't think

that the Lord would have me to preach on this

subject, I wouldn't be doing it. It's a result

of seeking the Lord to feed the people He's put

me overseer of. That overseer, overseeing goes

to all areas. Like, why do we meet at 10 o 'clock

on Sunday morning? Well, that was decided that

that would be the best time to do it. Why do

we have prayer before we have the worship service?

Because prayer is important. We don't think we

can worship without praying. Praying is a vital

part of the church and it's missing in too many

places today. Well, that's the very first thing

we do when we come together is pray. Sometimes

we pray for an hour, sometimes four to five minutes,

sometimes an hour and fifteen minutes. you know

whatever it is it doesn't matter we're not governed

by time we've got all day right folks whatever

however long it takes to lay our petitions out

before our god that's what we want to do okay

enough said but that's the governance of the

church all the all the ministry decisions and

when we have a when we have our annual meeting

We lay things out for you guys to discuss, and

we ask for any input before the meeting even

starts. Anyway, it's not a dictatorship, but

we hope it is godly leadership, according to

the scriptures. That's our goal, anyway. All

right, a couple more. I've got First Peter. This

is one that I'm sure I'm going to be looking

at later So in first Peter chapter 2 We read

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile

and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings

as Newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the

word that she may grow there by that's us We've

got newborn babies here We're familiar with how

they demand milk. This is how we should go after

the word. This is how we should pursue God so

that we might grow. Remember, we're growing.

We're not static. We're not satisfied with where

we are. We're not content. We are content, but

we're not satisfied. We want more. If so be you

have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Now obviously

that's not true of anybody that hasn't tasted

that the Lord is gracious. We've tasted it. We

know how good it is. We know what a savior we

have. We want more. We don't want just a taste.

We want to eat. We want to go after. We want

to consume. But of course it always begins with

a taste. You have a taste for God. You have a

taste for growth. Do you have a taste at the

love of God in Christ Jesus? Now, here in verse

four, to whom coming as unto a living stone,

disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and

precious. That's talking about Jesus Christ.

Chosen of God and precious. Is he precious to

us? Hopefully so. But here we are in five. Here

we come in. Ye also as lively stones are built

up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer

up spiritual sacrifices Acceptable to God by

Jesus Christ There's the purpose of the church

To carry out all of these instructions all of

these reasons for living for reasons for being

in Christ Results of being in Christ. Not to

get into Christ. But because we are in him, this

is what our desires have come to. To be living

stones. The picture of a house. Spiritual house.

A living stone is a spiritual reality that results

in a spiritual living house. That's the church.

That's what we are. It's not this building. Not

any building. We are the stones. We are the spiritual

stones that have been brought together that are

growing up to be built up into a bigger and bigger

and more beautiful house. How is that possible?

Because we're going to be growing in Christ.

We're going to be growing in Christlikeness.

Our love is going to increase to God and to man.

It's a beautiful thing to be part of. It gives

reason to your living. To be a holy priesthood.

To offer up spiritual sacrifices. The priesthood

of all believers. Intercessors for one another.

Critical again. I'm going to stop there. Spiritual

sacrifices. We do have spiritual sacrifices.

They're spiritual. They're not physical sacrifices.

They are physical in one way is that they happen

through our bodies, which are physical. But they're

spiritual sacrifices. So we want to talk about

spiritual sacrifices. in the coming weeks. So

I'm going to read verse 6. Wherefore also it

is contained in the scriptures, behold, I lay

in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.

But unto them which be disobedient, the stone

which the builders disallowed, the same is made

the head of the coroner." So you can see this

all revolves, this organism of the church, the

spiritual ecclesia called out one. It all revolves

and it is a result of Jesus Christ. We never

lose Jesus Christ. He's always here. He's the

chief cornerstone. It doesn't matter that the

builders rejected Him. God overcame their decision.

He's precious unto us. We want to show that preciousness

to Him. We want to love Him because He first

loved us. We want to love one another because

He first loved us. It's a glorious thing to be

part of. Can you see Jesus in one another? Do

you look for Jesus in one another? Yes, yes,

yes I'm gonna wrap it up with two more one from

Hebrews Hebrews chapter 12 This is a great contrast

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

here folks read the whole old covenant context

but in Hebrews 12 let's say in verse 21 we read

and so terrible was the sight that is the giving

of the old covenant under under Moses that Moses

said I exceedingly fear and quake remember remember

the fire the lightning thunder Don't come near

don't come near. That's what the whole covenant

Made this total separation between God and his

people. I Am holy you're sinful You have one

high priest. He makes intercession for you People

couldn't stand it. They said we can't take any

more of this. We'll tell us you just tell us

yourself Moses That was the giving of the old

covenant But that's done And in verse 22, we

read what we have come to. But ye are come unto

Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable

company of angels, to the general assembly and

church of the firstborn which are written in

heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to

the spirits of just men made perfect, and to

Jesus Christ, the mediator of the new covenant,

and to the blood of sprinkling. that speaketh

better things than that of Abel. It's a beautiful

thing. It's a communion thing. You don't have

to stay. Come. Come to Christ. This is what we're

supposed to be experiencing now. This isn't talking

about some future time when we're in heaven or

when Christ returns. This is now. We are to feel

and experience these things now. This close communion

with God. This fellowship with Jesus Christ.

with one another, with the angels, with just

men made perfect. It's no longer stay away, you're

too sinful, it's all now. Come, come, I'll receive

you. In Jesus Christ, we're made fit to have

communion with God. It's glorious that men can

have communion with eternal God, the creator

of heaven and earth. We can know Him. We can

experience Him. And we can know and experience

Him in a real and living way when we gather together

as a church, as an ecclesia, as a called out

people. We're bringing the Holy Spirit with us.

We're coming with eagerness and anticipation.

We can't wait to meet with one another with God

around the throne of grace to receive from Him

all the goodness, all the mercy, all the love.

all the training and teaching and everything

else that he has for us this day. Whatever he

has for us, we want it. Okay, last verse. And

this is our hope. This is the future. In Revelation

21. Whoever has this hope purifies himself as

he is pure Revelation 21 verse 1 and I saw a

Revelation 21:1

new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven

and the first earth were passed away and there

was no more sea and I John saw the holy city

new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband People

you see it that was coming down out of heaven

the people and I heard a great voice out of heaven

saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men

and he will dwell with them and they shall be

his people and God himself shall be with them

and be their God and God shall wipe away all

tears from their eyes and there shall be no more

death neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall

there be any more pain, for the former things

are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne

said, Behold, I made all things new. And he said

unto me, Write, for these words are true and

faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I

am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

I will give unto him that is a thirst of the

fountain of the water of life freely. And he

that overcometh shall inherit all things, and

I will be his God, and he shall be my son." A

glorious ending awaits. We have a pure hope,

a sure hope of a great ending. Let us strive

after God. Let us experience Him now. Let us

serve Him now. Let us love Him now. Amen.