A sermon on the Church by Owen Rogers – expanded notes.
E100 readings this week focus on the Church.
What’s the church’s DNA? For the answer, look to where we’ve come from.
Our readings remind us where we’ve come from.
The Church was conceived at the Resurrection when Jesus breathed into his disciples,
born at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit poured into the disciples and shaped over many years of experience.
The Church’s shape:
Acts chapter 2 shows us a church divinely empowered for effective ministry.
Acts 3,4 show us a church that is one in heart and mind; that has unity of purpose. Today that would be like us working together in coordinated ministry; parishes working together for God.
Presbyterian Support: minister in the community to those who have need. They go where we are not able to go. We share the ministry.
Exemplars from Scripture:
Acts 6-8. Stephen. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Christians were scattered, taking the gospel with them and sharing it with many who turned to Christ. Paul’s efforts to kill the church were counter-productive – he succeeded in spreading it.
Stephen and his fellow Christians focused on God through Jesus. The persecutors preferred their religion over God. There’s nothing wrong with appreciating your church and its traditions. But watch out if they become too important to you.
Jesus never came to start a new religion; he came to start a new relationship – with you, with each of us.
Ch 8:26-40. Philip. In the movie business they would call Philip’s a cameo role. He wasn’t a main player, just a bit part. But the success of the Church is not dependant on celebrities. It’s dependant on ordinary people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to become extraordinary witnesses for Jesus Christ. Philip was an ordinary Christian who was obedient, willing, reliant and effective.
Ch 10:1-11:18. Cornelius. There was a huge barrier between Jews and non-Jews in those days so this was a huge step. Ephesians 2,3 – the dividing wall of hostility destroyed. God clearly showed that his Church is open to all who believe. Do we accept only certain ones?
Some thoughts relating to the church present and future.
Hard out sportsmen and women practise regularly. People recovering from addictions join AA or NA meetings to help them get through another day. Christians go to Church. Why? To praise God, to support each other, to tune in to God’s wisdom, to ‘fuel up’, to fortify themselves to live joyfully, justly and lovingly the Way of Jesus in the coming week! Sure, we could do some prayers at home, at the beach or up on a hill. That’s good but it is not the same as ‘doing’ prayer with others – for, you see, together we are Jesus Christ.
From ‘Fresh Expressions’ by Graeme Cray (UK), recent seminar.
‘It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfil in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church.’ Jurgen Moltmann
“The Church of God does not have a mission, but the God of mission has a Church.” Tim Dearborn
“There is church because there is mission, not vice versa.” David Bosch
“Mission is so much at the heart of the Church’s life, that rather than think of it as one aspect of its existence, it is better to think of it as defining its essence.
The Church is by nature missionary to the extent that, if it cease to be missionary, it has not just failed in one of its tasks, it has ceased being Church‟ Andrew Kirk
“The mission of the Church is the gift of participating, through the Holy Spirit, in the Son’s mission from the Father to the world.” James Torrance
John 20:21f “As the Father has sent me, so I send you …. Receive the Holy Spirit” – Jesus
The church will be the same only different; it will change but still be recognisable.
The mission is based on meeting needs.
Out of our comfort zones – we have to make an effort to relate.
People do take our time. Giving our time / ourselves is a missional act. Cf: Jesus.
The Church: empowered, united, motivated to share the gospel with all people.