Participants: Roland Nwosu
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000013
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00:29 Praise God. My name is Rowland Nwosu.
00:32 The pastor of the South Lake City 00:34 Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:36 South Lake City in the State of Utah. 00:39 I want to explore with you today 00:41 what is the church, who is the church 00:43 and why did God called it church. 00:46 And how can the church accomplish 00:48 God given mission in a world that rejects her. 00:52 Let us pray. 00:53 Father, thank you for calling us. 00:55 Thank you for calling this church 00:57 out from the world to be Your light. 01:01 Bless this message today and bless all who were here. 01:06 And may we be blessed and refreshed 01:11 in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen. 01:17 We call it the church in English language. 01:21 The Hebrews call it Kahal, 01:23 which means a congregation and assembly. 01:26 The Greece call it Ekklesia 01:29 meaning a church, they called out. 01:33 So in the Old Testament, a church was constituted 01:40 a member of the God- a member of the household 01:44 and His household. 01:48 So we have Adam and the rest of the patriarchs 01:51 constituting the church in the Old Testament. 01:53 As in fact as the matter of fact 01:56 the apostle Luke calls the Hebrew-- 01:58 the Hebrews that were saved, 02:01 that were deliver from bondage in Egypt 02:03 He calls them the church in the wilderness. 02:07 And-the Apostle Peter 02:09 in the book First Peter Chapter two verse nine 02:13 calls us a special people. 02:16 He says "But you are a chosen generation, 02:21 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 02:24 His own special people, that you may proclaim 02:27 the praises of Him who called you 02:30 out of darkness into his marvelous light;" 02:34 You see the church is not, is not the building, 02:38 it is not the clergy, but it is the members. 02:42 It is not the building but the people. 02:44 It is not determine by creed, 02:46 but it is determine by lifestyle and relationship 02:49 to the one who has called us out. 02:53 There are common characteristics 02:54 regarding the members of the church. 02:58 They are called, they are called out 03:02 and they are called out for a special purpose 03:06 and that purpose is the purpose 03:08 for which Christ has established His church. 03:12 So what is the church? 03:14 The church is a community of the saints of God, 03:17 saints made perfect through 03:19 the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 03:21 The church is also a hospital for sinners, 03:26 not sinners, not terminal sinners, 03:28 but it is not a hospital or asylum for sinners 03:33 who neither see their need to repent 03:38 or who do not see their need to be healed, 03:40 but it is a community of saints healed and saved 03:44 by the grace of Jesus Christ they'll save you. 03:47 You see it is the church is not a holy court, 03:50 it's not a holy-it's not a court of holy life, 03:54 it is also a facility of recovering and healing saints 04:00 who depend on the graces 04:04 and the mercies of their Lord Jesus Christ. 04:08 It is a facility of recovering sinners 04:10 who actively are seeking daily 04:14 nearly new world of their spiritual powers 04:17 through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 04:20 There is a difference though 04:22 between the world and the church. 04:24 While the world does not know Christ, 04:28 the members of the church know Him and follow Him. 04:34 And they are seeking to follow the footsteps 04:38 and the example that Jesus has let. 04:41 What is the church? 04:42 The church is God's reservoir of His graces. 04:47 The reposit, all right, 04:49 the storehouse of the graces of God. 04:52 It is a storage for the riches of the grace of Christ. 04:56 A church is a theatre, the auditorium of God's grace 05:00 where grace of God is revealed and demonstrated 05:03 through and among His people. 05:05 You see we as a church members of the church 05:08 are channels-- or ages 05:11 through which God dispenses His graces to the world. 05:16 We ought to reveal the gracious powers of God, 05:20 the powers that transform hearts of people. 05:24 We are therefore God's hands and feet, 05:26 we are instruments in His hands, 05:28 we are His functional instrument. 05:30 You see people have the right 05:32 to come into a church to come among God's people 05:36 and find God active in and among them. 05:40 They have their right to come to church 05:42 and expect to hear and expect to see 05:44 and expect to feel and experience the grace of God. 05:47 You see God's grace ought to be active 05:50 in the church through us, through you and through me. 05:53 What is the church? 05:54 A divine council tells us 05:56 that the church is God's appointed agency 06:00 for the salvation of humanity. 06:02 It was organized for service 06:05 and its mission is to carry 06:07 the gospel of Jesus Christ around world. 06:10 His ministry is to invade the kingdom of evil 06:14 here on this earth through the powers 06:16 of that Jesus Christ has given to her. 06:19 Why is the church called out? 06:23 The Bible says that Jesus brought the church, 06:28 the members of the church with His own precious blood. 06:32 Why did He go through so much to bring forth His church 06:36 and establish it through human history. 06:39 God called Adam from the dirt's, 06:41 from the dirt of the ground to serve Him 06:44 as His creator and to teach his children 06:47 the ways of God. 06:48 God called Noah, Noah from the, 06:50 from the evil and depress society of this day 06:53 to become the preacher of righteousness to His people. 06:57 Yes God called Abraham out of his evil 07:00 and deprave society, is adulterous moon worshiping, 07:06 child sacrificing society to a land 07:09 flowing with milk and honey. 07:10 Yes God called the children of Israel 07:13 from the house of bondage, 07:14 so that they may serve Him in the wilderness-- 07:16 so that they may, they maybe elite 07:19 so they might be elite of God to all the Gentiles. 07:23 God called them out from the bondage of sin into 07:29 the marvelous light of being God's light to all nations. 07:35 You see in order to accomplish the responsibility 07:38 God has given us the church. 07:44 Like the Hebrews of the old God placed them 07:49 at the center of the world's civilization 07:51 between the great continents of Europe and Africa and Asia. 07:57 God called them to be the truly all nations' church. 08:01 To create the largest church on earth, 08:03 a truly all nations start a church 08:06 where the representation of all nations of the world 08:09 who come and worship God without fear. 08:12 A church where all nations will come 08:15 and learn of the mercies and of the true God, His attributes. 08:19 His grace and then return back to their homes 08:25 and show how loving and merciful God's love is. 08:31 That was God's purpose for the Old Testament church, 08:34 but Israel failed. 08:36 They failed in their God giving message, 08:39 they failed in their God giving mission. 08:41 They not only rejected the mission 08:43 but they rejected the giver of that mission. 08:48 Jesus came and He was rejected 08:52 but Jesus has established a New Testament church. 08:56 To continue a mission that was given 08:58 to the Old Testament church. 09:02 Why did God called the New Testament church? 09:05 Jesus made it clear, I am the way, 09:13 I am the truth, I am the life, 09:15 I came that they may have life 09:17 and have it more abundantly Jesus said. 09:20 For His son of man came to seek and save the lost. 09:25 In Mathew Chapter 28 verses 18 through 20 09:30 Jesus said that "And Jesus came 09:33 and spoke to them, saying, 09:35 'All authority has been given to me 09:38 in heaven and on earth. 09:40 God therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 09:44 baptizing them in the name of the father 09:46 and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, 09:50 teaching them to observe all things 09:52 that I have commanded you, and lo, 09:54 I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 10:01 Jesus said I will build my church, 10:05 I will build this church 10:06 and the gates of hell will not rebel against it. 10:10 God established His church for a purpose of soul winning. 10:14 The souls of those who are in the church 10:16 and the soul of those who are outside the church. 10:18 Therefore when a church is no longer 10:21 interested in the salvation of souls, 10:23 when a church is no longer-- when a church no longer 10:26 considers the salvation of souls as his primarily job, 10:31 that church is no longer wanted to exist. 10:35 It becomes something else, it become some agents, 10:37 agency for a propagation of something else. 10:40 So but the question then is? 10:41 How can the church that is called out 10:44 by God be faithful to God 10:48 and fulfill her mission and the purpose for her call. 10:53 I just want to suggest to you four general components 10:56 of the churches ministry here on earth. 11:00 If any church must accomplish 11:04 her divine responsibility and remain faithful to God, 11:08 at least four major components, 11:09 components ought to be present. 11:12 In Acts Chapter 2 verses 42 through 47 11:16 we see an example of such components 11:19 in action in the early church. 11:23 The disciples, it says and they- 11:27 "Disciples continued steadfastly in their apostles' 11:32 doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, 11:36 and in prayers. 11:38 Then fear came upon every soul, 11:41 and many wonders and signs were done 11:44 through the apostles. 11:47 Now all who believed were together, 11:50 and had all things in common, 11:52 and sold their possessions and goods, 11:54 and divided them among all, 11:57 as anyone had need. 11:58 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, 12:01 and breaking bread from house to house, 12:03 they ate their food with gladness 12:07 and simplicity of heart, praising God 12:09 and having favor with all the people. 12:12 And the Lord added to the church daily 12:13 those who were to be saved." 12:18 So the first component we see here is 12:21 the component of nurture. 12:22 A church ought to nurture. 12:24 In verse 42 we see that, that the apostles, 12:27 the disciples devoted themselves the apostles' teaching, 12:30 they studied, they learned it word of God together. 12:33 They taught the word of God. 12:35 Studying of the scripture is primary for an existence, 12:38 for the existence of the church. 12:41 Members of God's church ought to study together. 12:45 They got to exalt and encourage one another. 12:48 They support each other, building each other up, 12:51 keeping the back doors close and keeping 12:54 the front doors of the church open. 12:57 The Christian church ought to be a place, 12:59 it ought to be a place 13:00 where the weaker brother and the weaker sister 13:04 can trust the spiritually stronger brother 13:06 or spiritually stronger sister to pull them up 13:10 in the Lord and not to tear them down. 13:12 The church ought to be a place where-- 13:14 besides the usual potlucks and lunch putties, 13:19 the Christian church ought to be 13:20 a loving and caring community 13:22 where everyone can come and feel accepted 13:26 and saved and comfortable, where no one can come 13:29 and share--where everyone can come and share with 13:32 one another their burdens without hearing it 13:35 repeated by somebody else. 13:37 Yes the church of God ought to be a loving place. 13:42 A second component that I'd like to share with you 13:44 is the component of worship. 13:45 The Bible tells us that they worshiped a devoted step 13:50 fast single minded fidelity to God. 13:54 In the early church worship was not 13:56 a half-hearted marriage. 13:59 It was not a 11 to 12 service. 14:03 You see it was not a one hour service. 14:04 Christians met even in their private homes for worship. 14:12 Is your home open for your fellow Christian to worshipping? 14:19 But we're told that at some point 14:28 the Christian church had churches, house churches, 14:34 the church in the house of Priscilla and Aquila. 14:38 The church in the house of Christians in current. 14:44 But in spite of its simplicity and joy 14:51 in the service in the early church. 14:55 The length of service in those days were as long 14:58 I still remember reading Paul preaching almost all night long 15:04 when Eutychus fell through the window and died. 15:10 But thank God, he was resurrected. 15:11 But then let me address the third component 15:16 because the issue of worship is one that is important. 15:26 The third component in the ministry 15:28 of the church is fellowship. 15:32 This is very primary and very important. 15:37 In the early church there were in fact 15:40 it was a mixed group, they were filthy rich, 15:43 moderately rich, and extremely poor people. 15:49 They worship together. 15:50 The Bible says, they have all things in common. 15:54 They were slaves free people men and women 15:58 young and the very old, 16:00 but one thing that they had in common 16:02 they all loves Jesus, they all believed in Jesus Christ. 16:06 And you know what? 16:07 Jesus makes the difference 16:09 in the personal relation and socializations. 16:14 The Bible says that all the believers were together 16:17 and had everything in common, 16:19 selling their possessions and goods. 16:21 They gave to anyone as they had need. 16:26 The last component is evangelism. 16:29 The early knew that if they were 16:32 to be faithful to their Lord 16:34 they must reach out to other through evangelism, 16:37 through missions and sharing their lives 16:39 and possessions with those in need. 16:42 You see they knew what they believe, 16:43 they knew what Jesus had done for them personally. 16:46 They had the earth to share. 16:48 They had the willingness to share. 16:50 They had the desire to share. 16:53 They knew that they must bring 16:55 other people to Christ to bring back the children of God 17:00 who are lost in the world to increase the kingdom of God. 17:04 You see the result of this kind of ministry 17:06 in the early church was spiritual growth 17:09 for the members of the church. 17:10 Miracles were a lot where, 17:12 where miracles and science were preformed 17:15 in the church because the people were faithful. 17:18 They sacrificed, they endured, they loved one another, 17:24 they encouraged one another, they exalted one another, 17:27 love, support and encouragement for one another increased 17:32 and the Lord added to their ministry. 17:34 The Lord added to their numbers daily 17:37 those who have been saved. 17:40 What about us today? What about us? 17:47 Can those things happen today in our own time? 17:52 Let me say it to you that I do believe 17:53 that these things are possible today 17:55 and they're happening even around the world. 17:58 We have-there are great resources 18:00 available to us today. 18:02 You see in order to accomplish our mission today 18:05 God has lavished upon us great gifts. 18:10 God has giving gifts to the church 18:13 to help her accomplish her ministry. 18:16 God has given to each one of us graces 18:19 according to His riches and glory. 18:23 To each one of us 18:24 grace has been given us Christ apportioned it. 18:27 That is why it says when He ascended on high, 18:31 He led captives in His train and gave gifts to men. 18:37 Each believer listening today has a gift. 18:42 If you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, 18:44 you've been called out, 18:46 you've been given a gift to share 18:48 to use for the building up of a kingdom of God. 18:54 What is your gift? 18:56 And what are you doing with your gift? 18:58 Are you using your gift to buildup God's church, 19:03 to give God the glory? 19:08 You see the church 19:12 is God's repository of grace. 19:18 The church is a community filled with various kinds of gifts, 19:22 endowments and gifts that God has given us 19:27 to empower us to do His work. 19:30 You see the church is a community 19:32 in which members find their happiness 19:35 in the service of others. 19:41 As members of Christ body having one gift, 19:46 each one represents a body part, 19:50 one person maybe the eye, 19:52 the other person might be the ear, 19:53 some other person might be the legs, 19:55 some other person might be the hands, 19:57 but each gift, each body part is important. 20:01 No one is small, important than the other, 20:04 none no one is less important than the other. 20:06 All are needed in the hands of God 20:08 to fulfill the ministry for which God has called us. 20:12 You see success and faithfulness in God's side 20:15 is doing the best with the gifts 20:17 He has given to us. 20:20 We have this misconception about what success is. 20:25 God does not require success from us. 20:28 He requires us to be faithful to Him. 20:31 then He will provide the success. 20:34 You see we cannot be all Apostles, 20:37 we cannot all be Prophets and Prophetesses. 20:40 We cannot all be teachers, 20:41 we cannot all be miracle workers, or teachers, 20:45 or doctors and nurses, or worker of health and healing. 20:50 We cannot even all speak all in tongues at the same time, 20:54 or we hear at the same time. 20:57 The Corinthian Christians were more interested in statues 21:00 than the gifts God gave them. 21:02 And Paul warned them and he recommend 21:05 and Paul recommended in more excellent way. 21:07 And he said listen all His gifts you have, 21:09 all His gift you might have them and express them, 21:11 but if you do not have love is nonsense. 21:15 That's a more excellent way 21:17 to exercise our spiritual gifts 21:19 and that is through love a fruit of the Holy Spirit. 21:23 You see when the Holy Spirit is in us 21:25 when we receive the Holy Spirit 21:27 after having accepted Jesus as our personal Savior 21:30 that Holy Spirit in us becomes the power 21:33 that energizes us to work to do the work of God 21:38 and accomplish the purpose for which 21:40 God has given us His gifts. 21:43 Paul went on to explain what love means 21:45 in First Corinthians Chapter 13 21:48 but that you already know love is the greatest. 21:57 Through the Holy Spirit we express 22:04 each of our gifts with and through and in love. 22:12 Dear Christian friends, 22:14 the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ. 22:19 The foundation of the churches ministry 22:21 is character not professional skill or experience, 22:26 not how long you have been in the church. 22:31 The nature of the churches ministry 22:32 is service not being served, 22:36 not what the church can do for me 22:38 or not what I can get out of the church. 22:41 You see the motive of the ministry of the church 22:44 is love to God and love to man, 22:47 service to God and service to man not money, 22:50 not power, not man, not woman, 22:53 not anything other but the love to God and man 22:58 that is the motive of ministry in the church. 23:03 The measure of churches ministry on earth is 23:07 faithfulness and sacrifice, not success or profit. 23:13 The authority of the churches ministry is 23:15 submission to the will of God, not pulling ranks 23:18 among ourselves or with others in the household of God. 23:23 Yes not nepotism, not racism and-- 23:30 and he who knows Jesus, 23:36 he who is a child of God within the household 23:40 of the church accepts one another, 23:44 accepts each other as one as brother, as sister. 23:50 You see the purpose of our ministry 23:51 in the church is to glorify God, 23:53 not to glorify ourselves. 23:55 The tools of our ministry in the church, 23:59 our prayer, Bible study, trust in the Lord. 24:05 Dear friends, it is not the tool of the churches ministry 24:10 is not marketing handbooks, is not ingratiating manner. 24:16 The privilege of our ministry in the church is growth 24:18 which maybe-- which maybe depth or inward growth 24:25 rather than in numbers. 24:27 The power of ministry in the church 24:30 is the Holy Spirit not programs, not activities 24:34 and certainly not the pastor or the Bishop 24:38 or the leaders of the church, 24:40 but it is the power of the ministry 24:42 in the church is the Holy Spirit. 24:46 The model of ministry in the church 24:48 certainly is Jesus Christ, the foundation, the founder, 24:52 or the author and the finisher of our faith. 24:54 Our primary purpose in all we do in church as, 24:58 as a church is to glorify God. 25:00 For God is the one who created 25:02 the heavens and stretched them out, 25:05 it was He who spread out the earth and its off spring. 25:10 It was He who gives breath to the people on it 25:13 and the spirit to those who walk in it. 25:17 Yes the Christian church was founded 25:20 on Jesus Christ, the solid rock. 25:23 All the human associations, clubs and organizations 25:27 were founded on sinking, shifting, slippery sound, 25:31 they cannot provide us with any ultimate security 25:36 We cannot trust them either 25:39 but Jesus is the one that we can trust. 25:43 All strong empires and kingdoms have failed 25:47 because they are founded on strong men, 25:50 but Christ builds His church, 25:53 He chooses weak men and women 25:56 to build His church and uses their weakness 25:58 to be their strength and He discovers 26:01 and who He discovers in Him the potent power 26:06 beyond that of humans. 26:10 In the weakness of the members of Christ church, 26:12 Christ makes their powerlessness their strength 26:15 and their weakness He makes them eternally strong in Him. 26:19 To this group the God had brings His gift of eternal presence 26:24 and the powers of evil 26:25 and death will never prevail against it. 26:28 All corrotion-- and corruption of the years 26:33 will never prevail against this church. 26:36 Dear friends, the devil may inflicts you and your family 26:39 with pain, sickness and disease, 26:41 but he cannot touch your spirit 26:43 because you are the church of the living God. 26:46 Cities may tumble and crumble 26:48 but the center of God the New Jerusalem 26:51 for which the church ways will come and remain forever. 26:55 Amish may vanquish and vanish 26:57 but the soldiers of Christ, 26:59 you and me will remain victorious. 27:01 Kingdom may topple and rumble, 27:03 but a kingdom of God believed by the church 27:05 and preached by the church of which 27:07 the churches impart will remain and last forever. 27:10 Ideologies church may continue 27:13 to rise and fade into oblivion, 27:15 but the truth of God faithfully preached 27:17 by the church will remain wars, 27:20 threat of wars and fears of wars sinking to excursion, 27:24 disillusionment but the peace of Christ 27:27 promise by our Master and preached 27:29 by the church will no, no end. 27:31 The church of Christ will never, never die. 27:34 Yes Jesus Himself is the solid rock on which I stand. 27:39 The church of Christ will never, never die. 27:42 Thank God for a sure foundation 27:44 we have in Jesus Christ. 27:46 Yes friends, you are a member of the church, 27:49 you are the church of God. 27:51 You are a member of the living church of God. 27:55 Be you strong, be you faithful and He that shall come, 27:58 shall come and not tarry, behold I come quickly. |
Revised 2014-12-17