1Corinthians 1:2
What is the church here for?
1Co 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at
Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ
Jesus, called to be saints….
Tonight I would like to spend our time asking and answering the
question, "What is the church here for?"
When we stand before the Lord at the Bema Seat, and God calls all the
members of the Green Pond Baptist Church, the 2018 Version, before
Him, what standard will be judged by? What will He have expected us
to accomplish?
I. The Green Pond Baptist Church should be a presence.
A. The very presence of a Christian should have an effect on the
world around us.
1. If Christians have to speak to be heard we have failed.
a. Do not get me wrong.
b. We have a message and we must proclaim it, but even
without our mouths closed, the church should make an
impact on a lost world.
2. The message must translate into our life and living.
3. A Christ-like presence will depend on our walk with God.
a. It takes a hot fire and a holy life to produce a
Christian presence for the Lord.
b. Anything else only creates fodder for jokes.
B. Our presence should create thirst.
Matt 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if
the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall
it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing,
but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot
of men.
1. The idea of creating a thirst is that the church should
create a DESIRE for God.
a. We are supposed to have the kind of life that the lost
would envy.
b. I do not believe (as many modern-day Christians
advocate) that this relates to our wealth or material
substance.
c. I think it relates to our joy, peace, and confidence
in God.
2. A life filled with and lived for Christ will produce those
qualities.
C. Our presence should give light.
Matt 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
1. Light speaks of DIRECTION or guidance. Light is used to
show the way.
2. Direction runs in two different ways.
a. There is the direction I have gone.
b. There is the direction I am going to go.
3. Older saint have the ability to demonstrate something
younger Christians cannot. They can demonstrate that
God works.
a. People shouldn’t be too quick to follow something that
hasn’t been proven to work.
b. Young Christians can demonstrate faith that the Bible
WILL work but only experienced Christians can
demonstrate success— that the Bible HAS worked.
c. If the Christian life doesn’t work, why follow it?
d. So, my presence before you tonight is show you the
light, God’s Word, works!
(1) It works in rearing your children.
(2) It works in giving mental stability.
(3) It works in giving martial bless.
(4) It works in handling your finances.
(5) It works in building relationships.
D. Our presence should withhold.
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he
might be revealed in his time.
1. Withhold means to hinder or DETER.
a. Our existence hinders Satan.
b. Our actions should hinder Satan.
2. I am afraid some Christian’s are not deterring Satan as
much as encouraging him.
3. I find…
a. Too many Christians are compromising with sin instead
of condemning it.
b. Too many Christians are exploiting grace instead of
expounding it.
c. Too many Christians are fellowshipping with the devil
instead of fleeing from Him.
4. And I believe that leaves too many Christians encouraging
the devil instead of deterring Him.
E. When people look at the members of the Green Pond Baptist
Church, do they see…
1. …a God they desire,
2. …a direction that works,
3. …and a force that deters evil?
II. The Green Pond Baptist Church should be a power.
A. We are the power of God on earth today.
1. Do we like reading about Moses calling down the power of
God? That’s us.
2. Do we like reading about David who was used of God to do
impossible things? That’s us.
3. Do we like reading about Isaiah and Jeremiah who knew the
mind of God? That’s us.
B. We have power when we believe.
1. 98 times the word faith or believe is used in gospels.
Mt 17:20 If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove
hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and
nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Mr 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was
spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,
Be not afraid, only believe.
Mr 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst
believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth.
2. Our faith is only visible to the world when we are walking
in it and the only time we can walk in faith is when we
having problems.
a. Talking about faith does not impress people much.
b. Only when we are walking in our faith and it is
sustaining us can other people see it.
3. How do we do that?
a. In our bad times, we believe in the PROMISES OF GOD.
(1) God’s promises are very specific and verifiable.
(2) We either stand on them or we don’t.
(3) i.e. tithing, soul winning, worship
b. In our bad times, we believe in the GOODNESS OF GOD.
(1) To believe in the goodness of God is even more of
a challenge than to believe in the promises of
God.
(2) A promise is a specifically worded, verifiable,
black ink on white paper prediction.
(3) When we start talking about believing in the
goodness of God, it usually means that we have
run out of promises.
(a) There are no specific promises telling you
that your loved one will trust Christ.
(b) There are no specific promises telling you
that you will find a job.
(c) There are no specific promises telling you
that you will be healed of that disease.
(4) Now, we are in virgin territory, where no man has
gone before. Now we must rely on God’s
goodness.
(a) WHATEVER GOD DOES, God is good.
(b) WHATEVER GOD DOES, God is worthy.
(c) WHATEVER GOD DOES, God is trustworthy
(5) To believe in the goodness of God is not a
guarantee that better things are coming but that
no matter what happens, we can and will trust
God.
c. In our bad times, we believe in the LEADERSHIP OF
HOLY GHOST.
(1) We believe that we have not arrived where we are
by accident. God has brought us here.
(2) We believe that if this is where we are to stay,
God has a plan to use.
(3) We believe that if God wants to move us to
another place, it is always best to follow Him.
C. We have power when we pray.
1. Prayer is not preparation for the work. It is the work.
Mt 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into
thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,
pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee
openly.
Mr 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things
soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them.
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and shew thee great and mighty things, which
thou knowest not.
2. Yet prayer is very difficult.
a. It is difficult because it requires time and
discipline.
b. Even so, prayer is one of our most valuable and
powerful weapons.
D. We have power when we fast.
Mt 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine
head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto
thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father,
which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Mt 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the
children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as
the bridegroom is with them? but the days will
come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from
them, and then shall they fast.
Mt 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting.
E. We have more power when we unite.
Mt 16:18 And I say also 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.
Mt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you
shall agree on earth as touching any thing that
they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven.
F. Each of these is a step that increases our power.
III. The Green Pond Baptist Church should be a proclaimer.
A. Here is what I meant earlier when is said we have a message.
1. That message is the gospel, the good news that Jesus
saves.
2. We should preach and teach the gospel.
Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.
3. Some years ago, a faithful church member mentioned to me
they weren’t certain that we were really a missions-
minded church.
a. They were talking about the need for us to do more
through our giving to missions.
b. I am always for that, but I must tell you that no
amount of sending money over there will replace the
need and the duty for the Christian to proclaim the
gospel right here.
B. We should preach and teach the Word.
Acts 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this
day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God.
Ro 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall
they hear without a preacher?
1. Do we understand the power of the gospel? It recuses
sinners from hell.
2. Do we understand that if we do not tell them, no one will?
That makes us the only means of their rescue.
What is the church for? In a nutshell, we represent God to the whole
world. Are you happy with the picture of God we are presenting?
<OutlineIndex>
<Close Window>
