Before Ralph comes up to preach, you can see the references there on the screen.
! So we're going to begin with Matthew chapter 28 and verse 16.
! And that's on page 1000 of the Church Bible.
Matthew chapter 28 and verse 16.
And we're going to read from verse 16 to 20.
And verse 13.
Good morning, everyone. It's good to see you.
And so on and so on and so on.
And so as we're looking over the next three weeks to answer this question of what is the church, we can think of it organically or institutionally.
So we can look at the flesh or we can look at the bones of the church.
And people these days, they love talking organically, don't they?
You know, flesh is soft and it's yielding and it's pretty.
But the thing is, flesh without bones isn't very pleasant to look at at all.
Okay. So this morning, we're going to start looking at the institutional bones of the church to give us some shape over the next few weeks.
But if you're more eager to hear about the organic images of the church, the church's body, the church's family, that's coming.
Okay. So I'm saying we're going to work through this.
There's a lot to the church.
But we're going to open the ears, the eyes of our hearts to see through the word what Jesus has to say about his kingdom and the church.
And this morning, we're going to be looking at the gospel of Matthew.
So let's just pray as we open up the word again and hear what God has to say.
Our Father, you love us immensely and you have given us all that we need for life and godliness.
And I thank you, Father, that you have given us one another.
We cannot and should not live the Christian life alone, but we should do it together as your gathering, as your church, as your people.
So help us now this morning to hear from you and to be a blessing one to another.
Amen.
So please do keep your Bibles open.
We'll be looking at each of those sections together.
Let me start with a question.
It's always a good way to start a sermon.
Who would you put in charge of the church?
Well, Jesus, of course.
Thank you for listening to today's sermon.
I'll dismiss you all early.
It's the obvious answer, isn't it?
But when we ask a slightly different version of that question, because all Christians would agree that Jesus is the head of the church.
If we ask the question, who on earth should be in charge of the church?
Christians begin to come up with quite different answers.
All Christians say that Jesus is the head of the church and he is in charge.
But when asked about who on earth Jesus has given authority to, you get these different ideas.
For the Roman Catholic Church, it's ultimately the Pope who is in charge and he holds the church together.
For Anglicanism or the Church of Ireland, it's the bishops connected together that hold the church.
Presbyterians, well, they rule the church by bringing elders from different churches together to meet and make decisions.
And many independent evangelical and Pentecostal churches, well, they go for the one man rule or the group of elders as the rulers of their individual church.
That brings us to this church, which is a Baptist church.
Now you have Baptist and congregational churches where the church is ruled by ordinary members and led by elders.
Who on earth is in charge of the church creates no little controversy and discussion.
But this morning I want to show from the scriptures as we look at the Bible that it is the ordinary members of a local church that Jesus puts in charge.
Ordinary members, extraordinarily gifted by the Spirit for that task.
So let's look again at Matthew chapter 28 and verses 16 to 20.
Well-known words.
These are the parting words of King Jesus to the apostles.
The marching orders.
Verse 18.
Look at verse 18.
All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus.
He is the King of kings.
Jesus is the ruler over heaven and earth.
And he commands his apostles to go and make disciples of all nations.
Baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything that he has commanded.
And surely he will be with them always to the very end of the age.
This is the great commission of King Jesus.
Jesus gives the church his name.
Jesus gives the church his mission.
And that is to share the gospel.
Go and spread the good news.
Baptize Christians into the faith.
But Jesus left.
Actually, soon after he said these words at the end of Matthew.
You've probably noticed Jesus isn't here with us this morning face to face.
He's not physically here in Carragoline Baptist Church on a Sunday morning.
So Jesus must give some means for his church to keep being the church in the world and through the centuries.
Because it's been 2,000 years.
So how does the church keep being the church through all the world, through all this time?
We're going to do a lot of flicking.
We're going to go back to Matthew chapter 16.
So let's go and look at Matthew 16, chapter 16, page 983, if you're using the church Bible.
And from verse 13.
I'm going to jump down to verse 15, right in the middle there.
Jesus asks his 12 disciples,
Who do you say I am?
And Peter, who's often a spokesperson,
on behalf of the disciples,
on behalf of the 12,
he says,
You are the Christ.
Or you are the Messiah.
That is the King.
The Son of the Living God.
Verse 16.
And in verse 17,
Jesus basically says,
Peter, you're right.
That's exactly who I am.
The Messiah.
The King.
The Son of the Living God.
And look at verse 18.
And Jesus then tells Peter
that Jesus will build his church on him
and his confession.
That's a church that's going to knock down the gates of hell,
the gates of Hades,
as it moves forward.
Jesus is going to build his church
on Peter and his confession.
We spoke about the different views
that churches take
on the idea of who rules the church on earth.
And these verses have created
no little debate
or controversy about these verses.
And they're often made to use,
they're often used to make the case
for the idea of having a pope
or for having a succession of bishops
to rule the church.
But this morning,
I want to focus on two things
from these verses
that are in focus for building the church.
Two things I think are clear.
And those two things
are a right confession
and a right confessor.
A right confession
and a right confessor.
We can say
that the church is built
on the confession,
the speaking, clearly,
of the right gospel
by people who love Jesus,
the right confessors.
Let me say that again.
We can say that the church
is built on the confession
of the right gospel
by people who love Jesus.
And Peter confesses
that Jesus is king.
Jesus is Messiah.
Back in verse 16.
That is a true confession.
Jesus is God's promised king.
He is God, the son, eternal.
So when Jesus talks about the church
in verse 18,
he said it is defined
by the rock of this true confession,
the rock of the gospel.
What we say about Jesus matters.
It must be true.
It must be the gospel.
That is the rock and foundation
of the church.
And the church is also defined
by the rock of a true confessor.
Peter knows and loves Jesus.
Jesus, in verse 17,
says that he is blessed,
a sign of his relationship to Jesus.
Peter is a Christian.
He is a follower called by Jesus
to carry Jesus' name,
to represent Jesus.
Jesus.
And Peter truly believes
and truly lives
by his confession of Jesus,
even as he fails
and sins many times.
He is still a true confessor.
And so we come to verse 19.
I will give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is the one who holds the keys.
He is the I here.
And he holds the keys
to the kingdom of heaven.
Because as we saw
at the end of Matthew,
all authority in heaven and earth
is given to Jesus.
He is the king.
And he can decide,
because he's the king,
in his absence,
who gets to hold the keys.
Who has the keys of the kingdom?
Jesus gets to decide
who's in charge of the church.
It's Jesus who decides,
not us.
We need to listen to Jesus.
The idea of holding
and using keys,
it's not a complicated idea.
But let's think about it a little.
You see,
I'm a kingdom owner.
Don't know if you realize that.
Admittedly,
it's a really small kingdom
and one that the bank
currently has an interest in.
But 14 Heatherfields
is, in a sense,
our little kingdom.
And I have to say our kingdom
because Cherry, of course,
is co-regent of our house and home.
It's king and queen,
Ralph and Cherry,
14 Heatherfields.
Now, the first house that we ruled
was actually 20 Drum and Ore
on the upper Kilmoney Road,
which is the other side of the town
from where we live now.
And it's the time, kids,
remember when we had the yellow car?
Yeah, the yellow car time
when we were living over on 20 Drum and Ore.
And back in 2009,
we had to go away for five months.
But we wanted our kingdom,
our little house,
looked after.
So,
in our infinite wisdom,
we left in the hands
of two college students.
And we entrusted
literal keys
for the house
to these two young lads.
And guess what?
They got to decide
on our behalf
who got in,
who enjoyed the pleasures
and the protections
of the kingdom,
who got the fridge,
who got the Wi-Fi,
who got the beds,
and who, in turn,
was kept out.
We left some instructions,
we checked in with them
a few times,
but you know what?
They had the keys.
We did stop short
of making them
taking a loyalty oath
to us as king and queen.
But for those five months,
those two students
had the authority
to represent us
at 20 Drum and Ore
on the upper Kilmoney Road.
Back to verse 19.
Jesus leaves
a set of keys
with Peter,
the representative
of the disciples.
It's a singular you.
I will,
Jesus,
I will give you,
that's Peter,
the keys.
And then Jesus says,
whatever you bind
on earth
is already bound
in heaven,
and whatever you
loose on earth
is already
loosed in heaven.
So having the keys
of the kingdom
on earth
authorizes
the holder
to pronounce
a judgment
on heaven's behalf.
There's a connection
between what is said
on earth
is reflected
in heaven
or
the other way,
what heaven's view
is actually
reflected on earth
because Jesus
is in charge.
You can say
the what
or who
is in or out
here on earth.
The what
or who
of the gospel
is in or out
on those two
based on
the heavenly
verdict.
Whatever is bound
and loosed
on our pronouncements
is a reflection
of what heaven
would say.
So what does
that mean?
If somebody
says something
or a church
says something,
we have to ask,
is this a true
confession
of the gospel?
Are these gospel
words?
Are they in keeping
with what Jesus
has said?
We have to
ask,
is this person
a true
confessor?
Are they living
in a way
that rightly
represents
Jesus?
These are the
kinds of
questions
for whoever
holds the keys,
for whoever
is in charge.
and I
realize
my slides,
yeah,
sorry,
let me keep
trying.
We need to
move very
slowly
here.
Jesus
has
ultimate
authority
and then
gives
exercise
of some
of that
authority
on earth
to those
that hold
the keys.
And I just
want to be
super clear
on this
this morning.
holding
and using
the keys
does not
give the
holder
of the keys
the power
to define
the gospel
or to make
someone a
Christian
or not.
That is really
important to
understand.
Holding the
keys does not
give us
authority over
the gospel
or over
people's
eternal
state
or souls.
Our
citizenship
in the
kingdom
of God
is not
given
or taken
by any
earthly
power
or any
earthly
exercise
of the
keys.
We are
not
physically
born into
the kingdom
of God.
We are
not baptized
as babies
into the
kingdom
of God.
We do not
purchase it
for one
million dollars
as a
golden
visa.
It is a
spiritual
citizenship
that God
gifts to
each one
of us
through
faith
and grace
alone.
One
by one
people are
born again
by the
spirit
into his
kingdom.
The good
news of
Jesus,
that news,
that gospel,
that comes
from Jesus.
And the
ultimate
declaration
of who is
in the
kingdom
comes from
King Jesus
on judgment
day.
The scriptures
tell us,
and they're on
the slide
up above,
so you don't
necessarily need to
turn to it
in your
Bibles.
2 Timothy
2.19
says this,
Nevertheless,
God's
solid
foundation
stands
firm.
Sealed
with this
inscription,
the Lord
knows
those who
are his.
And Romans
chapter 14
and verse 4
says,
Who are you
to judge
someone else's
servant?
To their
own
master,
servants
stand or
fall?
And they
will stand,
for the
Lord is
able to
make them
stand.
So no
man or
woman or
pope or
pastor or
synod or
local church
can pass
ultimate
judgment on
the state
of someone's
soul.
But using
the keys,
it's similar
to how a
judge makes
a ruling.
If you think
about a judge,
the judge
doesn't write
the law,
we don't
create the
gospel,
and a judge
does not
actually make
someone innocent
or guilty.
That's a
reality apart
from the
verdict.
A judge
simply declares
a verdict.
And the
true and
final verdict
always rests
in the
hands of
Jesus.
Will not
the judge
of all
the earth
do right?
But someone
must be
in charge
of the
church on
earth
and have
authority
from
Jesus
to render
a verdict
on the
gospel,
the confession,
and who
is a true
confessor.
Because this
is a kingdom,
if we think
about it,
this is a
kingdom whose
citizens
are spread
out through
all the
other kingdoms
of the world.
Didn't we get
the marching
orders,
the end of
Matthew,
going to
all the
world?
It wasn't
a kingdom
that would
sustain
Jerusalem
in the
temple
courts
defined
by nice
neat
boundary
walls.
Jesus'
kingdom on
earth has
no
physical
boundary,
no border.
Christians
go everywhere
with the
gospel.
And they
make other
Christians
through the
power of
the Holy
Spirit.
Jesus
brings them
to faith
and they're
brought into
the church.
But a
kingdom with
no border
has a
problem.
Anyone
can claim
to be a
citizen.
And anyone
can claim
that this
is the
true gospel.
Imposters,
false
teachers,
they can
all say
thus says
the Lord
and claim
I'm a
true follower
and so
the right
use of
the keys
is how
the world
knows
ultimately
who
represents
Jesus.
So we're
going to
turn now
to
Matthew
18,
a couple
of pages
on.
This is
the second
place,
Matthew
18 and
verse 15
where Jesus
mentions his
church and
the use
of the
keys.
Matthew
18 is
where Jesus
shows who
holds the
keys and
uses the
keys of
the kingdom
of heaven.
The who
gives a
verdict so
that the
world knows
who represents
Jesus.
Verse 15,
it starts
with a sin
issue.
A brother
that is a
Christian in a
church family
has sinned
against someone.
It is a sin
that is open
in some way
because in
verse 16
witnesses can
be brought
if needed.
So it's an
open sin.
It's a sin
that is
persistent
and it's
unrepented
because the
brother chooses
not to
listen to
his brothers
and sisters
within the
church family.
It is a
sin that is
serious
as it
brings into
question the
person's
claim of
being a
Christian.
So it's
public,
it's
persistent,
it's
serious.
Let's look
at verses
17 to
18.
If they
still refuse
to listen,
tell it to
the church.
And if they
refuse to
listen even
to the
church,
treat them
as you
would a
pagan or
a tax
collector.
Truly I
tell you,
whatever you
bind on
earth will
be bound
in heaven
and whatever
you loose
on earth
will be
loosed
in heaven.
What's the
final court
of appeal
on earth?
Who has
authority to
pass such
a judgment?
Well it
finally rests
with the
church.
Who's the
church?
Well I think
from here it's
clear that it's
people who can
gather in
person,
who knows
the brother
or sister
and can
pass a
verdict as
needed.
And in
this case
the church
passes a
verdict that
says we
can no
longer
affirm your
claim to
be a
Christian.
That's what
it means to
treat someone
as a pagan.
There's someone
of another
religion or
a tax
collector,
someone who
the world
would classify
as a sinner
even.
We can
no longer
validate your
claim to
be a
Christian.
We can
no longer
affirm that
because of
how you
are living
in unrepentant,
persistent,
public and
serious sin.
Jesus says
here that
the binding
and loosing
on earth,
verse 18,
the use of
the keys,
is entrusted
to members
of a
church,
those that
can gather
together and
pass a
verdict.
We know
from here
and elsewhere
in the New
Testament that
is ordinary
members of
the family,
ordinary church
members that
are involved
in the use
of these
keys,
local church
members
exercising
the authority
of Jesus
in matters
of belief
and practice.
Jesus says
bring it to
the church.
Bring such
matters of
persistent,
public and
serious sin
to the
family if
needed.
Bring it to
the church.
Why?
For the
sake of
the gospel.
For the
sake of
the glorious
name of
Jesus
Christ.
Jesus
tells us
that we
have his
spirit among
us as
the church
and we
hold the
keys of
the kingdom.
The you
in verse
18 is
now a
plural
you.
Chapter
16 it
was a
singular
you.
Chapter
18 it's
now a
plural
you.
And I
think verses
19 and
20 make
this even
clearer of
who is
exercising
the keys.
Again
truly I
tell you
if two
of you
on earth
agree about
anything they
ask for
it will be
done for
them by
my father
in heaven
for where
two or
three gather
in my
name there
I am
with them.
It's where
two or
three or
more are
gathered.
Jesus is
among them
by his
spirit as
they use
the keys
to give
a verdict.
A
gathered
church in
Jesus'
name can
use the
keys of
the kingdom
of heaven.
This is
profound
deeply
profound.
These are
weighty
matters as
we think
of the
skeleton
the
institutional
skeleton
of the
church.
And it's
profound
because
what
qualifies
you
or what
qualifies
me as
ordinary
members
to rule
Christ's
church.
Nothing.
Nothing
except the
truth that
Jesus has
called you,
that Jesus
has saved
you,
that Jesus
has made
you a
new creation
in him.
We are
qualified
simply by
being born
again and
by being
given his
spirit within
us, the
spirit among
the church.
Each one
of us who
are members
of the
church knows
the Lord
directly.
The spirit
is given to
the whole
church, all
its members,
not just its
leaders.
It's not
like old
Israel where
you were
physically born
into it,
whether you
believed or
not, and
had that
mixed
community.
The new
covenant
community, the
church is a
community filled
with people
who know
the Lord
and have
the spirit.
That's why
it's so
important as
we bring
people into
the church
that they
confess Jesus
and that they
love Jesus.
And that's not
a super high
barrier by the
way, that's
who Jesus
accepts, who
Jesus has
called, and
everyone that
Jesus accepts,
the church
accepts.
We are
all the
prophets and
the priests
and the
kings in
Christ.
1 Corinthians
chapter 6,
I mean, people
say, well, I
don't read about
membership in
the Bible.
Where do you
see the word
membership?
And that's a
good argument.
Don't see it.
But yet every
single page, I
would argue, of
the New
Testament requires
it and supports
it and points
to it.
Because the
one anothering
that we see
in the
scriptures is
simply not
possible without
people in
this community,
this covenanting
together, this
care and
support.
Here's an
encouragement
that Paul gives
the church in
Corinth who
weren't sure
whether they
could weigh in
on matters.
Do you not
know that the
Lord's people
will judge the
world?
And if you
are to judge
the world, are
you not
competent to
judge trivial
cases here on
earth now?
Do you not
know that we
will judge
angels?
How much
more the
things of
this life?
It's the
confidence that
Christ has put
in his people
through his
spirit to be
able to keep
his gospel and
to keep one
another in the
faith.
What does
this look like?
So let's get
practical.
We've read a
lot of
scripture.
Maybe it's
kicked off a
few questions.
Maybe you're
thinking of
different things
about the
church or
churches you've
been in.
So let me
talk a little
bit about what
this looks like
in practice in
a church like
ours.
In
Karageline
Baptist Church,
we affirm the
gospel and we
help one another
to stay true to
the Lord.
it's not that
complicated in
some ways.
We affirm the
gospel and we
help one another
to stay true to
the Lord as we
exercise the keys
of the kingdom
of heaven.
And the Bible
gives us lots
of images of
how the church
works organically
as I've said.
And Johnny
will show us
over the next
couple of weeks
about the image
of the body
and the family
over the next
two Sundays.
So again,
there's more
about the church
than what has
been said this
morning.
But institutionally
as a kingdom,
we exercise the
keys as a
church.
I'm just going
to put up a
slide there with
some examples,
but let me just
highlight a few
of them.
So some examples
of what it means
to be members
of the kingdom,
some examples
of the organizational
skeleton of the
church.
So the members
of this church
welcome in new
members.
That's the who
of the gospel.
We welcome
them in as
fellow members.
We recognize
their confession.
We recognize
them as a true
confessor.
The members
of this church
maintain a
statement of
faith, the
what of the
gospel.
It's another
way that we
exercise the
keys.
We pass
judgment on
what is the
gospel.
The members
of this church
recognizes and
affirms its own
leaders.
It's an
incredible
responsibility that
we call
faithful men
who hold to
and live out
in an exemplary
fashion the
deep truths of
the gospel as
our elders.
I'm going to
give one
example.
The members
back in
February 2019,
we debated
and voted on
a proposal to
add this to
our statement
of faith at
a members
meeting in
February 2019.
Let me read
it out.
Humanity,
number four,
we have about
a dozen or
so parts to
our statement
of faith.
We believe
in the
creation of
humanity,
male and
female,
by God
and in
the image
of God,
equal in
value and
complementary
in role,
the creation
ordinance of
marriage as
a lifelong
exclusive
union between
one man
and one
woman.
This one
flesh union
establishes the
only normative
pattern of
sexual relations
for men
and women.
And a number
of scripture
references are
given.
Why did we
do this as
members of
the church?
Because God's
good design for
humanity,
his creation
of us as
men and
women,
is a gospel
shaping issue.
An issue
that in the
past all
Christian churches
would have
assumed.
They wouldn't
have written
this down
in this
form,
but now
must be
something
explicitly
said to
ensure that
our confession
of the
gospel is
in keeping
with what
the Bible
says.
Now,
what does
this mean
for you
this morning
as you
listen to
this teaching,
this sermon
on the
church and
membership?
firstly,
if you
aren't a
Christian
this morning,
Jesus is
calling you
to himself.
Jesus is
the king
who lays
down his
life for
his subjects.
And so
Jesus calls
you to turn
away from
living for
yourself,
to repent
of your
sin,
and to put
your trust
in him.
Don't delay.
pray and
ask for
the forgiveness
of your
sins today.
If you're
a member
of this
church,
Christ has
saved you,
and he has
brought you
into membership
to keep
you,
and to
keep his
gospel.
And you
and I
have this
job together
as members
of ensuring
that the
gospel remains
clear and
at the
center of
all that we
do as a
church.
And I
need you,
and you
need me,
and we
need one
another to
keep the
gospel.
Are you
growing closer
to the
members of
the church?
Are you
fulfilling your
role as
holders of
the keys
that Christ
has given?
Or as a
member, do you
leave it to
others when
it is Jesus
that has
called you?
If you're
a Christian
and you're
not a
member, can
I simply
ask why
not?
I ask to
prompt some
reflection on
what Jesus
says through
his word.
For some
of you, the
idea of
membership and
authority and
keys and all
this talk might
be very new.
So if you
are a new
Christian or
a young
Christian or
something you've
not considered,
Jesus says
that you're to
be baptized and
to become a
member of a
local church.
And you are
welcome, I
would say, even
as a child, if
you know and
love the Lord and
you can understand
these things, as
a child or even
as a new
Christian, to be
a member of
the church here
in Carragoline.
Maybe you've
thought about
membership before,
it's just not
something for me.
I've thought
about it, it's
just, you know.
But what makes
it something for
others and then
not something for
you?
How do we end
up with those
categories?
It's worth
coming again to
the Lord and
bringing to him
whatever it is
that keeps you
from fully
linking arms
with the other
Christians in this
church.
for some, I
know it is
previous hurts,
it is bad
experiences of
church life,
maybe even
within this
church, that
would hold you
back.
You're still
happy to attend,
confident to
fellowship, to
receive pastoral
care, to give
to the church
financially, and
even to say,
well, this is my
church.
I understand
that it can be
hard to have
confidence to
become a member
of a local
church.
And what I
would say is
whatever your
situation, if
you're a young
Christian, a new
Christian, a
Christian that's
thought about
this before and
just said, not
for me, Christ
has called you to
be under the
care and the
oversight of a
local church for
your sake, for
the sake of
others, and for
the sake of the
gospel.
We are not
called to put up
boundaries.
We're not called
to stay outside on
our terms.
It's his church.
The gospel is
lived out in
community with
others.
To be a member
of the church is
to stand with
others, saved by
grace, and to
affirm one
another's profession
of faith, and to
have insurance
together as we
link arms.
That's where
Jesus wants you
to be, assured
in the faith,
linking arms with
others.
There's much
more to the
church than
what we looked
at this morning,
so I pray that
we can hear the
words of Jesus
clearly over
these coming
weeks, and see
his good design
in this world
to provide
embassies on
earth for his
kingdom through
local churches
that are full of
members who
preserve, protect,
and proclaim the
gospel together.
Let's pray.
King Jesus, you
thankfully rule
over the
heavens and the
whole earth.
Nothing is hidden
from your sight.
You know all our
hearts, and we are
laid bare before
you, what you say
in your word, and
by your Holy
Spirit every time.
Father, I pray that
our hearts would be
lifted up towards
you this morning,
that we would love
you more, that we
would have a godly
jealousy for your
name, for your
kingdom, for your
gospel, that we
would have a deeper
and wider and more
generous love for one
another.
And Father, that the
bonds of Christian
love and unity would
be strengthened in
Cargoline Baptist
Church.
We need one
another to hold
those keys, to
keep the gospel, to
pass it on, and to
help one another to
stay the course.
Oh Jesus, you are
gracious and kind.
Father, you have
given us your
only Son, and you
have poured out your
Spirit into our
lives.
You have given us
everything that we
need for life and
godliness, and we
thank you for that.
All glory be to
you.
Amen.
It said,