Father, you have given to us wonderful gifts.
You have given to us the gift of your word,
inspired by you, written down,
so that we can read it and hear your voice to us today.
And thank you that you have given to us also the gift of your Holy Spirit
to open up our minds,
that we may understand not just intellectually,
but we may understand spiritually the things that you are teaching us and showing us.
And we ask for his help,
that we may understand what it is to be your people.
And we ask, Father, that through our study this morning,
we would be encouraged,
and we would be built up together,
and that we would live well as your people in this world.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
So what comes to mind when you hear the word church?
Perhaps a worship service you attend on a Sunday morning.
Maybe it's an old building with beautiful architecture and stained glass windows.
Maybe you see church as an outdated institution that's no longer relevant.
Or perhaps church stirs up emotions of fear and hate,
memories of abuse and hurt.
It's important then for us when we think about church
to understand what we mean by church.
Well, in the Bible, the word simply means
a gathering of God's people.
In fact, the whole story of the Bible is God's plan
and God's promise to create a people for himself,
a people who are gathered around the Lord Jesus.
So at the very beginning of our Bibles,
in Exodus 6 verse 7, it says this.
I think it's all on your notes there.
I will take you as my own people
and I will be your God.
So God's promise to his people Israel
to gather them to himself, to rescue them,
and they would be his people.
And then at the very end of the Bible,
in Revelation chapter 21,
we get the fulfillment of that promise
and that plan.
where it says,
look, God's dwelling place is now among the people.
They will be his people
and God himself will be with them
and be their God.
So God's plan from before the creation of the world
is to create a people for himself
and he is fulfilling that throughout history.
And one day,
that will come to its ultimate fulfillment
as we are gathered around the Lord Jesus
in the new heavens and the new earth.
So first, when we come to think about church,
we need to see it as a who,
not a what.
Church is not a building.
This is not church.
This is the community center.
The church may be in this building,
but it's not the building itself.
It's not a service
or it's not an institution.
It is a people who are saved by God
and are belonging to God.
So look, for example,
how Paul writes his letter to the church
in Ephesus chapter 1, verse 1.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God,
to God's holy people in Ephesus,
the faithful,
that is those who have faith in Christ Jesus.
And then at the end of the letter,
the very last couple of verses,
chapter 6, verse 23 and 24,
he says,
Peace to the brothers and sisters.
And love with faith from God,
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ
with an undying love.
So the church is a people,
brothers and sisters,
united together in their faith in Christ
and their love for Christ.
They are God's holy people
who have been called out
from the world to himself.
So when we think about church,
we think who,
not a what.
Second, when we think of church,
we need to see it as both
a local gathering
and a heavenly gathering.
So again, go back to chapter 1, verse 1.
So we're thinking of church as a who,
it's a people,
but it's also a local gathering
and a heavenly gathering.
So verse 1, he says,
to God's holy people in Ephesus.
It's a local gathering of God's people
in the city of Ephesus.
And that's how Paul writes many of his letters.
So he writes to the church of God in Corinth.
Or to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi.
To God's holy people in Colossae.
So the church is a local gathering of believers in Christ.
And this is what this gathering is here.
It's a local gathering of believers in Christ,
in Carigalline.
But it's much more than just a local gathering of believers.
Ralph referred to this earlier on,
just before we sang.
So chapter 2, verse 6.
So the believers are a local gathering,
but also, chapter 2, verse 6,
And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with him
in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
So where is the church now?
Well, it's a local gathering,
but in verse 6, chapter 2, verse 6,
it's also saying that we are already seated
with Christ in the heavenly realms.
Now, we don't fully experience that yet
in all its fullness,
but from God's perspective,
as he looks at the church now,
we are already part of the eternal heavenly gathering.
You see, the church is not just this temporary thing we do
until we get to heaven
and then we dump church and put it to one side.
No, heaven is church in all its fullness.
It's a continuation.
We don't stop being the church
when Christ comes again.
We continue as the church for all eternity.
You see, the local church,
this gathering of believers here in this location,
is a visible manifestation.
It's a picture of the eternal heavenly gathering
that is to come.
John Stott, a well-respected writer and pastor,
put it like this.
You have it on your notes.
Follow along with me.
He explains it like this.
He says,
The church lies at the very centre of the eternal purpose of God.
It is not a divine afterthought.
It's not an accident in history.
On the contrary, the church is God's new community.
For his purpose, conceived in past eternity,
being worked out in history,
and to be perfected in a future eternity,
is not just to save isolated individuals
and so perpetuate our loneliness,
but rather to build his church.
That is, to call out of the world
a people for his own glory.
So the church isn't just this made-up idea.
It is God's plan and purpose from before time began,
which will reach its fulfilment
when all God's people
from all lots of local churches
from around the world
will be gathered together with him.
God's church is at the very centre
of his plan and promise for the world.
So let's unpack this a little bit more
under two headings.
First, defining who the church is.
Defining who the church is.
We've seen that the church is a who.
It's a people.
It's also a local gathering,
which is a visible expression
of our eternal heavenly gathering.
But who is the church?
Is everybody here in this room
or in this building
part of the church?
Can anyone be part of the church?
I mean, how do you become
part of the church?
Well, hopefully, the Bible gives us
a great image for the church,
the head and the body.
So have a look at chapter 1,
verse 21.
Ephesians chapter 1, verse 21.
So here, Paul has been talking about
how God had raised Christ from the dead.
And he tells us Christ was raised,
verse 21,
far and above all rule and authority,
power and dominion,
and every name that is invoked,
not only in the present age,
but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things
under Christ's feet
and appointed him to be head
over everything for the church.
So Christ is the head.
Christ is the ruler of the church.
He has absolute power
and supreme authority
over all people
and over all things,
over everything in this universe.
He is over it all
for the good of the church.
I don't own the church.
I may be pastor of this local church,
but I don't own it.
We don't own the church.
The church belongs to Christ.
He is the head.
He is the supreme one
over all things.
Now read on.
The church, verse 23,
which is his body,
the fullness of him
who fills everything
in every way.
So the church,
Christ is the head.
The church is the body.
We're under the head.
We submit to the head.
But more than that,
the head is our source of life.
That's what I think is meant
by that little phrase,
the fullness of him
who fills everything
in every way.
Not only is the church
an expression of Christ,
the body of Christ,
but all of Christ
is in his people.
So he is the source
of true life.
And without the head,
there is no life.
So if Christ is the head
and the church,
the people,
are the body,
well, we're still back
to the same question.
Who is part of the body?
Who gets to make up
the body of Christ?
Well, two things.
First,
the body
are sinners
who are saved
by grace.
The body
are sinners
saved by grace.
So chapter 2,
verse 1.
As for you,
he's talking to
the local church,
as for you,
you are dead
in your transgressions
and sins.
Now that leaves us
in a dangerous position.
To be dead in our sin
is not a good place to be.
It's not just living
as we please.
It puts us in danger.
We see that at the end
of verse 3.
Because of our sin,
end of verse 3,
like the rest,
we were by nature
deserving of wrath.
Because of our rebellion,
because of our turning
against God,
we're under
his just judgment.
And that's a dangerous
place to be
because to stand
before God's judgment
means to be
separated from him
for all eternity,
not as the gathered
people of God
in the new heavens
and the new earth,
but separated
from the people of God
and from God himself
in hell.
But thankfully,
God kept his promise
to gather a people
to himself.
So, verse 4,
but because of his
great love for us,
God, who is rich
in mercy,
made us alive
with Christ
even when we were
dead in transgressions.
It is by grace
you have been saved.
God has intervened
into our lives
by his Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
He has saved,
he has rescued
his people
by taking upon himself
the judgment
they deserve,
the wrath of God
has fallen on Christ
and in its place
they are given
new life
with Christ.
And that gift
of salvation
is for all those
who will trust in him.
So,
if today
you are here
and your faith
is in Jesus Christ,
you are saved.
It's by grace.
It's not because
of something you've done.
It's not because
of your background
or your heritage
or your family
who you belong to.
It's by God's
gracious gift.
You are no longer
dead.
You are no longer
under God's wrath
and judgment
but you are now
living under
your new head,
your new ruler,
Jesus Christ.
Verse 6,
And God has raised
us with Christ
and seated us
with him
in the heavenly realms
in Christ Jesus.
So,
those who are
in the body,
those who are part
of the body of Christ
are sinners
who have been
saved by grace
and are now,
as it were,
gathered with the
Lord Jesus
in the heavenly realms.
But not only
are those saved
by grace,
they are now
members
of one body.
So,
have a look at
chapter 3,
verse 6.
Those who are
saved by grace
become members
of the one body.
Chapter 3,
verse 6.
This mystery,
so the mystery
he's been talking
about is not
something that's
secret,
it has now been
revealed by God,
his plan and promise
to make a people
for himself.
That's the mystery
that has been
revealed.
So,
he tells us,
this mystery,
is that through
the gospel,
the Gentiles,
Gentiles are people
who are not Jews,
are heirs together
with Israel.
Members together
of one body
and sharers together
in the promise
in Christ Jesus.
So,
through the gospel,
through the good news
of Jesus Christ,
as that good news
spread to all
different peoples
from all different
backgrounds,
they were achieving
God's plan
and promise
which was to bring
a people together
for himself.
They would become
members of one
body,
the body of Christ.
So,
no matter what
your race is,
no matter what
your culture,
or what your
background,
it doesn't matter
whether you are
Jew or Gentile,
rich or poor,
whether you are
male or female,
through faith in
Christ,
we become
members of
the body of
Christ.
Or as it has
at the end
of verse 6,
we are sharers
together in the
promise in
Christ Jesus.
We are incorporated
together as
God's people.
So,
the body
are sinners
saved by grace
who become
members of
that one body.
And if we are
members of the
body of Christ,
that is expressed
in two ways.
It's expressed
through baptism
and the Lord's
Supper.
So,
let's take
each one in
turn.
First,
baptism.
You can turn
to this if you
like,
but I think
it's on your
notes.
In Acts 19,
Luke,
the author,
gives an
account of
when Paul
first went
to Ephesus.
So,
before there
was a church,
before there
was a gathering
of God's
people,
Paul went
there,
others had
been there,
they'd been
teaching and
sharing the
good news
of Christ.
And as
Paul went
there,
they had
been talking
about John
the Baptist.
And they
talked about
the baptism
of John
the Baptist.
And Paul
responds to
their discussions
and he says
this in Acts
19,
verses 4 and
5.
He told,
Paul told
the people
to believe
in the one
coming after
him.
that is the
one coming
after John
the Baptist,
that is in
Jesus.
And as they
heard about
Jesus on
hearing this,
they were
baptized into
the name of
the Lord
Jesus.
They heard
the gospel,
they believed
the gospel,
and in
response,
they were
baptized into
the name of
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
So they
effectively,
when we
are baptized,
when they
were baptized,
they were
saying,
yes,
on the one
hand,
I believe
in Christ,
I believe
in Jesus,
but yet I
also belong
to his
family,
to the
body of
Jesus,
to Christ's
family.
So when
we're being
baptized,
it is both
a commitment
to Christ
to say,
yes,
I believe
in Christ,
but it is
also a
commitment to
the church
saying,
yes,
I am
now part
of God's
family.
And second,
the Lord's
Supper.
I think
we need
to go to
1 Corinthians
chapter 11
for this.
When we
think about
church,
it's not
that there's
one particular
letter or
one particular
passage in
the Bible
which says
this is what
church is
all about.
it's taught
throughout in
many different
ways.
So let's
go to
1 Corinthians
chapter 11.
It's back
a few
pages.
1 Corinthians
chapter 11.
So in
this section
chapter 11,
the second
half of it
is all about
the Lord's
Supper.
chapter 11,
but there's
been a problem
in the church.
So chapter 11,
verse 18.
And he's
responding,
Paul's
responding to
the problem
in the church.
He says,
in the first
place,
I hear that
when you come
together as
a church,
now isn't
that significant?
He's writing
to a church
and he's
saying,
look,
as you come
together,
as you meet
together as
God's people,
there are
divisions among
you.
And to some
extent,
I believe
it.
You see,
the Lord's
Supper was
to be a
meal to
remember
Christ's
death,
which was
also an
expression of
their unity
in Christ.
But that's
not how they
were celebrating
it.
Look at
verse 20.
He says,
so then,
when you
come together,
it is not
the Lord's
Supper you
eat.
For when
you're eating,
some of
you go
ahead with
your own
private
supper.
So,
you can
imagine this
church gathering,
there's people
who are very
rich and
wealthy and
they've got
their own
homes and
things are
going well
for them and
then there's
people who
aren't so
well off and
it seems
they've kind
of divided
themselves and
the wealthy
ones are all
off together
having a
great time and
they're forgetting
those who
don't have
anything.
So,
as a result,
one person
remains hungry
and another
one gets
drunk,
don't you
have homes
to eat and
drink in?
Or do you
despise the
church of
God by
humiliating
those who
have nothing?
What shall
I say to
you?
Shall I
praise you?
Certainly
not in
this matter.
Verse 29,
for those
who eat
and drink
without
discerning
the body
of Christ
eat and
drink
judgment
on
themselves.
So,
it was a
serious
matter when
they came
to celebrate
the Lord's
Supper.
They needed
to remember
that not
only were
they remembering
that Christ
died for
them as a
people,
but it was
also a
meal where
they came
together in
unity to
express the
fact that
they were
one body,
that Christ
had brought
them together
from all
kinds of
different
backgrounds
to be
one people.
So,
as they
ate the
Lord's
Supper,
as they
ate the
bread and
drank the
wine together,
it was an
affirmation of
their ongoing
faith in
Christ.
Yes,
in our
baptism,
it was a
once-off,
I believe
in Jesus,
and as they
shared in
the communion
or in the
Lord's
Supper
together,
they were
saying,
yes,
I continue
on in my
faith in
Christ.
But not
just that,
I continue
on in my
commitment
to the
church
body,
to the
church
family.
So,
we could
put it
this way,
baptism is
a celebration
of a
family birth.
When somebody
is baptized,
it is like
a new
birth.
Someone is
being added
to God's
family because
they've trusted
in Christ.
And the
Lord's
Supper is
like a
family meal.
family.
It's
where the
family gather
together to
renew and
to remind
themselves of
being one
body together,
trusting in
Christ.
Now,
before we move
on,
I'd like us to
think about this
a little bit
more for our
own lives.
You can answer
these for
yourself.
And the
first one is
this,
are you in
the body
of Christ?
Very simply,
are you a
Christian?
are you
trusting in
Jesus?
The invitation
from Ephesians,
you can go back
to Ephesians,
is very clear
that Christ
has done all
the work for
you.
He's died
your death
for you.
He's lived
the perfect
life for you.
So trust
him.
Know his
forgiveness.
Know his
acceptance so
that you can
be part of
the body
of Christ.
Christ.
So are you
a Christian?
Are you in
the body
of Christ?
You need
to answer
that question
today for
yourself.
If you are
in the body
of Christ
and you say,
yes,
I am a
Christian,
let me ask
you,
have you
been
baptized?
Do you
take the
Lord's
Supper?
If not,
why not?
Or maybe
you're a
Christian,
you say,
well,
I've been
baptized,
but I
don't take
the Lord's
Supper,
or,
yes,
I'm a
Christian,
I take
the Lord's
Supper,
but I'm
not
baptized.
Both are
commands from
the Lord
to make it
visible and
clear that,
yes,
I believe
in Christ,
and yes,
I belong to
his church
family.
The two go
together.
They shouldn't
be separated.
So let me
ask you,
if you are
in the
body of
Christ,
have you
been
baptized,
and do
you share
in the
Lord's
Supper?
And if
you don't,
why not?
So,
summary so
far,
under
defining who
the church
is.
The church
are those
who are in
the body
of Christ
through faith,
which is
expressed in
baptism
and the
Lord's
Supper.
Very simple.
The church,
the true
church,
are those
who are
in the
body of
Christ
through
their faith
in Christ,
and that
faith in
Christ is
expressed in
baptism,
which is
once-off,
and the
Lord's
Supper,
which continues
until Christ
comes again.
So,
that's
defining who
the church
is.
Second,
identifying
who the
church is.
So,
they're
parallel,
they're
similar,
but I
hope as
we go
along we'll
see that
there's a
difference.
We define
who the
church is,
and now we
want to
identify who
the church
is.
It's
important to
understand that
we don't
separate being
a Christian
from being
in the
church.
So,
if you
are in
Christ,
you are
in the
church.
Look at
the three
images or
pictures that
were given
in Ephesians
chapter 2.
Let's have
a look at
verse 15.
Ephesians
chapter 2
verse 15.
The middle
of verse 15.
So,
it's going
back to
God's plan
and God's
promise.
Ephesians
2
verse 15.
His
purpose
was to
create in
himself one
new humanity
out of the
two.
So,
from the
Jews,
from the
Gentiles,
to creating
himself out
of all
these people
one new
humanity,
thus making
peace.
And in
one body,
so through
the body
of Jesus
Christ,
to reconcile
both of
them to
God
through the
cross,
by which he
put to
death their
hostility.
So,
Christ has
come through
his death
on the
cross and
by his
resurrection
to bring
a people
together for
himself,
a new
community,
a new
people under
him.
Verse 19.
consequently,
so he's
saying,
look,
in light
of what
Christ has
done,
this is
who you
are.
Because
Christ has
died for
you,
because he's
brought you
together,
this is
who you
are.
And he
gives us
three brilliant
pictures to
describe who
the members
of the
body are.
First,
he says,
you are
citizens with
God's people.
Verse 19,
consequently,
you are no
longer foreigners
and strangers,
but fellow
citizens with
God's people.
You see,
when you're
born in a
country,
you become a
citizen of
that country.
It's an
automatic right.
You're born in
Ireland,
well,
you're Irish.
You receive
all the
privileges and
responsibilities
of being a
citizen.
In the same
way,
Christ's death
for us
makes us
citizens
of God's
nation.
We become
citizens with
the already
citizens that
God has
made.
We are
God's people
together.
Not only
citizens with
God's people,
another picture
he gives,
he says,
we're like
children of
God's family.
So look at
the end of
verse 19.
We are
also members
of his
household.
So again,
when a
child is
born into
a family,
they get
to be
treated as
part of
the family.
They don't
become a
brother and
sister to
their siblings
by their
very birth
into the
family.
They are
already a
brother and
sister with
their siblings.
It's
something the
child receives
and enjoys
at birth.
Well,
through our
faith in
Christ,
we become
children.
we become
part of
his family.
It's an
automatic
privilege.
And then
the third
picture,
verse 22,
he describes
church as
being a
dwelling for
God's
presence.
So verse
22,
and in
him,
in Christ,
you too
are being
built together
to become a
dwelling in
which God
lives by
his spirit.
So just
as a
builder goes
out and
he takes
his blocks
and he
puts them
one on
top of
the other
to build
a house,
so Christ
takes us
as individuals
and builds
us together.
We're
incorporated
together.
We're a
living structure
where God
dwells by
his spirit.
Now,
these are all
images and
pictures of
the local
church.
In each
picture,
the individuals
make up the
whole.
Citizens
make up the
nation.
Children
make up the
family.
People like
stones make
up the
building.
And they're
also related
to each
other.
There is a
union, a
relationship,
an interdependence.
You see,
the Bible never
ever speaks of
Christians in
isolation.
If you are a
Christian,
Christian, you
don't get to
decide whether
or not you
become part of
the church.
It's not
something you
think, well,
I'm a
Christian, and
go, I
wonder if I'll
become part of
the church.
If you are a
Christian, the
question is not
will I become a
member of the
church, but how
am I going to
live out my
membership?
Here's a
quote, and I
think it's on
your page from
Timison Chester.
They say, by
becoming a
Christian, I
belong to
God and I
belong to my
brothers and
sisters.
It is not that I
belong to God and
then make a
decision to join a
local church.
My being in
Christ means being
in Christ with
those who are
in Christ.
Christ.
And that's how
Paul treats these
believers here, as
he writes.
He speaks to the
church, the body of
believers.
He's not writing to
individuals, but to
a family, a
nation, a
building, people
who are one.
So we look to
that one example in
chapter 3, verse 6.
He says, you are
members together of
one body.
Look at chapter 4,
verse 16.
From him, from
Christ, the whole
body is joined and
held together by
every supporting
ligament and it
grows and it
builds itself up in
love as each part
does its work.
Or chapter 4,
verse 25.
Therefore, each of
you must put off
falsehood and speak
truthfully to your
neighbour, for we
are all members of
one body.
You see, we can't
live in isolation.
It never, ever
speaks of a
Christian being on
their own, ever.
So, we are
members of one
body.
Second, identifying
through membership.
Now, all of this is
good, what we've
looked at so far.
It helps us see that
we not only belong to
Christ, but we
but we also belong to
the church.
But how do we
identify who is in
the local church?
We've already
identified at one
level or defined it
as those who believe
in Christ and trust
Christ, which has
been expressed through
baptism and the
Lord's Supper.
But how do we
identify who is in
the local church?
How do we know who
belongs to
Carigoline Baptist
Church?
It would be an
interesting thing to
ask, and I'm not
going to ask you to
do it, but for
people to put up
their hands and
say, do you belong
to Carigoline Baptist
Church?
Who of you would put
up your hand?
I'm not asking you to
do that, just putting
it out there.
Is it whoever turns up
on a given Sunday?
So what about somebody
who comes just once a
month or somebody who
appears twice a year?
Does that make you
part of Carigoline
Baptist Church?
How do you define it?
How do you identify
who the people are?
Do we just have to
kind of have this
magical kind of,
oh, and we all know
who it is?
Well, church
membership is the
formal way of
identifying who
belongs to a local
church.
But you say, ah,
Johnny, you haven't
read your Bible very
well.
Because membership
isn't in the Bible,
is it?
I've read my Bible,
I've read through
Ephesians, and
membership in this
formal sense is not
there.
Well, let me ask you,
is the word Trinity
in your Bible?
Anybody ever come
across the word
Trinity?
It's not there.
But the teaching of
Trinity is.
God is one in three
persons, Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
It's a word that
teaches us and tells
us what and who
God is.
Now, the word
membership in this
formal way might be
in your Bible, but the
teaching and the
practice is.
It's all over the
place.
Let me give you one
example.
In fact, it's
assumed in the
book of Ephesians,
as we've been
reading, it's
addressed to a
particular people in
a particular place.
But I want to go and
show you this a little
bit more.
Go to Acts chapter
20.
Acts chapter 20.
So if you wanted
further background on
Ephesians, you could
read chapters 19 and
20.
So at this point, the
church has already been
established.
Paul had visited it a
number of times.
And now he's
traveling back from a
visit from modern-day
Greece, and he's kind
of coming back down
sort of around the
Mediterranean, down
along the coast of
modern-day Turkey, and
he's heading towards
Jerusalem.
And on the way, he
stops at this little
place called Miletus,
which is just south of
Ephesus on the coast.
So chapter 20, verse
16.
Paul had decided to
sail past Ephesus to
avoid spending time in
the province of Asia, for
he was in a hurry to
reach Jerusalem, if
possible, by the day of
Pentecost.
From Miletus, so he
stopped there for a
little while, Paul sent
to Ephesus for the
elders of the church.
So it's like a meeting
he'd arranged.
He sent a message
saying, guys, come
over down to Miletus,
I want to have a chat
with you.
And listen to what he
says to the elders of
the church.
Verse 28.
Keep watch over
yourselves and all the
flock of which the
Holy Spirit has made
you overseers.
Be shepherds of the
church of God, which
he bought with his own
blood.
I know that after I
leave, savage wolves
will come in among you
who will not spare the
flock.
The savage wolves, of
course, were false
teachers.
Verse 30.
Even from your own
number, from your own
number, men will arise
and distort the truth in
order to draw away
disciples after them.
So be on your guard.
Now, that simple
reading implies three
things that I want us
to think through
carefully.
First, there is
clearly an
identifiable church
with elders.
A clearly
identifiable church
with elders.
He sends a message
for the elders
in the church at
Ephesus.
In other words, it's
a defined local
church of believers.
And even when he
goes on to warn
them, he says,
look, there may be
people who come
from within your
own number.
A defined group of
people he's talking
about again.
So there were those
who were definitely
in the church at
Ephesus and they
were able to define
and know who they
were and identify
who they were.
And there were
those who were not
in the church at
Ephesus.
So first, there was
a clearly identifiable
church with elders.
Second, the church
knows who the
elders are.
So as we read
through 28 and 29,
the elders are given
the responsibility
for shepherding,
for caring,
for protecting
the flock.
the church, yes,
are God's people.
He died for them.
He bought them with
his own blood.
Nevertheless, the
elders are given
responsibility for
the church.
The elders are not a
secret society that
nobody knows who
they are.
The church all knows
who the elders are.
They've been affirmed
and appointed by the
church and we can
read that through
Titus.
So if you have a
look at Titus
chapter 1, that
when people went,
they appointed elders
for every church.
So practically,
yes, we have elders
in this church.
If you don't know
who they are,
they're Alex,
Jonathan,
Ralph,
and myself.
But how were the
elders appointed in
this church?
Is it whoever
happens to be here
on a Sunday gets
to decide and say,
yep, we'll have
them as elder?
No, the elders are
appointed and affirmed
by the members of
the church.
It wouldn't be good,
for example,
if 20 people,
let's just say,
and why not think
this, like 30 people
decide to come in
next Sunday and
they're here for a
couple of weeks
and they decide,
well, we'll have
them, they'll be elder.
And then they leave
and we never see
them again.
I mean, is that
how it works?
No, it doesn't.
The church knows
who the elders are
because they have
been affirmed
by the church
themselves.
And then third,
the elders know
who the church are.
God has made
the elders shepherds
over the flock.
That doesn't mean
that every single
Christian in the
whole region of
Turkey, Ephesus
was in Turkey,
does that mean the
elders were over
all the Christians
in that place?
No, the flock
are a defined
number of people.
They are shepherds
of the flock,
look at verse 28,
of which the Holy
Spirit has made you
overseers.
There are specific
people, specific
sheep that the
shepherds are to
look after, to care
for.
It's specific.
So let's ask another
question.
How do the elders of
Caragalline Baptist
Church know who the
flock are?
How do I know who I
am meant to pastor?
Are they all the
people who ever
come in?
Or people who
regularly come?
Or all the
Christians that there
might be around
Caragalline?
Who's responsible?
Well, they need to
be identified.
And membership is
the way of doing
that.
So membership is
not just this mad
idea that we've
come up with.
It's a teaching and
a practice of the
local church which
is set out in the
New Testament.
And we believe that
membership is best
and right.
It's good for the
church.
We don't and we
can't force people
to become members.
members.
Yet we see it as
the best way of
identifying who the
church is so they
are incorporated
together and, well,
hold elders
accountable and the
elders know who
they are caring for.
So if you're here
this morning and you
consider this to be
your local church
and you would put up
your hand and say,
yes, Caragalline
Baptist Church is the
church that I belong
to.
Well, let me
encourage you.
Why don't you speak
to one of the
elders and let's
together identify
who the church is?
Now, you might want
to come back to me
and talk to me about
some of these things.
But I want us to
think through carefully
what God's word is
saying.
So in summary, we've
defined who the
church is.
We've identified the
church is.
The church is not a
what but a who.
They're people.
People like you and
me.
A local gathering of
God's people which is a
visible expression or a
visible demonstration of
the eternal heavenly
gathering.
The church are those
who are in the body
of Christ.
Sinners saved by
grace through faith
which has been
expressed through
baptism and the
Lord's Supper and
identified through
church membership.
The church is no
small matter.
It is at the very
center, the very
heart of God's plan
and promise for the
world.
He is gathering a
people to himself
to display his
glory and a church
that will go out and
invite and call
others so that they
too may be part of
the body of Christ.
Let's pray together.
Father, we thank you