Intersected

• The world came onto existence by a sermon spoken by God (Genesis 1)
• The serpent’s great lie is that people need not preach, so that Satan is the only voice
  • The serpent also preaches
    
• Genesis 3:15 – God preaches the first Gospel
• John the Baptist came preaching repentence
• Jesus’ ministry started with preaching repentence (Matthew 15)
• Acts 2:14 – One of the evidences of the Spirit is the preaching of the Gospel
• Acts 28: 30-31
• 1 Timothy 3
• 2 Timothy 4:2 – Preach the Word
• 1 Timothy 5 – “Worthy of double honor”
  
• Do not let your people dishonor the pulpit
  • The pulpit belongs to God
    
  • Turn critics into coaches
  • People should honor the preached word
  • Respect for the preaching of the word by Biblically responsible men
    
• Connect Air War and Ground War
  • Meet in homes for hospitality, shepherding

What constitutes the Church?

• Catholics – visible church is the church
  • Outward form – no inward transformation
• Caiphas is a descendent of Aaron, but no spiritual connection
• It’s not enough to be in the line of succession, you need to be biblical

1.  The church is both universal and local

• The church is both visible and invisible (Augustine)

• God sees invisible – wheat and tares, those with regenerate hearts
  
• We see visible
• Ecclesia
• The church is a Gathering, the gathering does matter
• Calvin “The principle church exists where the word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered”
• 42 Articles of Church of England “Pure word of God is preached and sacraments are duly administered”
• Belgic Confession (1571) “Pure doctrine of Gospel, administration of sacraments, church discipline, all things are managed according to the pure will of God, Jesus Christ is acknowledged as the true head”
• The church has to have as the head Jesus Christ, the exaltation of Jesus Christ
  • Too many only see Christus Examplar – homeless, marginalized Galilean peasant
  • Don’t preach only Jesus’ humble example, also preach Jesus as a Glorious SAvior
  • Don’t preach only Jesus’ incarnation, but His exaltation
  • Don’t preach only Jesus’ humility, but preach His glory
  • Don’t preach only Jesus’ 33 years on earth, but his eternity 
    

2.   An inference that there would be qualified elders

• Jesus is the head
• Under Jesus are qualified male elders (line in the sand)

3.   The Bible is rightly preached

• Where the Word not preached, the church is not Present
• The Word is heard
  

4.   The Sacraments are properly administered

• Baptism
• Lord’s Supper
• The Word is seen
  

5.   Church Discipline rightly enacted

• The Word is protected
• Authority is the Issue

• When you preach, that is authority
• When you discipline as elders in a church, that is authority
• The authority comes from the head of the church, Jesus Christ “All authority is given to me, therefore as you go, make disciples”
• A church is marked by repentence of sin and a true heart for Jesus
• The definition of the church
  • The local church is a community of confessing believers in Jesus Christ, who obey Scripture by organizing under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, and scatter to evangelize and care for people everywhere. They observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and communion, are unified by the Spirit for mission in the world, and discipline to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to the glory of God
• The preaching goes first, but it doesn’t go alone.
• When you preach repentance, there will be tons of biblical counseling
• When you proclaim God’s word, people will realize they’re lives are full of sin, will realize they’ve been sinned against
• Preaching isn’t all we do, but it’s the first thing we do
  • Air War -> Ground War
• People look at the effects (caring for the world), but not the cause (right preaching of the Word)
• Preach for your church
• Preach outside your church
• Preach knowing what a church is
• You can’t just build a church, you have to protect, shepherd, and guard the church

2 Questions

1.  Is an online church a church?

• No discipline, no sacraments

2.  Multi-campus

• An event is not the church
• You need leaders, shown word, protected word
• The church is much more than proclamation and gathering

• The serpent seizes on opportunities where there is no definition of the church
• No one can criticize because there’s no definition
• The last Gospel sermon is preached by an angel (Rev 17:6)
• We are called to do what God did and what an angel will conclude