I appreciate you bringing your
Bibles and reading along with us and then looking back at the
verses as we refer to them. For this reason, God's Word never
changes. If you've read it in here one
time, it'll be in here the next time. And I'm not referring to
all the modern perversions and revisions All of that, I'm talking
about the Bible, God's word. If he said it, it said, and it'll
be there next time you look. But in these four verses, I want
to talk a little this morning about the church, the church. What is the church? That's a
question that most people never really ask, but it's a question
that should be asked by everyone, by every individual. What is
the church? What is its importance? Am I
part of it? What is my responsibility to
it? All these are good questions. Why should I love the church?
That's another good question. And I'll answer that one with
just one verse. Ephesians 525, Christ loved the
church and gave himself for it. People in their right mind loves
what Christ loves. You say, are you accusing all
people who don't know the Lord and love the Lord as not being
in their right mind? Absolutely. They may be extremely
intelligent in worldly wisdom and worldly things, but they're
not in the right mind. Because the right mind is that
man, of all the creation, was created in the image and the
likeness of Almighty God. We were created to know him,
to commune with him, to think of him, and to speak of him rightly. And in this fallen, corrupt nature,
we don't have sense enough to do that. It is only in regeneration,
the new creation being born again with the spirit of God dwelling
in us that any one of us can even think right about who God
is and about what his church is. The words church and churches
occur 115 times in the New Testament. I'd say that's enough to be of
some importance, 115 times. And the Greek word is ecclesia,
meaning a called out assembly. Not an assembly that called themselves
out, but a called out assembly, called
out by the Lord. called out from the masses of
humanity and called under the Lord himself into his family
to be his children in his delight for time and eternity. Now the term church, and we should
be conscious of this. I know most of you are, but I
want to mention this. The term church does not mean a building,
but the people. The called out assembly, those
called by the spirit of God and regenerated and given spiritual
life. Called out to assemble together
and to worship the Lord. I know that we speak maybe in
this, our common conversation and called the building, the
place, the church. And we say over at the church
or down at the church or up at the church. And we're referring
to the property and the place. But in reality, the church is
the people of God. And the Bible uses the term church
in two ways. Sometimes it speaks of all the
redeemed in every nation and every generation, all the family
of God. that's likened to a body and
a body with many members, the church. It's in this sense that
the word is used in Ephesians 5.25 that already quoted, Christ
loved the church and gave himself for it. Paul was not referring
when he said that only to the believers at Ephesus. to whom
he was initially writing that letter, but to all the redeemed,
the church. Christ loved the church and gave
himself for it. The other sense in which the
term church is used is in a local sense, speaking of a local assembly,
like the church we've read about here at the city of Thessalonica. Most of Paul's epistles were
addressed initially to specific local assemblies, local churches. And yet, as this is the inspired
word of God, not the word of man, the Holy Spirit has recorded
it and kept us, and it is for us as well. It's not just for
the local church at Thessalonica. It's for the local church at
East Hendersonville and every other one where there is a called
out assembly of the Lord's people. A church, a local assembly has
to be birthed just like an individual has to be birthed. And it has
to be the Lord's doing. I've never talked about this
much, but I'm going to do it right now. I'm getting off track here,
but around our part of the country here that, you know, you know,
as well as I do, there's a church on every corner. Well, a whole lot of them is
because In the Lord's church, in an assembly that the Lord
birthed, they had a little confusion, a little blow up, a little cuss
fight. And a few has run around the corner and rented them a
storefront and said, we're going to start a church. And the first
thing you know, they coax people in and get them a lot of money
and build them a fine building. And that's why we have so-called
churches. Every direction you turn around
every curve in this country. But they're not all birth of
God. They're not all ordained. Some
of you have heard the story. Some of you haven't. How this
church, local church was established. It was the Lord's doing. I wasn't
here. I was here shortly after just
a couple of years after, but it wasn't here. Our former pastor. We've only had two, Brother Huntley
and myself. Established the church in 1970.
He was with us for 18 years to 88. I came in 72. And in 88,
the Lord took him out and here I am for the past 30 years. So
that's how it's supposed to be. The old timers used to say that
God's local church is to have a pastor for a generation. You never heard that, did you? The average pastorate in the
Southern Baptist convention today is between 12 and 18 months. Bunch of religious rebels that
wouldn't know the Lord Jesus if they met him in the road,
trying to run God's business. And they built them what they
call a church. And the pastor, he's nothing but a skunk. Hire
him and fire him, run him in and run him out. And just a few
months is about all they can take. And they got to have another
one. Of course, we got a few in this county that's so well
fixed, they got such a smooth running machine. The deacon program,
the building program, the singing program, the Sunday school program,
they don't care if they have any preacher or not. And they
have a big thing going. And there's a church not too
far from me that went over two years without a pastor. And they
just went right on like, we can do with preaching or without
it. You know? Well, that's not right. That's not right. This Bible
speaks very much of us making much of God's Word. Preaching is important. I'm off
track now. The church, the church, it's
the called out assembly. Those regenerated by the spirit
of God, the Lord's people. So that's what a local assembly
is. Now, when Paul wrote this letter,
this assembly at Thessalonica was in his mind and heart. Inspired of the Holy Ghost. Meaning
this church. Was in the Lord's heart. I believe in the church. I believe
in the local church. I believe that God's Word teaches. That he works in and through
the local church. To nourish and to feed and to
mature his children. We don't have any part of any
religious activity, whether it be any mission program or anything
else, any campaign that is not affiliated with and operating
out of the local church. I remember a man years ago, this
had been 40 years ago, I guess. Jack-legged preacher around this
county. He'd done caused trouble and been run off from several
churches. I ran into him one day in town. He invited me to
a cottage prayer meeting. And I certainly have no problem
with cottage prayer meetings. I loved it. We used to do it
in those days. Someone would want to have a prayer meeting
at their house and everybody would go. The Lord blessed. Many of you remember those days.
This fella invited me. And I said, well, what church
are y'all out of? Oh, this has nothing to do with
the church. This is totally separate. This is totally separate. This
is having a college prayer. Nothing to do with any church.
And I gave him the verse that I just gave you. I didn't even
call him brother. I said, mister, God's word said
that Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. And that is the end of my invitation.
And of course I didn't go. So let me hurry. I'm getting,
I'm getting off track here and that might be a good thing. I'm
detouring from my main thoughts here. Somebody asked our former
pastor one time. Well, they said to him, said,
you seem to detour a lot in your preaching. And he said, well,
that's because most of the people I preach to live on detour. Just trying to run them down,
that's all. But I want to talk about four things, mention four
things from these four verses we read this morning concerning
the church. And we want to, these things
will help us to understand somewhat of what the church of Jesus Christ
really is. Number one, the defining of the
church. The defining of the church. Now,
I already gave you the meaning of the word, ecclesia, a called
out assembly. But by the defining of the church,
I mean, who are these people called out and called the church?
And verse four gives us the bottom line. This is the defining of
the church of Jesus Christ. Knowing brethren beloved your
election of God. That word election causes a lot
of preachers blood pressure to jump to 220 over 120. in a moment's
time. They're more afraid of it than
they are a rattlesnake. They wouldn't use the word elect
or election in their pulpit for $10,000. It's very offensive,
they say. Well, it's not offensive to God's
elect. It's not offensive to God He
put the words elect, elected, election in the New Testament
27 times. It's a truth. It's a doctrine.
It's a reality. And it is most precious and most
thrilling to my heart to know that before God hung the stars,
let alone created this ball of dirt, that he chose me to be
his child forever. And it was settled right then
and there. He never consulted anyone. There
wasn't anyone to consult. He never considered any objection.
There was no one to object. He never considered any obstacle
because he's never had an obstacle. He's God. And he chose. And that settled
it. And it could never be any other
way. I hear people talk about everyone
having a chance to be saved. Well, no one's ever been saved
by chance. God has to do it on purpose. No one's ever been saved
because they had a chance. We wasn't looking for a chance
to get saved. By nature, we were looking for
a chance to go to hell and was headed that way. But
God, but God, if I could have missed this,
I would have. I didn't choose this. He chose
this for me. Oh, how grateful I am. How glad
I am that he did. How I love it today. How I love
him today for what he's done for me. But until he did it,
I wasn't interested. His election is a precious thing.
Precious, precious thing. Say, well, why didn't he do it
for everybody? He could have. He could have. But he didn't. I'm simply saying to you that
I did my best to go to hell. And so did you. But God, but
God, he had already decreed, he had already predestined that
I'd be his forever. He loved me. That's the way that
he loves. And he accepted me in his son. Election. I believe God's fair to everybody.
If he is fair to everybody, everybody would go to hell because that's
what everybody deserves. See, this business of election
means God went beyond being fair. Huh? Sure did. What does the Bible
say about it? Well, Romans 8, 33, who shall lay anything to
the charge of God's elect? Just keep your mouth shut about
them. Colossians 3.12, put on therefore
as the elect of God, holy and beloved. God's elect are holy,
not in ourselves, but in Christ. God's elect are beloved, not
disloved by one another, but loved by him. What about the church? Oh, you
need to watch your mouth about those whom God loves. Holy and beloved. Titus 1.1, Paul, a servant of
God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's
elect. First Peter 1.2, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God. 1 Peter 5.13, elected together
with you. Romans 9.11, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand. Romans 11.5, according
to the election of grace, not the election of Jews or Gentiles,
but the election of grace. Romans 11.7, Israel hath not
obtained it, but the election hath obtained it. the righteousness
of God. 2 Timothy 2.10, Paul said, therefore
I endure all things for the elect's sake. Paul was saying, you think I'm preaching and suffering
and giving my life for a bunch of rebels that's going to hell
anyhow? No. He said, I'm looking for God's
elect. Somebody asked Mr. Spurgeon one time, the great
preacher of the 1800s, said, if you're into all that election
stuff, why don't you just preach to the elect? He said, if I knew
who they were, that's exactly what I would do. Because they're
the only ones that's ever going to listen. And they're not going
to listen until it's God's time. And there's that quickening work
of the Spirit of God. And they believe the gospel and
love it. But God has an elect people. So here's the defining of the
church. That's the first thing. People
should, instead of cussing the church, believe this truth of
election. This is the bunch God picked
out. Of course, that's a great problem
in most every local church in this country. They don't get
it. They don't believe it that God did the choosing. But I'm
telling you, the church, those whom Christ loved, gave himself
for it. What's coming out of most pulpits
this morning is that people are being told They're helping to
bail God out of the dilemma that he's in. So he won't be so embarrassed
in this generation. And they're doing a good job
so they can feel good about themselves. It's not it. It's not it. Did
you ever read first Samuel 16? I'll give you that assignment
for this week for Samuel 16 about the Lord sending Samuel, his
prophet. to the house of Jesse to anoint
a king. And he looked at seven sons of
Jesse. All seven were passed over to get to David. The first seven
were older, bigger, Stronger. But God had chosen David. He didn't tell his prophet, you
run them all by and I'll pick one. No, no. What he told him
was from the beginning, I have provided me a king. The choice was already made.
The election was already done. And the Lord said, you just go
and Look at all them boys of his, and I'll show you which
one it is." And he did. Election. Election. That's how
God does it. That's who God is. And people
who hate the doctrine of election hate God. Hello? They don't hate their God, that
little one they've got made up in their mind, but they hate
the God of this Bible. Because he's a God of election. And I love what the old black
preacher, D.J. Ward, said in Kentucky. He said,
had God not chosen some, heaven would have none. That excites me. It really does.
It really does. All right. Now, the defining
of the church. That's who the church is, God's
elect. Secondly, number two, I gotta hurry. This one's in
verse one, the dwelling of the church. The church is said to
be in God, the father, and in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now that's not two things, two
places, two dwellings. The Lord Jesus Christ, remember,
is Emmanuel, God with us. Christ is God our Savior. Remember he said, he that hath
seen me hath seen the Father. And he said, I and my Father
are one. So the dwelling of the church
is in God, in Christ. Oh yes, we're in this world.
And that's quite distressing sometimes. And yes, we're in Hendersonville,
North Carolina. Like these Thessalonians were
in their city, that's almost depressing sometimes, but we're
in God, we're in Christ. And that is most delightful all
the time. Oh, if you could believe it, if you could believe it,
it's delightful. Whether we feel good or feel bad, whether things
are going good or going bad, the dwelling of the church, is in God and in Christ. Safe. Safe. I don't have to wonder
about that. I don't have to worry about that.
The dwelling of the church, the dwelling of God's elect, God's
people, is not in whether or not you don't mess up too much
or not. No. It's in Him. It's in Him. It's
in His hands. You remember John 10, 28, 29,
Christ said, and I give unto them eternal life. Who's he talking
about? The church, his people. He's
not talking about Adam's race. He don't give unto them eternal
life. I give unto them eternal life
and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My father which gave him me is
greater than all. No man is able to pluck them
out of my father's hand. I love playing with small children
and sometimes I'll say, what have I got in my hand? Oh boy,
what have I got in my hand? And they'll pull and tug and
twist and do their best to get up. They can't do it. I'll make
a fit. They can't get it open. Why? I'm stronger than they are. And Christ said, no man is able
to pluck what's mine out of my hand. The dwelling of the church in
God, in Christ. Number three, the dignity of
the church. Paul says here in verse two, you see this called out assembly.
These God loves God chose there. He says they're worthy. Not this
once in a while, but always that I give thanks for them. And not
just for a few of them that I think of the cream of the crop. No. But he says we give thanks to
God always for you all. Making mention of you in our
prayers. I don't really have sense enough
to know who is the cream of the crop and you don't either. I might not. Thank God for everything
about you. I might not like everything about
you, and I'm sure you would like everything about me. But if you're
God's child, I've got to love you, and I do love you because
he loves you. That's just how it is. Thank
God for the church. He says, making mention of you
in our prayers. The church possesses a dignity. given her by God. The church
is his family. The church is his children. And every child of his loves
the brothers and sisters. The dignity of the church. Oh
my. This really ought to teach us
to keep our mouth shut about the family. You might say something about
somebody else's young and get by with it, but you ain't going
to say nothing too bad about your brother and sister. Your
father will be around. Deal with that. He's very good
disciplinarian. I speak from experience, the
dignity of the church. And then fourthly in verse three,
the distinction. of the church. She is marked by three things,
faith, love, hope. Look at verse three, remembering
Paul says, remembering your without ceasing, your work of faith and
labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. in the sight of God and our Father. Remembering these three things
of distinction. The church is not like the world in that she's a work of faith. That's the first distinction. And when he says your work of
faith, he's not talking about human determination and effort
to work for God. No, no. Faith is the gift of
God. Faith is the very life of God
working in His people. A lot of folks say, now exercise
your faith, exercise your faith like we're in control of it.
No, no. God given faith exercises you. Faith is God's work in you that
causes you to desire him and live to love him and honor him. And apart from it, you wouldn't
have that desire. The world certainly don't have
it. This work of faith, it's not a bunch of religious deeds. that you can do and pat yourself
on the back for it. No, that's not it at all. This
work of faith is that, it's that can't help it attitude. And that can't help it activity
in a believer's heart. Paul says, I remember that about
you. Believe in God, trust in God, the work of faith. And he said, secondly, I remember
your labor of love. Now labor is work. That's a scary
word. Labor is simply work, but it's a labor motivated by
love, labor of love. And this will come out sooner
or later concerning all you do religiously, what your motive
is. whether it's a labor of love
that is motivated by love for the Lord, or whether it's just
an effort to gain the praise of men. If every one of us left here
today and tomorrow, every day, and prayed, Lord, show me something
to do. Not for personal recognition,
not for anyone else to know about it, but secretly Lord, would you show me something I
could do for you to show my love for you? I realize Lord, it might be something
I just don't want to do. It might be something I don't
think I can do. It might be something I don't even
like. And it might be for someone I don't even like. But Lord, you show me and I'll
do it for you. A labor of love. Labor of love. Christ said, remember, if you
do it for the least of one of these, my children, you've done
it for me. It's a labor of love. A labor
of love is motivated, not for profit or praise, but simply
love for God. Work of faith and labor of love. The difference between work and
labor is this. You drive by a big new construction
project, beautiful building. And there may be a sign out in
the front yard that says, work of or built by. And it might
be a man's name who owns the construction company. He's called
the builder. It's called his work. But he didn't strike a lick.
He's got lots of people working for him, laborers. He gets the
credit. It's his work. But he never labored
at all. So Paul is talking about here
a work of faith. It's God's. And we are laborers together
with him and for him. We're laborers. And it's not for profit. Financially,
it's not for praise. Pat me on the back, but it's
a labor of love, motivated by love. So it's a work of faith
and a labor of love. And then the third thing, Paul
said, here's another distinction. It's patience of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ. He said, I remember that about
you. Patience of hope. Romans 8, 24, for we are saved. by hope, not redeemed by hope. We're redeemed by Christ himself,
but we are saved, meaning delivered presently and daily by hope. Paul says to these Thessalonian
believers, I remember this about you. No matter what happens. And they were under some persecution,
oppression, affliction, he mentions later in the verses. He said,
I remember this about you. No matter what happens through
the good and through the bad, your hope remains firm. Nothing seems to shake it. It
is marked with patience, your patience of hope. This is the
distinction. of the church. It's not talking about folks
that come a little while and say, well, I didn't like something
that preacher said. Boom. And it's not talking about folks
that comes rushing in here. And we've had a few of them through
the years. Their chest puffed out, buddy, I'm going to set
the woods on fire. I'm going to make things happen
around here, buddy. And in three weeks, the FBI couldn't find
them. No, we're talking about the Lord's
people. Those who have been made to know in their heart by the spirit
of God, as we heard in the lesson, that I'm nothing. I deserve nothing. And oh, what a good and gracious
God that would call me to himself. And we love him for it. Talking
about the church, the church. Paul says to this church, I remember
this about you distinctly. You're not like the world struggling
for prominence in this rat race people call life. You're content with living simple
for God's glory and thanksgiving to him for what he's given you and not fighting for anything
different or more. Faithful in where he puts you. And not whining about something
else. Paul's saying no one else is like this. The church is. And I can say to us this morning,
not only as a church, but as individuals, no one else can be exactly where you are. and do exactly what you do and have the exact influence
you have. And if you live for the glory
of God, nothing else matters. Whether you're the CEO of a company or whether you're a janitor, no one is greater than you. Why? Your father's the king. You're one of the king's children. Paul said, I remember these things
about you. Oh, dear church at Thessalonica. Your lives are
not about you. Your religion is not about you.
It's about the Lord who loved you, chose you, called you. That's how it's supposed to be.
And actually, that's how it is with true members of Christ's
body, the church. She's a body defined by God's
choice, God's election. She's a body dwelling in God
himself. Somebody said, no, the church
is going down. The church is dying. No, no, no, no. Christ has already died for her.
And he rose and he set him alive forevermore. The church can't
die because our life is in him. She's a body dwelling in God
himself. She's a body with dignity, worthy of thanksgiving to God
for her and remembrance in her prayers. And finally, she's a
body of distinction marked by faith. Love and hope. This is who the church is. This
is who the church is. No wonder the world hates her. Foreign. We're pilgrims and strangers
in this world. But oh, so glad, so glad to be
a part of this company sojourning through this lowland of sin and
sorrow. And the old songwriter said it like this. Stand with
me. I hadn't heard this in 40 years. Stand. This world is not
my home. I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere
beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's
open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore. Our dwelling is in God.