My subject this evening is the Church of God. You'll find my text in Acts chapter 20 and verse 24. It is of utmost importance that every child of God know the purpose and the value of the Church of God in this world and commit himself to it.

Here in Acts chapter 20, The Apostle Paul is addressing the elders of the church at Ephesus. He is speaking to them concerning their responsibility as pastors, overseers of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

Now, the book of Acts, as you well know, has specifically for its purpose to reveal to us how that God works in this world through his church. It is a record, an inspired record, of the first 30 years of the Church's history in this world after the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here in Acts 20 and verse 24, the Apostle says, or verse 28 rather, the Apostle says, take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock. over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Now, the church of which I speak here, particularly, is the local assembly of God's elect. That's what Paul was dealing with in the passage. And that's what I want to deal with, not ignoring by any means the universal aspect of the Church of God.

The local New Testament church was begun with our Lord's earthly ministry when he came to John to be baptized of John and John looked and said concerning him, behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And John's disciples left him and began to follow the Lord Jesus.

That local assembly, which began in those early days, was built upon the foundation stone, Jesus Christ himself. And the local churches throughout the New Testament age are built upon the apostolic confession that Peter made on that great day in Matthew 16 when he said, he said, thou art Christ, the son of the living God. And the Lord Jesus said, upon this rock, this rock, the rock of this confession, the foundation of this confession you've made, I will build my church.

And he has now for 2,000 years been building his church upon that confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

The apostolic confession and witness of Christ testifies of his life as our representative by which he established perfect righteousness for his people. That apostolic confession declares to all men how that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was himself made to be a man, lived in this world, and in time died upon the cursed tree, bearing our sins in his body on the tree.

And by his death, he has satisfied the wrath and justice of God for all his people, for all who believe, so that they, through him, may be forever accepted of God.

The testimony upon which the church is built, the confession of Jesus Christ our Lord, testifies how that Jesus Christ on the third day arose from the grave without sin, and that he ascended up into the heavens, and there he sits upon the throne of sovereign dominion, Lord and King over all things, as the great high priest upon his throne as the King of Zion, his church forevermore.

Now that's the confession upon which the church of God is built throughout the world. Wherever you find this confession preached, you find God's church built. Wherever you find God's church built, you find this confession of Jesus Christ is made.

In this passage, which I've selected, the Apostle Paul identifies the church particularly. And tonight I want to, I want, if God will enable me, to speak plainly and clearly raising and answering from the scriptures three very practical, very important questions. I believe they'll be helpful to you. Again, I encourage you to take notes. I want these messages to be beneficial to you.

I realize that one of these days, one of these days in God's good providence, God is going to take me off the scene. I'm no longer going to be here. Some of you may still be here. And if that's the case, I want you to know and understand something about your responsibility as a congregation in calling a pastor and carrying on the work of the ministry and seeking to glorify God our Savior as you continue in this place by the will of God for the glory of God to maintain the witness of the gospel. And that's the reason for this particular series of messages. I want to help you individually, you collectively, to know and understand something about what we are here to do as the Church of God in this world.

So let me answer these two or three questions. First, what is the Church of God? Now, as you read the Scriptures, it becomes obvious in reading the New Testament that the word church is used in at least three distinct ways in the New Testament. Turn to the book of Ephesians. I'm going to show you just three examples.

Ephesians chapter 1. In Ephesians 1, the word church is used to describe all true believers of all ages. Both those of the Old Testament and those of the New. Both those on the earth and those in heaven. All who are chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, and called by the Spirit of God are a part of the church. Now, this is what we call the universal church. What does that mean? I know that some folks say, well, you mean by that that all the churches get together to make up one big church. That's not what we mean at all. I hope you all understand better than that. The church universal is the spiritual, mystical body and bride of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's made up of all God's elect wherever they're found at any time in all the universe. It is one spiritual body in Christ Jesus. Even now tonight, we worship together with God's saints, ascended into heaven, seated around the throne of God, already the glorified spirits of just men made perfect, worship with us and we with them, if truly we worship, around the throne of Jesus Christ our Savior. The church universal simply describes all of the saints of God, all the kingdom of God. This is the church of God universal. It's the body and bride of Christ.

Look in Ephesians 1 and verse 22. And God hath put all things under Christ's feet, and gave him to be the head, the ruler, the king over all things to the church, the church which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Now there's no way that can refer to this local assembly. We are not the fullness of Christ's mediatorial body. But the church universal is the fullness of his mediatorial body. He as our mediator, he as the head of the church must have every member of his spiritual body, every one of God's elect saved and with him in glory. That's the church universal.

In Ephesians chapter five, you have the word used in exactly the same way. In verse 25, the apostle says, husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. The church that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. This too is the church of God in its universal aspect. The Lord Jesus Christ will bring all of those whom he loves. all of those whom he has redeemed, in time he will cause them to experience the cleansing of his word through the regenerating power of God the Holy Spirit, and he will present every last one of them as one body, holy, without blame, without spot, without wrinkle, without any blemish at all, before the presence of God's everlasting glory. That's what Christ died to accomplish, and that shall be done.

But this word church is also used to describe local visible assemblies of professed believers. Turn to Romans chapter 16. Romans the 16th chapter. The word church is used to describe assemblies such as the Church of God in Danville, Kentucky. The Church of God in Ashland, Kentucky. The Church of God in Nairobi, Kenya. the Church of God in Medina, Mexico. The word is used to describe local, visible assemblies of believers, however large, however small, wherever they're located in this world at any time.

Here in Romans 16, the apostle writes in verse one, I commend to you, Phoebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church, which is at Centria. Now there's a local church in a place. that you receive her in the Lord as becometh saints, and that you assist her, that is you the church at Rome, assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you. For she hath been a succorer, a help of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also the churches, you see the plural use, the churches of the Gentile, that is, the churches that are scattered abroad in the Gentile world. They all give thanks for these folks, Priscilla and Aquila. Likewise, greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epinathus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Now there the word is used to describe local assemblies just like Grace Baptist Church in Danville.

Now in every local assembly, in every local assembly, there are both believers and unbelievers, wheat and tares, sheep and goats, true possessors of grace and false professors of faith in Christ Jesus. Every local church has in its membership both the true and the false. every local assembly of men and women who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every local assembly of men and women who profess faith in the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Jesus Christ our Lord is set forth in the scriptures as a local church. And those local assemblies, though they are a mixed multitude, those local assemblies, though there is much in them that is not of God, though there is much in them that's contrary to the gospel, those local assemblies where men and women gather together in the name of Christ and profess faith in Christ, they are called collectively the Church of God.

This church is no exception. I don't pretend to you. I don't pretend to myself. I don't pretend to anyone else. that because a person's a member of this congregation and sits under my ministry, that they necessarily are born of God. I know better than that. I hear preachers talk and say, well, a fella, if he's born again, he couldn't sit under my ministry. If he's not born again, he couldn't sit under my ministry very long. Oh, yeah, he can. Oh, yeah, he can. The fact that men give credence to the truth, give lit service to the truth, does not mean they're born of God.

But the fact that the assembly has within it wheat as well as tares, goats and sheep, the saved and the lost, does not mean that it's not the church of God. Our Lord's first church, if you will, that church which was begun by our Lord himself, had in its ranks one devil, Judas, and every church since then, I dare say, has had its Judas as well.

But thirdly, this word church is used to describe the true churches of Christ. the gospel churches in this world at any given time. It's used to describe all of them collectively.

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 10, 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 32. Now, I have to be guarded here, not for your sakes, but for the sakes of others who will surely hear this tape and somebody will get it and draw conclusions that are not intended. And I can't keep them from drawing conclusions that are not intended. All I can do is prove them to be liars when they do. I'm not suggesting, I'm not suggesting by any stretch of the imagination, I'm not suggesting by any possible connotation upon my words that all churches come together and make up one great church of God.

You know better than that, you understand better than that. I'm not suggesting that all the churches of all denominations are one church. But the word of God does use the term church to include all New Testament churches at any given time in the world. And all true New Testament churches, all men and women who assemble in the name of Christ and profess faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ are one in this world, one church of God.

Our hearts are one in Christ. Our purpose is one in Christ. Our object, our goal, our rule, our motivation, we're one in Christ Jesus, the Lord. And the scriptures use the term in just this way. Look in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 32. The apostle says, give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. And what's he saying? He's saying to you and me as we live in this world, be careful that as you live and exercise your liberty in Christ, that you give no offense to God's church in this world.

Be careful not even to give offense to the Jews, pagan Jews, Gentiles, pagan Gentiles, and give none offense unto the church of God in this world. Over in chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians and verse 28, Paul uses it in the same way. He's not talking about one church in one place. He's talking about the Church of God anywhere. And here in 1 Corinthians 12, 28, he says, And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. And he goes on to describe these various gifts.

But he says, God has set these various gifts in the church. So that what he's saying is that wherever there's a faithful man with gifts of God in the church of God, he's in the church. Now that means that the church at Danville and the church at Ashland and the church at Lexington and all of God's churches in this world today are one body and one spirit in Jesus Christ the Lord.

Does that make sense? We're all individual assemblies of believers, but yet we are one in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now in this passage here in Acts 20, back in our text in Acts 20 and verse 28, the apostle Paul is addressing the elders of this particular congregation at Ephesus. Perhaps he is addressing elders from several congregations in the area of Ephesus. Perhaps they were all elders in that one congregation. It was a large assembly. Probably in those earliest days of the New Testament, and this is speculation, but it's the best speculation I can find. In those earliest days of the New Testament, they did not have independent congregations that numbered several in one given area, but rather there would be one assembly of believers. with many pastors, and that congregation would meet at various spots in the city. They didn't have the kind of mass transportation we have, and they didn't have automobiles, and they didn't have the kind of daily communication that you and I have today.

But in a large city, there might be many assemblies of one church of God, and so they had many elders in the churches meeting at one time throughout the cities. That's just speculation, but at any rate, Paul is addressing the elders of this church at Ephesus. But the words church of God in this text have reference to this local assembly at Ephesus. And Paul tells us here three things about the church of God in Ephesus which are true of every New Testament church. If indeed we are truly a church of God in Christ Jesus, these things are just as true of us today as they were of the church in Ephesus in Paul's day.

First, the church of God belongs to God. It's the Church of God. So that ought to be simple enough. Grace Baptist Church is the Church of God at Danville, Kentucky. I made that statement as I wrote it down today. I thought somebody's going to hear that or read that. They said, boy, that's a bold statement. And it is a bold statement. But I contend that it's a true statement. Grace Baptist Church is the Church of God at Danville, Kentucky. And there is no other. I said this to you on one of our first meetings together. If there were another, there's no need in us batting our heads against the wall, trying to make ends meet, struggle along to get together and build another church. We don't need another church. There's plenty of churches.

If there's another place anywhere around here where the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace is boldly proclaimed, where men hear from God and worship God, there is no need for our existence in this town. Now, that's plain enough. The reason I'm here is because there's nobody else here preaching what I preach. The reason we're here is because there's no other place here who declares the gospel we believe, worships the God we worship, or preaches the Christ we preach. Is that correct? There's no other place around. If there were, we wouldn't be here. They'd be foolish for us to be here. Grace Baptist Church is the church of God in Danville, Kentucky.

Now, I'm not talking about the building in which we meet. I'm talking about the people who meet here. We're the church of God. And the church does not belong to any denomination. I'm sure you have folks to ask this frequently. You witness to them or take them one of our tapes or tracks, bulletins, But what kind of Baptist church is that? Well, I have a tough time answering that question. I sure hate to say independent Baptist, my soul. I wouldn't want to be associated with most of them. We're not Southern Baptist, though we're in the South, and I don't want to be a Yankee Baptist, but we're not Southern Baptist. What kind of Baptist are you? Well, I don't know anything to say except that this church does not belong to any religious organization or denomination of any kind. We're not associated with any religious organization or denomination of any kind.

And my tendency is to say, well, just come and see. Come on over and you'll see things are a little different over here. But we don't belong to a denomination. This church does not belong to Don Fortner. It is not Don Fortner's church. And the church doesn't belong to you. It doesn't belong to the pastor or to a board of deacons or to all of us collectively. This church belongs to God exclusively. We are his people. We are his property. God chose us to be his people in sovereign electing love before the world began. And that distinguishes us from all others.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians, he says God's going to send a strong delusion. And the world's going to be lost with a lie. The world's going to be lost in free will and works religion. The world's going to be lost under the delusion of Satan. The world's going to be lost being led away by men whose feet disciples after themselves with signs and wonders and performing great miracles. And men will be astounded by it. The world will be lost but not you. For God has chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.

We are here worshiping God. believing the gospel of God's grace in this dark world simply because God has chosen us and that makes us his. God has redeemed us to himself by the precious blood of his dear son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And God has called us to himself by the irresistible power and grace of his spirit, creating life in us, giving us faith in Christ Jesus the Lord. Yes, it is the work of God alone which makes us his people.

Turn over to Colossians 1. Colossians chapter 1. And listen to what the apostle says. Colossians 1 verse 12. Giving thanks unto the father which hath made us meet are ready equal prepared to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in life. who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. It's God's work that does it. In whom, that is in his dear Son, we have, right now, redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. God has chosen us. God has purchased us. God has called us. We belong to God. We're his church, his property, and his people.

Now, these things are true of all believers. And though there are unbelievers among us and all other churches, we all here profess to be believers. And so they're true of us collectively as a congregation, as a local church. This is the church of God. Hear it well. This is the church of God. Let every man beware. Let every man beware.

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 3, I want you to see this. And I'm about to get to preaching over my head. But what I'm saying, I know it's so. I know it's so. I know it's so. Let every man beware, this is the church of God, and he that touches God's church touches the apple of his eye. Let every man beware.

1 Corinthians 3, verse 16. Know ye not Now Paul is talking to the church gathered. Know ye not, the word ye is in the plural, know ye not that you, plural, are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Somehow, when the church of God comes together, When we are assembled together in the name of Jesus Christ, when we are assembled together by the Spirit of God, assembled together to worship God, assembled together to hear from God, assembled together to read His Word, to sing His praise, to declare His Word, when we come together, the Spirit of God comes into this place and we're the people of God. That's astounding. It may sound mystical to you. But our Lord Jesus said, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am. That makes us the temple of God. And it doesn't matter where we come together. Doesn't matter what time of the week we come together. Doesn't matter what day of the week, what time of the day. Doesn't matter where we are. As we come together in the name of Christ, worshiping Christ, hearing from Christ, singing his praise, proclaiming his name, God meets with us.

Let every man beware. Look at the next line. If any man defile, The word defile, if you have a marginal reference, that word defile is destroy. If any man destroy, defile, disrupt. If any man break up the temple of God. That's what was happening at Corinth. They were dividing off into sections. I'm of Paul. I'm of Apollos. I'm of Peter. We're of Jesus. We've heard the master preach. We have our schisms and our sects and our divisions. Paul says if any man divides God's temple, let him beware. Let him beware. That man God shall destroy. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Then the apostle tells us that the church of God is a block of sheep. Look at that text again in Acts 20. Verse 28. I like this designation of God's church. It's called the flock. The flock. It's called the flock because it's made up of Christ's sheep. John Gill said a church of Christ is compared to a flock of sheep. Being in gospel order, it is folded together and feeding in the same pasture, attending the word and ordinances under the care of shepherds appointed by Christ, the chief shepherd. We're a flock, a flock of sheep. Before we were converted, we were all as sheep going astray from God our Savior. After conversion, God's people are compared to sheep. Compared to sheep because sheep are meek, inoffensive, patient, and totally dependent upon the shepherd. And God's sheep being made themselves to hear the voice of Christ and to see the glory of God in Christ are meek, inoffensive, patient, and totally dependent upon Christ the shepherd.

and sheep are far from being perfect, ideal creatures. If there's any lesson I would like to teach this pastor and every other pastor in the world, I'd like to teach them this lesson. If there's any lesson I could teach a young, zealous preacher going out there to defend the gospel and proclaim the gospel, if there's anything I could teach him, If God had let me just communicate one thing to him that I believe would help him, and I'm not talking about truth and doctrine such as that, I'm talking about a faithful man. If I could just teach him one thing that I believe would help him as much as anything else in the world, it'd be this. They're all just sheep. They're just sheep. I think sometimes what makes preachers so mean is they can't stand failure in themselves. And so when they see it in other people, they lash out at it. Well, the sheep and the shepherd are all just sheep, just sheep. That's all. If I can understand that. That'll keep me from getting too upset with Bobby or Judy or Bob or Sally or Merle or Charlotte, just sheep. Shepherd doesn't get upset with sheep. He takes care of sheep. He takes care of sheep. He doesn't get angry with sheep. He takes care of them.

Now, because the shepherd is like the sheep, sometimes he gets disgusted, messes up. But but he understands the sheep because he's one of them. You see, God's people are sheep and sheep are silly, ignorant, helpless, defenseless, stray, dirty, needy, dumb animals of all animals in the world. Little lamb looks so cute, looks so pretty. It's the dumbest thing walks on four legs. It's the dumbest thing walks on four legs. Most helpless thing walks on four legs. It doesn't even have enough sense to be afraid. It's just dumb. Just a dumb animal.

Because they're sheep, they must have, they need and must have shepherds. And because God's people are sheep, they must have shepherds. They got to have them. They got to have shepherds, pastors to care for them. That's what a shepherd is. And it's the pastor's responsibility to feed the sheep with knowledge and understanding. It's the pastor's responsibility to protect the sheep with his very life, if need be. It's the pastor's responsibility to lead the sheep by going before them, to comfort the sheep with the gospel, to help the sheep in time of trouble, and to gather the sheep gently, often carrying them in his loving arms.

But it's never his responsibility to discipline the sheep, to chasten the sheep, to beat the sheep into order. That's never his responsibility. I've endeavored these nine years, and I didn't do it when I was younger. I didn't do it when I was younger. I was zealous that I could be pretty tough. And I tried my best to, when folks get out of line, to get them straightened up. Work them over. Work them over good. Put some pressure on them. Get them lined out.

I've endeavored these nine years, and many of you have heard me almost every time I've preached here. I just don't beat the sheep. I just don't do it. I don't I don't threaten. I don't terrorize. I don't scold and reprimand. I try as need arises to gently reprove. But the problem of disciplining the sheep and chastening the sheep, that's not my prerogative. That privilege belongs to the shepherd only. And he knows how to do it. He knows how to do it.

I found out that God's sheep respond to leading, God's sheep respond to carrying, and God's sheep respond to the shepherd's voice, but they just don't pay much attention to me standing behind them, beating them, trying to drive them in the way they ought to go. It doesn't do much good. It's my responsibility to lead. to feed, to guide, to protect, to carry, but not to beat the sheep.

The church of God also, Paul tells us, was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, who is God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God. The word feed means to shepherd, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Now Paul here describes the church as that which Christ has purchased with his own blood and he tells us first about the purchaser. The purchaser of the church is God. Jesus Christ is himself God Almighty. I read the theology books and the doctrines and such as that. I understand. I understand that Jesus Christ is two distinct natures. I understand he possesses that which is entirely divine. He possesses that which is entirely human. I understand that his humanity is never to be confused with his divinity. And I understand that his divinity is never to be confused with his humanity. But you understand this, the two are never to be separated. never to be separated. That one who loved us and redeemed us is himself God Almighty. That one who died upon the cursed tree is God Almighty. That one who sits in human flesh upon the throne of glory is God Almighty. The purchaser of the church is God.

Now, it was necessary that he be God. It was necessary that he be both God and man. Only as a man could he suffer under the wrath of God for our sins. Only as a man could he establish righteousness for men. But only as God is his righteousness and his suffering of infinite merit and value to satisfy the justice of God and to meet the needs of all his people for all eternity. So our Savior, Paul says, first of all, he's God. God's our savior. God's the one who purchased the church.

Then he talks about the price. The price of our purchase was his own blood. Nothing else would do. Jesus Christ, God Almighty, Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, comes to the law and justice of God, and he offers to pay a price. To ransom out from under the hands of divine justice. To ransom out from under the penalty of sin. To ransom out from under the curse of the law. His loved church. What's the price? Your blood. Your blood. The blood of one who is God Almighty. The blood of one who is himself equal with the Father or is one with the Father. He paid the price. and the purchase was made by a legal payment of debt. The satisfaction of justice, the ransom of our souls from the hands of justice, his blood satisfied the penalty of the law.

Now look at this text again and hear this regarding the death of Christ. The purchase that he made at Calvary was a particular purchase. The text says, He purchased the church, not that he purchased all men, not that he made the purchase possible for all men, but he purchased the church, the church of his elect, the church of those whom the Father had given him, the church that he had purposed to bring with him into everlasting glory, the church which he will present holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in the presence of God Almighty in the last day. He purchased the church. all of God's elect.

Secondly, this purchase is a complete purchase. Our Lord Jesus purchased. Do you see that? It's in the past tense. He purchased. It's done. It's done. Now, I started to say, yeah, have I just purchased something on time? We bought some tapes the other day, put them on my credit card. And so we pay them off a little at a time. I haven't purchased them yet. I haven't. I've already got the tape. I already sent them out. Got to order some more. But I haven't purchased them yet. Haven't purchased them yet because I haven't gotten the bill yet. The bill hasn't been paid. We paid on time. That's not what happened here. That's not what happened here. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Purchased the church. That means it's done. fully, completely, absolutely, forever done. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, for he hath purchased the church. Our Lord laid down his life a ransom. God accepted the ransom, and God having accepted the ransom, justice declares his people now are free, and free they are. There's nothing to be added, nothing to be done. The purchase does not depend on our faith. The purchase does not depend on our will. The purchase does not depend on our works. The purchase does not depend on our perseverance. The purchase does not depend on our personal holiness. The purchase was done completely when Jesus Christ said it is finished. Done. Nothing more to be done. And that purchase is an effectual purchase. It's effectual.

Look at that passage again in Ephesians 5. Ephesians chapter 5. What do we mean by effectual redemption? Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. That, look at verse 26, that. Now circle the word that in your mind, if not in your Bible, and draw a line back to verse 25.

Christ loved the church and gave himself for it for this purpose. This was his intention. This was his design. This was his purpose. that he might sanctify it, make it holy, that he might cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might give us his perfect righteous nature, that he might cleanse our consciences from the guilt of sin, declaring to us sin's pardon, that he might present it at last, that church which he loved, that church which was given him, that church which he redeemed, that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, without spot, without wrinkle, without anything like a spot or a wrinkle, that it should be holy and without blemish.

Now that's the result of the purchase. That's the result of it. Everyone for whom Jesus Christ died at Calvary, he will indeed in time call, he will cleanse, he will make glorious, holy, and without blame when they stand before God at last. Not one shall be lost.

Now let me answer this second question. very briefly, but I hope with such clear dogmatism that there can be no mistake about it. What is the purpose of the church in this world? Why did God leave us here? Turn over to 1 Timothy 3, 1 Timothy chapter 3.

Wherever the apostles went in those early days in the New Testament, They ordained elders in every city and gathered churches. Why? Why was it so orderly about this thing? Why was it that they went everywhere establishing churches? I know this. There is nothing lacking with regard to our acceptance before God. Nothing lacking. We don't need anything more than we presently have to enjoy the presence of God in everlasting glory forever. No, sir. God didn't leave us on this earth to make us better. He didn't do that. He didn't do that. We're perfect in Christ, complete in Christ, holy in Christ, accepted in Christ, meet right now to be protected with the inheritance of the saints in life.

God did not leave us here so we kind of progressively get a little better and a little better and a little better so we find that we're right for heaven and kind of just drop off into glory. That wasn't his purpose. God left us on this earth with a specific task to perform, with a specific work to do. And you see it here in 1 Timothy 3, verse 15. If I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

And we are not the source of truth, but we are the pillar and ground of the truth. And it's our responsibility to preserve the truth, promote the truth, and proclaim the truth of God in our generation. Truth is the legacy we have received from the preceding generation. If you know anything at all of church history, you know how Very slim, the line of truth gets from time to time. At one time, the truth of God and the church of God was limited to one family, the seed of Abraham. At one time, it was limited to one man. One man. Imagine that. Imagine a world populated like our world is today. A world with as many people as we, just, that's too big for us to think about. Just imagine the city of Danville, Kentucky, the whole city of Danville, Kentucky, and in that city, one man, one man alone who knows God, hears from God, and worships God.

Now then expand to that. Noah was the only man in his day who had the truth of God. the only man. And throughout history, sometimes that line of truth gets so narrow, so it looks like it's stamped out. Just a few years ago, just a few years ago, it appeared, it appeared for all practical reference, it appeared that the truth of God was not known or heard in this nation. I'm talking about just a few years ago. Late 40s, early 50s, but God raised up a few men, a few men who would not bend, a few men who would not budge, a few men who would not bow, and those men determined to preserve the legacy of truth.

And now you have it. Now you have it. Because God was pleased to raise up a few faithful men to declare the truth. That's our responsibility in the day in which we live. I don't know what will happen down the road, but somehow here in 1988 in Danville, Kentucky, in this free land, We have the responsibility to put our shoulders to the work and to see to it that the generation in which we live hears the gospel of God's free grace, by whatever means we have at our disposal, to do whatever is within our power to do, to declare to men the truth, and to preserve the legacy of truth for the next generation.

Now, we got to do it. We got to do it. The Church of God is not here to entertain folks. The Church of God is not here to make the people in the community happy and pleasant. We're not here to be a hospital. We're not here to be an educational center. We're here to proclaim the truth. And that particular body of truth which we are set to declare is described here by Paul. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up to glory.

What are we here for? We're here to declare to this generation the great mystery of redemption by Jesus Christ, the incarnate God. Let us never lose sight of our responsibility. I don't know how much time we got together. I suppose perhaps the sickness Brother Todd recently, Nancy's sickness, And my mind turns it in this direction. I don't know. I don't know how much time we've got together. But we've got an awesome responsibility. An awesome responsibility.

God has given us the truth. The gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus, apart from which no man has life. In the days we've got, in the days we've got, God help us, God unite our hearts and rally our souls to this one task, to make known in this generation the truth of God. I want to write all I can and preach all I can and proclaim all I can of the truth of God in this day. And I intend, if God will enable me, to use every skill I have, every opportunity I have, every means I have, be it great or small.

And I want you to understand the burden we have here. Everything we have, let it be directed to this one thing, proclaiming the truth of God in Christ Jesus. That's one reason for the conferences we have. We're going to have this conference in December, Lord willing. Big expense, I know it is. But it's a whole lot more than just a time for everybody to get together and have a good time. If that were all it is, or if it ever degenerates to that, we won't go to the trouble or the expense, I assure you.

Why have it? I want to encourage other men. I'm almost hesitant to say this because I don't want folks to take it wrong. A lot of places, a lot of places around, churches don't have the blessed fellowship and unity of purpose that God's given us here. I want to encourage other churches and other men to set the direction of the ministries where God's put them, right here.

I want every preacher in the world. to preach the gospel of God's free grace boldly, clearly, consistently, and give himself. I want every church, I want every church that I can possibly influence, I want them to throw off all the garbage. I want them to push out all the religious trash and all the religious paraphernalia and concentrate every talent, every gift, every means at their disposal to the proclamation of the gospel of God's free grace. And that's the reason we have these conferences.

I want us to be encouraged. I want them to be encouraged. I want us united together to make known the truth of God in this world. And that's worth every price. That's worth every dime. That's worth every effort. That's worth all the toil, worth all the labor. Let's give ourselves to it. Let's give ourselves to it.

God freed me of everything else. Give my heart to this, to make known to men the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we don't meet that purpose, if we don't meet that purpose, we have utterly, completely, totally, miserably failed to be of any value to the generation in which we live. We must give ourselves to Him.

This is the church of God. It is the church that belongs to God. It's the flock of God. It's that which God has purchased. It is the pillar and ground of the truth. I'm going to quit with that. I want you to go home with that on your mind. I want you to go home with that on your heart. And I want us, by the Spirit of God, to give ourselves to this one task. Nothing else. Nothing else.

Somehow, God help us to employ every opportunity, every means. Please understand me, I'm not abrading you at all. I commend you. I commend you. I marvel at what God permits us together to do. But I'm not satisfied, are you? I'm not satisfied. I want to give myself to this and let nothing interfere.

to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that the next generation come along, if God should allow the world to stand, will have the light of life by which God saves his elect. Amen.