Identifying the Church

When someone asks you, “What church do you go to?” What is your answer?

It is natural for us to answer that question in the manner that we know people – in general – will have their curiosity satisfied.

And we can go on and describe where that church is located – in what city, on which street – its appearance – and so on – giving them physical descriptions of the “church that we ‘go to.’

In the minds of many people, you have given them the information they were asking about.

But, you know, by giving that answer we have told them about a building. With that answer and description, we told them nothing about the church.

They still know nothing about the Church, because we have only told them about the location of the building, we “go to.”

So, sometimes the church is referred to as the “meeting house.” But is it really a meeting house --- or does the church meet in this house?

Remember, in the early church, the Body of Christ often met “house to house.”

• Acts 1:13 describes the disciples gathering in an "upper room". 

• Acts 12:12 mentions Peter going to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered in prayer. 

• Acts 5:42 says about the Apostles: “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

So, how do we identify the Church? Well, we identify the church in several different ways.

First, we identify the Church by the Builder. And who is the Builder? You know where we find the answer to that question.

Matthew 16:13-20 – Jesus is speaking here, speaking to Peter: “I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build MY CHURCH; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

So, when we are asked which church we go to we can – with assurance say – the Church that Jesus built.

The next question to be answered is this:

“How many churches did He build?”

Again, let’s go back to Matthew 16:18 – “I will build MY church.” One church.

He did not say “I will build many churches so people may choose the one that suits them best.”

So, if there is only one church, how many bodies are there?

Do you remember the song – I do not remember the title or who recorded it -probably sometime in the 60’s-- one line in the song says: “ONE is the loneliest number that you’ve ever known.”

Well, Jesus didn’t establish just one church for loneliness. He built one church for UNITY.

Hear what Paul says (Ephesians 4:4-6) “there is one Body, one Spirit, and that we are called in one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and in all.” 

Are we beginning to see the importance the Scriptures place on the word “one”?

Even the day of the week we are to gather together to break bread is set apart for us in Scripture – Acts 20:7.

"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight."

Every building must have a foundation, and it must be a solid foundation if the building is going to remain upright and solid.

So, the Church which Jesus built must have a foundation as well.

What is that foundation? To answer that question we have to look at 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 where Paul teaches: “According to the grace of God, which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it; For no man can lay a foundation other that the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

The church is also identified by the Day it corporately worships our Lord.

1.   On which day did the church break bread together? Acts 20:7 – “on the first day of the week.” Their purpose was to gather together to break bread. You may notice that it does not say once every quarter, or only on special occasions, or only on Easter Sunday.

2.   On which day did the church “put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. “2 Corinthians 16:2

3.   On which day of the week did Jesus appear to His followers after His resurrection? John 20:19-23

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

We also find in Scripture that the church must remain steadfast. Look at Acts 2:42: “The were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

I believe that verse says more about what Jesus wants His church to be more than any other verse in Scripture. He says “continually.” That means in everything we do every day.

The Church of Jesus Christ may also be identified by the names applied to the Church.

Acts 20:28 Paul speaks to the shepherds of the church to that they are to be overseers of “the church of God,” which He purchased with His blood.

In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul teaches Timothy how to conduct himself in “the household of God.”

In Colossians 1:18 Paul tells the church there that Christ is the Head of the Body = that is, the church; and he writes that He himself – that is, Jesus Christ - "will come to have first place in everything.” That includes the Church.

In Hebrews 12:23 the writer says: ….to the general assembly and church of the firstborn…

There are some denominations (“an autonomous branch of the Christian church.”) which look at that verse and find authority to call a gathering of their congregations and called themselves a “general assembly” rather than “the Body of Christ.”

Now above all the names mentioned there is One that is prominent in that it describes who is the Head of the Church on earth, because He established the Church, He taught multitudes about the Church, and He died for that Church.

Up to now this morning we have looked at what the Church is.

Now, let’s take a look at what the Church is not.

1.   The Church is not a building – Acts 17:24 tells us: “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands…”

Hear what came upon the church in Acts 5:11 – this is the account of Ananias and Sapphira – “and great fear came over the whole church, and over all those who heard of these things.”

Can a building “fear”?

Go to Acts 11:22 – in the church at Antioch – “The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.”

What came to the ears of the church? It was the news that people were turning to the Lord.

Does a building have ears? Can a building hear?

2.   So, with that in mind the next question to ponder is this --- Is the place of meeting – the gathering place – the Church?

Or does the church go to the meeting house?

It is so easy to say we are going to church. But what we are really doing is going to the place where the church meets for the purpose of worship.

One of the greatest ways to describe the Church, in my humble opinion, is that the Church is the Family of God. I love the chorus we have often sing,

“I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. I’ve been washed in the fountain cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod; for I’m part of the family, the family of God.”

Paul attests to our relationship as heirs in Romans 8:16-17: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

And finally, it is vital that we understand and live our lives knowing that we are God’s dwelling.

Paul tells the Church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:16) that “you who are in Christ are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

Peter, in his first letter to all the churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia described the church as living stones, a holy priesthood, members.

Jesus did not leave His Church to be divided under numerous heads or authorities.

He is still the Head of the Church. Christ’s Body

- His Church is filled with His life,

The way we can sum up all that has been said here this morning is found in Ephesians 1:22-23.

Paul puts the finishing touches on all this with these words: READ

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Verse 22 there puts the exclamation point on the truth that no man – no human – can lay any claim to the ownership of the Church.

The Church belongs to Jesus Christ and Him alone. He paid the price for Her.

Ephesians 1:22 – “And He put all things in subjection under His feet and gave Him as Head over all things in the Church.”