Honor the Church, Part 1 & 2
As disciples of Christ we ought to always love and honor Christ’s church and resist the temptation to dishonor it.
HONOR: To value and respect.
Matthew 16:17-20, “17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
1 Timothy 3:14-15, “14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”
SIX MAIN AGES IN CHURCH HISTORY
- 30-100 AD – The Apostolic Church Age: Includes the disciples and their companions (Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Clement of Rome, the Didache).
- 100-325 AD – The Developmental/Church Fathers Age: Includes the main leaders who framed the basic doctrines of the church (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Athanasius).
- 325-590 AD – The Political Church Age: The church begins to develop political power and adds many unbiblical things to the church (Praying to saints, the priesthood, worship of Mary, purgatory).
- 590-1054 AD – The Conflicting Church Age: During this time problems arise with Muslims conquering Christian lands and the East and West splitting.
- 1054-1500’s AD – The Dark Church Age: The Roman Catholic Church engages in war with Muslims (“The Crusades”), torturing of heretics and dissenters (“Inquisitions”), and strives with various Christian nations over power (“Church of England”).
- 1500’s-Present – The Reforming Church Age: Since the time of the great breakaways from the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants have been striving to return the apostolic faith, along with growing in understanding of all the biblical truths handed down through the various ages.
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FOUR WAYS TO HONOR THE CHURCH
(1) HONOR THE CHURCH AS JESUS’ BRIDE
Ephesians 5:25-33, “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
(2) HONOR THE CHURCH AS JESUS’ BODY
1 Corinthians 12:12-31, “12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”
(3) HONOR THE CHURCH AS WHAT JESUS PURCHASED
Revelation 5:9-10, “9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
(4) HONOR THE CHURCH AS WHAT JESUS IS BUILDING
Matthew 16:17-20, “17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
Do you honor the church as Christ’s most treasured possession?