Sermon Cloud

Traditionally it has been seen as 3 essentials:  the corporate praise and worship of God; the edifying of believers and the proclaiming the gospel to the world. How would you know? The key question to ask:

Is the TRUTH taught here?  We could ask:  Is Jesus present here, but as Jesus is the truth, it’s same question  Do we embrace, what the Bible calls sound doctrine? Look at these instructions of Paul to young pastors:

P. 844 2 Tim 4:3  For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.

Truth/sound doctrine is found in the church because God rules his world & his people with his word. Jesus our Lord is the truth, so we are keen to know & practice the truth.

Since The Church of Jesus Christ is the pillar and foundation of the truth, a good church must be:

A Teaching church – teaches the truth

Not all churches teach the truth; that’s why Paul wrote to Timothy; saying this is a Pastor’s task.  The problem with error, is that when found WITHIN the church, it’s pernicious – for not everyone sees it, and many just go with the flow.  “Wonderful things in the bible I see, some put there by you, but most by me”

Every pastor, bible-teacher, children’s leader, youth worker, small-group leader, faces 2 dangers:

1.     To be a hypocrite – so that how we live is inconsistent with what we teach

2.     To be a heretic – we think we are teaching truth, when in fact we are expounding error

Paul made it clear to Timothy that teaching and lifestyle must go together, 2 Tim 2:1-2 – teach others who in turn will teach.  14-15 keep reminding and warning ... correctly handle the word of truth - look what comes next – 16-17 - lifestyle. The two are always connected.  James gives a real warning to all those who teach:

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1:

Teaching bears a huge responsibility – to get it right, and not lead people astray. Hebrews 13:17 says:

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Leaders who teach are answerable to God for their teaching content, and their lifestyle.  We need congregations to keep us on track; we need to be able to refute error, like the Galatians had to do

Solution:  Keep to the Scriptures; Have a plurality of pastors/leaders/elders, who are accountable to the church

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Some people come to church gritting their teeth; it has become a duty, and even a burden.  Some people come to church cos they like meeting the people, or singing the songs, or the coffee is good and free.  But do we come cos we love the church and we love God’s word? 

A Loving church – lives in truth

I know of churches where the sermons are long and boring – so only the very sleepy stay.  But there are churches which are fun and lightweight – so people don’t grow; they’re not being fed.  Why can’t we have a church which is strong on truth and as an outworking on that, strong on relationships, warmth, prayer, explaining things, and so on?  (That’s what we are trying to cultivate here). Truth and love must go together – more on love next week.

But you see where it all begins; it begins with God and his word. The Scriptures set the agenda for us.  A key verse we used a few years ago as our motto is Acts 2:42: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Sound doctrine is always under attack; we all want people who will agree with us. To have our thinking, and therefore our living change, creates huge resistance. But that’s exactly why we meet together; so that we might be shaped by the truth – not so that we might shape the truth to our liking.  And that’s why our authority is the scriptures.

Back to P. 844 2 Tim 4:3f: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths

Now, I am well aware that some people nit-pick over doctrinal soundness on minor issues; others say doctrine doesn’t matter – only Jesus matters. Yes but which Jesus – the Jesus we fancy, or the Jesus of the Bible; the Jesus who taught some harsh things, or the Jesus who appeared sweet and nice?

Bible truth well taught, will always take us to Jesus; it will always make us more loving. Remember the Church is the pillar of truth – because it is the place where Jesus is to be found; he is the TRUTH; not just by propositional statements about himself, but because he is the one we relate to; to be in Christ is to be in the truth. The Bible calls us to walk in the truth. John wrote: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. That must mean in love also, mustn’t it?

Truth and love then take us to the gospel

A gospel-centred church – proclaims the truth

A church which teaches and lives the truth, will be a church that proclaims the truth.  It will tell the gospel as it is; it will discuss sin, and judgment and wrath. It will be a place where the emphasis is on Christ’s work in rescuing lost people. In a gospel church, people will be praying for those who don’t know Christ – the Holy Spirit will be at work bringing people to faith in Christ.

Some people say a church full of “the truth” is harsh & arrogant; whereas a church full of love is warm & welcoming.  But why should truth and love be opposites?  Surely true truth, will show itself in open, healthy relationships – or else it isn’t truth!  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, 1 Cor 13

The man I served under when I first went into the ministry, used to tell all students when they went away from home that they should find a church, where the Bible is well taught, and where they could comfortably take their friends.  That’s good advice isn’t it?

A gospel-centred church ought to be just that. The teaching is great – and out of that flows a warm welcome, good music, indeed all things. In fact it is “normal” – you could take your friends and not feel a cringe-factor. You know that when the Bible is read, the preacher will explain it – not use it as a launch-pad for his own ideas. You know that your friend will hear the gospel explained in a relevant way,

not in jargon.  And you will go away, saying “I’ll be back!

The people you will meet will not be wrapped up in themselves, but they’ll take an interest in you; they will be listeners AND doers of God’s word - you’ll see it in the conversations you have.

But you will also want a church where you will feel accountable; the people love both you and the truth sufficiently, that they will hold you accountable. Do you not want a group of friends who love you enough, and are confident in gospel truth, that they will correct you where you are off-beam, and support you when you struggle?  A good question to ask when choosing a church:  Is this a church willing to kick me out?

If it is, it means they are also holding to the truth of Scripture, and loving me enough to shock me into repentance. A gospel-centred church teaches AND PRACTICES the gospel – P. 824 Gal 6:1. It demands from me that my life is lived in conformity with the truth of God’s word, and that word is made clear to all who come under its shadow.

There is nothing like the gospel – it’s the most radical and dynamic way – indeed the only way – to be right with God. And there’s nothing like the church that embraces the gospel. A gospel-centred church lives by that gospel – everyone knows the gospel from the lips and lives of its members. Therefore there is nothing like a gospel-centred, loving church, that takes God and his truth with the utmost seriousness. Isn’t that what we aim to be?

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