Why I Love the Church

I love the church because the Lord is building it himself, but since the church is invincible purposes of God cannot before the end is already determined it was. Perhaps you know a professing Christian says I go to church if it wasn't for all the hypocrite or maybe a member of a local church has mistreated or criticized you even why do you sadly that happens, people and churches don't always act like, well, Christians. So that raises the question.

Can you follow Christ and not be part of the church is not an option or if you're a Christian does God command you to love the church and commit yourself to one in your community. Today's lesson on grace to you, can help you answer those questions as John MacArthur explains why he loves the church and why you should to with the message here's John all of the church confess that I am an inveterate and incurable lover of the church. It thrills me beyond anything and everything to serve the church. It is the supreme joy of my life to labor for the church to spend my years on behalf of the church.

I wouldn't trade for anything and there are some reasons why that is true, and I will share a few of those with you and will look at some texts to undergird them.

First of all I love the church because the church is being built by the Lord himself.

The immutable sovereign, faithful, omnipotent, Lord of heaven whose word can't return void, but always accomplishes what he says, whose purpose always comes to pass, whose will is always fulfilled ultimately whose plan is invincible and unshakable has spoken about building the church in no less than extremely triumphant words in Matthew chapter 16 in verse 18. He said I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

He who knows his sheep whose names he wrote down before the foundation of the world.

He will build his church. I love the church because the Lord is building it himself. It's his. That's enough for me. Frankly, to just be a part of small church, big church medium-size church happy church, said church just enough to be a part of it. I feel like Paul and send greetings to you know where he was so sad.

In that letter.

But he says God always causes us to triumph in Christ, it's enough to march in the trial pieces enough to be in the parade folks. It's enough to wear the uniform. That's all out. I don't care, and frankly, the end is already determined. I just privileged to be marching with the troops enough one need beyond that, while a second reason that I love the church is because the church is the Lord's most precious reality on earth most precious reality on earth. Saudi know that doesn't fit the manna guys price right for your redeemed not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. First Peter 118, 19.

Acts 2028 purchased with his blood. First Corinthians 619, 20, but with the price.

How precious is the church well precious so precious that the sun was willing to come to die in obedience to the father so the love gift could become a reality.

One verse really well to verse really say go to second Corinthians, this coming on one and then look at the other more important. Second Corinthians 893. Know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as though he was rich, what is that mean it means a he was rich as God's rich but talk about earthly riches not talk about material things, says he was rich, it means he was as rich as God's rich he was rich in his pre-incarnate glory, yet for your sake he became poor, that does not mean earthly poverty anymore than in men earthly riches. He went from sovereign supernatural deity with all the richness to humbling himself becoming a man.

It's the poverty of being human, not the none but the idea of the fact that he was poor, economically. You certainly do understand all true that the economics of Jesus had nothing to do with redemption wouldn't matter whether he was the poorest man in town of the richest what comes the redemption is economic status played no part was the poverty that he experienced in the sense that he was divested of all the prerogatives of deity that were set aside in his incarnation and went all the way to the agony of the cross and said, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.

That's poverty and that's the kind of property viewed here.

So when you talk about the that the fact that the church is precious, that that the value of the church is seen here in the price that was paid when the wind was as rich as God in fullness of glory is rich, who became as poor as pork and being when one is alienated from God, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, and he did it, that you through his poverty might become rich. How rich, as rich as God's rich because you become a joint what joy there is. It's absolutely incredible verse absolutely incredible verse, the gospel, the incarnation, the condescension of Christ, for the purpose of redeeming the father select the father select love gifts to him had nothing to do with his economic condition and everything to do with the fact that he came all the way down to being alienated from the God he loved.

Frankly, the gospel can be no more acquainted with the financial poverty of Jesus that it can be equated with his pain on the cross.

Such matters may target the heart of human emotion and elicit sympathy, but they have nothing to do with salvation. He became poor, not by giving up Earth's riches by giving up evidence so that you might gain in second Corinthians 521. It is stated as explicitly as it can be stated what the work of Christ was second Corinthians 521. You asked how poor. What is this poverty that he endured this terrible terrible condescension, he made him who knew no sin.

Others only one person qualifies there. Jesus so that's not hard to interpret God made Jesus the sinless one, the one who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God. And that's how poor he became God to fulfill the plan took the one who knew no sin and made him sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

This this is so powerful. This is the doctrine of imputation see if I can't tell you, ever so briefly what it's saying here and what why did God make Jesus sin well some modern charismatic false teachers say that on the cross, Jesus became a sinner and had to go to hell for three days to pay the penalty for sins, that is blasphemy on the cross, Jesus did not become a sinner. He was not guilty of any sin ever. Not even when he was dying on the cross he committed no sin ever when he hung on the cross. He was absolutely innocent, no sin could be put to his account.

He had no capacity to commit any sin. He did not become a sinner.

You say what happened. Very simply, God treated him as if he had committed personally. Every sin ever committed by every person who ever believed in you grasp the thought, God treated Jesus Christ on the cross as if he had committed every sin ever committed by every person who ever believed in God, keep the full fury of a just wrath on him as if he were guilty of all of it. When the fact is, he was guilty of. None of it. God poured out his fury so that all that sin was sufficiently expiate and could never be held against those who believe.

Now that's the first half of imputation for the second half. He treated Jesus as if you committed every sin ever committed by every person would ever believe, and he did it for us in order that we might become what the righteousness of God. Are you ready for this. Jesus was not a sinner on the cross and adjacent mouse. You are not righteous, righteous, you're not any more righteous than Jesus was sinful God treated Jesus as if he was a sinner and he treats you as if you are righteous he wasn't and you're not. Neither mine that's imputation, I'm not righteous. I'm still sinful. I have a say with Paul old wretched man that I am done.

I was going to deliver me from the body of this things I want to I don't do things I don't want to do.

I do not righteous you ready for this, but God treats me as if I possessed the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ that astonishing while it is of you know me.

Certainly it is of God knows me. You see that Steve that's the doctrine of imputation.

That's were talking about here. God treats Jesus as if he committed all our sins and treats us as if we'd only done all his righteousness.

That's the price to fulfill the father's plan ahead to be so.

The sin had to be paid for in the righteousness had to be given one who was not a sinner had to be treated as if you were and those who are not righteous can be treated as if they are, why did Jesus come down and endure this horrible humiliation separation. Why it had to be so to fulfill father's plan.

I know we think that he did adjust for us. No know he did it for God. Some time ago I preached a message entitled, Christ died for God where just the gift gets passed back and forth is the church precious sure because it bears the very righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to it since it seems to been imputed to him. That's an incredible reality.

That is why Matthew 18 warns us to be careful how we treat each other doesn't. Because how you treat another believer. Jesus is how you treat me. I love the church. I love the church because the Lord is building it himself. I love it because it's the most precious thing on earth. Jesus paid the price for his church. This is a precious church. That's why Matthew 18 says if you cause another Christian to stumble you be better off for the millstone put around your neck and be drowned in the sea right there. Be careful how you treat these precious people, very careful not to despise the lease these little ones better be careful not to cause another believer to stumble your your your your your touching Christ, he that is drawn to the Lord is one spirit first granted 671 I give you third. I love the church because the church is the only earthly expression of heaven is the only earthly expression of heaven know if if you base that on some people's church experience, they would think that heaven was some kind of a shallow flippant place for entertainment, superficial, clever, indifferent man centered on the Southwest was then. We pray this prayer all time. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Wasn't going to happen in the United States Congress. I don't think so. In the White House. I don't think so Supreme Court no University no City Hall, no where is God's will done on earth as it is in heaven. Only one place in only one place. The church now you have to ask the question what goes on in heaven ever. If we haven't come down what goes on in heaven well worship. Would you agree praise and adoration and it all flows to God is all directed at God. Read Revelation Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 19 all around the throne as worship. Worship. Worship. Worship.

Worship got secondly another thing goes on in heaven. And that's the exaltation of Christ, the exaltation of Christ to use the use the adored son in glory.

He sits at the father's right hand. You see the lamb right in the throne, don't you, and Revelation is exalted in adored in an un-abashed wonder third thing that is true about heaven is the presence of absolute purity absolute purity. It is a holy place you come to the end of the book of Revelation. For example, and it becomes crystal clear that nobody is going to get in there who isn't holy.

No unclean thing, no one who practices abomination line shall ever come into it and of chapter 21 chapter 22 outside verse 15 are dogs and sorcerers and immoral persons and murderers and idolaters, and everyone loves and practices lying. You don't get in there someplace of purity. Now if we want to bring heaven down what we know about. They were all about the worship of God. The exaltation of Jesus Christ and the pursuit of holiness swirled and were so utterly unlike anything on this earth.

As to be absolutely distinct look at Matthew 18 just one illustration of this.

Matthew 1815 talks about dealing with sin on the issue of holiness and will just look at this and close with one other comment.

Matthew 1815. If your brother send you go, reprove him in private if he listens to you one your brother if he doesn't listen to you take two or more with you that if he still doesn't listen. Verse 17 tell the church of he still doesn't listen put them out in verse 18. Truly I say to you whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. What is at will, binding and loosing was an old rabbinical expression which was used with regard to dealing with people on the matter of sin and repentance that when a person was confronted about their sin and they wouldn't root their sin and they refused to turn from their sin then then the rabbi would say to them, you're bound in sin. There was simply a declaration of the fact.

But if they repent addenda had remorse confess that sin and turn from it.

He would say you were loosed from your sin and in a discipline situation. That's what you're doing. Those who repent, you can say your loose from your sin and those who will not repent.

You say you're bound in your sin, and when the church says that on earth is simply saying here what heaven has already said heaven is already rendered that verdict we bring heaven down, never is the church more heavenly than when it is confronting sin never you can't minimize sin in the church and at the same time say that I will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We literally act in perfect harmony with heaven when we deal with sin. Evans already rendering those verdicts. The church then is the only earthly expression of heaven people to walk in here and say I have never experienced anything this they should walk in and say I feel comfortable here.

The sounds familiar.

It's pretty groovy dealer. What, so unlike anything ever experienced as to be shockingly different. This is the closest we get to heaven. Another thing about heaven is fellowship with the saints right that's what were all about heaven is a place of worship for God. Exaltation of Christ pursuit of holiness suite perfect harmonious fellowship. Let the world see that so they can really see the reality of the power of God one last comment. Fourthly, the church is the source of truth, the church is the source of truth where the voice of God in the world. I love what Paul said to Timothy, the church first Timothy 315, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. If we do anything we hold up the truth to be said. When people walk in a church they hear the truth. The oppressive temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the world was in Ephesus, one of its features words was its pillar that 127 of each one was a gift from a different King. Everyone was marble almost started with jewels overlaid with gold. Every pillar was a tribute to the king who gave it. And they held up an immense roof massive roof was upheld by these pillars and as the pillars of the temple of Diana were testimony to the gross errors or false religion.

The church is to be the pillar that holds up the truth. It is the solemn responsibility of every church to lift up the truth and hold it high really with it. Smash the ideological fortresses of Satan's lies. We have stewardship of truth not to be tampered with, not to be depreciated not to be misrepresented not to be abandoned and not to be altered. It is the sacred saving treasure given to us so that the unfolding redemptive plan of God may come to pass some were 19.

The psalmist of my heart stands in awe of thy word so it should be. Let's pray Lord it's enough for us just to be in the Army just to wear the uniform just to be so privileged to march in the triumph in the victory of an invincible church enough or should we ever ask for more.

Lord, give us a love for your church. This wonderful love gift that you're giving to the son, who in turn will give it back to you and we love it because it's yours.

May we love it because of the price paid by our dear Savior, who was treated as if he committed every sin committed by every person would ever believe in order that we might be treated as if we committed every righteous deed. Christ himself has ever done such condescension for such unworthy sinners is beyond our understanding, but we rejoice in the preciousness of the church that you would do this for us and then Lord we thank you so much that we can be a taste of heaven on earth that we can be the only heaven people will see here, all may be so may it be that the distinction is so clear that people feel like they've walked into a place the likes of which they've never known and wonder what transforming reality could create this, may we be committed to the things heaven is committed to worshiping you solving Christ unashamedly pursuing holiness and sweetly fellowship to that end, we pray Lord that you might be glorified in your church which were so we pray in Jesus precious, wonderful.

You're listening to John MacArthur. Today's message here on grace to you was titled why I love the church will join you been emphasizing all week that the church is at the center of God's plan for the world and that as his children, we should make the church the center of our lives as well. And so with that in mind I have a simple question that we like to answer from time to time here on the broadcast because lots of people write and ask us this is grace to you a church or a substitute for the church, no grace to you is not a church and it's certainly not a substitute for the church. Do you know the Bible is explicit in Hebrews. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together is the manner of some is another don't do what some people do fail to assemble together as a church and much the more as you see the Day approaching. Why why so that you may stimulate one another to love and good works.

You have to be together you. You have to be interacting with other believers stimulating one another love and good works. You don't want to be like those people who avoid the church who who are part of the church. That's a very dangerous kind of isolation and grace to you will never be a substitute for a church people might say well I get better teaching from Grace to you that I do in my church that could be true, and I know that's true in many many places that still doesn't relieve you of the responsibility to be a part of the church you need to be a part of the church. If the church is in everything it should be because it isn't everything. It should be because you know what it should be and you need to be an influence there for what is right. Think about it.

If you are in the Asia minor. When our Lord sent the seven letters to the seven churches. Let's say you were one of those churches that basically were coming under judgment. There was only one church in town to meet if you are in Laodicea you went to those one church. If you if you are in Pergamum. There was one church of your inside tire there was one church here in Ephesus there was one church and even though those churches were under judgment unit. You were a part of those churches and you are those in those churches. The Lord says was Raven soiled their garments are still walk in white so the Lord recognizes that there will be churches that are troubled sinful places, but he sees there. His faithful people and I think you need to be in the best church available to you, grace you just wants to be a supplement and why has God raised up something like grace to you with with such immediate access to all kinds of Bible teaching because we live in a world where immediate access to so much bad material is having such a deleterious effect on our culture. We need to have good material constantly available because were being barraged by that which is evil, be a part of a church. The best church. You can find use that opportunity to build spiritual relationships and be a blessing to the people around you matter what the shortcomings might be in that church that will honor the Lord and grace to you will come alongside will be here to help support you and feed you the word of God and provide resources for you everywhere. We can in every way you would like us to yes friend, we plan to be here for a long time helping people become more like Christ, and will do that as long as listeners benefit and give to support this ministry.

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