BY RICK RAILSTON
February 9, 2013
Most of us in the Church today, not all—and those of you who have come into the Church recently, be patient with me here—but most of us came out of the tradition of the Worldwide Church of God. And we were told for decades that the role of the Church was twofold.
1.To Preach the Gospel to the world, as we sang just a little while ago.
2.To Feed the Flock as we heard, about in the sermonette.
I want to take a minute by way of introduction to talk about that first role, The Preaching of the Gospel, because it's going to lead us down a certain path.
After Mr. Armstrong's death, when you think about that in January of 1986, the Church had all of the resources necessary to dramatically and powerfully continue that job of Preaching the Gospel to the world. The Feast Attendance in 1993 was 98,000 plus. That's according to the PGR (Pastor General Report) of December 15, 1993. Ninety-eight thousand plus attended the Feast that year. At that time the income was over $200 million. We had a college in Big Sandy, a college in Pasadena obviously. We had offices all over the world. In every major nation we had an office.
At that time, the Worldwide Church of God was the largest purchaser of religious TV time in the world. The Correspondence Course was sixty plus volumes. The Plain Truth circulation at that time was over eight million. Now, that was greater than Time Magazine. It was greater than Newsweek. It was greater than the U.S. News and World Report. We had booklets, articles, and letters on every conceivable subject—everything from whether it's okay to milk your cows on the Sabbath to if this food is suitable to eat. Everything! We had letters, booklets, and articles. We had a large field ministry, trained field ministry. And we had established churches and established doctrines.
Yet, despite all of that, God allowed all of that to be destroyed in the 1990s. When you think about it, we had the infrastructure to go forward more dramatically and more powerfully than ever before. And, yet, God allowed it, caused it to be demolished, torn apart.
There are without doubt several reasons that God did that, but one reason is pertinent to our discussion we're going to get into in just a minute. Mr. Armstrong said very emphatically, many times that:
When he died, the job that God called him to do would have been completed. (Emphasis added.)
Let me quote from the Worldwide News Friday March 6, 1981, quoting Mr. Armstrong.
And, Brethren, I have to say to you, "No one is going to succeed me." I think that when God lets me die, the thing He has called me for will have been completed—preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ, carrying the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all the world for a witness unto all nations. There is no one in the Church that has the qualifications, the experience that could carry on the work that God has given me to do.
That's a direct quote.
Then thirteen days later he wrote in a co-worker letter on March 19, 1981 the following. He said:
He [referring to God] used me in building the Philadelphia Era of His Church, all in proclaiming His gospel to all the world. Now, He has brought this Great Commission near its finish.
Finish is in all capitals.
Neither I nor you know how much longer will be required to completely finish it.
Going on:
Some, even in the public press, are beginning to ask "Who is the heir apparent?" As the newspapers put it, "Who will rule the church after Mr. Armstrong?" The answer is NOBODY.
Again, all capitals.
God has never removed a man called to a specific leadership, assignment, or commission until his mission is completed. Perhaps my job in those areas is not yet finished. God will keep me alive and on the job as long as He needs me. So far as I know…
And this is all in caps now.
GOD HAS NOT RAISED UP ANYONE ELSE TO FINISH THIS WORK HE HAS USED ME IN DOING. (Emphasis added.)
Going on he says:
I have never said I expect to live until Christ comes.
Now, other people have said that, but Mr. Armstrong never said that. Going on:
I don't believe that God is through with me yet.
And notice this last sentence.
But if I die, you will know that He was finished with me. That will mean that the work has been finished. (Emphasis added.)
Meaning: To preach the Gospel to the world that God called Mr. Armstrong to do.
I'll just read that again.
But if I die, you know that He was [Meaning: finished with Mr. Armstrong and finished with that work]. That will mean that the work has been finished.
Do you know Mr. Armstrong was absolutely correct? And sure enough that infrastructure, which could have carried it forward, disappeared, demolished, destroyed. Now it is clear at this point in time that God does not want that part of the work resurrected.
How can I make a statement like that? How do we know that? Any number of groups is attempting to recreate the Worldwide Church of God. They're attempting to preach the Gospel to the world as the Worldwide Church of God and Mr. Armstrong did, but we're told to judge by the fruits. Aren't we? Matthew 7 verses 16 and 20, Christ says "Judge by the fruits."
What are those fruits? Since that period of time that we just talked about and the infrastructure was dismantled, the fruits are—of Preaching the Gospel to the World—the fruits are that the number of deaths among God's people has far exceeded the number of baptisms. And it's obvious God is not calling a large group of people at this time.
Now, obviously, we have to keep open the possibility that as we get closer to Christ's return, the Gospel could be preached again to the world. We know for a certainty that it will be preached by the two witnesses (Revelation 11). We also know for a certainty it will be preached by the angel who returns and traverses around the world. That's in Revelation 14. Those will happen for sure.
In addition, IF it is God's will (and I put a big "IF it's God's wilL"), He could raise up a human being to preach the Gospel again to the world right before Christ returns. He could do it, but it's obvious at this juncture, at this time, He has not chosen to do so.
So, given these facts, there is an obvious question.
What is the role of the Church today?
That's our subject: What is the Role of the Church Today? Should we attempt to recreate the Worldwide Church of God? Should we get on television and radio? Should we publish books and magazines? Should we establish colleges? Should we build gigantic campuses with all kinds of buildings? Should we hold public seminars to try to attract people? Now, some groups are attempting to do that as we speak, but does God want us to do something else? Is there something else that He has in mind as roles for the Church? And, again, we have to judge by the fruits.
So, the title of the sermon is What is the Role of the Church Today, at this time at this juncture in the history of Christianity?
Now, as with all important things, God's Word has the answer. And even Mr. Armstrong, you remember what he said so many times? "Don't believe me. Blow the dust off your Bible and prove it to yourself." Not what men say, but what God says through His Word. So, we're going to discuss today Four Roles of the Church Today, Four Roles we have been commissioned to fulfill as God's Church. And I'm speaking to God's people wherever they are, the Greater Church.
The First is obvious. The First One we've already talked about. The First Role of the Church is:
I.To Feed the Flock
That was the Second of the Two Commissions the Worldwide Church of God had.
Now, in the past, Feeding the Flock—if we are honest about it—Feeding the Flock often came into conflict with Preaching the Gospel. You only have so much money. What do you spend it on? Do you buy more TV time or print more booklets or do you take care of the Brethren and serve the Brethren? That was a continual conflict back then. It is a continual conflict among some groups today. All too often, as a result of that conflict, the Brethren have suffered over the decades.
Now, Feeding the Flock is a two-fold job. There is the spiritual aspect of Feeding the Flock. That obviously comes first. And then there is a physical aspect of Feeding the Flock, of taking care of the Brethren in need. And the ministry is charged with that job. That's a huge responsibility.
Now, let's go to John 21.
I told Dale after he stepped down from his sermonette, I said, "We could not have planned a better sermonette for this sermon." And Dale and I did not collaborate on this at all. I had not a clue what he was going to talk on. I didn't have a clue that Neil would pick the song "Go You Therefore Into All the World" either, but God has a way of working around us humans that drag our knuckles on the ground sometimes.
John 21, we'll begin in verse 12. Now Christ is appearing to His disciples after His resurrection.
John 21:12. Jesus [said] unto them, Come and dine. [Eat with Me.] And none of the disciples [dared] ask him, Who [are You]? knowing that it was the Lord.
13) [Christ] then [came], and [took] bread, and [gave it to] them, and fish likewise.
14) This is now the third time that Jesus [showed] himself to his disciples, after he [had] risen from the dead.
15) So when they had dined, [Christ said] to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, [Do you love] me more than these [the other disciples]? [And Peter] said to him, [Yes], Lord; [You know] that I love [You]. (KJV)
Now, notice what Christ said. He's saying, "Look because you say you love Me," which Peter just did, "Because you say you love Me":
John 21:15b. He said, Feed my lambs. (KJV)
Dale talked about the difference between lambs and sheep. Now the Greek word for feed is Strong's #1006. In English it is the word bosko. And Strong's says the meaning is "to feed." [Thayer's says,] "portraying the duty of a Christian teacher to promote in every way the spiritual welfare of the members of the church." That's what bosko means. Zodhiates says, "to feed, to pasture, or to tend sheep. Used metaphorically, of a Christian teacher meaning to instruct," as Zodhiates says. So, that's the definition of the word feed.
Who are they supposed to feed? What is Peter supposed to feed (and the disciples)? Christ used the word that was translated lambs. That's Strong's #721 and it's the Greek word arnion. And it means, as Dale pointed out, a little lamb.
Now, by implication in Christ's dissertation to the disciples, it means someone who is newer in the Church, younger. Dale was talking about the younger sheep versus the older ones, the old dogs versus the little puppies. The point is that what Christ is saying to Peter is He's saying, "Because you say you love Me, because you do love Me, I want you to teach; I want you to instruct; I want you to tend the new ones coming into the Church."
So that was the first of three parts of Christ's instruction. They are very similar but yet slightly different each one.
Now in verse 16, Christ said to him a second time:
John 21:16b. Simon, son of Jonas, [do you love] me? He [said] unto him, Lord; [You know] that I love [You]. [Then Christ said, Okay, because you love Me], Feed my sheep. (KJV)
Now this time, He uses two different words for feed and for sheep as opposed to feed and lambs in the previous verse. The Greek word for feed means "to feed, to tend a flock, or to keep sheep," but it also has another slant to it. A further definition is—this is all according to Strong's [and Thayer's]—"to rule, or to govern. It means to furnish pasture for food, to nourish, or to serve the body, serve the body of sheep." Zodhiates says, "To shepherd the sheep which involves total care." That's an expansion of the previous word—total care.
Now, who is Peter supposed to (and by extension the rest of the disciples and all the ministry), who is the object of the total care? It's translated here not lambs, but sheep. That's Strong's #4263. It's the Greek word probaton (prob'-at-on). And it's translated, as Dale pointed out, "sheep" forty different times; "sheepfold" one time, but it always means in the New Testament a sheep, always.
So what Christ is saying, in verse 16, to Peter and the ministry down through the years, He says, "Because you love Me, I want you to provide total care for the full-grown sheep, teaching and instruction for the young sheep, but total care for all the sheep, the full-grown sheep." That's a little different slant.
Now let's go to verse 17 and see the third time.
John 21:17. He [said] unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, [Do you love Me?] (KJV)
And obviously Peter was—we'd all be upset. It says here he "was grieved" because He's now addressing this three times.
John 21:17b. And he said unto him [Peter said back to Christ], Lord, [You know] all things; (KJV)
"You know my heart. "You know my mind."
John 21:17 continued. [You know] that I love [You]. Jesus [said] unto him, (KJV)
Again, He's saying, "Okay, Peter. Because you love Me,"
John 21:17 continued. Feed my sheep. (KJV)
He says it now the second time, but again the words are slightly different. This word for feed is the same word that was used in verse 15, bosko, when He said, "Feed my lambs." That means to promote the spiritual welfare of the members of the Church. The Greek word for sheep here is again probaton, which is the word that was used for full grown sheep in the previous verse, verse 16.
So, when you put all three of these admonitions from Christ to a job, to a Role that the Church is supposed to do, should do, Christ is saying, "Okay, because you love Me, I want you to provide for the daily spiritual and physical needs of all those that I will give into your hands, to give under your care."
And the ministry has to take this Commandment with utmost seriousness. This is so direct that the ministry cannot ignore this. And if we do, we do so to our own peril because this is far clearer than the instruction of Preaching the Gospel. As we mentioned in the introduction, because that could be done by an angel; it could be done by the two witnesses or it could be done by someone God raises up. But this is very specific to the ministry.
Now, Christ, as a result of that—that commission, that job—provided job descriptions and offices to make His command to Peter possible. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 4 (a very familiar Scripture), but let's view Ephesians 4 as Christ's instruction, through the apostle Paul, as to how you fulfill this commission of feeding the flock in detail. Ephesians 4 verse 11, now Paul is bringing Christ into the picture. It says, "And He" referring to Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:11. … gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (KJV)
Now Zodhiates has a very interesting comment about this verse. He says:
The first three of these were itinerant ministers (apostles, prophets and evangelists), who were preaching wherever they found an opportunity, while pastors and teachers were attached to some congregation or some location.
Let's understand that. When the Gospel first started, they went out preaching (the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists), but they left behind those who were teachers and those who were pastors.
Now the fact is that today, some do not respect these job descriptions, but I would point out that Ephesians 4:11 said Christ gave them and so, if we try to diminish that, we try to diminish Christ's commandment and we try to diminish God's Word and we would do so to our own peril, if we did that. Remember Christ gave these job descriptions. I think we took it a little too far calling them offices, but they were certainly job descriptions. Christ gave them. Not a man.
And the keepers of these offices should be known by their fruits, by what they do and what the example is that they set.
Now, let's notice the purposes of these offices or of these jobs. Verse 12 of Ephesians 4, the purpose is:
Ephesians 4:12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (KJV)
Remember in verse 15, Peter's discussion in John 21? He [Christ] said, "Feed My lambs." That means to teach the new ones, "edifying the Body of Christ" and for the "perfecting of the saints," making the Saints complete, complete Christians, balanced Christians, Christ-like Christians.
The goal, then, of the ministry is to do what is best for the Brethren with the idea that what is best for them is to be in the Kingdom of God. Now, that's not always what the Brethren want or an individual Brother or Sister wants, but it is what is best for them. And God does that for all of us. He doesn't give us what we want. He gives us what is best for us.
Now, let's ask the question. "Why does the flock need feeding? What is the purpose?" That leads us to the Second Big Role of the Church. That Role, the Role of the Church is:
II.To help the Brethren become the Bride of Christ.
To feed them with the purpose of helping them become the Bride of Christ. Now, let me read a quote. I actually saw a video of Mr. Armstrong. I do not have the date, but I know it was in the last three of four years before he died because it was at a Feast. He was behind the big desk and you could tell by his mannerisms and his look that it was within five years of the time he died. I played it over and over again until I could get the quote. He says (This was at the Feast of Tabernacles). He died in '86; so it had to be in the early '80s. He said:
The Church is not ready yet. And that is the great job that still lies ahead to be done—to stir up the Church and get this Church ready for Christ's coming.
And he was belting that out as only he could do. And he goes on to say:
And we are not ready yet for that. We are not ready for that.
He said it a second time! And he says:
That makes me sick at heart when I realize it.
Before his death, he knew that there were problems in the Church. He knew that we weren't ready for the coming of Jesus Christ.
And, today, we are certainly not ready for the coming of Jesus Christ!
The role of the Church has to help prepare the Bride for Christ's return. Revelation 19 and verse 7, we've read that many times, but just to reemphasize it, let's turn there to Revelation 19:7. Today we are not ready, but the Church, the Second Role of the Church we're talking about is that The Church is there To Help the Bride Make Herself Ready. Revelation 17:7.
Revelation 19:7b. … for the marriage of the Lamb is come, (KJV)
Why is the marriage come now? Because:
Revelation 19:7 continued. … his wife [has] made herself ready. (KJV)
Each one of us as individuals needs to make ourselves ready. The collective Church has to make itself ready for Christ's return. So, then the question is—and, obviously, we're six weeks away from Passover—we have to ask ourselves the questions:
.Am I ready to be the Bride of Christ right now?
.Am I ready?
.If Christ came today, would I be ready?
.Would I be accounted as prepared to be the Bride of Christ?
And I will have to say, "I am not ready." I think most all of us are not ready. Mr. Armstrong was correct because to be ready, to be the Bride of Christ, we must change to be in Christ's image. And we have to ask ourselves:
.Am I in the image of Christ right now?
.Is every one of my thoughts a Christ-like thought?
.Is every one of my words a Christ-like word?
.Is every one of my deeds, how I treat other people, in or out of the Church (It makes no difference!), Christ-like in every way?
And, if we're honest with ourselves, we have to say, "No, we've got a long way to go."
Let's go to Ephesians 5 and verse 27.
We have to change to be in the image of Jesus Christ. Christ is not going to marry a foreigner. Christ is not going to marry somebody He doesn't recognize. On a physical level, we wouldn't marry somebody we don't recognize. We wouldn't marry somebody who was so totally different from us that we could never get along.
Ephesians 5:27:
Ephesians 5:27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, (KJV)
Are we a "glorious church" right now? I don't think so.
Ephesians 5:27b. … not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it [the Church] should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)
That's the goal.
And I think all of us, if we have an ounce of honesty, have to realize that we aren't there. We have spots. We have wrinkles. We really do. We have blemishes.
Let's jump now to Colossians, two books away, Colossians chapter 3 just to cement this concept. Colossians 3, we'll read verses 8 through 10. We have to become, transform ourselves through the power of the holy spirit to be like Jesus Christ. This is what we have to do, Colossians 3 and verse 8:
Colossians 3:8. [And] now [you] also [have to] put off all these; (KJV)
1.Anger. Have I done that?
2.Wrath.
3.Malice.
4.Blasphemy.
5.Filthy communication out of your mouth. Have we done that—perfectly?
Notice verse 9:
Colossians 3:9. Lie not one to another, (KJV)
Oh, that has happened a lot.
Colossians 3:9b. … seeing that [you] have put off the old man with his deeds; (KJV)
The old man lied. The new man doesn't lie, or the new woman. Verse 10:
Colossians 3:10. And have put on the new … (KJV)
The word man is in italics.
This is what we should put on:
Colossians 3:20b. … which is renewed in knowledge … (KJV)
After what?
Colossians 3:20 continued. …after the image of him [Jesus Christ] that created him [the new man or the new woman]: (KJV)
It's done through the power of the holy spirit.
So, we have to change to be in the image of Christ. And, as Mr. Armstrong said back in the '80s, "We aren't there yet." And it is sad because I think we're probably in many ways worse off than we were before.
Christ demands that we all bear fruit. Let's go to John chapter 15 and read verse 16. This is a very plain Scripture. We can't get out from under this. There is no wiggle room on this Scripture at all. Not there! John 15:16, Christ says something very obvious.
John 15:16. [You] have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, (KJV)
Some of us were dragged kicking and screaming into God's Church. Christ called us through the Father and sometimes we resisted that calling. Some people resisted it for decades and then finally came into the Church. But Christ is saying, "You're called not because you're so wonderful and you want to seek Me. You are called because I have chosen you. And I've chosen you because you are the weak of the world." We all know that.
He says:
John 15:16b. … but I have chosen you, and ordained you, (KJV)
For what purpose? What is the purpose that He chose us for? It says right here.
John 15:16 continued. …that [you] should go and bring forth fruit, (KJV)
That is, in our individual lives, our individual character. We must bring forth fruit.
John 15:16 continued. … and that your fruit should remain: (KJV)
Not a flash in the pan! Not showing fruit for a few months or a few years, but showing fruit, more and more and more fruit the longer we are in God's Church. The longer we have God's spirit, the more we should be like Jesus Christ. Therefore, the more fruit we should develop over time.
He goes on to say:
John 15:16 continued. … that whatsoever [you] shall ask of the Father in my name, he [will] give it you. (KJV)
With the assumption and the understanding that we are bearing fruit and we are growing. And especially the fruits of God's spirit—Ephesians 5, we won't go there. We know what they are, but that is the litmus test, so to speak, of how we are growing developing fruit. It's if we have the characteristics of the holy spirit, of the mind of God and Jesus Christ, the love of God and Jesus Christ.
One of the sad things, frankly, about being a minister is to talk to people. There are a few (Thankfully, it's not the majority!), who have been in the Church for decades, and they have borne no fruit. In other words, what their behavior is today, you could take a snapshot and transpose it back twenty years, thirty years, forty years, ten years and it's the same behavior, the same problems, the same whining and moaning, the same complaints, the same upsets, the same turmoil. And nothing has changed. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty years in the Church and no fruit! I hate to say it. They are blind. They are blind to the fact that they are not growing and bearing fruit. It's always somebody else's problem or this person or this minister or whatever. It's all transfixed to somebody else, transposed to somebody else but not themselves.
Christ is telling us… He's demanding that we bear fruit. And, as we approach the Passover, this is one of times we spend analyzing ourselves, examining ourselves to see if we are, indeed, bearing fruit. Am I more like Christ today than I was prior to Passover a year ago? Or the year before that? Or the year before that?
Now, in order to bear fruit… This is a principle in horticulture. It's a principle in God's Church. In order to bear fruit, pruning is necessary—pruning in the sense of correction in human terms; pruning in terms of say an orchardist pruning the trees for the coming spring.
We have an orchard across the street. You watch those guys in the winter time and they're out there on the ladders. They're pruning those trees making them ready for when the warm weather comes and, then, the budding starts, those trees will produce more fruit. That's going on now.
And, so, pruning is akin to correction by Jesus Christ, by God and God's Word. Let's go to John 15 and read the first two verses. These are very basic principles, very basic, but sometimes when we've been in the Church for four or five decades, we forget. We get too busy or we just don't think about it. John 15 verse 1, I'll read it out of the NIV. It's clearer that way. Christ said:
John 15:1. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (NIV)
Verse 2, this is a scary thought.
John 15:2. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, (NIV)
That's a scary thought. And we've seen how many tens of thousands of people leave? Some were never converted, but some bore fruit and they're no longer here. They've been cut off by God the Father.
Going on:
John 15:2. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while [at the same time] every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (NIV)
In other words, He corrects. Somebody who has a willing heart, somebody who wants to do God's will, somebody who wants to please God and is bearing some fruit, then, God and Christ say "Okay. They have a right attitude. I'm going to correct them. I'm going to prune them a little bit so they can even bear more fruit." That's a principle.
Now, God's Word provides that pruning or that correction. Let's go to 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16, again a very basic Scripture, but sometimes prior to the Passover we need to get back to basics and fundamentals. 2 Timothy 3:16, this tells us very clearly that one of the functions of God's Word, one of the functions of the Bible is for our pruning, for our correction. 2 Timothy 3:16, it says:
2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture… (KJV)
Now, the Scripture they had at that time was the Old Testament. We have the blessing of both, Old and New.
2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine [teaching], for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)
Now, the word correction is Strong's #1882 and it literally means "to straighten up again." You are bowed over, bent over and it means "to straighten up." We would say today, "Straighten up and fly right. Go in the right direction." Thayer's Commentary says, "1) [a] restoration to an upright … state; 2) … [an] improvement of life or character." Zodhiates says "to set right." In other words, what he's saying is "God's Word sets us right; sets us on the right path so that we don't go astray."
Now, God's Word is there for our pruning and our correction and the ministry has to preach that. But it doesn't mean abusing or beating up the Brethren. It means setting the Brethren right, ourselves, and all the Church setting them right out of loving concern with the ultimate goal of seeing them walk down the path into the Kingdom of God. And the ministry is charged with preaching that Word, and all those who are up here speaking. It's a tremendous responsibility.
Let's go to 2 Timothy 4 and look at verse 2. I'll read it out of the New King James, 2 Timothy 4:2. This is Paul's admonition to this young minister, but by extension it applies to anybody who is in a position of teaching or instructing. 2 Timothy 4:2 out of the New King James, it says:
2 Timothy 4:2. Preach the word! (NKJ)
The only Word that could be open to understanding is God's Word
2 Timothy 4:2b. Be ready in season and out of season. (NKJ)
During the Holy Day times and the rest of the year. He says:
2 Timothy 4:2 continued. Convince, rebuke, exhort, (NKJ)
Convince. Rebuke. Exhort. And he says, "I want you to do those three things—convince, rebuke, exhort:
2 Timothy 4:2 continued. with all longsuffering [patience, kindness, gentleness, perseverance] and teaching. (NKJ)
"Make sure," he's telling Timothy. "Make sure that your message isn't confusing. That it is clear, understandable.
Now the Greek word for convince here is Strong's #1651. And it means "to admonish," or "to convict somebody of a fault," or "to tell somebody of a fault."
And that's one of the jobs of the ministry. You sit down and you say, "Hey, I noticed that, or you said, 'This,' and I just want to talk to you about it for a minute." Not with a whip and a chair, but to just try to get somebody to see that maybe there's a better way to do something or maybe see a fault because we are all blind. We all have our spiritual blind spots.
The second one is rebuke. That's Strong's #2008 and it means "to censure" or it means "by implication, [to] forbid." And there are sometimes you have to say, 'Look. I'm sorry. You just can't do this. In God's Church, this is not acceptable behavior. We can't allow it. If you don’t want to stop, then you're welcome to go wherever you want to go but you not here." So, that's what rebuke means.
And then the third definition that he [Paul] mentions, the definition for exhort is Strong's #3870, and it means simply "to beseech." You read that often. Paul will say, "I beseech you, brethren." That's what he's doing. And it can also mean "to entreat." We are told in the New Testament that all of us need to be easily entreated. That means easily appealed to and to have an open mind when somebody says something that we might have done wrong. Rather than attack back or blame it on other people, have an open mind and say, "You know you are right. I said something I shouldn't have said."
So, the ministry is charged with preaching with the Word, convincing, rebuking, and exhorting. Again, I'll tell you… And I'm speaking the ministry of the Greater Church must take that charge with utmost seriousness. So to fulfill these roles of the Church—we're talking about now becoming the Bride of Christ—there is a need and there is a purpose for a ministry to help make that happen contrary to some current beliefs.
Let's go to Acts chapter 20 and look at verse 28. Acts 20:28, this is, frankly, a horrible responsibility but it's there; we can't change it. Acts 20:28, we're told:
Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, (KJV)
In other words, watch your conduct; examine yourself. He's talking to the ministry.
Acts 20:28b. … and to all the flock, over the which the Holy [spirit has] made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he [Christ has] purchased with his own blood. (KJV)
Now, the Greek word for overseers is Strong's #1985 and it just means a guardian, or a superintendent.
Dale was really happy when that guardian and superintendent came back on the scene because here is a guy that is probably very experienced and understands the mindset of the average sheep and could get them all going in a right direction.
I had experienced that as a teenager. There was a friend. We lived in El Paso, but about 120 miles east of El Paso, he ran a sheep ranch and a cattle ranch. So, we went out in the springtime and rounded up the cattle and also rounded up the sheep. And the sheep were much harder. Oh, they were hard. You could have a little creek that wide and the sheep would just come up to that and they would stop. Then the lead sheep… If one of the sheep had the gumption to go across (And usually a dog was nipping at their heels to get them across.), once the first one went, they would all go. But Dale was right. They would scatter to the four winds. They would… It's just like herding cats. They would just go everywhere. And you're this teenager running around on a horse. So saddle-sore you can hardly think, and you're trying to chase all these sheep around! Ha-ha. That really brought home that. I'd forgotten about that [event] years ago.
Contrary to some [Brethren's] belief today, the ministry is there as guardians or superintendents. Not as fuehrers. Not as dictators (which has happened in the past) but a guardian, a caretaker, somebody who is there to supervise and to help. The ministry's purpose is to feed the flock, to preach the Word, to educate the flock, to protect the flock, as a good shepherd would do and to correct with love and patience and kindness, but all the time realizing all you are is just an "assistant shepherd." Christ is the Good Shepherd. Christ is the Shepherd. And no minister should set himself above Christ or in Christ's place.
The point here, this Second Point, the whole purpose is to lead the Brethren, to help the Brethren to be more like Jesus Christ ready to be His Bride. That is the Second Role of the Church—Feed the Flock and Help Become the Bride of Christ.
The Third Role of the Church is that the Role of the Church should be:
III.A Repository of the Truth.
A bank is a repository of money. The Church should be the Repository or the place you would go to find the Truth. If you want to get some money, you go to a bank. If you want to find the Truth, that should be the Church; that's where you go.
Let's go to 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15. Notice what Paul says to this young minister.
1 Timothy 3:15. But if I… (KJV)
King James says, "tarry long."
1 Timothy 3:15b. But if I [delay long in coming] that [you may know] how [you ought] to behave [yourself] in the house of God, (KJV)
Meaning: The Church of God.
1 Timothy 3:15 continued. … which is the church of the living God, (KJV)
Notice what he says in describing the Church.
1 Timothy 3:15 continued. … the pillar and ground of the truth. (KJV)
I'm reading out of the King James.
Now the Greek word for pillar is Strong's #4769 and it means literally a post. We use posts to support roofs. Let's say you're building a garage and you have a big post to support a corner of the garage. Figuratively, it means a support. So, he's saying that one of the functions of the Church is to be a support of the Truth.
And he goes on to say, "And the ground of the truth." Now the word ground is Strong's #1477 and it means basis, basis of the truth. The New International translates this word as "foundation of the truth." So, the Church, not only is the support of the Truth, but underneath that support is a foundation, a strong foundation of the Truth. So, the Church should be the foundation and the support of what is true.
Now, let's understand. Let's go back to John 1 and verse 17, where we understand a basic revelation about Jesus Christ. John was trying to teach and train us about the nature of Jesus Christ relative to the nature of Truth. John 1 and verse 17, notice what he says. They would understand this first phrase very clearly.
John 1:17. For the law was given by Moses, (KJV)
No doubt. Everybody understood that.
John 1:17b. … but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (KJV)
Christ came to reveal God's grace, His mercy, His favor, but Christ also came to reveal the Truth because the Old Testament was just a preliminary to the New. The Old Testament was a "lead-in" to the New. So, we understand a lot of things about the Old Testament relative to Christ being here on this earth and teaching us a spiritual application of the Old Testament and the Old Testament Law. So, we see here that Truth came by Jesus Christ. In other words, it was revealed by Jesus Christ. And that's the Truth that we have to hold onto.
Let's go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 21, again a very, very basic Scripture, but this is a Role of the Church. It's a function of the Church: To hold onto, to take care of, to be a Repository of the Truth. 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we are told… This is an individual responsibility by the way.
1 Thessalonians 5:21. Prove all things; (KJV)
And once you prove something to be true:
1 Thessalonians 5:21b. … hold fast that which is good [correct]. (KJV)
We know some truths that aren't good. Drinking too much alcohol is a truth. People do that, but the fruit of drinking too much alcohol is not good. That's a truth, but we don't want to hold onto that one. We want to not drink so much alcohol as an example.
1 Thessalonians 5:21. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (KJV)
Now, go to 2 Timothy 1 and verse 13. Paul is saying… Again, he's instructing a younger minister the lessons he [Paul] has learned, revelations he has had from Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 1:13, he says the same words.
2 Timothy 1:13. Hold fast the form of sound words, which [you have] heard [from me or] of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (KJV)
Words that came from Christ that exhibit faith and that exhibit love. He's saying, "Timothy, young man, hold on to what you have heard from me as it came from Jesus Christ."
And the ministry and the members, all of us, must never stray from that Truth, from the basic truths of Church.
Now, let's understand. We need to make a distinction here. Let's understand that:
1)There are certain areas of history,
2)There are certain areas of prophecy,
3)There are certain areas of application of God's Law.
Those are open to:
.personal opinion,
.speculation, or
.personal choices.
Now, we'll just use prophecy. There is a prophecy we think we might understand. It seems to be clear given what we know today. But I can remember back in the '30s Mr. Armstrong thought that Adolf Hitler was the Beast. Okay, you learn as you go.
And there are certain things that we might think today, but five years from now, conditions in the world may change and maybe we won't see it quite that way in light of Bible prophecy. So, that is why I personally—and I think I speak for all the elders—we don't get very dogmatic about prophecy because we don't know for sure.
It's not something I'm going to stake my salvation on—the exact number and content of the 144,000. Now it seems to be this way, but you reserve the right that "Hey, I could be wrong! I might not understand it."
It's the same thing with certain areas of history. We think we understand the dates. We think we understand the chronology. We think we understand maybe what exactly happened, but we will never know for sure because we weren't there. So, there is some wiggle room there.
And, also in personal applications of the Law: Some people, some women, don't wear make-up. That's their choice. They believe that maybe that's what God wants them to do. Other women wear make-up. That's their choice. There is room for personal application of God's Law.
Now, I'm saying, though, that those are non-salvational issues.
It is not so… There is no wiggle room with God's Truth. There is no wiggle room for Salvational issues. There is no wiggle room about whether we should keep the Sabbath or the Holy Days or whether we should love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no wiggle room for that.
On Salvational Truths, all of us should be in total agreement (on salvational issues, Salvational Truths) because we all have a personal responsibility to apply these Salvational Truths in our lives, but the fact is we have an Adversary that doesn't want that to happen. We have an Adversary that wants to get us confused and get us off track.
Let's go to John chapter 8 and look at verse 44. Christ is railing against the religious leaders of His day. They were leading people astray. They were following Satan. He says, John 8:44:
John 8:44. [You] are of your father the devil, (KJV)
Man! What a condemnation! He didn't mince any words. He said:
John 8:44b. … and the lusts of your father [you] will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, (KJV)
But notice this.
John 8:44 continued. [He] abode not in the truth, (KJV)
He varied from the Truth. He made up his own truth—the truth to him. Not absolute Truth.
John 8:44 continued. [And he] abode not in the truth, (KJV)
Why?
John 8:44 continued. … because there is no truth in him. When he [speaks] a lie, he [speaks] of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (KJV)
And what Satan wants to do is to get us off track. He wants us to pay attention and magnify unimportant things. Dale was talking about that today. Versus the Salvational Truths that should be our foundation and our support of our Christian lives. Too many today get off of these foundational Truths and get off into, as Mr. Armstrong used to say, "The branches, and then the twigs, and then the leaves, and then fall out of the tree."
Too many are provoked by Satan to major in the minors and make a litmus test for "their church" a minor teaching. What do I mean by that?
I remember there was a man in England that demanded that to be a member of a certain group (This was after Mr. Armstrong's death.) you had to acknowledge the validity of the Stone of Scone. If you remember what that is. That's a big stone under the throne of the King of England. And you had to acknowledge that as a qualifier to be a member of that church. Now, what does that have to do with my daily living of a Christian life?
Some people make make-up a litmus test. Well, I'm not going to go to this church because they either don't have make-up or do have make-up. Others—I know of a church today makes it to be a member you must recognize that Herbert W. Armstrong was the "Elijah to come." You can't attend with them if you don't recognize that. You can't keep the Passover if you don't recognize that. You can't be baptized unless your recognize that. I don't see that in the Bible, but nevertheless. Or acknowledge, as a test of being a member, that the head of that particular group is "the apostle" or is "the prophet" or is "the only one God is working through."
We had a sad situation. We're looking forward to the Passover. And I know a lady out in the middle of nowhere, three or four hours from the nearest church. She wanted to be able to attend Passover with God's people and go to a certain group and attend with them for Passover. She has known these people all her life. They're not part of Pacific, but she's known these people all of her life, forty years, thirty years. But they're with a different group and she attends occasionally with them.
So, she asked if it would be okay if she attended Passover. And all of a sudden there was all this resistance. "Well, to come to Passover, you must acknowledge that the head of this particular group is "the man" God is dealing with on this earth and that the government of that particular group is the right government, and you must submit yourself to that, if you want to come to our Passover service."
Now, talk about majoring in the minors and talk about having the focus completely off track! What is a real Christian? Those who are led by the spirit of God. Not those who send a check here or there or are on somebody's roster somewhere.
See, sometimes we major in the minors. The Role of the Church is to be the Repository of the Truth and I submit to you that [previous example] is not the Truth. That is Satan provoking people to make up laws and rules and regulations that have nothing to do with the truth. We have to hold fast to the Salvational Truths. The Church must do that. The Brethren must do that. And we are all personally responsible for doing so. We have to keep focused in the right area and not get off and stumble. Like Christ said, "The blind leading the blind" in a dark room, we can't do that.
Enough of my rant here—I'm sorry.
Going into the Fourth and Last Role of the Church. One of the big roles of the Church is:
IV.To provide us a way to serve each other.
It's a place of assembly. It's a place of worshipping God. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 10 and we're going to begin in verse 23. These are four verses that are very powerful. Hebrews 10:23. We've been talking here in the previous one about the Repository of the Truth and talking about holding fast to the Truth. It's interesting this verse starts out, verse 23 of Hebrews 10:
Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (KJV)
Without waffling back and forth.
Hebrews 10:23b. (for he is faithful that promised;)
24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (KJV)
Now, that is very important. One of our jobs is to provoke one another to do good works and to show love.
Now, notice the very next verse.
Hebrews 10:25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; (KJV)
They had a problem with that back then. We have a problem with it today in the Greater Church.
Hebrews 10:25b. … but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as [you] see the day approaching. (KJV)
The day is a lot closer than when these words were originally written. So, He's saying, "Don't forget assembling together." Why? Because of verse 24 that you can provoke one another to love and to do good works. You can't do that if you have no contact with one another.
But the interesting thing is notice what follows verse 25 about this warning of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Look at verse 26:
Hebrews 10:26. For if we sin [willfully] after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there [remains] no more sacrifice for sins, (KJV)
Now that verse follows the admonition of "Don't forsake yourselves of assembling together." Why would Christ inspire that? Why would God inspire that? The only conclusion that I can draw is that if you don't assemble together, when you can assemble together (I'm not talking about somebody out in the hinterlands that has nobody near them and we have plenty of those.), but if you can assemble together and you don't; you choose not to; that's willfully sinning. What a shame that would be! And he says if we sin willfully after we have this knowledge, there's no more sacrifice for our sins.
So, how can we inspire one another? We can't do it unless we have contact with one another and Sabbath Services provide that contact. We also have emails. We have telephones and all of that for our scattered Brethren. But there is a reason to be at Sabbath Services, a reason to be involved in the Church. There is a reason to be involved with other Brethren in the Church. And then there is a reason to be at Sabbath Services. It's not just to get. It is to give.
I can remember a couple of decades ago. We were talking about a certain Feast site, thinking about a Feast site. And this woman says, "What's in it for me?" And she was referring to the shopping at that local Feast site wasn't up to her standards. There was no thought about, "Hey, we're here to worship God. We're here to serve one another, give to one another." No, it was "What's in it for me?"
I'd just like to mention Bob and Barb Jahns. They're sitting up front. Bob is 84 years-old; Barb's a couple of years behind him. They've had their health problems. Bob has prostate cancer. And, yet, Bob and Barb are here every Sabbath. It's something very unusual if those two are not here.
Now, if they can get off their fannies and come to church in their eighties with their own health problems, then shame on us if we can't do that too!
Bob told me. He said, "I've got to be at Church. I've got to be there." Why? To serve and to help and to be part of the fellowship. So, this is a reason for not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. We have to be involved in the Church. We have to be involved in each other's lives so we can serve and give to one another.
Let's go to Ephesians chapter 4. We were there earlier. We read verses 11 and 12—"gave some apostles, some prophets, and pastors and teachers." For the purpose we read, "of perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body." Now, verse 13, Ephesians 4:13. The purpose of those jobs and offices for the perfecting of the saints, verse 13:
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man [or woman], unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: (KJV)
We're here to serve and help one another. Verse 14:
Ephesians 4:14. That we henceforth [are] no more children [the little lambs], tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, (KJV)
Lambs going here, there and everywhere else.
Ephesians 4:14b. by the sleight of men, (KJV)
And there are wolves in sheep's clothing out there, even at the top, the very top. There are wolves in sheep's clothing.
Ephesians 4:14 continued. … cunning craftiness [of men, sleight of men], whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (KJV)
Take people astray.
Ephesians 4:15. But [we need to speak] the truth in love, [that we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (KJV)
We must be like Christ. Verse 16, out of the New King James:
Ephesians 4:16. from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, (NKJ)
That's important. Not what the head supplies or the biceps supply, but every joint supplies:
Ephesians 4:16b. … according to the effective working by which every part does its share, (NKJ)
And if every joint supplies effort, every part does it share, it:
Ephesians 4:16 continued. … causes growth of the body for the edifying … in love. (NKJ)
We all have something to contribute. We have all something to give. But we can't contribute if we're not involved. We can't contribute if we're not there. We have to be there. So, we have to understand that the Role of the Church is to provide a way where we can serve one another and fellowship with one another. The Church becomes a vehicle where all of us are edified, protected, sheltered, and we can serve and assist one another.
And I can't tell you what I've learned from the Brethren. I hear people talk. I watch people take actions. And I am so inspired by God's people. And I get letters all the time saying, "That card I got that somebody sent me," or "that phone call just made my day. It made all the difference in this trial that I'm going through."
The fact is if we're all led by God's holy spirit, the Church will always be for our benefit, always be for our good. We have to make sure that we are all led by God's holy spirit and we will have a group that is just a joy to be part of because God's spirit is doing it. It would never be a source of harm, but for a source of good.
So, as we approach the Passover, we must renew our efforts to support these Four Roles of the Church and analyze ourselves to see how we are coming in those four areas.
Now, the Role of the Church is to be, as we know, the Spiritual Temple of God. The physical Temple is where the God of the Old Testament, Jesus Christ, came to and resided in, first the Tabernacle and then the Temple. Today, the Spiritual Temple is where the God of the New Testament resides inside each one of us. And we are individually the Temple of God.
Let's go to 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 16. This is a fundamental Scripture, fundamental to our understanding. The Church collectively is the Spiritual Temple to which God is going to come.
1 Corinthians 3:16. Know [you] not that [you] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (KJV)
Ephesians 2 verse 19:
Ephesians 2:19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (KJV)
Verse 20:
Ephesians 2:20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21) In whom all the building fitly framed together [grows] unto a holy temple in the Lord:
22) In whom [you] also are [built] together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. (KJV)
God lives with each one that He has called and who has responded to that call. And when all those people get together, God lives within that body and that body becomes the Temple of God. Christ, the God of the Old Testament, came to a physical temple, but Christ, when He comes the second time is going to come to a Spiritual Temple, which is the Church of the living God which is the Body of Jesus Christ.
We have to be ready for that to happen. And, as we approach the Passover, we have to look at ourselves and ask these questions.
.Am I ready to be the Bride of Christ?
.Am I ready to marry Christ?
.Does Christ recognize me as being in His image?
Let's go to one final Scripture, Revelation 3. This is the Letter to the Laodicean Church and there is no question that we are in the Laodicean Era. No doubt about that at all. Some people deny that or some people say, "Well, I'm a Philadelphian. Therefore, this doesn't apply to me." But, if we're honest, we are all in the Laodicean Era. We all are under that influence of that Era but the Laodicean Era is an Era of the Church of God. Let's remember that.
Revelation 3, the latter part of verse 19, it says:
Revelation 3:19b. … be zealous therefore, and repent. (KJV)
This is a time of repentance for all of us. Analysis. Examination. Repentance.
Verse 20, Christ says to the Laodicean Church—and He is, boy, He is doing this.
Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: (KJV)
"I am knocking. I want you to let me in."
Revelation 3:20b. … if any man [hears] my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and [I] will [dine] with him, and he with me. (KJV)
That is a promise. All we have to do is open the door! All we have to do is let Him in! It's up to us.
So, as we approach the Passover, we all need to hear Christ's voice. He's banging on the door and saying, "Let Me in. Let Me into your life. Let Me into mind. Let me into your heart. Let me into your thoughts. Let me into your deeds. Let me into your words because I want to live My life in you if you will let Me do so."
The problem with the Laodicean Era is that people are not opening the door. They want to do what they want to do and they don't want Christ to interfere. And that is, as I said, that's a scary thought.
So, as we approach the Passover, we all need to hear Christ's voice when He says, "Be zealous and repent." And each one of us… Let's understand this. Each one of us needs to do all that we can to support and to contribute to the Church of God today and the Roles of the Church.
Transcribed by kb March 5, 2013