This past Sunday we officially began a new sermon series called "Mere Churchianity." Our goal is to grasp an understanding of what the church is and how that applies to Goshen Baptist Church. Although the previous two weeks have been centered on the church (one on the role of the church in suffering and the other on unity), we officially begin with a study of the story of the church.
There are a number of things to grasp from this story. First, we are part of God's divine story. God has blessed, redeemed, and built our church for the purpose of blessing others and being a light unto the nations which then results in His name being glorified. It is all about Him. It is not about us. So any attempt to make the church about us - our wants, needs, desires, traditions, etc. - misses the point of the church's existence. We exist to glorify God and we glorify God by being His light unto the world.
Secondly, this is why holiness is so important. The church is the Kingdom of God in miniature, thus when people think of Goshen, do they see holiness on display, or something else. The local church is made up of individual believers that make a collective whole. Holiness is critical to being a light.
I strongly encourage you to download the notes which offer a more in-depth study. I had to skip a number of passages due to time (like Revelation). Also, I encourage you to buy and read the book
Light to the Nations, A: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story
which was a huge influence and guide in this sermon. I have not found another book yet that surveys the entire Bible in an attempt to understanding what God is doing in His Church.
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