Topical Sermons - Executable Outlines

Mark A. Copeland
3) The kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit - Ro 14:17
b. The organization of the church universal is spiritual
1) Christ is the cornerstone, His apostles and prophets are the foundation, and all
other Christians are ‘living stones’ - cf. Ep 2:19-22; 1 Pe 2:5
2) Christ is the Head, Christians are members of His body - 1 Co 12:27; Co 1:18
3) As long as Christ is the Head, His church will exist! - cf. He 12:22-24,28
c. Earthly organization was limited to the local church
1) A local church when scripturally organized had bishops and deacons - Ph 1:1
2) These bishops were also called “elders” or “pastors”, whose role was to oversee
and feed the local congregation - Ac 14:23; 20:17,28; 1 Pe 5:1-2
3) The only authority over the universal church on earth were the apostles, and they
were not replaced when they died - e.g., James in Ac 12:2
d. Membership in the church universal is determined by the Lord
1) He is the one who adds people to His body, when they are saved - Ac 2:41,47
2) He knows those who are His - 2 Ti 2:19
3) He only has the right to blot out our names from the book of Life - Re 3:5
-- We need to understand the spiritual nature of the church, to see why there is no
need for ‘apostolic succession’ to preserve the Lord’s church today!
CONCLUSION
1. The doctrine of apostolic succession...
a. Is without true scriptural basis
b. Was devised by false teachers, in an attempt to counter other false teachers
c. Has been used by many different churches, each asserting their own validity and authority
d. Yet has not prevented wholesale apostasy from God and His Word
2. The Lord’s church mentioned in Mt 16:18...
a. Is built on the foundation of Christ and His apostles - Ep 2:19-22
b. Grows whenever people respond to the gospel as proclaimed by the apostles - Ac 2:38-41,47
c. Is manifested wherever people continue in apostolic doctrine, not traditions of men - Ac 2:42
d. Is preserved by the power of God and the all-sufficient, once for all revealed, Word of God
- Ac 20:32; 2 Ti 3:16-17; Ju 3
By remaining faithful to the incorruptible seed, the Word of God, and by His grace, we will receive that
“inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Ac 20:32)...
Topical Sermons 19