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MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 2, 2009MESSAGE 9 OF 13 in The Old Time Gospel Sermon SeriesCHRISTIAN HOPE CHURCH OF CHRIST, PLYMOUTH, NORTH CAROLINAby Reggie A. Braziel, MinisterAn Old Time Gospel Message on The ChurchMessage 9 of 13 in The Old Time Gospel SeriesThis morning as we continue our OLD TIME GOSPELSERMON SERIES I would like to preach An Old TimeGospel Message on The Church.Please turn in your Bibles to the Book ofEphesians, chapter five, verses 25-27.(NEW KING JAMES VERSION)25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christalso loved the Church and gave Himself forher,26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her withthe washing of water by the word,27 that He might present her to Himself aGLORIOUS CHURCH, not having spot or wrinkleor any such thing, but that she should beholy without blemish.Before we get into today’s message, let’s ask Godto bless our time of study.*******************IntroductionFor over two thousand years, the Church of JesusChrist has endured many CHALLENGES, CONFLICTS and

CRITICISMS.Tyrants have persecuted her.Governments have oppressed her.Satan has tried to destroy her.And yet THE CHURCH MARCHES ON!One doesn’t have to look very hard to see theChurch’s glaring weaknesses and shortcomings.Let’s face it, THE CHURCH IS NOT PERFECT……….atleast not in her earthly state.How can the CHURCH be perfect when she is made upof IMPERFECT PEOPLE who are being led by IMPERFECTPREACHERS and IMPERFECT LEADERS?And yet in spite of her many faults andimperfections, the Apostle Paul tells us the Lordsees her as HIS GLORIOUS CHURCH.In today’s message I want to share withyou FOUR REASONS why the Lord’s Churchis so GLORIOUS!I. The Church Has A Glorious BuilderPlease turn with me in your BIBLES to the Gospel ofMatthew, chapter sixteen, verse eighteen.MATTHEW 16:18 NKJV“And I also say to you that you are Peter, andon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and thegates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

1. The world has always had a great admirationfor great builders.THE EGYPTIANS built the greatPyramids and the Sphinx.THE ROMANS built the great Colosseumin Rome.THE GREEKS built the great Acropolisand the Colossus of RhodesTHE BABYLONIANS built the great HangingGardens of Nebuchadnezzar.THE CHINESE built the great wall of Chinathat is so large it can actually be seenfrom outer space.THE INDIANS built the great Taj Mahal.2. JESUS never built a great building.JESUS never built a great colosseum ormonument.JESUS never built a great bridge or highway.BUT JESUS DID BUILD THECHURCH………..THE GLORIOUS,MARVELOUS, INDESTRUCTIBLECHURCH!“Upon this rock I will buildMY CHURCH.”3. EPHESIANS 5:23 tells us THE CHURCH isA BODY and CHRIST is the head of thebody.

EPHESIANS 2:19-21 tells us THE CHURCHis A HOLY TEMPLE and CHRIST is theChief cornerstone.MATTHEW 13 tells us THE CHURCH is theKingdom of God and CHRIST is the rulerof the Kingdom.EPHESIANS 3:14 tells us THE CHURCH isTHE FAMILY OF GOD and HEBREWS 3:6 tellsus CHRIST is the FAITHFUL SON over God’shousehold.REVELATION 21:9 tells us THE CHURCH isthe BRIDE OF CHRIST and CHRIST is theHUSBAND of the BRIDE.4. YES THE CHURCH IS A GLORIOUS CHURCHBECAUSE SHE HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDER,CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.II. The Church Had A GloriousBeginningPlease turn with me in your Bibles tothe Book of Acts, chapter two. And let’sread: verses 36-4136 Therefore let all the house of Israelknow assuredly that God has made thisJesus, whom you crucified, both Lord andChrist.37 Now when they heard this, they were cutto the heart, and said to Peter and therest of the apostles, ’Men and brethren,what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and leteveryone of you be baptized in the nameof Jesus Christ for the remission of sinsand you shall receive the gift of theHoly Spirit.”

39 For the promise is to you and to yourchildren, and to all who are afar off, asmany as the Lord our God will call.”40 And with many other words he testifiedand exhorted them, saying, “Be saved fromthis perverse generation.”41 Then those who gladly received his wordwere baptized; and that day about threethousand souls were added to them.(Acts 2:36-41 NKJV )1. These last three Lord’s days we haverejoiced to have six people make adecision; five to transfer membershipto our congregation, and one to make thatgreat confession of faith and be baptizedinto Jesus Christ.2. Can you imagine 3,000 souls being savedin one single day! What joy andcelebration there must have been in thecity of Jerusalem that day!3. But it didn’t end there! We read just afew verses later in Acts 2:47 And the Lordadded to the Church daily those who werebeing saved.4. Over in Acts 4:4 we read: However,many ofthose who heard the word believed; and thenumber of the men came to be about fivethousand.5. As we move on to Acts 5:14 we read: Andbelievers were increasingly added to theLord, multitudes of both men and women.6. In Acts 6:1 we learn that the number ofdisciples was increasing so rapidly, theApostles could no longer keep up with thephysical needs of all the members in the

Church so they appointed deacons to handlethat important responsibility so theycould continue to devote their time andenergy to preaching the gospel.7. Acts 6:7 tells us, Then the word of Godspread, and the number of disciplesmultiplied greatly (notice they are nolonger adding, they are now multiplying)……………the number of disciples multipliedgreatly in Jerusalem, and a great manypriests were obedient to the faith.8.Just two chapters later, in Acts 8, welearn the Church had already spread fromthe city of Jerusalem into Judea andSamaria. And by the time you get to theend of the Book of Acts, the Church hadspread thousands of miles away into AsiaMinor.THE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDER.THE CHURCH HAD A GLORIOUS BEGINNING.Next we see……..III. The Church Has A Glorious MissionPlease turn with me in your Bibles tothe Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty eight,verses eighteen, nineteen and twenty.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them saying,“All authority has been given to Me inheaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and maake disciples of allnations, baptizing them in the name ofFather and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all things Ihave commanded you; and lo, I am withyou always, even to the end of the age.(Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV )1. Throughout the centuries the Church hasmade a tremendous impact upont the world.THE CHURCH has been largely responsiblefor improving the quality of life forwomen. But improving the quality oflife for women is not the Church’sprimary mission.THE CHURCH has also been responsiblefor establishing many orphanagesthroughout the world to care forchildren with no parents. Butestablishing orphanages is not theChurch’s primary mission.THE CHURCH has also established manygreat hospitals in the world to carefor the sick, the diseased and thedying. But establishing hospitals isnot the primary mission of the Church.THE CHURCH has also established manyschools, colleges and universities toeducate young people. But establishingeducational institutions is not theprimary mission of the Church.2. The primary mission of the Church is tobring people to Jesus Christ through thesoul-saving message of the Gospel.

3. Many organizations are on a mission tosave lives of people.Many organizations are on a mission tosave the lives of animals.And many organizations are on a missionto save the environment and planet earth.4. BUT THE CHURCH, THE GLORIOUS CHURCH OFJESUS CHRIST, is the only one whoseprimary mission is to SAVE LOST SOULS.5. Therefore the Church is the only entityon earth that has a mission that extendsbeyond this world into eternity.THE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS BUILDERTHE CHURCH HAD A GLORIOUS BEGINNINGTHE CHURCH HAS A GLORIOUS MISSIONAnd finally……..IV. The Church Has A Glorious FuturePlease turn in your Bibles to Revelation,chapter twenty one, verses 1-7.1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth,for the first heaven and the first earthhad passed away. Also there was no moresea.2 Then, I John, saw the holy city, NewJerusalem, coming down out of heaven fromGod, prepared as a bride adorned for herhusband.3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven

saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God iswith men, and He will dwell with them,and they shall be His people. God Himselfwill be with them and be their God.”4 ‘And God will wipe away every tear fromtheir eyes, there shall be no more death,nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall beno more pain, for the former things havepassed away.”5 Then He who sat on the throne said,“Behold, I make all things new.” And Hesaid to me, “Write, for these words aretrue and faithful.”6 And He said to me, It is done! I am theAlpha and the Omega, the Beginning andthe End. I will give of the fountain ofthe water of life freely to him whothirsts.7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,and I will be his God and he shall beMy son.”(Revelation 21:1-7 NKJV )1. Traditionally, the groom is not to see thebride before the wedding.Many believe this is because it bringsbad luck.But there is another reason.2. You see, before the wedding, the Bridedoesn’t look her best.-She is dressed in casual clothes-She may have her hair up in curlers.

-She doesn’t have her makeup on.3. But then that moment comes when theorganist plays the Wedding March, everyonerises to their feet, and the BRIDE makesher GLORIOUS entrance.The Groom is mesmerized with herbeauty!The casual clothes have been replaced witha beautiful wedding gown.The curlers have been removed and her silkyflowing hair drapes across her shoulders.Every blemish, every spot, every mark hasnow been covered up.THE BRIDE RADIATES LIKE THE NOON DAY SUN!4. Right now THE LORD’S CHURCH may not seemso beautiful to us. She bears the marksand flaws of so many earthly imperfections.But remember SHE’S STILL GETTING READYfor the WEDDING!5. As Paul tells us in EPHESIANS 5:25-27“Christ loved the Church and gave Himselffor her. That He might sanctify and cleanseher with the washing of water by the word,that He might present her to Himself aGLORIOUS CHURCH, not having SPOT orWRINKLE or any such thing, but that sheshould be holy without blemish. (NKJV)6. As far as the CHURCH’S future here onearth, we know she is going to survive,because Jesus said, “The gates of Hadeswill not prevail against her.”

7. But beyond her FUTURE here on earth awaitsTHE GLORIOUS FUTURE OF THE CHURCH inHeaven.***********************************CONCLUSIONYou know, we are all tempted at times to criticizethe Church and complain about all the things wedon’t like about the Church.The next time you are tempted to do that, justremember that in spite of all her humanimperfections………the CHURCH is TRULY GLORIOUS!The Church Has A Glorious Builder!The Church Had A Glorious Beginning!The Church Has A Glorious Mission!And The Church Has A Glorious Future!Upon this rock I will build MY Church!