The Purpose of a Church Gathering
Matthew 12:9-21
DATE: 5 May, 2002 AM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (Heb 10:25)
A. Why do people go to church? Why do people gather together around God’s Word?
B. What do people expect, and what SHOULD they expect?
C. I know what most expect – just more of the same – they want church to be something they can just “visit”
D. It might be because they don’t know just what to expect in a church meeting
E. Jesus had church every day – He gathered with people, and things happened!
F. Great things – things that only happen when Jesus is the main attraction
II.
Message
A. The People in a Church Meeting (Mt 12:1,2,9,10) – the kind of people that go to church
1. Pharisees (Mt 12:1,2) – the ones who think they are next to God.
a. I call them the “Practically Perfect People”
b. Self-righteous
c. God needs them more than they need God
2. Curious – Onlookers – the majority – not really interested, just curious
3. Crippled – these are the ones overlooked, and who don’t feel welcome
4. Cribbers – people with constant Bad Attitude – always finding a reason to
a. Find fault – why no drums? How come you don’t use new bibles?
b. Never happy, or able to enjoy what God can do
c. It’s amazing, but these kind of people come to church – because they may be looking for something that will fill a void! AMEN!
B. The Puzzlement About a Church Meeting (Mt 12:3-12)
1. This was the question as they watched Jesus break with tradition
a. There was something about Jesus that wasn’t “normal?” not that He was abnormal, but that He seemed to just do things differently!
b. Again, this was the Sabbath Day – a day for worship and rest
c. But here was this crippled man – Ah, a good chance to test Jesus!
d. So, the Pharisees asked Him, “Is it right to do good on such a day?”
2. Normal tradition was, and still is in many churches:
a. Sunday is usually a do nothing day for most
b. If someone does end up going to church, they make sure to only spectate – watch – do as little as possible – little or no participation
c. But if not in church –sports
1) Man’s modern day idol – people know all about David beckam, and his wife, and daughter, but not of God, and His SON!
2) Live for - Soccer, Hurling, Road Bowling, Formula Racing, Rugby, Golf, Gaelic Football, and if that wasn’t enough, they tune into a world of sports: sky-diving, skiing, basketball, baseball, American Football, Hockey, Tennis, and the list goes on!
3) Do you know what a sport is? A few men (or sometimes women) on a field desperately in need of rest being watched by millions of men watching on TV who desperately need exercise!
3. Jesus’ answer is so down-to-earth:
a. Again, the question in the synagogue was
1) “Is it right to do well on the Sabbath day?”
2) In other words, Is it right to do right on such a holy day?
b. Jesus answer is obvious – uses an emergency
1) What about on the Farm
2) Or, in the Family – how much more important are people?!
c. Jesus’ answers were never complex – we just find some things hard because we are so far removed from normal life – farm life!
4. Application – the principle applied to your and my life:
a. #1 If you’re tired, stressed out, depressed, sick, defeated, GET TO a BIBLE PREACHING church that will help you get closer to Jesus
1) Don’t fall into the devil’s trap of hiding under the blanket because of being down
2) Satan knows the BEST place for you is around a bunch of tender loving Christians who get all excited about preaching!
3) People think a church is for “practically perfect people” like Mary Poppins – and when they don’t feel “practically perfect” they feel like hiding – DON’T DO IT! You will miss such a blessing!
4) God has chosen foolishness of preaching to SAVE sinners (1Cor 1:21), and to encourage the saints!
b. #2 We have a responsibility to do good on Sunday – but not make money – that’s what Jesus is teaching!
1) The Commandment was about resting from WORK that we all have to do to survive – i.e., the money-changers in Temple
2) But one day a week, we need to put out the effort in the following areas:
a) Assembling ourselves together
b) Bringing others with us
c) Being a blessing – gets us in a good habit for the rest of the week!
d) THAT’S what church is all about
C. The Purpose of a Church Itself (12:13)
1. This gets down to the real reason why a church is supposed to exist
2. It exists so that people can:
a. Meet Jesus (Mt 18:20) – think of all the people who were brought to Jesus, and who travelled just to be close enough to hear Him speak! People still need to meet Jesus – not physically, but:
1) Be taught about such a Saviour reasonably
2) Be shown how to talk to Him – so few know how to pray
3) Be shown how you can trust Him, fully
4) You don’t have to go back in time, or to Jerusalem – just to the word of God, and see Him jump out of every page
b. Be healed by Jesus
1) The only ones who get a blessing from Jesus, are those who need Jesus (Mt 9:10-13)
2) Not with a bunch of hocus-pocus and magic mirrors, but ever so simply – by faith in His words
a) Jesus used no entertainment – even though He was so enjoyable to listen to, and learn from, and watch
b) Jesus used no performance of His disciples either
c) What Jesus SAID was what mattered – full stop! (Jn 15:3; 1Cor 1:17,18)
3. More important than physical healing however, is spiritual healing
a. Physical problems are nothing compared to spiritual problems
1) People only see starving people in Ethiopia
2) They see only dying people in Africa
3) They think only of sending a blanket to cold people
4) But hell is the reason why Christ died, and why people need Jesus
b. The spiritual problems of mankind – the source of all our physical problems
1)
Heart-sickness
a) In need of some solid, deep comfort (Rom 15:4)
b) To be reminded of our future (Rev 21:4)
2) Brain-sickness – unrestful
a) Past
b) Regrets
3) Sin-sickness (Mk 2)
a) Not born again yet
b) On the way to hell – could be a very good person
c) Need to be saved (Eph 2:8,9)
D. The Power of a Church Meeting (Mt 11:14-21)
1. To Upset the Devil – one of the greatest signs a church is doing right!
a. When people are getting saved and sold-out for God
b. When people are getting mad, and sometimes, walking out from God (Jn 6:66-68) – it happened even when Jesus was around!
c. That’s alright – no one answers to ME thank God!
2. To Be Strong in spite of not being permanent (Mt 11:15)
a. No great monuments
b. Only a bunch of changed lives – that’s your testimony (1Pet 2:9)
3. To Be Happy even though strangers and pilgrims (Mt 11:15)
a. The only thing that mattered was whether Jesus was there – not in some “Tabernacle” but in a bunch of people’s lives
b. Could be renting, or own your own home, or travelling for all I know – what matters in Jesus’ church is whether He feels welcome (Rev 3:20)
4. To be full of changed people
a. Who would want to go to a hospital that only kills people?
b. Who would want to only go swimming in waters infested with sharks
c. Who wants to go to a church that just fills up with more sinners?
d. God became MAN to change – transform three things:
1) Our destiny from hell to heaven
2) Our defeats into victories
3) Our debates into assurance (Mt 11:21)
5. To be the best kind of church, we have to:
a. Want to be changed by the word
b. Allow ourselves to be changed by the word
c. Stop hiding the changes that have taken place – come out of the closet
III.
Application, Conclusion
A. The People in a Church Meeting – Are you one of these?
1. Pharisees (Mt 12:1,2) – the ones who think they are next to God.
2. Curious – Onlookers – the majority – not really interested, just curious
3. Crippled – these are the ones overlooked, and who don’t feel welcome
4. Cribbers – people with constant Bad Attitude – always finding a reason to
5. There are always going to be lots of different kinds of people
B. The Puzzlement About a Church Meeting (Mt 12:3-12) Is it right to do right on such a holy day?
1. #1 If you’re tired, stressed out, depressed, sick, defeated, GET TO a BIBLE PREACHING church that will help you get closer to Jesus
2. #2 We have a responsibility to do good on Sunday – but not make money – that’s what Jesus is teaching! Put out the effort:
a. Assembling ourselves together
b. Bringing others with us
c. Being a blessing – gets us in a good habit for the rest of the week!
d. THAT’S what church is all about
3. Don’t let your questions stop you from getting a blessing!
C. The Purpose of a Church Itself (12:13) It exists so that people can:
1. Meet Jesus
2. Be healed by Jesus – spiritually healed
a.
Heart-sickness
b. Brain-sickness – unrestful
c. Sin-sickness (Mk 2) Need to be saved (Eph 2:8,9)
3. Have you heard His word today? Has your heart been warmed by His presence? By the truth of His promises?
D. The Power of a Church Meeting (Mt 11:14-21)
1. To Upset the Devil – one of the greatest signs a church is doing right!
2. To Be Strong in spite of not being permanent (Mt 11:15)
3. To Be Happy even though strangers and pilgrims (Mt 11:15)
4. To be full of changed people
a. Want to be changed by the word
b. Allow ourselves to be changed by the word
c. Stop hiding the changes that have taken place – come out of the closet