In life you must know what IS & what ISN’T

We need to know what the Church IS Church ISN’T!
Many people today do not like the Church, but what if what they are liking ISN’T actually the church. If people saw what the Church IS really meant to be, perhaps they would feel differently.
We need to take a moment to look in God’s word to see what the Church IS and what the Church ISN’T!

Is Isn’t 2: Church is Church Isn’t from Redemption Church on Vimeo.

Is Isn’t 2 – Church is Church ISN’T

Sermon notes by Pastor Chris Fluitt

Redemption Church Plano Tx

**Bumper Video – Is Isn’t
Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am happy to be with you today.

Life requires you to know what IS and what ISN’T.

Many people have taken advantage of others… telling and selling them something that IS but it really ISN’T. Peddlers selling Snake oil and other tonics… late night infomercials that tell you that you can have abs without dieting or exercise.
Last time… Jesus is influential powerful & miraculous
Jesus is God & Man… Yet Jesus Isn’t Power Hungry. He is someone we can trust.
Jesus isn’t like the Pharisees… We read the story of the woman caught in the act. The Pharisees were picking up stones to kill the woman. Jesus isn’t like the Pharisees, he came to her defense… Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. Jesus comes to our defense. He is our savior.
As amazing as Jesus is… He isn’t accepted by everyone.
When you find out who Jesus really is you can’t help but fall in love with him.
Life requires you to know what IS and what ISN’T.

Anonymous QUESTION text line 214 856 0550

Tonight we are going to talk about what the Church is and isn’t.
It’s alarming how many people don’t like church… What if, what they are so opposed to wasn’t actually church? What if we have been sold snake oil concerning what Church is or isn’t?

Church isn’t a building

We often make church a building or location.. We often say…
I’m on my way to church. What Church do you go to? You should come to my Church… My Church is located at… Glad you could come to Church today.
Along with the thought that Church is a building are the expectations… Churches have steeples. They have stained glass and a boring preacher. Churches have traditional hymns or they have contemporary rock and roll. Churches have stages and screens for lyrics.
There is nothing wrong with any of those things… (except the boring preacher) But these things do not a church make.
The Church we see in the Bible had none of those things. They didn’t even have a building. They first met in an upper room and God’s Spirit showed up in Acts 2… They ended up taking it to the streets. They met at the Jewish temple. They met in different homes. There were times they were in prison but they sang praise to God… They had church without a building…. God shook the prison and opened the jail cells.

Church isn’t a building… The Church is wherever You are! You are the Church!

This means the Church can be in your home. Church can be in your car. Church can be with you when you are on vacation. Church can happen at Starbucks. Church can happen through a webcam bible study. Our podcasters we are experiencing Church right now with you!

Church is Ekklesia

Don’t be afraid of Greek words. Ekklesia is the Greek word for Church. It literally means..
a community or group of called out ones
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(NIV)

You can’t have Church without God calling people out of darkness.
Ekklesia is a plural word suggesting, you can’t have Church without a connection with other called out believers.

There are a lot of people that say “I’ve got God and a Bible. I don’t need Church.” The Bible disagrees.
We are commanded to gather together.
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(NIV)
We need God and we need each other. Not only do you need the people in this room but the people in this room need you.

Church isn’t a denomination

Denominations are so tied to “Church” that Church is a denomination. People will ask “WHAT KIND of church do you go to?” It’s not enough to just say … I go to Church… You know a Church that loves and preaches Jesus…
Is it a Baptist Church? Catholic, Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Latter Day Saint, Seventh Day Adventist, Assembly of God, Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of God in Christ…
Churches have split off into denominations… but then the denominations split off into other sects…
Baptist, Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Free Will Baptist, Evangelical Free Baptist, Independent Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Progressive Baptist… This list goes on and on… The US alone has 62 forms of the Baptist Denomination.
There are roughly 41,000 Christian Denominations in the world. A new Christian denomination is formed every 10.5 hours.
WHAT A MESS!

God’s Church was never meant to have 41,000 denominations. Can we agree on that?
God gave birth to the Church in Acts 2… That is a picture of the Church. It wasn’t a denomination nor was it meant to be another world religion. It was people of many languages and nationalities, people of different social and economic standing, men and women old and young coming in contact with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. That my friends, is the Church!
Want to see the Church walking in power and miracles like Acts 2? Focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ… the death burial and resurrection.
Want to see the Church splinter into 41,000 different denominations? Focus on anything else.
There are churches that split over an argument that Adam did or didn’t have a belly button.

Church is and isn’t.

We need to know what Church IS and what Church Isn’t

Matthew 16:18 ..on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Church is built by Jesus

The Church isn’t built by a denomination. The Church isn’t built by a Pastor or a church staff.
You are the Church and Jesus is the builder.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(NIV)
Like a builder will take bricks and position them one by one… The builder takes bricks that are separate and alone, and connect them together. Jesus is taking us and putting us in position. We are living stones building up God’s Spiritual House. God is placing us side by side. God is putting us together.

The Church is built by Jesus and the… Church is built on the Rock of Christ

Ephesians 2:20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.(NIV)

Church is built next to hell’s gates

Picture a beautiful church building… What do you picture? A white steepled building on the Countryside? A big church building in the heart of the city? A huge fountain or stained glass?
The church world today gives a lot of thought to where they build. You want to build on the good side of town… on the right side of the tracks… and because of this Church has become segregated by economic standing and by skin color.
But check out where Jesus builds and positions His church. He positions his church right next to the Gates of hell.
Matthew 16:18 ..on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
When all hell is breaking loose… The Church of Jesus should be present. When people are dying of drug addiction the church of Jesus should be present. Where there is racism and greed, where there is the sex trade and prostitution, where there is shame and fear… The Church of Jesus should be present. When there are refugees running for their lives or the displaced by a hurricane the Church of Jesus Christ should be there.
God isn’t building his church on the good side of town. He is right outside the gates of hell. He is taking lively stones and positioning them… Jesus is forming a blockade to hell and it’s the Church.
He is not hiding his Church from Hell. Jesus is building is Church confront hell!
Church isn’t pretty! It’s right next to hell.
The people inside the Church aren’t always prim and proper… All of us where on our way to Hell when Jesus said STOP AND COME INSIDE THIS SAFE REFUGE!
Isaiah 5:14 ..hell enlarges herself, and opened her mouth without measure…
Jesus is outside of Hell’s gates saying… No you don’t. Hell isn’t going to grow today. You can’t have this soul… I have purchased this soul. Satan you can’t have Plano Tx. Satan you can’t have this person..
Do you feel the grip of Jesus today? Hell wants to take you but Jesus won’t let them have you. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church that is built on Jesus Christ!
We are all sinners being saved by the Grace of God. We are the Church! We are the Called out ones! He is calling us out of darkness!!
Thank you Jesus for letting me be in Your Church.
Lord Jesus, since you are the builder of your Church, come right now and position me… position us. Make Redemption Church what you want it to be. Make me what you want me to be!
Life requires you to know what IS and what ISN’T.
We need to rethink Church. We would love for you to help us rethink Church and reach this city.
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The Church is built by Jesus. We are saved by Jesus… Jesus will take us to heaven to be with him… but for right now… As he builds his church he has created roles and placed people over the church to lead it. One of these roles is Pastor.
As I close I need to tell you what a Pastor is and isn’t.

Pastor isn’t a king

Far too often the Church world has treated Pastors as kings. Bow down to the Pastor. This is the Pastor’s Church you better do what he says. That Chris Fluitt isn’t just an ordinary man… He’s a pastor. Pastor’s prayers are stronger than my prayers…
Pastors have also abused power. Do what I say because I said so. I have seen Pastors bully people and guilt them into doing things that aren’t even scriptural.
The view that a Pastor is like a king has hurt the church of Jesus. There is only one King. Jesus is King.
The bible never compares a Pastor to a king. Instead your Bible tells us…

Pastor is a servant

The word most associated with Pastor in the Bible is the word Shepherd. The word Shepherd is used interchangeably with pastor.
What is a shepherd… but a servant? He tends to the flock, protects and feeds.
I want to be your pastor… I’m not saying I want you to treat me like a king… but instead I’m saying I want to serve you…. Will you let me serve you?
Will you let this Church minister to you today?