["Pomp and Circumstance"]
You
Good evening and welcome to Verity Baptist Church. Let's go ahead and find our seeds this evening
Find the seats and find a handle close to you and turn the page number three hundred and seventy five
A
Song number three seven five work for the night is coming
Song number three hundred and seventy five sing it out on the first
Oh
Song number three seven five on the second
Hey
Wow
Oh
Amen great singing welcome to the Sunday evening service here at Verity Baptist Church. We're glad to see everyone here this evening
Let's open the service with a word of prayer your heavenly father Lord
We thank you for a great day that we had Lord and thank you for the people that that came this morning
Thank you for the people that are here tonight
I pray that you bless the service bless singing and I pray that you bless everything that would be said and done this evening
Love you and Jesus my pray. Amen
All right, it's now time for favorites where if you're selected we will sing a stanza from the song that you pick
Montel go ahead
119
One one nine
We'll open
Passes by on the first
Oh
Mr. Lina guy
24 saw number two four. Amen
And can it be that I should gain saw number 24
On the first
Ah
Oh
Let's JC go ahead to all eight on the fourth
Two zero eight
Grades greater on our sins see out on the fourth
Oh
Brother Nate
27 on the second
Song number two seven the old rugged cross
Sing it out on the second. Oh that old
Oh
Matthew
30 on the first nothing but the blood
That's on number three
On the first what can wash away my sin nothing but
What
Oh
One more I see that I don't know your name go ahead
Tell us your name and then give us in
145 song number 145
Let's end this right, right. This is gonna be the last
Song favorites see it out on the first
Oh
Amen we want to welcome you back to the evening service here ready Baptist Church. We're glad you're with us
Let's go ahead and take our bulletins will look some announcements
If you do not have a bulletin raise your hand if you need a bullet to just put your hand up
And we will get one for you the verse this week
Psalm 23 6 surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, and that's a good verse there
We like that of course today is I love my church Sunday
We're glad you're with us for the evening service if you look at the announcements there of course
Sunday morning service 10 30 a.m.. Sunday evening service 6 p.m.. And we are so glad that you are with us
We have a special service lined up for you today only spiritual people would come to church on a Sunday night
The Super Bowl so congratulations you have attained
You've made it and I know that's good praise Lord, and there's a potluck too by the way
Wednesday evening Bible study 7 p.m.. Soul winning time Saturday morning churchwide soul winning at 10 a.m.
Then we have additional swing times on Thursdays Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m.. If you're a guest with us
We're glad you're here make sure you fill out one of these communication cards for us if you would not mind
We want to have a record your attendance
We want to send you a little gift as well
But we need your info to do that if you need a pen just raise your hand and we'll get one to you and then
Make sure you grab a gift bag if you did not grab one yet on your way out as a gift from us to you
there's gift bags in both foyers and
There's several resources in these bags that we like you to have but the one I like to highlight is this documentary that our church
Mates called being Baptist very well made very interesting
We think you'll like it want to give this to you as a gift
So make sure you grab that if you look at the announcements there of course
We're family integrated church children and infants always welcome in the service
We don't separate children from their parents for any reason if you need to be baptized. Please let us know we'd love to baptize you
Maybe you've never
Spoken to anybody about baptism
You're not even sure what baptism is all about on your communication card
You can check off that you would like information about baptism
We'll follow up with you in regards to that if you look at the announcements and upcoming events
Of course today is I love my church Sunday
And we had a wonderful services this morning and we had a great turnout for I love my church Sunday. We had
239 in church this morning and
several several visiting
Guests so praise the Lord for that and then of course tonight
We have a potluck
After the evening service as soon as the service is over tonight
We'll head into the fellowship hall and we'll have a time of fellowship with a potluck my wife
Let me know that there was plenty of food
so good praise the Lord for that many of you brought back your bags of popcorn as
Your dish for the potluck half-eaten bags of popcorn. That's okay, and I guess that's smart
I think and I'm just kidding. We'll have a good time of fellowship tonight after the service
Young men's workshop is on Thursday, February 23rd at 10 a.m
All the young men ages 8 to 17 and their dads are invited to a workshop to learn basics about
Working with their hands so you can sign up on your communication card
Lunch will be provided if you have any questions
You can see brother Joel
Usher and then all the ladies are invited to a baby shower for Miss Adriana and that is on Saturday, February 25th at 3 p.m
Nine chapters a day. Make sure you go by and check for your name on the clipboard in the foyer
Make sure that your name is on there if it needs to be there and then it's spelled right
Choir practice for Easter begins you get one week off. So you next Sunday you get that off
Well, you got that off today, I guess after you sing but uh
Then the Sunday after that February 26 at 5 p.m
If you're in the choir, you need to be at that first practice for choir practice homeschool group. They've got a PE
I'm sorry
They've got Valentine's Day party this Tuesday, February 14th at 11 a.m
And then they've got PE class on Thursday, February 16th. There's other things there for you to look at
Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent during the service
So they're not a distraction to anybody if you look at the back of the bulletin birthdays and anniversaries
For the month of February we have Delia Vincent's birthday on February 14th brother Victor and miss Julissa
Zuniga have an anniversary on February 14th and
Celis McQueen and Jamie McQueen have a birthday on February 15th
Praise report money matters
All those things are there for you to look at and I think that's it for all of the announcements
So we're going to go ahead and sing the chorus of the week as we prepare to receive the offering this
Evening and we'll sing how great thou art
Let's go ahead and sing it out on the first. Oh
When I
I
See
By
Oh
My
How great
Then sings my soul
My
We're gonna go ahead and sing it out on the third I want you to sing it out
All right
I think I've told you this before every time I sing this song I can't help but think of my pastor growing up
I know my brother and my sister and Jose. They they're probably think the same thing pastor Ramos
I just remember a bald head and he just loved this song
He would just sing it out and you could I could just I could see the the the vein
Popping out in his neck as he would sing then sings my soul. So we're gonna sing it out on the third
He's in heaven now, but I'm sure he'll sing along with us. Let's slow it down a little bit on the third
I want you to sing it with some passion
We'll slow it down and then we'll pick it up on the fourth and we'll sing it with power
Right on the third with passion on the fourth with power sing it out
I
Here we go
Oh
Good here we go. See it with power when
Ah
And
Oh
Amen good singing what the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time
You know the world can keep their parties. I'd rather have the house of God
Praise Lord for that. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Emily father Lord, we do love you and Lord. We do love the house of God
We thank you for these that would come to a service on a Sunday night Lord
We pray that you'd bless the offering we pray that you'd bless the preaching
We pray that you'd bless the food and the fellowship afterwards and Lord
We thank you. We thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for our sins
We thank you for giving us a church that we can be a part of in the matchless name of Christ. We pray
You
Please open mouths to 1st Corinthians 16
1st Corinthians chapter number 16 if you'd like about you put your hand up and what it is. She might be a Bible
1st Corinthians chapter number 16
If you need about Japan official come by
1st Corinthians 16 where we read the entire chapter as our custom
1st
Corinthians 16 mean verse number 1
Now concerning the collection for the Saints is I have given orders to the churches of Galatia
Even so do ye
upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as
God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come and when I come
Whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality into Jerusalem?
And if it be meet that I go also they shall go with me
Now I'll come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia for I do pass through Macedonia
And it may be that I will abide yay and winter with you. They may bring me on my journey with us wherever I go
If I will not see you now, by the way, but I trust to Terry a while with you if the Lord permit
But I'll tear it Ephesus until Pentecost
For great door and effectual is open unto me and there are many adversaries
Now if Timothy has comes come see that he may be with you without fear
For he worketh the work of the Lord as I also do
Let no man therefore despise him but conduct him forth in peace
But he may come unto me for I look for him with the brethren as touching our brother Paulus
I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren
But his will was not at all to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have convenient time
watching stand fast in the faith
Quit you like men be strong. Let all your things be done with charity. I beseech you brethren
You know the house of Stephanus that is it is the first fruits of Iki and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of
the Saints
They submit yourselves unto such and to everyone that helpeth with us and labor it
I'm glad of the coming of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaias for that which was lacking on your part. They have supplied
For they have refreshed my spirit and yours
therefore
Acknowledged ye them that are such
Their churches of Asia salute you but Quill and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house
All the brethren greet you greet you one another with an holy kiss
The salutation of me Paul with my own hand if any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ
Let him be anathema maranatha the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus
Amen, let's pray Heavenly Father. Thank you for this evening. God. I thank you for your word and for the special day
God, I thank you for our church Lord as he please meet with us tonight
I ask he be their pastor to strengthen him and fill her spirit. We love you and just say pray. Amen
Amen
Alright, we're there in 1st Corinthians chapter 16. I'd like you to look down at verse number 19 1st
Corinthians chapter 16 in verse number 19
The Bible says the churches of Asia salute you
Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord which the church that is in their house all the brethren greet you
Greet you one another with an holy kiss and tonight of course on Sunday nights. We've been going through a
Series off and on called declaring doctrine and we are doing a systematic study of
The major doctrines of the Bible and we've been taking them in
Different sections and last night we finished up the sections on the doctrines of salvation and tonight
We're going to begin a new section of doctrines and we're going to be studying
Some doctrinal lessons about the church. We're going to be learning about the church
I think it's befitting that we would begin this Sunday night
Series or subject on the doctrines of the church, of course on I love my church Sunday
And I think that that works out well
But we're going to spend the next several Sunday nights talking about the doctrine of the church and tonight
I want us to learn about
the autonomy of the local
New Testament Church the autonomy of the local New Testament Church
And of course, I always encourage you to take notes on the back of your course the week
There's a place we write down some things
Let me begin by just giving you a doctrinal definition of the church when people ask the question
What is a church and if you were to google that question, you might get a lot of different answers
Let me give you what our definition at Verity Baptist Church, and I believe this is a biblical definition
We've searched the scriptures to define a church and what we believe a church is according to the Bible is this we believe that a church
Is a self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers who have banded together
under the leadership of a pastor for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission
I realize that that is a little bit of a statement there
But when it comes to theology, we want to be clear when we're talking about a church
We are talking about a self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers who have chosen
Voluntarily chosen to band themselves together under the leadership of a scriptural pastor for the purpose of
Fulfilling the Great Commission. We will actually spend the next several weeks
digging into that and digging that apart and and tearing that apart and proving that from Scripture and helping you see the reason why that
Is important tonight what I want to deal with is just this idea of the autonomy of the local church
And here's what you need to know for tonight a New Testament Church is a self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers and New Testament Church is a
self-governing local assembly of baptized believers and I'd like to just emphasize some of those words and
Help you understand why it is important now
Usually we do a lot of scripture in our in our sermons and I'm gonna do a lot of scriptures tonight potluck or not
we're gonna look at a lot of scriptures, but here's what I
Want to do and what I want to do is I'm going to have you turn to some of these references with me
Especially here at the beginning but the map the vast majority of the references. I'm just gonna read them for you
Okay, I'm not gonna have you turn there. I'm not gonna tell you where to turn and I'm not gonna wait for you to get
There I'm just gonna read them for you. I'll give you the reference. You can jot them down for your notes
If you'd like I'm reading out of the King James Bible, so you don't have to worry about that
But I'm gonna I'll have you turn to some but the vast majority
I'm going to read to you just because there's a potluck tonight just so we can get this thing going and
We can get to the food as quickly as possible
So let me begin by emphasizing there's four different
Statements that I want to emphasize within this statement the New Testament Church is a self-governing local assembly of baptized believers
And let me begin by emphasizing this word local
It's a church must be local when you look at the word church throughout the Bible
You'll notice that there is an emphasis always on the locality or the fact that it is a local
Assembly look again at 1st Corinthians chapter 16 and verse number 19 the churches notice
plural there the churches of
Asia salute you the Apostle Paul is writing to the church of Corinth
He's in Asia himself and he is telling the church in Corinth
Which is a church in a location that the churches of this other location of Asia salute you and then he says
Specifically Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church
So of all the churches in Asia one of the churches was the Bible says here that is in their house
So Aquila Priscilla had a church in their house 12 years ago. My wife and I started very Baptist Church in our house
It's a very scriptural thing to start churches in houses and here
I want you to notice that the emphasis is on the fact that they are local churches
You're there in 1st Corinthians 16 go to 1st Corinthians chapter number 1 the first chapter
In 1st Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and let me show it to you in
another reference 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 2
Here at the introduction of the letter Paul says unto the Church of God
Now today a lot of people like to use the term Church of God to speak about what they refer to as the
Universal Church and let me just tell you up front
I do not believe in the universal church
The Bible does not teach the universal church and we do not believe in the universal church here at Verity Baptist Church
And this sermon is going to help you understand that but often when people talk about the universal church
They'll use this phrase the Church of God, you know the Church of God in general
It's interesting as Paul used the phrase but notice he says in 1st Corinthians 1 to unto the Church of God
Which is that Corinth so notice the emphasis was that yeah, there was a Church of God, which was that Corinth
there is a Church of God that is in Sacramento the
emphasis when it comes to a
Church is always that it's local
It is a local assembly go to the book of Acts
If you would Acts chapter number 8 if you go backwards from 1st Corinthians
You're gonna go to Romans and then you go to the book of Acts
I'm gonna have you stay in the book of Acts pretty much the entire night tonight
So you'll just go ahead and get comfortable there
I'll read the rest of the references for you tonight except here when we get to the end
But I want you to notice we've got several in Acts so you can look at those Acts chapter 8 and verse 1
I just want you to notice that the emphasis is on a local assembly
Acts chapter 8 verse 1 and Saul was consenting unto his death
Referring to Stephen the first martyr in the Bible and at that time the first martyr of the Lord Jesus Christ
Of course and at that time there was a great persecution notice against the church
which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of
Judea and Samaria
Except the Apostles so notice here the Bible tells us against the church
Which is at Jerusalem and I want you to understand that when the word church is used in the Bible
Oftentimes it is used in the plural sense like we saw in 1st Corinthians
churches but sometimes
When you see the word church the vast majority of times when it's used in that singular sense
It's not used in the sense like in general the church in general like people like to talk about today, but it's always emphasizing a
Specific church in a specific location
Persecution against the church which is at Jerusalem the church of God
Which is at Corinth go to Acts chapter 11 look at verse 22
Acts chapter 11 verse 22 acts 11 22 then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church
but notice the emphasis which was in Jerusalem and they sent both Barnabas that he should go as far as
Antioch go to Acts chapter 13 look at verse 1 acts 13 verse 1 now there were in the church
notice again the emphasis that was at
Antioch there was in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon
that was called Niger and Lucius and Cyrene and Maniyan which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and
Saul so I want you to notice that the emphasis is on
Local assemblies why because there's only one type of church, and it is a church that is local
It is the church at Jerusalem. It is a church at Antioch. It is the church at Corinth
It is the churches in Asia. I could belabor the point
I'm not going to we've got a potluck tonight where I could go to verse after verse after verse
We could spend a lot of time just in the book of Revelation
Looking at the seven churches in Asia
specifically seven different churches in seven different locations
So when we're talking about the doctrine of the church remember that it is a self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers and that word local is
Important because a church must be local. Let me emphasize another word go to Acts chapter 7
While you go there, let me just read to you now
I'm going to need you to pay attention because usually I have you turn to these passages. I'm not doing that tonight
I'm just going to read these for you
You can jot these down if you'd like but let me emphasize a second word
And I'm trying to move quickly as well so that we can like I said get to the potluck
The first word I want to emphasize was the word local the second word
I want to emphasize is the word assembly we believe that a New Testament church is a self-governing
Local assembly of baptized believers now these two words go together
Because you say what's the big deal about it being a local church? Why are you emphasizing that well?
Here's what you need to understand a church is an assembly. It is an assembly or a
congregation or a
Congregating of believers when you understand that the word church means congregation or assembly
Then you will also understand that it can therefore only be local
There is no such thing as this invisible church out there that all believers make up no
No, a church is an assembly
It means you are physically gathered together with other believers which then means it can only be local a
Church must be local and it must be an assembly now you don't turn here
I'll just read these for you, but let me just say this the word church literally means congregation now
We could go back to the Greek and prove that for you
I'm not going to do that
But I'll just use the King James Bible to prove it for you in Psalm 22 in verse 22
The Bible says I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation
Will I praise thee Psalm 22 and verse 22 says in the midst of the congregation?
Will I praise thee by the way? That's why we like
Congregational singing around here why because in the midst of the congregation?
Will I praise thee is what the Bible says that's Psalm 22 22 in Hebrews chapter 2 in verse 12
That verse is quoted and it says this saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church
Will I sing praise unto thee so in Psalms it says in the midst of the congregation?
Will I praise thee in Hebrews that same verse is quoted as in the midst of the church?
Will I sing praise unto thee why is that here's why because the word church means congregation the word church
It's synonymous with a word
congregation or
Assembly you're there in Acts chapter 7 look at verse number 38
Acts chapter 7 and verse 38 now we're talking about New Testament churches
But I want you to notice that there was a church in the Old Testament as well
Now
Dismissationalist they don't like it when I say that
But I'm just saying that to you because that's what the Bible says
Acts chapter 7 in verse 38 says this this is he that was notice the words in the church in
The wilderness with the angel was spake to him in Mount Sinai in with our fathers who received the light of the lively
Oracles to give unto us the Bible
Refers to the children of Israel walking in the wilderness as the church in
The wilderness the New Testament calls them the church in the wilderness now
You don't find that word church in the Old Testament, but in the Old Testament over and over and over again
You'll notice that the children of Israel were called not a church, but a congregation
Exodus chapter 16 you don't have to turn that I'll just read this for you verse 1 and they took their journey from Elam and
all the
congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of sin which is between
Elam and Sinai on the 15th day of the second month after they're departing out of land of Egypt and the whole
Congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness so the Old Testament calls them the congregation
In the wilderness the New Testament calls them the church in the wilderness why because the word church means congregation a
Church is a congregating or an assembling of believers
Go to Acts chapter number 11 Acts chapter number 11
We saw a little bit of this this morning, but let me just say it again Acts chapter 11
People will often say to us when we're out sobering oh, I go to church online
Well you might listen to preaching online, and I'm not opposed to you listening to preaching online, but let's get our our
terminology right you
Listen to preaching online, or you watch preaching online, but you don't go to church online
There's no such thing as going to church online because a church is a congregation
An assembly of believers Acts chapter 11 look at verse 26 and when he had found him he brought him unto
Antioch notice the locality is emphasized, and it came to pass that a whole year
We saw this verse in the morning, but notice they assembled themselves
With the church why is that emphasized because that's what a church is it's an assembly of believers go to Acts chapter 14
Look at verse 27 Acts chapter 14 verse 27
And when they were come and had notice the words gathered the church together
Gathered the church together
Why is it worded that way because here's what you need to understand a church is a congregation of believers
And this is something that I think you say isn't this kind of basic you would think it's basic
But then I often hear people and if you've done this. I'm not against you. I'm not picking on you lots of people do this
It's pretty much
I would say the vast majority of Christians do this, but they'll look at a building and refer to it as a church and
They'll say oh our church is on Harris Avenue
Well, I would say to you that our churches on Harris Avenue on Sunday morning at 10 30 a.m.
But on Monday morning at 10 30 a.m.. It's just a building
Because this building is not the church a building is not a church a building is walls a building
Is is sheetrock and nails and and lumber a building is a structure?
But the church is the congregation this building simply houses the church. I like calling it the church house I
Often refer to it as the building. I'll tell I'll tell our staff guys to maybe go take care of something
I never say hey go over to the church. I never say that
Hey, can you order for the building and?
Some homeless guy broke into the building can you get him out of there?
Eating all our popcorn oh wait that was you know
The I never call this a church why because it's not a church. You're the church
I'm the church and the church could gather here
Hey, we could gather under a tree, and we'd be the church why because the church is a congregation
It's an assembly of believers. They assembled themselves with the church
They gathered the church together Sunday morning is a meeting of the Verity Baptist Church
Sunday night is a meeting up. It's an assembly up. It's a gathering up Verity Baptist Church Wednesday night
I hope you'll join us for the meeting of the assembling of the congregating of Verity Baptist Church
This building is not very Baptist Church
It's just a building we use to meet
together
for church
1st Corinthians 11 you have to turn there
I'll just read this for you the Bible says so first of all this impulse told the church at Corinth when he come together in
the church 1st Corinthians 14 23 if therefore the whole church be come together
Into one place I want you to notice the emphasis in the Bible when it comes to church is not only that it's local
But that it's an assembly and these whoa hand in hand because it must be local if it's an assembly
Go to Acts chapter number 2
Acts chapter number 2
There's four words I want to emphasize for you
The first is local
We've seen that in the Bible the second is assembly. We've seen that in the Bible the third is two words
Baptized believers
The New Testament Church is a self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers
Acts chapter 2 and verse 41 the Bible says this then they that gladly
Received his word were baptized
And once you notice here, this is the day of Pentecost. This was the first big day of
The church in Jerusalem we have Easter, and I love my church Sunday
They had the day of Pentecost and after the day of Pentecost the Bible says then they that gladly received his word now
What does that mean that means they got saved?
Because you have to receive the Lord Jesus Christ you have to receive his word in order to be saved then they that gladly
Received his word and then notice were baptized and the same day there were added on to them about
3,000 souls that's quite a big day
They they had a 3,000 they didn't have a day with 3,000 people they had a day with 3,000 baptized
But I want you to know the Bible says that when they received this word
And they were baptized they were added unto them added unto who unto the church
How did they get added they got added in the church and please understand this you say how do I join a Bible believing?
Baptist Church, here's how you do it you get saved and you get baptized
Now some people have this idea as well. I thought once somebody got saved. They could be part of the church well you're
regurgitating the universal church concept
Because the universal church concept says that anyone that gets saved becomes a member of this invisible
Universal
Catholic Church well, that's the word Catholic means by the way it means universal
The Bible does not teach that
They say well if somebody gets saved
What does that mean that means they're saying and they're not gonna die and go to hell
But you know how you get you become part of the church is you get saved and you get baptized the first step of
Discipleship and the step to becoming a member of a church is that you must be biblically baptized
You have to identify yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ in a public fashion
To be part of the assembly now you can join you can come here and be part of our church services
But if you want to be part of the church you want to be part of the congregation hey you need to get baptized
That's what the Bible says and I'll preach a whole other sermon on that at another time and obviously we believe in scriptural baptism
I'm not gonna get into all that if you don't know what that means you're not sure you've been scripturally baptized
Then please let us talk to you about that
We'd love to show you what the Bible says about that and we don't think that we're the only church look we accept
biblical scriptural baptisms from other churches
But if you're gonna come here and be part of our church you have to have been scripturally baptized somewhere
They received the word and they were baptized and they were added on to them and and look
This is important because people get this idea like oh well
You know all believers make up a church or just anybody makes up a church any sort of gathering listen
They're like I said this morning. There's thousands of people gathering today in
In a Colosseum somewhere watching a football game they're an assembly they're a congregation, but they're not a church I
Mean they're a church in the sense that the word church means assembly they're a congregation, but they're not a New
Testament church why because a New Testament church is a gathering of saved born-again
baptized members
That's why a bunch of these liberal churches aren't churches either because they're just packed full of a bunch of unsaved people
The New Testament Church is a self-governing local assembly of baptized believers
I've emphasized the word local. I've emphasized the word assembly
I'd like you to go to Ephesians if you would you're there in Acts go to Ephesians Acts Romans first second Corinthians Galatians Ephesians
I'm gonna read a bunch of verses to you just to move quickly, but the next one. I'd like you to see is in Ephesians
I've emphasized the words baptized believers
I'd like to also
fourthly lastly
this evening
And that makes it sound like we're almost done, but I've still got two pages of notes
So just be aware of that
The fourth
Statements that I want to emphasize is a self-governing
the New Testament Church is a
Self-governing
local assembly of baptized believers
self-governing
What does that mean?
Well when we talk about self-governing we talk about the autonomy of the local church
autonomy means
self-governing or
independence
We are an independent Baptist Church. We are an autonomous Baptist Church
We are a self-governing Baptist Church self-governing
Independent meaning not under the authority of an outside entity. That's what the word autonomy means
Now I'm not going to get into the structure and government of a local New Testament Church
I'm actually going to preach an entire sermon on that next Sunday night
There'll be an entire sermon on what the Bible teaches about the structure and government of a local New Testament Church for now
Just know this that there should not be anyone or anything
above the local church
controlling the local church
You say why is that and let me just spell it out for you. I'm talking about denominations
We we believe that churches the Bible teaches that churches should be autonomous
Independent meaning that they're not structured under a
Denomination
That then has control over several churches you say why is that well?
Let me just give you three reasons why it is that well first of all because the Bible says it
But let me just give you some reasons
Why it is that a church needs to be self-governing and there should be no control above a local church number one
Control above a local church is a tool to ease the work of the devil
In Job chapter 1 and verse 7 the Bible says this you don't have to turn there
I'll read this for you the Bible says and the Lord said unto Satan
whence comest thou the word whence means from where then Satan answered the Lord and said from
Going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it
Job 2 2 and the Lord said unto Satan from whence from where
Comest thou and Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it
Now the devil is a powerful foe. He is a powerful being he is a supernatural being
But he is not gone, and there is a major difference one major difference many major difference
But one that I want to highlight for you is that the devil is unlike God in the sense that he is not omnipresent
The Bible teaches and we covered this
Several years ago in the declaring doctrine series when we went through the doctrines of the Godhead the Bible teaches that God is omniscient
He's omnipotent, and he's omnipresent
Meaning he's all-powerful. He's all-knowing
He he knows every any and he's everywhere present
God is everywhere the Bible teaches
You cannot run from God you cannot get away from God he is
Omnipresent meaning he is present everywhere at once Satan is not omnipresent
He's very powerful, but he's not omnipresent
He's has a lot of help the Bible tells us he has many demons that follow him and help him in his work
Against the local New Testament church
But he's not omnipresent when the Lord asked Satan whence comest thou he said I'm going to and fro in the earth and
From walking up and down in it. He's not omnipresent
Here's what Peter said in 1st Peter 5 8 be sober be vigilant because you adversary the devil as a roaring lion
walketh about
Seeking whom he may devour. Here's the point that I want you to understand God
established
autonomous
Independent churches local churches to be everywhere to be in every city tonight
There is a church in Sacramento meeting together. There is a church in Tempe, Arizona
Meeting together there is a church in in in Fort Worth, Texas or Dallas, Texas or Hearst, Texas
Or I'm not sure where they're meeting, but um nobody knows, but they're meeting somewhere in a local hotel
As an independent assembly there's a church in Vancouver, Washington. There's a church in Boise, Idaho
There's a church in Fresno, California. There's a church in in in Anaheim, California
There there's these local assemblies of churches well
Here's the thing God is present at all of them and God has no power
No problem being present at each one because God is omni present
the devil on the other hand is not if the devil wants to attack Verity Baptist Church and
Boy has he attacked Verity Baptist Church
He has to come here to do it I
Mean at this point
I think he's got a rental property here or something because he spends a lot of time with us
But if he wants to attack us if he wants to attack our church if he wants to bring protests against us if he wants
To bring attack against our church guess what he has to come here to do it
We have to send a demon to do it if he wants to attack the church in Fresno the church in Boise the church in
Vancouver, Washington the three churches in the Philippines he has to go there because he's not omni present
So this gave the devil a problem, and he came up with a solution. It's called
denominations
Because he what he thought
instead of taking the time to
Go through and corrupt every Mormon Church
Go through and corrupt every Jehovah's Witness Church
Go through and corrupt every Catholic Church instead of spending the time
Send because he's got a lot of Devils, but they're they're finite. They're not infinite
Instead of taking the time to ruin all these churches. Here's what he decided. He said let's just gather them all
under a structure
Let's take the Roman Catholic Church for example which by the way again
They're the ones that came up with this idea of the universalist Church, but what Catholic actually means universal?
So here's what happens you take all these Catholic churches
And you structure them all together under this system called a denomination
It is a system which has a head. They've got the local
Parishes with the local priests, but those priests are not autonomous. They are not independent
They answer to a bishop above them arch bishops above them
And it goes all the way up to the top to a man called the Pope
Well here's the thing if the devil wants to attack the Roman Catholic Church
He doesn't have to go
To the church in the Vatican and he has to go to the church over here in North Potomac
Then he has to go to a church in the East go no no he just he just controls the Pope at the top
Gets the Pope at the top to teach heresy to bring in work salvation to bring in wrong doctrine and it
disseminates down and it influences all of the churches
An independent church is
Protected from that though any independent church can be attacked by the devil if the devil were to attack and infiltrate
Verity Baptist Church and get us to preach heresy or to become apostate guess what that would ruin this church
But it wouldn't ruin the rest of them
Because we're autonomous churches. We're independent churches
the idea of
Joining all the churches together under one system is a tool of the devil to ease the work of the devil
Satan has created denominations
So that he can organize churches and structures
Where he can control them from the top down?
If he can take control of the head of the denomination he can control all the churches in that denomination
With
Independent autonomous churches
he and his Devils need to physically come to those churches to attack those churches and
If one church fails not all the churches fail
And by the way, let me just say this
Because you're sitting in an independent autonomous church
There's nobody that gives us orders
Nobody there's no headquarters anywhere telling telling me hey pastor minutes. We heard your sermon last week
You got a little out of control there you need to tone it down a bit
No, nobody's enough. Now. This church does have a structure. There is a government
I am under the authority
I do have to submit myself under the authority of our head the Lord Jesus Christ and
Practically that's done through the Word of God. We'll talk about that next week. But all I'm saying is this there is nobody
Who's above this church?
Remember years ago
one of my sermons had gone viral and there was all these news articles and people protesting us and and they were making a
Petition there was a petition that I forget what the number is, but there was like 20,000 signatures
petitioning the Southern Baptist Convention to fire Roger Jimenez and to remove him as a pastor and
And and people kept calling and they kept saying we want to speak to your boss and I'm like, okay
Here's how you do it. You put your hands like this and then you close your eyes and you pray there's nobody over us and
I'm sure there's a guy in the Southern Baptist Convention named Roger Jimenez, and I ruined his life
He's uh
He lost his retirement, but the point is this that you're sitting in an autonomous church
Just like the Bible says now today. There is this this new fad
Where churches want you to think they're autonomous
So they'll use these generic names to sound autonomous when they're actually part of denomination
So they'll call themselves the crossing and they'll say we're non-denominational
But they don't what they mean is they just want to be watered down and just go with anything
So that anyone who can come to their church saved not saved believe the Word of God don't believe the Word of God
It is red, but then you look them up and they're Nazarenes
There's a mega church the river church and they'll say oh, we're non-denominational you look them up. They're four square
Pentecostal charismatic tongue-speaking church
You know, that's dishonest
If you're a tongue-speaking church, why don't you tell people that?
Instead of lying to be like, oh, we're non-denomination. No, you're a liar
At our church, we put the name Baptist because that means something we're biblicist. We believe in the autonomy local church
We believe in the baptism of believers not for salvation, but after salvation we believe certain things
So we use that name to identify ourselves, but you're actually sitting in an independent church
Now, let's just give you some thoughts on this idea of denominations
The Bible says and we'll talk about this next Sunday night. The Bible says that Jesus is the head of the church
Well, we'll look at one verse about that later on tonight. The Bible says that Jesus is the head of the church and
He's the head of every church and churches are local. The Bible says that Jesus is the founder of the church
He died for the church. He builds the church. He is the founder of the church
He said I will build my church and the gates of hell should not prevail against it
So here's here's some thoughts when it comes to denominations if they have a headquarters
Then the head is not Jesus
If they have a founder
Then the founder is not Jesus
Because a local biblical church should be autonomous. Let me just quickly give you some examples
We talked about the Roman Catholic Church. What's their leadership structure popes Cardinals archbishops bishops priests?
All sorts of structure above the local assembly. What's their headquarters the Vatican City, Italy?
That's the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church
That's where they get all their their their commands their laws. That's what everybody's told what to do. It comes from the top down
Who's their founder Constantine the Great Roman Emperor? Here's what I'm saying is if they have a founder the
Constantine the Great
Then it must not have been Jesus
If they have a headquarters at the Vatican City, then it must not be that Jesus is their head
You say you're picking on the Roman Catholic Church. Okay, let me pick on all of them Presbyterians
What about their leadership structure a board of elders called the presbytery that oversee the elders of the local churches?
Where is their headquarters Louisville, Kentucky? Who's their founder John Calvin? What about the Lutherans their headquarters, Chicago, Illinois?
founder Martin Luther
What about the isp?
Episcopalians their leadership structure local bishops are subject to high-ranking bishops that are referred to as
archbishops
Metropolitans and patriarchs headquarters, New York City, New York founder Henry the 8th king of England
What about the seventh day of Venice?
leadership structure a local conference is
Composed of several local churches that is led by one senior pastor who is over the local pastors
The conference is then also part of a larger division of their global church
headquarters Silver Springs, Maryland founder Alan G Y
What about the Methodist?
Local churches are organized into conferences with general assemblies and a council of bishops at its head
headquarters of the United Methodist Church
The they're so large that they have the u.s.
Divided into several sections each having its own headquarters with different countries having their own individual sections founder
John Wesley Jehovah's Witnesses
They have a president and a chairman with board of directors that oversee all of the churches headquartered, Brooklyn, New York
Founder Charles Taze Russell letter latter-day Saints the Mormons they have a prophet that oversees the entire church
They've got apostles and bishops that are over the local assemblies headquarters, Salt Lake City, Utah
Founder Joseph Smith, what about the Southern Baptist Convention?
They have a president and chairman with board of directors headquarters Dallas, Texas founder. They've got a board of founders
Here's what I'm telling you is none of this is biblical
To have churches gathered and structured together under a
System that that they are collectively placed together. It's just a tool
to ease the work of the devil
Because you know there was a day when the Southern Baptist churches were preaching right and getting people saved
And doing good, but today by and large the the Southern Baptist churches are either liberal or Calvinist
You say why is that because they're their head
Has disseminated that down to all of the churches and here's what I'm telling you the Bible teaches that churches should be autonomous
It is a tool of the devil to ease the work of the devil let me say this
Control above local churches is a tool to promote
ecumenicalism
the ecumenical movement today is
Alive and well, and it is used it is the it is the
Denominations of this world you say what is ecumenicalism ecumenicalism is the movement of trying to unite all churches together
Trying to bring all the churches together, and we're not just talking about Christian churches
We're talking about bringing Muslims and Jews and Hindus and Christians all together
You've seen the stickers coexist
and
And this idea to bring everybody together
It's ecumenicalism you say what's wrong with that you ever heard of the Antichrist?
One day there's a one-world government and a one-world religion coming
This idea of ecumenicalism
The but you know the Bible teaches the Bible teaches that God has instituted division
Read the book of Genesis read chapter 1 God is that honestly dividing?
Dividing the darkness from the light dividing the waters from the earth dividing dividing Jesus said I came to divide
He said I came to bring a sword
And listen to me when it comes to other people outside of our church
Do I think that our church is the only one that has saved people in it of course? I don't absolutely not
I think they're saved people everywhere
There's some say people all over the place
But when it comes to joining together, so why are you preaching this series on doctrine?
Systematic theology why because we must unite on doctrine
Here's what the Bible says Galatians 1 you don't have to turn that I'll just read this for you
I marvel that you're so soon removed Paul said to the church in Galatia from him that called you into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel
Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of price
But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you
Then that which we have preached unto you let him be a curse
The word of curse means to go to hell
You know I don't like I don't like your preaching. I think you're being kind of mean well
You wouldn't like the puzzle pause preaching either
Because here's what Paul said the gospel is a dead
burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and if you want to reject that then go ahead and be a curse as
We said before so say I now again if any man preach any other gospel unto you
Then that ye have received let him be a curse you say why are you preaching against the Mormon?
Why are you preaching against the Jehovah's Witness? Why are you preaching against the Catholics?
Why are you preaching against these people you know why because they have another gospel?
They believe another gospel
They say that if you're going to go to heaven you have to get baptized
And you have to take the communion and you have to go to the confessional booth. That's not the Bible says
The Bible says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ hey the Bible says it's not of works
It's a free gift that we receive by calling upon Christ for salvation
And we get emails here every week
People and I mean they they must have forgotten who I am
Because he won, right you want to come to this prayer breakfast
We want to invite your pastor to the prayer breakfast
Why would I go to a prayer breakfast to pray with a Hindu and a Muslim and a Jew?
And a bunch of unsaved so-called Christians
You think you hate them. I don't hate them, but I'm not gonna post it with them if I go there
I'm gonna preach the gospel to them try to get them say
We're not supposed to unite ourselves with those who preach another gospel
The Bible even teaches that we should be careful about uniting ourselves with people that are saved if they're not walking rightly and orderly
You don't have to turn here second Thessalonians 3 14 you can jot this down if you'd like
Here's what Paul said if any man obey not our word by this epistle note that man and have no company with him that he
May be ashamed yet counting him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother
So this idea of just you know everybody let's just all get together
Let's just all get together. Let's all hold hands. Let's just sing Kumbaya
That is ecumenical ISM
We're against it we're not for it
It's a tool to promote ecumenical ISM, but then I already said this well
Let me just say it again. It is a tool to bring in a one-world religion
You go to Ephesians chapter 5 let me read to you from Revelation 13 8
and
All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him
Whose names are not written in the book of life of the life lamb of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world?
The Bible teaches that one day there is coming the Antichrist, and there is this uniting of religions
this one world religion
God's against it from the book of Genesis from the Tower of Babel when the whole world was united. God is constantly dividing
Saying no be divided you say why does God want division because the devil is not omnipresent
He wants man divided so that we don't all get attacked by the devil at the same time
So the devil doesn't ruin every church all at the same time
when every religion unites under the Antichrist the Antichrist is possessed of the devil and
Then every church will be under the control of the devil
You say well, what does God want he wants autonomous churches?
He wants independent churches self-governing churches
That's why over the last 12 years. We've started. I don't know how many churches five or six different churches
We planted a church in Vancouver, Washington. We planted a church in Boise, Idaho. We planted a church in Fresno, California
We planted a church in Manila and because we planted these churches all throughout
But as soon as as soon as we're able to and give them an in an ordained pastor
We cut the umbilical cord and they become an autonomous
Independent church they don't answer to us
They I don't I don't tell them a you need to preach this you to preach that they are autonomous
self-governing churches
with a local pastor and
their head the Lord Jesus Christ
Now let me just quickly show you this in Ephesians chapter 5
Because when it comes to the universal church this idea that all believers
Make up the church and people often say this. Oh, well, you know all believers make up the church
Look, that's an attack on the church because the church is a local assembly and then you got people out there who say well
I'm saying I don't go to church, but I'm part of just the church
But no you don't go to church anyway, you're not part of a church you might be saved
But you're part of a church when you show up you get baptized and your congregate
Now what people will often use to try to
Prove the doctrine of the universal church and I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this
But I just want to show you one example what they'll often use is they'll take a verse in the Bible
Because remember the vast majority of times that the word church is used in the Bible
It's either used in the plural sense
churches or it's used in
reference to a specific church the church in Jerusalem the church in Antioch the church in Corinth the church in Sardis the church in
Ephesus the church in Philadelphia
But every once in a while there will be a verse that is talking about the church as an institution
or
the church in general
Like for example Jesus said and I'm going to preach about this next week in our judgment series
but Jesus said that if a brother offends you and you should go to them and that
If you can't resolve it, then you should bring a couple of witnesses
And if you can't resolve it, then you are to take it to the church
Okay, Jesus was speaking about the church in general as an institution
Was he saying that we're supposed to take it to this universal invisible church
just
somewhere
No, he's talking about to the church you go to
the local assembly you're a part of
So here's an example Ephesians 5 23
The husband is the head of the wife
Even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body
These are the kind of verses that people like to use it see
Universal Church
The husband is the head of the wife even as Christ to the head of the church and he is the savior of the body
What's interesting about this verse and there's lots here we could go into I'm not going to do that
What's interesting about this verse is that Paul is actually talking about two different institutions
God established three institutions on this earth the family the government and the church
Paul is actually using two institutions to draw a parallel and an illustration
He says the husband is the head of the wife
Referring to the institution of marriage even as or in the same way that Christ is the head of the church
Referring to the institution of the church look at verse 32
This is a great mystery
But I speak concerning Christ and the church so people like to use the verse like this and say see it's the church
He's the head of the church. It's just one big church of one big happy family. We're all a part of it
Okay, well wait a minute
If Ephesians 5 23 is referring to Christ the head of just of our church just one church
We're all a part of it. Then. Let me ask you this. Is there just one husband
Is there just one wife? I
Mean the Bible says for the head for the husband is the head of the wife
So Jesus of the head of the church is the head of all believers, okay, so just there's one husband and
Just every wife has to submit to that husband
you know what the Bible emphasizes that every wife should submit to her own husband and
Christ of the head every church to submit to their own head the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not teaching a universal church
This is simply speaking about the institution of marriage in general and later on the passage
It talks about how wives need to submit to their husbands plural. Why because there's more than one wife
There's more than one husband and there's more than one church
There is no such thing as a universal church on this earth
You don't just get saved and you're part of the church and look if you use that terminology
I'm not mad at you, but I am trying to help you correct some of that. There's no such thing as the church
There is the church in Sacramento, California
There are local assemblies of believers all over this country and all over the world
There is no such thing as a universal church on this earth, but let me just end by saying this there will
one day be a
universal church in heaven
Hebrews 12 23 you have to turn there
the Bible says to the General Assembly and the church of the firstborn which are written in heaven and
To God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect you say well
Why will there be a universal church in heaven because after the rapture all believers will be assembled together in heaven
And then will be the General Assembly of the firstborn which are written in heaven
There'll be a universal church in heaven when all believers of all the ages of every tongue
Every kindred every nation are gathered together
Assembled together and they'll be the great chief not a pastor and under Shepherd
But the great Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ himself
But until then there are local assemblies
Self-governing local assemblies of baptized believers
that is
the New Testament Church
It's power heads and I would have prayer Heavenly Father
Thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for the Bible
Lord I pray you'd help us to understand these doctrines
They're important
It's important for us to understand that yes, we can fellowship with other churches and we can work with other churches and we do
We do mission strips with other churches of like faith and practice and we do conferences with other churches of like faith and practice
But we're not structured under a denomination
Bible teaches local assemblies
baptized believers
Self-governing
churches I
Pray you'd help our people to know that help our people to understand that
Help our people to understand what the Bible teaches about these things. We love you in the matchless name of Christ. We pray
Amen
We're gonna have brother RJ come up and lead us in a final song
Just want to remind you a couple of things. First of all, don't forget that
We have a potluck after the service in the fellowship hall
so as soon as the service is done, you can head over to the fellowship hall and
We will eat together and then also don't forget if you can remember that we've got the nine chapters a day
Clipboard in the main foyer. I know we're gonna go have a potluck
But if you can remember on your way out check for your name, make sure it's spelled right
Give it a check if it's spelled right correct it if it's not added if it's if it's not there
It should be there and then don't forget for the homeschool kids
They've got a Valentine's Day party on Tuesday, February 14th at 11 a.m
In the fellowship hall and PE class this Thursday, February 16th at 10 a.m
I want to just say thank you for being part of our I love my church Sunday
We appreciate all of you coming here
Brother RJ is gonna lead us in a final song and I just want to remind you if you could check around your area
Make sure it's all picked up and cleaned up before you head out brother RJ
If you would not mind praying a blessing for the food, we would appreciate that. Thank you
Man let's grab our songbooks and turn to page number 116
Song number one one six
He leadeth me, song number one one six, on the first
He leadeth me, oh, blessed I
Oh, what a heavenly comfort I've brought
Whatever I do, wherever I be
Sails his heart and I leadeth me
He leadeth me, he leadeth me
By his own can you leadeth me
His faithful power I will be
By his hand he leadeth me
Sometimes it seems the deepest
Sometimes where Eden's bowers grow
My water's still a troubled sea
Sails his, his heavenly defeat
He leadeth me, he leadeth me
By his own can you leadeth me
His faithful power I will be
For by his hand he leadeth me
Lord, I will clap thy hands and find
Forever more the Lord be mine
God sends whatever blood I see
Since this my God, thou leadeth me
He leadeth me, he leadeth me
And he leadeth me by his own hand, he leadeth me
His faithful father and leader, for by his hand he leadeth me
And when my just honor is done, when by thy grace
The vict'ries won, in that storm where I will not flee
Since God drew Jordan, he leadeth me
He leadeth me, he leadeth me by his own hand, he leadeth me
His faithful father and leader, for by his hand he leadeth me
Amen. Let's pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we love you and we thank you for this church.
We thank you for that sermon that was preached, Lord.
Help us, Lord, to remember to love our church and to be consistent with our church attendance, Lord.
We pray that you bless the rest of the evening.
Bless the food to our bodies and bless the fellowship.
We love you, and Jesus, I pray, amen.