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All right, we're in 1st Corinthians chapter number 12 and look down at your Bibles at verse number 27 It says now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular and God has said some in the church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps governments Diversities of tongues and the title of the sermon this morning is the universal church versus the body of Christ the universal church versus the body of Christ now before I get into the exact definitions of both of these terms I'm gonna explain to you what's taking place here in 1st Corinthians chapter number 12 now here This letter is being written to the church at Corinth And if you read through both of these books first and second Corinthians You will quickly notice that this church has a lot of issues has a lot of problems I mean just the name of you you have the problem that you know There are permitting fornication to just go unfettered in the church and undisciplined in 1st Corinthians chapter number five They don't regard leadership. They don't regard the Apostle Paul's leadership, right? We see that he begins to question their salvation because of the fact that they're just rejecting him as the leader in 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 They're confused about this gift of tongues. You know, they're very disorderly in the way they carry that out We see that they're taking brother-to-law Right in 1st Corinthians chapter number 6 and the list can go on and on and on the beginning of 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 They have trouble even forgiving the brother who was involved in sin who repented and came back So, you know you wonders like why why are two books being written to this church because they're that bad you know and a lot of it is just a lot of improvement a lot of rebuke a lot of instruction on how to properly run a Church now particularly here in 1st Corinthians chapter 12. He's dealing with the subject of spiritual gifts Okay, and we see that in chapter 11 chapter 12 13 a little bit of 14 But here we see that he begins to talk about the operations of the church He does talk about the gifts of healing, you know, and and all these other different gifts that we see here now This isn't the sermon but let me say this is that these gifts that we see here particularly We're referring to the gifts of healing Right or the gift to be able to speak in a different tongue without having to study it is now null and void It's no longer available to anybody you say why is that? Well because of the fact that this is a gift Designated specifically to the Apostles and guess what? There's no more Apostles Doesn't matter what La Luz del Mundo says and how many Apostles they have how many child molesters? I mean Leaders they have there Okay, that's not an apostle Though the last of all the Apostles whether it was the Apostle Paul So you say well, why can't we have those gifts today? Why is it that we don't have them today? Well, the Bible tells us in Mark chapter 16 that these signs and wonders were there to confirm the preaching of the Apostles So they would preach the Word of God that would do these miracles and that would confirm that there were men sent from God to Establish those local New Testament churches that we see in the book of Acts etc But those are no longer available to us today. Here's the thing. We don't need the gift of healing You know why because we have a greater gift of healing which is preaching the gospel Seeing people saved healing them of their sin sickness of the fact that the wages of sin is death We can impart unto them eternal life virtue could come out of our bodies as we're preaching the Word of God, right? We don't need that Hey, we don't need the gift of tongues because that would just create lazy Christians who don't want to study languages Right, you know the gift of tongues is when in the Bible when someone was miraculously able to speak a foreign language Without having to study it at all Now I have the gift of tongues because I speak Spanish You know what? I'm learning a third language right now Greek, but you know what? I'm not just gonna have the spirits not gonna just descend upon me and I'm just gonna start flapping my lips Right in a different tongue without having any knowledge or study of it prior to speaking it You know someone has to put in the work for that And by the way, when it talks about speaking with tongues It's not referring to this modern-day Pentecost the movement of speaking in tongues Okay, this heavenly angelic language that people like to talk about holla shalabah in a six-pack dollar right, you know I bought a nice and I should about a Honda kind of thing. That's phony. Okay, that does not even exist in the Bible It's all the Bible talks about tongues of angels though Yeah, but anytime you see an angel actually speaking in the Bible, they're speaking in a known language They're not speaking in this operatic language that no one understands. Okay, chase the rabbit there, but it was necessary so here we seen first Corinthians chapter 12 the Talking about spiritual gifts and how they're dispersed amongst the members at Corinth and more specifically look at verse number four It says here now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit There are differences of administration, but the same Lord and there are diversities of operation But it is the same God which worketh all in all but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit With all now given there are certain people in the church that have diverse gifts, right? Some are have the ability to preach some have the ability to teach the Word of God others are more Organized they're able to organize a company of people for the work of God This is a diversity of gift, but we understand that it's the same spirit and there's differences of administration and operations You know, there's churches that are like ours that are like-minded, but they run their church services differently. They have a different operation There's nothing wrong with that But the Bible tells us here that it's the same Lord and the same God which worketh all in all now What is the purpose of these gifts? What is the purpose of being able to administrate? Operate have spiritual gifts. Is it so we can just glorify ourselves? No, in fact look at verse 7 it says but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all So whatever gift that you have whatever ability that you have it's not so you can glorify yourself in that gift It's so you can use it To edify others to be profitable. So what if I don't use it then you're unprofitable You know, you can you're basically worthless Because you have this talent, but you're hiding it under the earth You're putting it under the napkin this talent and you're not using it for the Lord God expects us to take our talents that he has given to us and to use it to profit with all with all what the church right So that's what we see there in the beginning of the chapter now a common term and phrase that we see here in this Chapter is the body of Christ and this phrase members that members actually comes up very frequently in chapter number 12 And you think about it. What is a member, you know, you think of church membership, you know You go to certain churches and like you have to sign your life away They give you a sheet and they're like you got a tithe. You gotta make sure you do all these things and Here sign on the dotted line and that's your church membership, right? Where do we get that term member from now? We don't do that here. Okay Obviously we don't do that here. But what do we get that that term member from? Well, a member is a limb or an organ that is attached to a body Right. So a local body of believers symbolically represents that Because of the fact that this is the body of Christ if Christ is the head of the church We in turn become the members right the limbs you say why is that? Well, because whatever the head says for us to do the hands and the feet need to do it You know my head right now I was thinking about the sermon and my head is telling my hand to fling my arm and slap the pulpit and do all kinds Of walk around, you know It's commanding the limbs to do things and in like manner Christ who is the head of the church? Commands us as members as limbs of this body of this local church to work Right to reach out see people save cause our feet to go out and preach the gospel to open our mouths boldly that we make known the mysteries of the gospel of The kingdom to watch their unto unto prayer and perseverance, right? We need to make sure that we use our ears to be swift to hear and slow to speak To hear the Word of God, so every single limb every single aspect of our body has a purpose to it Okay, and this is what this is symbolically representing here now skip down to verse 27 The Bible says in Colossians 1 18 and he is the head of the body the church Who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence? and so look at verse 27 says now ye are the body of Christ and members in Particular very important phrase there because of the fact that once you are saved you are placed spiritually into the body of Christ But here's the thing Everyone who gets saved doesn't join a local New Testament Church, correct? So they're not necessarily members in particular Because a member is someone who is within a church who is actually exercising You know doing the work being a part of the soul-winning doing maintaining good works being careful to maintain these good works They're part of the body of Christ, but they're not really fulfilling the responsibility of being a member, right? So we see that the body of Christ is saved believers and in particular the members of a local assembly now people Will stay in error that the universal church Right or what? They would have called the invisible church is the body of Christ. How many have ever heard something like that? They kind of use them interchangeably sometimes and some do it Ironic Lee just ignorantly, but some just have false doctrine. Okay, and that's what they teach But let me say this is that universal church does not exist It does not exist You'll often hear Independent fundamental Baptist pastors talk about the church You say where does this term come from? Well, originally it stems from Catholicism Right because Catholicism will often use that term the church to refer to the Catholic Church and guess what? Who adapted or who adopted that same terminology the Protestants and then they'll talk about the universal Invisible church that every believer every person who trusts in Christ is part of that invisible, you know assembly They basically oh, yeah, the local assembly exists, but we're part of the universal church though the universal church now By the way, another false teaching that stems from this is what dispensationalism Okay Now why is that because of the fact that you got the Catholics first teaching that it goes to the Protestants Right who protested the Catholic Church who claimed to be Christian and then you have independent fundamental Baptists who? Take and they adopt the teachings of Protestants Okay, and you know who infiltrated the independent fundamental Baptist the dispensationalist Which teach what Church ages? Okay, this false doctrine of Church ages and what they'll do is they'll take Revelation chapter 2 and 3 The churches the seven churches that are mentioned in these two chapters and they basically just attach it to every age in the churches within That age, you know and they'll say today. We're in the Laodicean Church era And they looked at all seven churches. They're like which one best defines us Which one can we choose so we could do the least amount of work? Let's do Laodicea You know cuz Laodicea was lukewarm. It wasn't do anything for God God rebuked them and they're like, that's us And look whoever says that they're right They're right I'm not gonna argue with it But you know what to put that label across all across the board of every single church in the world is false That's not true. Don't call us lukewarm. Don't say that we're lukewarm and then we're not zealous for the things of God Don't say that we're not out there preaching the gospel and seeing people save don't tell me that I'm not preaching hard sermons Don't tell me that I'm like lukewarm Baptist Church Because we're different It's a different assembly, but you see how influential this teaching has gone all across Christendom Right first with the Catholics then you have it with the Protestants then the IFB Adopted that from the Protestants and just made up their own version Which is the church ages right and we do not agree with church ages at all. We believe in local New Testament visible churches, okay Now As I mentioned the universal church is not the body of Christ and it doesn't exist Why is the universal church or invisible church? Why is it that it's on biblical? Well, the universal church would be defined as the congregation as a whole all around the world made up of all believers Okay, so they would say yeah, this is a local church, but it's part of the church Worldwide not a church that assembles together, but just because we're believers we trust in Christ We believe in salvation by grace through faith We're kind of all lumped together about most of these people who talk about this they lump in any other Christian faction any other Denomination even if they don't believe in the right gospel, they put them all together But I'm gonna show you right now why this is on biblical now go to Ephesians chapter number five I'm gonna give you point number one. Why is it that the universal church is is on biblical? Well number one because we are not all assembled together with all believers worldwide Look a church is a what? Congregation a congregation is a group of people that congregate Another a synonym for that would be they assemble together. I don't see Like I just see a group of people in here, but not worldwide from Africa from China from South Korea in different places No, we're not assembled with them You know the Bible tells us that Jesus calls Jesus or excuse me Hebrews 2 12 says saying I will declare it on thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church Will I sing praise unto thee that's translated in the Old Testament as congregation as assembly So we see there that in order to be an actual church. You have to be assembled with other believers You understand we have to assemble in a location Physically not in a spiritual sense not because we're all you know, I know some believer across the states Yeah, but they have to have their own assembly there. Okay But not only that we are not assembled together with all believers worldwide, but also because Christ is the head of this church Now look at Ephesians 5 22 wives Submit yourselves unto your own husbands. Amen as unto the Lord just have to throw that verse in there All right verse 23 for 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 Now those who I Roni asleep in this teaching of the church will use Ephesians 523 because it says that Christ is the head of the church and the way they interpret that is that Christ is the head of the worldwide church But this is not what I'm talking about Because he uses an Example to teach us an illustration to show us how that works and he says that For the husband is the head of the wife So the husband would be like an unto Jesus Christ being the head of the church, correct? Now, let me ask you is the husband the head of every wife No, that's kind of weird. This is we don't believe in polygamy here, right? No He's the head of his own wife right Individual husbands are the heads of individual wives in like manner Christ is the head of individual churches Okay, and look this is so easy to prove you just read the New Testament and you'll hear the phrase the church at Corinth The churches in Galatia, right? The church here the church there and it has all these churches that are literally Visible local New Testament churches filled with baptized believers. Okay Now Go with go back to 1st Corinthians chapter 12. Can you give me a drink a cup of water, please? You won't lose your reward. Okay Now why else is this universal church not biblical well first of all because we can't assemble with everyone who's all around the world To Christ is the head of this church and look there's churches out there who may have believers and guess what Christ is not their head Because the body is supposed to obey the head right do we see that in every church? There's churches out there that operate in an unbiblical manner, okay But thirdly we are baptized into bought into the body of Christ not the universal church Okay, look what it says in verse 12 It says for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body So also is Christ for the but for by this by one spirit are we all baptized into one body? Whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been And have been all made to drink into that one spirit for the body is not one member but many So the Bible specifically tells us that when we get baptized We are placed into the body of Christ now Some people they just misconstrue the word baptism and they think that baptism is only applicable To one thing right which is a water baptism right because I mean, that's what we would associate with us That's why we're called Baptist because we baptized we fully immerse Converts into the water and out of the water by the way If you just got saved and you haven't been baptized you need to get baptized today After church I can baptize you. All right, the water's fine. We got the heater in there You know last couple baptisms have been freezing cold. All right People repeat their names twice and all that stuff when they're in there, but we believe in that kind of baptism But when the Bible refers to baptism here, it's actually referring to salvation Okay, you said what in the world? What are you talking about? Look baptism means what immersion? Okay, and so when we get saved, where are we immersed into? The body of Christ we're placed into the body of Christ now go with me if you would to Romans chapter number six Let's let's show this from the scripture so that you no one leaves confused. All right Now this is not this word and this definition cannot be applied to every single mention of the word baptism But we just got to look at the context every time we look at it I'm sure there's been times when you've read the Bible when you see the word baptism you like what in the world is this? Talking about salvation. I know we're not saved by baptism Well those particular times often it is referring to Being saved because once we trust Christ we're placed into Christ. We are in Christ, right? We're immersed in him Look at Romans 6 verse 3 No, you're not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with them by baptism Into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father Even so we also should walk in newness of life see in this particular instance. This is not referring to water baptism Because we're not placed into Christ or into his death when we physically get baptized Right when we placed in the water, we're just being placed away. That's symbolic of our salvation This is referring to the fact that when we get saved we are buried with them by baptism into death. Okay? Go to Acts chapter 19 if you would acts chapter 19 This is a favorite word This is a key word that you know The Church of Christ the Church of Christ likes to use because they believe in what's called baptismal regeneration Okay, where they say well you have to get baptized in order to be saved, which is a false doctrine You do not have to get baptized. You know, where's that in the Bible? Well, let's talk about the thief on the cross You know, he got saved Jesus told him today that shall be with me in paradise and you know what? He had a hard time coming down and get baptized after he believed Little hard time getting down from the cross in order to get baptized, but you know what? He went to paradise and the Church of God. Well, that's the exception Oh, yeah, only when it fits your false doctrine is that the exception is it you know? No baptism Does not say physical baptism does not save you. It doesn't it doesn't even put away the filth of the flesh at times, right? Some people go in there and they come in as dirty as they came in Just kidding. Look at Acts chapter 19 verse 4 Because they'll say what about the baptism of John the baptism of John the baptism of John? Well look at verse 4 it says then said Paul John barely baptized with the baptism of repentance Saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus So this particular baptism is not referring to the baptisms that John did physically It's referring to his message because the baptism of repentance is to repent and believe the gospel for Jesus Christ Right repent of what you're trusting in and trust on Jesus Christ and what happens you're baptized into the body of Christ That was the message look in those days No one even questioned what that was But today because there's a surgeons of so much false doctrine in regards to baptism People just automatically like to use these as their ammunition to prove their false doctrine Well, it's easily disproven as we just saw right now go to Ephesians chapter number 4 So the baptism of repentance is when someone believes on Christ and they are immersed They're placed into the body of Christ Ephesians chapter number 4 if you would Look what it says in Ephesians 4 verse 4 There is one body and one spirit even as you're called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all now obviously There'd be no argument if there's one Lord there would be no argument if there's one way of getting saved which is by faith, right? Well, one baptism is not referring to the physical baptism. One baptism is used in conjunction with one faith Because once we're baptized, you know, we all go in to Christ the same way, which is by faith That's one baptism, all right, you know, we don't believe in this dispensational salvation This false doctrine that teaches that people were saved differently throughout all ages. Oh and the Old Testament They were saved by the sacrifices, you know by burning the lamb and by keeping the law of Moses and you know No one them they were saved by their conscience and all these things. No one baptism one faith That's what the Bible is teaching us there. Go to Colossians chapter number two Colossians chapter number two Colossians chapter number two Look at verse 11 of Colossians chapter number two It says in whom also you're circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with them in baptism Wherein also you're risen with them through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Now in the Old Testament there was a physical circumcision was there not but it was symbolic of the spiritual circumcision of our hearts So when we get saved the Bible tells us that our hearts are circumcised We are made a new man inwardly right and in like manner were buried with them in baptism that spiritual baptism that we see There now you're in Ephesians 4 but go back to Ephesians 4. I'm going to show you some more verses here regarding my fourth point So why is the universal Church unbiblical because we can't assemble with every believer in all the world Okay, you know we're baptized into the body of Christ, but also we are taught doctrine in a local church Not a universal church This is pretty self-explanatory Okay, because people who are saved and are not in church Yeah, they may have YouTube they may have all these things but you know what the Bible God has instituted the local New Testament Church to teach doctrine Now this sermon is going on YouTube. Amen, and I hope someone listens to and they come to church because of it But God's original intent to teach the Word of God is through the local New Testament Church and look that can't be done in a universal setting Look what the Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse 11 And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ look The two people we went to the Lord yesterday out soul winning. They're not getting edified right now. Why because they're not in church Right, they're not being perfected. They're not being trained for the work of the ministry. They're not being edified Why because the apostles at this time the prophets the evangelists pastors and teachers are within a local church setting There's not like this ginormous widescreen all around the world Where a pastor gets up and then the whole universal churches takes heed to that teaching, you know I know Rick Warren does those satellite type teachings or whatever, but let me just say this is they're not getting any doctrine at all I'm sorry. They are getting doctrine. It's just false doctrine, right? Verse 13 till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro Carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lying wait to deceive now. I kind of understand where people who are ignorant about the subject come from because they'll read certain passages of Scripture or They'll read certain books of the Bible in the New Testament and they'll automatically apply it to the church They'll say well he kind of speaking we could apply this to ourselves, right? But you got to remember the book of Ephesians wasn't written to first works It's written to who the Ephesians So the language that's being used right in the book and all these books in the New Testament are directed towards Those at Ephesus now because it's the Word of God We could apply it to ourselves also and it's applicable because he's talking to a local New Testament Church So when he was when you see this phrase the church he's referring to that church Just as when I preach here and I talk about the church, you know that I'm referring to first works Baptist Church Okay, so they'll take that I'll say well, no, that's referring to universal. No, he's he's talking to the Ephesians He's talking to the Colossians. He's talking to those in Thessalonica. He's talking to those at Pergamos He's talking to these different the seven churches are in the seven letters are written to seven different churches That's not to say we can't apply what they're being taught and what the letters being written to but at face value That's talking to a local New Testament Church. Okay, does that make sense now, let me give you different reasons So as I mentioned here, you can only be taught in a local New Testament Church. That's why it's important to come to church That's why it's important to be faithful to church make it a priority to be in church Well, I have YouTube but here's the thing with YouTube you can get the teaching but you will not get the exhortation from actual believers Which is part of the element of being in church. It's not just the teaching It's the fellowship that we get as well and let me say well, you know I just need the preaching online and I'll just do so winning by myself. Yeah, but how do you even know you're doing it, right? Well, I am doing it right, how do you know are you are you like comparing yourself with yourself? Because look just logic teaches us that the way we get better at soul winning is going with someone who's better than us at Sony Right getting better at Sony it happens when you go with someone who's better than you and That happens as you actually congregate being taught the Word of God comes as you come to church And here's the here's the last reason why? The universal church is a false doctrine. Okay Number five is because Church discipline cannot be carried out in a universal church It can't What is Church discipline if you want to take her out just until she comes down and come back in? hey, as I mentioned we are a Family integrated church all the children are welcome So they don't don't be distracted if they cry or if they come out and they come back in it's normal. Okay? But we can't do Church discipline in a universal church What is Church discipline go to 1st Corinthians chapter number five? Church discipline is When someone is involved in a particular sin that the Bible talks about in 1st Corinthians 5 Matthew 18 and other places We have the responsibility. I have the responsibility to excommunicate someone out of the church because of it Now look, obviously, we're all sinners Obviously, no one's perfect Obviously, we've all broken God's command. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God But there are particular sins that the boss has said cannot be in church You know someone who's involved in fornication Which they're basically having physical relations with the person of the opposite gender outside of marriage Before they get married if they what the Bible calls fornicate They don't want to repent of that then they need to be excommunicated out of the church. Hey if someone is a drunkard You know, they're drinking 40s, they're drinking wine or hey even if they're smoking weed Well, no drunkenness is like if they drink, you know alcohol and beer no drunkenness is when you're drunk and Marijuana makes you drunk. It just does it a different way You know, they don't want to repent of that we have to excommunicate that person out of the church if people are Idolaters for example now that's not necessarily the issue that we have in the United States But there's countries out there that still have idolatry rampant in their country You know a Buddhist country for example, the Bible says that to be excommunicated if people are railing You know just just spreading false rumors and gossips and they're full of cheese mess and they're being a cheese most our cheese cheese muscle and They're just spreading lies and they don't want to repent of that They need to be excommunicated out of the church if you offend a brother and You refuse to get it right and that brother comes to us We can bring it before the church and you refuse if you refuse to repent of that We have the authority according to the Bible to excommunicate you out of the church Okay, this is what Church discipline is. But here's the thing. You can't do that in a universal church Because you know that person can do it for a universal church as soon as we kick them out. They're like I'm still in a universal church sucka So part of the church you haven't got rid of me right look at 1st Corinthians 5 11 But now I've written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or drunkard or Extortioner was such in one. No not to eat now keep in mind this is not talking about an Unbeliever who's a fornicator right Because like that's like a large population of the world You know So this is not referred to this is a person who is called a brother Now look if you know someone who is a Christian who is a brother and they're involved in fornication Don't don't be like unclean unclean. Don't touch me. I'm touching up the unclean thing because they need to learn That's Why if someone is involved in fornication and maybe you know, and they come to our church don't tell them like hey You guys gotta get out of here. You guys can't be here. You guys are in fornication, right? Yeah, I'm telling pastor here on you Let them stay for a couple services and I don't have no problem with letting someone stay Even though they're involved in fornication for a couple services until they learn Because how can we hold them accountable to something of something? They don't know All right We can't hold them accountable and they're just like well, I just want to come to church Let them come let pastor Mejia rip on fornication. They're like, oh, you know, I think we got to get married then And it's like that's where we're that's where we're trying to hint at you You got to get married and look a lot of people in our church. I've done that they came they're involved in fornication They weren't married they got married and they're living happily ever after as best as they can Okay But here's the thing if they refuse to repent if they're like one I think this is nothing wrong with this and you know We're married by our fornication because we've been living for 20 plus together for 50 years. We don't accept that You know because that's a common thing that you hear sometimes like well we've been living together for like, you know 10 15 years and they'll even call each other. This is my wife. This is my husband doesn't exist That's still fornication Let me say this look I'm Hispanic, right? In spite of what my beard tells you that I am You know Hispanics have a problem with that too that's very popular amongst Hispanics where you have a man and a woman they have kids like ten of them They've been living together for 50 years and they will not get married because they figure well, you know, we're basically married, right? No, you're basically not Because you need to get actually married by law Well, I don't agree with that we do So what You know and look we don't accept this. Oh, we're no we're answer. We're so anti-government That we we don't even believe in a marriage license then goes to you know rebellious Baptist Church if you want Where they don't accept that go to the house church where they want to teach that stuff You know We do observe and we recognize the law as being Legitimate and that they have to recognize a marriage union right not just before God but also before the government as well But look if they but if they refuse to do that, they need to be excommunicated out of the church Look what it says in verse 12 for what have I to do to to judge them? Also that are without do not you judge them that are within but then that are without God judges Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person What does it mean to put away it means they need to get out of the local assembly of believers Why because of the fact that if you tolerate fornication you tolerate drunkenness you tolerate these sins It's like leaven that it will leaven the whole lump and the local New Testament Church will become a cesspool of sin All kinds of rampant sin that it goes unfettered and the church gets destroyed That's what's gonna happen But how do you do that in a universal church? How do you throw someone out and they're just like well, I don't need to go to your local sin because I'm part of the church Doesn't exist the Bible says now we command you in 1st Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 3 6 You don't have to turn there now We command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh Disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us now Go to Matthew chapter 18. Let me share something with you Matthew chapter 18 Look at verse number 7 of Matthew chapter 18 It says won't to the world because of offenses Matthew 18 verse 7 For it must needs be that offenses come but woe to them and by whom the offense cometh Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee It is better for thee to enter into life halter maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire And if the dying I offend II pluck it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into Hellfire now this this illustration that Jesus Christ is using here is an illustration that he commonly uses in the Gospels and the primary Interpretation of this illustration that he's using is for unsafe people obviously, right? You know to basically scare them to show them that they have no righteousness of themselves That basically they're gonna die and go to hell, right? That's what he's referring to here But I believe in Matthew 18 that there is a secondary application based upon the entire context that we see here Okay, why is that? Well you see in verse 7 that is referring to offenses Then he jumps into verse number 8 and 9 about you know Plucking out or cutting off the foot the hand the eye plucking it out and casting it from thee Now look look down to verse 15 because this is in the same chapter Moreover in addition to all this right if thy brother shall trespass against thee Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, and if he shall hear thee thou has gained thy brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more Then in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them Tell it unto the church But if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and as a publican Barely I say unto you Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven so what is this telling us if there's an offense they refuse to repent They should be unto thee as a heathen man, and as a publican What does that mean there to be cast out of the church? And I believe that words in conjunction with verse 8 and 9 verse 8 and 9 is that symbolic? Meaning that when someone's involved in sin that member is supposed to be cut off the eye The hand the foot and in fact in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 the man who was involved in fornication What is the Bible said to deliver him unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh? right So God tells us to deliver these people unto Satan which means we're not casting spells or anything like this You know we cast them out and that is symbolic of Satan coming to get him to destroy that person's life in Order that we can keep order and keep the body of Christ here healthy you understand that so that's what that is symbolic of and so Obviously, there's different interpretations of this throughout all of the gospels But I believe primarily this is what this is referring to because destruction. That's exactly what it is Okay, you can destroy a church if you allow that sin in or you can cut it off and the church can continue healthy Vibrant with God's blessing on it okay, and by the way Matthew 18. How do you tell it before the church? If it's a universal church Like you send like a worldwide email to everyone Like to the universal church You know just want to let you know this guy offended me. I mean think about how many trolls that guy would get right You'd be laughing stock that's impossible that could only be done in the local New Testament church We take it before the church not the worldwide church, so I want these universal church invisible church believers Explain that verse away. How do you bring it before the church? Oh, it's by prayer No tell it unto the church It's foolishness and folly now Go back to 1st Corinthians chapter 12 1st Corinthians chapter 12, so I think that's pretty clear that the universal invisible church does not exist But the body of Christ does exist obviously okay? And we saw that the way we were placed into the body of Christ is by believing on him We're baptized into that body now. I'm going to give you now that I just ripped on universal church and stuff I'm gonna give you the practical application of being in the body of Christ all right This is very practical and I believe this will help our church And it'll help wherever church you come from as long as you apply this Understand first and foremost some principles regard to the body of Christ number one every part is important right every part of the body is important You know when you're in a local assembly. You're not a vestigial organ You know this vestigial organs is what the you know evolution teaches you that basically or there's certain Parts of your members of your body that because of evolution hat is useless You don't need it anymore. You used to have a tail and all these nonsense or whatever right you know This is foolishness and folly because of the fact that every organ every member of the body of Christ is useful So in other words you should never have this attitude Well, I just come to church and hear the preaching of God's Word because I'm not talented I don't know how to sing I can't read well You know I'm not good with people and the list goes on and on and on and on and on no God have given diversities of gifts To profit with all and every person if you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you in other words if you're saved You have an ability that someone else does not have and you are placed here by God in order to profit the church That's what you're here for to profit ask not what the church can do for you, but what you can do for the church Use your talents for the Lord Well, I just you know I want you to just bless my socks off And I'm just I'm just testing everything that you're saying first. This is my ministry Well your ministry is garbage You're not helping anybody Because you're supposed to use the gifts and talents that God has given to you for the profiting of the church Look at verse 14 for the member for the body is not one member But many if the foot shall say because I am NOT the hand I am NOT of the body Is it therefore not of the body? It's like something well. I'm not the pastor You know I'm not the evangelist. I'm not a deacon therefore. I'm not of the body. No the hand is important The foot is important, and if the ear shall say because I am NOT the eye I am NOT of the body is it therefore not of the body if the whole body were an eye Where were the hearing that's a creepy look isn't it every time I read that my man that looks nasty You know where were the hearing if the whole hearing if the whole we're hearing where were the smelling now, but now God has God set the members every one of them in the body as It hath pleased him, so what is it telling us here every per person has a purpose in the church Everyone does you say what's my purpose figure it out? Find out But don't say you don't have a purpose. Don't say you can't do anything in church everyone can do something Every organ every part is important now. We don't believe in this vestigial organ thing, but you know what let me say this You can become a vestigial Christian You know those people who you know They don't take care of their bodies They don't take care of their health and they get become diabetic And what happens Matthew 18 they have to literally cut off their their foot Right you have to cut off their toe and their foot because although that foot was useful to get them around But because they didn't take care of their body It's rotting and it needs to be cut off because it becomes useless in a physical sense right You know people do people you know and look take care of your bodies amen Take care of your physical body Well, I'm just all about the spiritual yeah, but here's the thing they're all intertwined In order to be an effective spiritual Christian you have to be healthy physically, too Because look don't you want to be here for decades on end I do but you know what yeah Your spirit has everlasting life, but your body does not At least not as yet. We're waiting to with the redemption of our body the Bible says take care of your body Well, you know I'm just I'm just gonna read my Bible, but you know what you're not gonna Be able to do it for long if you don't take care of your body You have to do. This is a public service announcement for health and look. I'm saying this and look. I'm leading the way here Okay, you can look at my diet look at what I'm eating look at my regime and see that it can you know I'm not the perfect example, but I'm doing it so that our church can learn hey We need to take care of our body so we could be fortified Christians We don't have to be these old fat old I have be Or it's all about McDonald's It's all about you know 99 cent jack tacos. I know I'm stepping on some toes there you Know we don't have to be that way Let's be exemplary not just in spiritual matters, but also in physical matters as well Right I don't know where to start you got dr. Rita right there who can help you out with that okay raise your hand dr Rita please right there. You know she'll tell you where to start And I say that well you're just saying that cuz you know you've been up Yeah, I mean I wouldn't be able to say that if I wasn't right But I'm looking after the I want to look after the well-being of the physical health of our church because I want us to be effective I Want us to be able to have longevity I? Want you to live longer Why because this body part is necessary? You know I don't want you to be a spiritual diabetic where we have to cut you off Right it's like well that foot was good, but that thing is rotting You got to cut it off You know there's people who have been so sick they get so sick physically that they can't make it to church Because they didn't take care of their bodies You know and look we take for granted just coming to church Just people who just can't come to church because of their health You know take care of your body, but in a spiritual sense all right. I'll get off of the health and eat your vegetables There you go But in the spiritual sense you can become a vestigial Christian because of the fact that you're not using that which God has given to you and Guess what you become useless Let me give you let's go even more practical than this shall we not how about like the orchestra ministry, right? How about playing an instrument in church? Amen, oh man. I'm not getting too many events on that. I'm gonna have to park it here for a while Hey some people in this church have a good gift of playing an instrument, and you can do that and I can't You can do what other people in this church can't are you becoming vestigial? Why you know I just haven't played in so long But you know what you actually probably if you brush up on your instrument Will catch it a lot faster than someone who just doesn't know any instruments at all No, I'm just content becoming a vestigial Christian and just you know okay, then you are you're gonna affect the body of Christ Use your gift You know hey if you play the flute I'm talking to Chris here Everyone look at Chris, you know Hey if you play the flute if you play the clarinet if you play the violin if You play the cello If you play the piano You know if you play the electric guitar. I'm just kidding. I feel like you That I could play the drums. Yeah, they're like I used to be in a mariachi band. I play the accordion Yeah, that's vestigial to me. Okay. We'll just let you be vestigial at that point If you plan it if you play the jug the spoons Like I could beat box with my mouth, I know how to do the turntables I'm talking about come on all right Actual instruments that we can use in church. Okay. Hey if you play the harp and look I get frustrated Not because people don't are not willing to play but because I'm finding out now that certain people can play certain crazy crazy instruments I'm Like I've known you for decades, and you've never said this to me Like oh, yeah, I know how to play the harp. I'm like They're like I got like five harps in my garage and stuff You just gonna say that's my face If You know and look there's some people in here that they're closet instrumentalists They're in the closet You know and they're like man I hope he doesn't find out that I know this instrument because I don't want to play well Then you because you stay a vestigial Christian then You know every member is important and look maybe you don't even know an instrument, but you're but you want to start and start You Know you're like look and this is how willing how far I'm willing to go with this And I'm only gonna do it with people who are serious about this Okay You're like I'm willing to learn. I just need help getting an instrument. I'll help you get an instrument But don't come at me and say well You know we get you an instrument, then we don't hear from you like 10 You know three months five months or whatever I'm talking about real people who actually want to learn they're like I'm willing to learn look you want to learn the piano come Any day out of the week any hour, and you can come practice on this piano if you want Well, I need a piano home in order to become excellent. I'll give you my piano. That's at home I'll give you my piano That I have at home, so you can learn at home how to play the piano You know why because I don't want to excuse this and if you have the ability no by the way. I only have one piano only one Only have one, but you know what I believe that's an investment I believe it's worth it if you are willing not to be a vestigial Christian Okay, let's get the ball rolling on this. Let's get some instrumentalists up here let's edify and profit with all the body of Christ and It's going to take discipline on your part Okay, and so we need to make sure that we understand that everyone's important look at verse 24 Every part is important But not only that We function more efficiently when we are together Okay, look at verse 24. It says for our comely parts have no need but God hath tempered the body together Having giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked that there should be no schism in the body But that the members should have the same care one for another so what was the problem at Corinth the problem at Corinth is? There's all kinds of division. I'm a Paul. I'm Apollo's And there is division as far as what gifts were the most important they downplayed the importance of preaching and they put tongues as an Important aspect and they're just very disorderly and there's a lot of division here This is what schism is it's a division in the body, but the Bible tells us here that God hath tempered the body together So how do we work best when we're actually in unity? Okay, when we're unified we can be diverse in our personalities our gifts But we need to stay unified unified. We need to say stick stick it out together. Amen Don't let there be divisions in the church. No schisms. Everything needs to be Orderly, okay, and what I mean by orderly well here in this passage of Scripture What he's referring to is the fact that they're replacing certain spiritual gifts as more important than others Because he says later on I I would that all you should prophesy right prophesying is the best Spiritual gift which is preaching. What is he saying preaching is the most important? There's churches out there where music is more important so important that the preaching is like 25 minutes long and The singing is like an hour and a half or something their worship service You know why because music is important to them not here You know, by the way music is important to us, but it has a role does it not? The order is that the preaching is the most important and then music comes after Now we want to keep music excellent, but we got to keep it in its right order And look we want to make it far more excellent in our church. Amen You know, that's why I'm putting out that call out You know for the instrumentalists and those of you who have the books. Yeah, I'm talking to you Talking to you, you know because we wanted we want to make that more excellent But here's the thing. We need to make sure that everything's ordered. Hey soul winning is still important There's churches that downplay soul-winning For an evangelistic service or for you know, track dropping or whatever, you know, that's not important What's important is preaching the gospel first works is what the church is called, right? In Fact the Bible tells us there Look at verse 22 Nay much more those members of the body would seem to be more feeble are necessary So there were thinking that preaching was feeble They don't understand that preaching was necessary in order for them to learn right doctrine It says in those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable upon these we bestow more abundant honor This is referring to those who preach the Word of God He says in our own comely parts have more abundant cleanness. Now. Let me ask you What's the most uncommon part of your body? Think about it Your feet Like not mine man, man are manicured I got our pedicure or whatever you call that Okay You put your pedicure aside, you know Often the feet especially in the Bible are the most uncommon parts, especially in that area of the world Walking in the desert, you know, you got bunions and corns and all this stuff, you know, it's just dirty It's uncommon, but you know what according to God it's more commonly than everything else because spiritually speaking How beautiful are the feet of them to preach glad tidings? So what he's saying here is that the feet are sometimes the most beautiful You know those who labor in our church those who preach the gospel. God is very much pleased He believes that that's a beautiful thing You know when a child when a when a young man goes and boldly proclaims the gospel of Christ That's beautiful to the Lord When a brand-new soul winner learns their introduction and they begin to memorize the verses and they go and preach the gospel. That's beautiful That's a beautiful thing. Well, I'm looking for the physical but where's like the the the fountain and you know all these You know, where's all the beautiful glamour of the building the high steeple few people Know what God says is beautiful is when people learn how to preach the gospel. That's comely to God. Okay That is what is important and then lastly is this is that regarding the the body of Christ Is that the body is nothing without the head? We got to make sure we keep the head preeminent right On a physical on a physical level. I'm the boss here But you know what Christ is my head Christ is our head And we need to make sure that we do what the head tells us to do We need to make sure that we keep the head's commandments as the commandments are the forefront of our mind We don't just downplay what Jesus said. We don't become ashamed of his words We don't try to soften up the message just to please, you know, every Tom Dick and Harry under the Sun No, we need to make sure that we do exactly what the head tells us to do because without the head we're nothing You know without in fact the head can easily say take away that candlestick You're Done And you can call yourself a church all you want But you know the Bible says that we could be a church that has a name that we live But we're actually dead in the eyes of God and what point is that if we if God removes his blessing from our lives We need to make sure that we keep the head as the main boss That we recognize that we're following Jesus Christ that were never ashamed of his words. And if we love him, we'll keep his commandments. Amen So what's the message today? Pick up an instrument. Amen. I had to figure some way to like get that across So I talked I just prepared this entire sermon just for that. I'm just kidding The sermon is this is like hey, you know, we are the body of Christ and as the body of Christ These hands need to be working Putting our hands to the plow to be fit for the kingdom of God These feet need to be moving constantly making sure that we're winning people to Christ These eyes need to be vigilant watching their unto with prayer this mouth needs to be reigned open You know boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ these ears need to be swift to hear and slow to speak You know he that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches And we need to make sure that every organ of this body is healthy is strong and it's meat for the Masters use Amen Spire heads and I've ordered prayer father We thank you so much for your word And we're thankful to be a part of the body of Christ And I pray God that every single member here is pleasing unto you Myself included I pray that you'd help us to continue to grow as Christians and maybe there's someone here who? maybe doesn't have a talent as far as musical talent so to speak, but maybe they have the gift of being able to just learn and And be determined and have the character to be able to just be consistent and disciplined to learn an instrument To be useful help us to profit the church with all help us to do our best To make sure that this local assembly of believers is pleasing unto you that it's a it's a it's a machine That works for the Lord that we're getting a lot done for you And I pray God that you'd be honored and glorified and all that we do and in Jesus name we pray amen