Pastor Koay Kheng Hin
2 October 2022
The sermon for today is to address the question: What constitutes an authentic church?
In my reflection on the present church movement, I have noted that churches are diverse in their orientations and can be very dissimilar from each other even though we use the same Bible, and proclaim and worship the same God.
I have sought to categorize churches into three broad groups, namely the contemporary church, the charismatic church, and the conservative church.
These three descriptions each have their place, contemporary, charismatic, and conservative.
However, in their extremes we find the church preaching a diluted gospel. For the contemporary church, the danger is to turn the gospel into a focus on health and wealth. In the charismatic church, the danger lies in the over-emphasis on the giftings of the Spirit while in the conservative church there can be an overly lopsided focus on dogma.
The catchword for the contemporary church is relevance, that of the charismatic church is power while for the conservative church it is doctrine.
The fullest expression of biblical Christianity in our age and times must necessarily be all these three descriptions. So, we come back to the original question? What constitutes an authentic church? I wish to draw the answer from the book of Hebrews.
The sermon text for today is Hebrews 12:1-2 and I read.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Who are the witnesses of verse 1? They refer to the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11.
Referring to Hebrews 11:39-40, we can see that they were people who had completed their race of faith. The fact that they had not received what had been promised in their earthly life shows us that they were looking for something better than this earthly life.
This fact is revealed in Hebrews 11:16 where is clearly stated that their final goal was a heavenly country.
They saw themselves as only aliens and strangers on earth (verse 13).
The first mark of an authentic church is therefore the focus on a heavenly country. The church is set on a race of faith that ends in heaven, in the expressed glory of God. An authentic church needs to be heavenly-focused.
The apostle Paul in Philippians 3:12-14 speaks of his own life and exhorts the church of this mark of the church that sets it apart from the world.
Three insights can be discerned from these three verses.
The first is that he presses on towards perfection and maturity.
The second insight is that he has a single-minded devotion to that task.
The third insight is that this perfection is finally found in the heavenly destination.
There is then the insight of verse 2 where an authentic church is to fix her eyes on Jesus as the central focus and reference of the church. We need to admit that all churches will agree upon the centrality of Jesus. The challenge we face is the question of “Which Jesus?’.
Jesus the temporal prosperity blesser, Jesus the miracle healer or Jesus our Lord and Savior?
Verse 2 sets us on the right vision of the church. As we reflect upon Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, what do we see?
First and foremost, we see the Suffering Savior of Isaiah 53. We see sacrifice.
In the command of Jesus in Luke 9:23, that we are to take up the cross, deny ourselves and follow him, the second mark of an authentic church is that is a church of sacrifice, a church that exists to glorify God in Christ. Romans 5:8 tells us that the death of Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of the love of God.
The third mark of an authentic church is the agape love of God. A compassionate church.
Finally, we can see in Hebrews 12:11 and 14 the finish line of the race of faith. It is not only a heavenly country for it is at the same time a holy country.
The fourth mark of an authentic church is holiness. That is the perfection that the apostle Paul is seeking.
When we see Jesus on the Cross we see the God-Man. In his perfect deity, he has the status to die for the sins of the world.
However, to be truly qualified as the perfect sacrifice, in his perfect humanity, he needs to be an unblemished lamb of God, without sin, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” HOLINESS WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE CAN SEE GOD!
In conclusion, whether a church is contemporary, charismatic, or conservative, these four marks, heavenly-focused, sacrifice, love and holiness are the necessary marks of authenticity. May Tabernacle of Praise carry these marks and continue to grow to be an authentic church. To God be the glory. Amen!
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