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["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You 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 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 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 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 Oh 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 Oh Good here we go. See it with power when Ah And Oh 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 You You You 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 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. We love you, and Jesus, I pray, amen.