The Church Really Does Matter!
Sermon Notes
David Rogers
Part of Jesus and His Church—Sermon Notes
January 5, 2025

Sermon Notes

The Church Really Does Matter!

The Need for a Compelling View of the Church

  • 67% of Americans claim to be Christian, or approximately 225 million people. [Wiki]

  • Of that number, only 52 million gather for worship with a local congregation. [DeYoung]

  • So what does this mean? 173 million Christians don’t belong to or attend a church.

  • And why? Because they don’t see any value in “church”. [Irrelevant; Burned; Worthless]

“13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:13-18, ESV)

“22 And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

So why does this matter? * The church is not built on the charisma of leaders, the buildings, or the programs!

  • The church is built on Jesus. This means the church’s foundation is unshakable.

  • No cultural trend, political shift, or societal upheaval can destroy what Christ has built.

  • This can and should give us confidence and hope.

So why does this matter TO US?

  • When we gather as a church, we are declaring that Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives!

  • Because Jesus is the foundation of our faith, we are declaring He matters when we gather!

  • Our unity as a local body, our worship, and our mission all flow from this truth!

  • If Jesus loved and valued the church so much that He built, then should we treasure it too!

“15 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17, ESV)

So why does this matter?

  • In a world that often dismisses sin as irrelevant, the church stands on truth and grace!
  • Accountability is not about judgment; it’s about loving each other toward restoration!
  • Jesus envisions the church as a community where people can be honest about their struggles!