Restoration is a network of house churches.
We make disciples, gather together, and
equip people to minister.
All in Ecclesiology
The ordinances of the Church are baptism and the Lord’s supper, and both are topics of much debate. We discussed baptism in a previous sermon. This week, Pastor Daniel addresses the command to remember the Lord’s death through communion. We learn what it does and why it is important to build faith in the believers and break down the defenses of Hell through the proclamation of the Gospel. In the process, we address the various views of communion to affirm a biblical stance.
Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This command is critical to the great commission, but baptism is an oft-debated topic among Christians. What is baptism? How important is it? What is the proper mode of baptism? Pastor Daniel Samms teaches from several key passages on baptism and addresses key quotes from church history and the London Baptist Confession as we clarify the importance and function of baptism in Christianity.
The headship of Christ is a neglected topic in evangelical circles. We so often forget that He is King over all (Matthew 28:18, Col 1:1-11). We see in Ephesians that Christ is the Head of the Church. The term “Head” was used to refer to Kingly authority as the king wears his crown on his head and the head controls the body. As it applies to Christ and His Church, it means that He has absolute authority. He has subsequently given us His Word (the Bible) which is authoritative and sufficient for all matters (2 Tim. 3:16-17). While God has placed pastors/elders to shepherd the Church, they do so as under shepherds submitted to Christ, Scripture being the authority for their office. This headship that Christ has is reflected in the home with husbands serving as head over the wife, loving her and sacrificing for her. In this sermon, Pastor Daniel addresses this critical doctrine of Christ’s headship answering theological questions about authority in the Church and admonishing us to submit to Christ as Head.
Continuing our First Sunday series on the study of the Church (Ecclesiology). In this sermon, Pastor Samms focuses on the assembly of believers as the temple of God and a royal priesthood. This metaphor for the church is used in both Ephesians 2:19-22 and 1 Peter 2:1-12 as the church is described as a collective group of stones that comes together to form the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The church must gather to fulfill this critical role (Hebrews 10:23-25). Last time we talked about the church’s role to put the truth of the gospel on display (1 Timothy 3:14-16. This week we talk more about the role of Christians as a “royal priesthood” that serves one another for the gospel.
The evangelical church in America is suffering from a lack of doctrine, a lack of discipleship, and now a lack of attendance. The less faithful the Church becomes, the more troubled the society grows. One of the problems at hand is the lack of understanding of the Church. People don’t seem to know what the Church is or what it is made to do. Even prominent leaders such as Andy Stanley fail to recognize the essential nature of the church, assuming live streams are enough to keep people connected. But, the commands of God for the church go deep and wide. We are called to display the truth of the Gospel, to gather together, and to partake in physical signs connected to spiritual realities. In this series, Pastor Daniel Samms takes us through what the Church is, what it does, and why it is essential. This sermon focuses on the Church’s role as the displayer of Truth (1 Timothy 3). Future sermons will address the essential job of Christians to assemble as a Church, the role of serving and giving, the nature of ordinances (baptism and communion), and more.
