Essential Church 1– Can’t live without us
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020
Pastor Troy Brewer, OpenDoor Church, Burleson, TX
In September, 1993, pilot Mike Legler made a glassy-water landing on a lake near Prince William Sound. The floats nosed underwater on landing and sheared off the aircraft, and Mike was knocked unconscious by a blow to his head on the dash of the plane. When he came to, the aircraft was filling with water and he didn’t have even a few seconds to grab any gear out of the airplane. With a deep, bleeding gash on his forehead, he swam to shore as his Taylorcraft sank in water over 100 feet deep. Upon making it to shore he assessed his situation. His forehead was bleeding profusely, he had lost his shoes in the crash, he was soaked to the skin and his survival gear went down with the plane. He was rescued nineteen days later, his survival made possible only by two things: keeping a cool head, and having a few essentials in his pockets; a flare pistol with one flare, a knife, matches, and a package of cigars (he used the wrapper to start a fire).
He was able to survive for 19 days with just those essential things.
Shelter, water, fire, food, tools and navigation …and wifi.
I had a tiny tiny taste of this year. Pastor Jerry, Matt Shelton and I went off to northern Canada for a hunting expedition.
This year, when the corona virus hit the world, the world immediately buckled and folded to fear.
The goats of the world forced mandatory lock down orders on its citizens and shut down everything except for “essential” services.
Some “essential services” are easy to understand. Hospitals provide essential services. Law enforcement and fire service are essential services. The purchase of food and fuel is essential.
Truckers provide essential services since nothing would be in the stores without them. The military, the postal service, delivery services such as FedEx, UPS, and Amazon, to name a few, are among those services deemed as essential. There are countless others, of course.
Yet, almost without exception, churches and the provision of spiritual care have been categorized by many state and local governments as “non-essential.” This, in a country that designates abortion mills and liquor stores as “essential businesses.”
In a nation where over half of the population believes in the non-constitutional concept of “separation of church and state,” national, state, and local governments have demonstrated that, when it fits into their plans, the state can indeed impose its will on religion.
For the most part, because they are responsible leaders, clergy are trying to protect their people from the coronavirus and are willingly complying with the government guidelines. But that doesn’t erase the fact that the state is ordering the closing of churches and the cessation of public worship services that do not fit very narrow guidelines.
The very first amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,”
When it comes to the congregations of the body of Jesus in the USA, no matter the denomination, no matter the state, no matter the year, we have both a constitutional right and a mandate from God to gather, worship, preach and reach out as the body of king Jesus.
Where’s the president’s authority to override governors on this matter?
I’m not a constitutional attorney, but I do have common sense.
The president takes an oath of office during which he swears to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The First Amendment of our Constitution protects the right to “free exercise” of religion.
“Either we have liberty to worship or we have permission to worship. It has become abundantly clear that if we settle for permission, we will never have liberty again.”
- Pastor Stacey Shiflett, Dundalk Calvary Baptist Church in Maryland
I saw this first and in Seattle at Pastor Darrin Stott’s church. The state shut down churches, then in the name of contact tracing, demanded a written list of every person who had attended his church and the conference I preached at.
You can now add Washington, Oregon and the peoples Republic of California to the list of communist states who demand a list of anybody who darkens the doors of a church house.
So the bottom line is that there is a fight in our culture that says not only do some people in America not see church as essential–they don’t want to see church at all.
Here’s what I say to that. Too bad.
Not only should we be open and not only should we be heard, we should be louder than ever before. Let the great congregations in our nation open up, stand up and takes its place as a people of conviction and influence.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE ESSENTIAL, WE HAVE TO BE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
“ESSENTIAL CHURCH”
MAINTAIN, ENHANCE & TRANSFORM
Psalms 140:12
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
IT’S THE CHURCH, NOT THE GOVERNMENT, THAT MAINTAINS THE GOODNESS OF OUR NATION.
We’re dealing with a core conflict in America today. How vitally important is religion?
In the 1830s, French nobleman Alexis de Tocqueville traveled across the still-youthful America to try to understand what was happening and what was driving the remarkable success of the young nation.
He recorded his thoughts in “Democracy in America,” which many believe to be the greatest book ever written about our nation.
Here’s what he wrote: “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers … and it was not there … in her rich mines and her vast world commerce … and it was not there … in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution … and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and her power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”
Godliness in our nation is essential!
The Godly church in our nation is essential to the greatness of our our nation.
JOHN ADAMS, SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND SECOND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:
“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
The Church is essential!
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; DIPLOMAT; SECRETARY OF STATE; U.S. SENATOR; U.S. REPRESENTATIVE; “OLD MAN ELOQUENT”; “HELL-HOUND OF ABOLITION”
“In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.”
The church is essential!
DANIEL WEBSTER, U.S. SENATOR; SECRETARY OF STATE; “DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION”
“Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”
The church is essential!
WHEN AMERICA LOSES ITS GOODNESS, AMERICA CEASES TO BE AMERICA, AND THAT ONLY COMES FROM THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD AND THE PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE.
THE CHURCH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE FREEDOM OF THE UNTIED STATES OF AMERICA.
Two major factors to our freedom and prosperity:
- THE UNITED STATES LOSING ITS GODLINESS
- THE CHURCH LOSING IT’S GODLINESS
If the church gives into fear and pressure to fold America is forever lost. If we let Netflix and Hollywood determine the moral course of America our children will be sexually enslaved to a a culture that looks likes a humanists sick dream.
If the church remains quiet while Marxists run our education system, truth will be cast down in our streets and good will be called evil and evil will be called good.
IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO BUILD A CHRISTIAN NATION THEN TURN IT OVER TO OUR ENEMIES AT THE VOTING BOOTH OR BECAUSE WE ARE TOO COMFORTABLE TO CONFRONT THE ENEMY AT THE GATE.
The Importance of Church
Hebrews 10:25
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
1 Corinthians 12:12
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Matthew 16:18
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 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Acts 20:28
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
We have to be the good guys.
We have to bring light, truth and the presence of God.
We have to preserve and hold together our nation.
Good overcomes evil.