Message Date: September 14, 2025

Why Church Matters, Part 1

Victory Life Church, Central — Sunday, September 14, 2025

Part 1: “We are the Body of Christ”

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2025-09-14 – Why Church Matters, Part 1

Scripture Reading

Matthew 16:13–18 (NLT)¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” ¹⁵ Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. ¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Introduction

The 1995 film Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, and a host of other stars, is based on true events when three astronauts are on a mission to the moon. By the time of this mission, most Americans had lost interest in astronauts going to the moon. But then they encounter a problem with the craft (Odyssey): an explosion knocks out its oxygen, its power, and its navigation systems. All of a sudden, the entire world is watching and caught up in the fate of these three men, wondering if they’ll make it safely back home. The story combines scenes of NASA’s mission control room in Houston, the teams working on the ground, doing the best they can, and the three astronauts stranded in space trying to get home. With the ensuing peril, the whole world gets caught up in the drama as it’s being broadcast on television and radio. The entire world is waiting with bated breath, many praying for them to make it back safely. The professionals don’t think they are going to make it back. There is a critical moment in the craft’s reentry where it looks like it’s all going to be a disaster. NASA could become the laughing stock of the world. As one of the team members is discussing the issues and risks with a NASA executive, he says, “This could be the worst disaster NASA has ever experienced.” And the whole world is watching.

Gene Kranz, who is heading mission control in Houston (played by Ed Harris), looks at them and says confidently, “With all due respect, sir, this will be our finest hour.” His belief changed the narrative from public disaster to public redemption.

The world is broken; it’s in a massive upheaval. This week, we are in the wake of the political assassination of the public figure and influencer Charlie Kirk, who was a brother in Christ and worked to engage the minds of America’s young adults in dialogue and debate, and who ultimately desired to glorify the Lord Jesus. This comes on the eve of September 11, the day that marks for our nation the greatest terror attack on our soil 24 years ago. We’ve seen the level of violence in our nation continually worsen. Due to the access to technology and widespread social media sharing, exposure to tragic scenes of violence has seeped into greater public awareness and the political scene more ominously. We grieve the loss of life and rampant violence, and we lament over the brokenness of our culture and the fracturing of our nation’s moral fabric.

Psalm 11:3 asks the question, “…if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 46:4 states that, “…the nations rage, the kingdoms totter…” Both seem appropriate this week in a deeper way.

We all recognize the world is broken, culture is fracturing, and the nations are in an upheaval. We all want the world to be healed and restored, but the question is “how”? How can the world be healed? Who can bring healing to the world?

Will Washington, the President, or Congress? On a global scene, will the United Nations? The World Economic Forum? The World Health Organization? Other NGO’s? Will education, science, technology, healthcare, or medicine heal the world? Everyone has an opinion, and large and secretive entities are at play, grasping for the control to do just that: “heal” the world, and if not heal the world, at least control it.

Let me ask this question: what does Jesus think about this? He, himself, is described as the Savior of the World. How does the Savior of the world intend for the world to be healed and restored? Answer: His Church.

The spiritual powers of darkness, the devil (evil one) and all his demonic hordes, throughout history, have worked tirelessly to persecute, oppress, silence, compromise, tempt, eradicate, and sideline the church. They have had variable success throughout history and around the globe. This moment is no different. We are at a cultural inflection point, and the enemy is on the attack to silence and sideline the church. But the enemy has always overplayed his hand, and what he means to silence and sideline the church will ultimately backfire on him. Jesus is building His church and promises the powers of hell will not prevail against the church. This moment will become our finest hour in this generation.

Framing

The question I want us to ask over the next few weeks is this: “Why does the church matter?” In the midst of all the scandals, the distractions, the options, and the cultural tensions, why does the church matter? Why should you bother with the church?

When the world looks at the American church, what they usually see is an outdated organization that is divided, corrupt, inward-facing, self-oriented, hypocritical, self-righteous, and scandal-ridden. Christians often view church as either an obligation or optional (“I can follow Jesus and just be the church myself through worship music and podcasts / YouTube content”). Many American Christians see the organized (some might say “institutionalized”) church as unnecessary, either because of church hurt or boredom or unanswered questions, and that the exercise of their faith in Jesus should be just personal, but not communal.

Why does church matter? Why should you belong to the church? Why can’t Christians just have their favorite modern worship playlist, stay up to date with their favorite well-known Bible teacher (especially since all the best ones are readily available), and then simply have their Bibles and personal devotional time? Is this what the New Testament describes as the church? Is this how Jesus sees his church? What does Jesus think of His church?

First, this preferential curation of content and personal devotion as “church” isn’t Biblical at all.

“The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.” ~ John Wesley

Jesus created the church, and the church matters deeply to Him. Jesus loves his church.

Jesus loves His church.

Ephesians 5:25–27 (NLT)²⁵ For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her ²⁶ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. ²⁷ He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

Jesus loves his church with a sacrificial love. Specifically, the church, not just the individual. Jesus loves his church with a sanctifying love, a nourishing love, a covenantal love. I could put it like this: If you hate my wife, you’re going to have a tough time being friends with me.

You can appreciate what you want about me, but you will not have access to me if you do not honor and respect my wife as well. When I go to work, the Sheriff’s go to work. What you like about this church is far more than how I preach on any given Sunday. There are so many people and acts of service and love that make this church what it is. But what many people are unaware of is that part of what makes this church work is the sacrificial love, the intercession of prayer, and the pain threshold of my wife.

Jesus loves His church, and we are called to love what Jesus loves.

Second, Jesus is building His church.

Matthew 16:18 (NLT)¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

I believe the “Rock” that Jesus is referencing here is the confession of Jesus’ identity and Lordship, not the person (Peter) or an institution (the Roman Catholic Church). I respect my catholic brothers and sisters, but I outright disagree with the exaltation of the papacy. Jesus is building the church on the people who surrender their lives to Him, confessing Him as Lord.

Building the church is what Jesus is doing in the world.

Jesus did not promise to build your brand, build your business or company, build your reputation, or build your resumé. Your personal projects may matter to you, but the project that matters the most to Jesus is the project of His church. This is what he is doing in the world.

His church is eternal and belongs to him. I am an interim pastor of this church, at best. Maybe the “long-term interim pastor,” but I am not eternal. Someone else will one day pastor this church, because it is not mine; it belongs to him.

The Body of Christ

If Jesus loves the church with a sacrificial and sanctifying love, and if the one thing He is doing in the world is building the church, and if it matters so much to Him that it should matter also to us, what does it mean for us?

To understand how and why the church should matter to us, we need to understand what the church is. Of the many things the Scriptures define the church as, the one I want to focus on today is the church as “the Body of Christ.”

The Church is the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 1:22–23 (NLT)²² God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. ²³ And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

The church is described here in Ephesians and in other places as “the Body of Christ.” The simple explanation of this would be that Paul asserts that the Church is the physical presence of Christ on earth. By filling us with His Spirit, we become His Temple; we are the extension of Christ’s presence on the earth. He is in the heavens, seated on the throne. We are united to Him, and therefore His “body” on earth. Where you are, so Christ is, because of His indwelling Spirit.

To focus on the implications of this a bit more, I want to clarify how we are His Body, His representatives on earth, practically (not theologically). Two important aspects of being Christ’s body on earth, as well as why it matters that we take the church seriously:

Sacrificial Witness and Spiritual Warfare

Sacrificial Witness

We are called to be witnesses of Jesus (Acts 1:8). What we have seen and experienced, we are called to proclaim to others (1 John 1:3). We are instructed to minister the good news to whole world of what Jesus has done for us (Mark 16:15). We continue the ministry of Jesus on earth as He would, preaching the truth, showing love, bringing healing to the wounds of the world.

Acts 1:8 (NLT)⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

John 1:14 (ESV)¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

1 John 3:18 (NLT)¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Matthew 25:34–40 (NLT)³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ ³⁷ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? ³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Prayer of St. Francis: “Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is error, truth; where there is division, unity; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy…”

Where the wounds of the world are, the body of Christ brings healing.

Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

The Church is the “Embassy of Heaven” on earth; we are ambassadors.

2 Corinthians 5:19–20 (NLT)¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

How do spiritual realities become realized? Through your body, whether good or evil. Evil is manifested on earth through humans giving in to the temptations of the enemy; we call this sin.

Ephesians 2:2 (NLT)² You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

How does good manifest in the world? Through Christ’s body, the church. The church, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit, follows the guidance and direction of the head, Jesus, and manifests His will through love, worship, obedience, prayer, service, and sacrifice.

Ephesians 1:22–23 (MSG)²² He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. ²³ The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

How does Christ’s presence manifest in all the world? Through the church. The church matters; you matter to the church. This is the one thing Jesus is doing. The church is the one mechanism by which His presence and power flood all of creation. Jesus loves His church. Jesus is building His church. Jesus is positioning His church through sacrificial service and spiritual warfare to manifest His presence and glory in this generation.

Conclusion

This is our finest hour. So do not let fear or hatred or anxiety distract you. We keep our eyes on Jesus and our ears open to His voice and direction. There is much brokenness in the world, and we sense the terror, grief, and hopelessness right at the door this week in a unique way. The enemy is trying to make this a moment of disaster for the church in our country. But while the world is watching, let this be our finest hour.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582): Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours, // No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks // Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now but yours, // No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks // compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.Full Quotations

“If the church is central to God’s purpose, as seen in both history and the gospel, it must surely also be central to our lives. How can we take lightly what God takes so seriously? How dare we push to the circumference what God has placed at the centre? No, we shall seek to become responsible church members, active in some local manifestation of the universal church. We shall not be able to acquiesce in low standards which fall far short of the New Testament ideals for God’s new society, whether mechanical, meaningless worship services, or fellowship which is icy cold and even spoiled by rivalries which make the Lord’s Supper a farce, or such inward-looking isolationism as to turn the church into a ghetto which is indifferent to the outside world and its pain. If instead (like Paul) we keep before us the vision of God’s new society as his family, his dwelling place and his instrument in the world, then we shall constantly be seeking to make our church’s worship more authentic, its fellowship more caring and its outreach more compassionate. In other words (like Paul again), we shall be ready to pray, to work and if necessary to suffer in order to turn the vision into a reality.” ~ John Stott

“The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness. Faith working by love is the length and breadth and depth and height of Christian perfection. This commandment we have from Christ, that he who loves God, loves his brother also; and that we manifest our love by doing good unto all men; especially unto them that are of the household of faith. And in truth, whosoever loveth his brethren not in word only, but as Christ loved him, cannot but be zealous of good works. He feels in his soul a burning, restless desire of spending and being spent for them.” ~ John Wesley

Citatiobs and Read More

John 4:42, 1 John 4:14

John Wesley. Hymns and Sacred Poems. Preface, 1739. Paraphrased often as “the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.” For full quote, see below.

John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today, p. 129.

The Covenant Family of God (Ephesians 3:14-19), the Temple of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33), the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-21), etc.

1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:22

https://www.journeywithjesus.net/poemsandprayers/3637-Teresa_Of_Avila_Christ_Has_No_Body

John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today, pp. 129–130.

John Wesley. Hymns and Sacred Poems. Preface, 1739.