How to Play Church

John, in Revelation to write the start of church.

I know I work that name that thou art alive and are dead were commentary on most churches today. They haven't finally have a name of the dead while they did because of people in this John McArthur on your host Bill Johnson on February 9, 1969. John MacArthur stepped into the pulpit of Grace Community Church and since then he has preached Sunday after Sunday teaching verse by verse through every book of the New Testament today on Grace to you, you're going to hear the first sermon, John preached as pastor of Grace Community Church. It's part of perhaps his most unique series. It's titled the New Testament beginning to end.

Another study, it's really one-of-a-kind in the history of Grace to you and John. The lesson that we are starting with called how to play church has particular significance for use. So tell our listeners why. Well, that's because how to play church is the sermon I preached on my first Sunday as the pastor of Grace Community Church. That was February 9, 1969. That's right, and the recording that were playing is the recording from that day, so it's a much younger sounding John MacArthur.

That's pretty frightening, actually. While it's it's a surprisingly mature sermon. The content there is convicting well there. There's a reason for that. The sermon on how to play church is based on Matthew seven right, many will say to me Lord, Lord, and I'll say depart for me. I never knew you workers of iniquity, and I talked about people who think they're going to heaven who are going to hell. Why would you do that is your first sermon because I grew up in the church because my dad was a pastor I spent my whole life in the church and I knew the by my own experience.

There were people in the church who weren't converted I had similar experiences with them. People in my high school and college, and even in seminary with people who were in seminary, but weren't genuinely converted in the knew it, and it eventually was made manifest, so I knew that judgment had to begin at the house of the Lord, and I knew that the first thing I needed to do was to confront people about whether or not they were genuinely saved because there was a superficiality in the Christian church in those days you went to church, sang the songs you went through the motions but not still like that is in it and in fact I think about this John this message is a theme that has reverberated through everything you've written and said in all the years subsequent to that. This is like the backbone of your book the Gospel according to Jesus's and a lot of other books because getting the gospel right is everything. So this is going to launch our study titled the New Testament beginning to end that I want to point out that this study is so long, we are not going to come close to hitting all of the of the study on grace to radio the full study includes 27 messages, one from each book of the New Testament, but over the next four weeks will give it a good shot were going to hit 20 of those sermons in the series covers a wide range of subjects, some doctrinal others practical all foundational for the believer be with us. Don't miss out any part of the New Testament beginning to end. Starting with the first message from Grace Church I ever preached how to play church yes and friend if you'd like to download this entire series. You want to visit our website Jide TY.org, but for now, turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 7 and follow along as John MacArthur begins his message how to play church Bible note.

Matthew seven beginning at verse 21. Not every one that sent on to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that do it the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in my name or preached in my name, and in thy name have cast out demons, and in thy name done many wonderful works and then will I profess under them. I never knew you the apart from me, ye that work iniquity. The Bible tells us in Matthew chapter 13, that the church is going to be very strange at the church age is going to be a very strange age, having set Israel aside because of unbelief. Christ begins to institute a group of parables that discuss the church age and they present the church age is a very unique eight. We talked about the fact that in the church age there is going to be the weak and the tears that is the protocol and the rabbit. So I did tell apart that you won't be able tell the part of the God who was the final judge decides between them and then we read about the fact there are various dimensions of the church. The mustard seed illustration give the idea that the church is going to explode and it's going to be a great big thing input including real and unreal crew and Paul and so the church age is going to be a very strange area and truly it is run of the name church quote unquote we have all kinds of things going on today Christ commanded John in Revelation to write to the Sardis church. I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou art alive and I dead.

What commentary on most churches today.

They have a title. They have a name with their dead and while they did while their dead initially because the people within them are dead falls as an Ephesians through their dead in sin. Consequently, dead people are going to constitute a denture in the church is not suffering today are dying today because of attacks from the outside. Most churches Satan wouldn't even waste powder and shot on them. Their dead from the inside. But on the other hand of vital church a living church to church. In reality, knows Jesus Christ and proclaimed his gospel that kind of church is always going to be under attack because that kind of the church must be the conscience of the community is a lie. I church this one proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ is going to become an issue in the community. Gina said want you when all men speak well of you. The church in the world must always be at opposite poles, because light and darkness, have no fellowship what Concorde has Christ with DeLisle. There is no relationship very important to understand this and Paul elucidates it in second Corinthians chapter 6, beginning in verse 14 where he brings up the fact that the love of Christ is a very basic issue and that what is really important is that the church is involved in making new creations out of the dead people I church that is a real living vital church is a church that is in the business of taking dead people and communicating to them the gospel.

That alone can make them alive. That's the mission of the church.

There is no way biblically under the sun that the church can ever court the world the church must be the conscience of the world. The church must be so well defined that it becomes the antagonist of the world for those outside of Jesus Christ. This church, I trust.

I pray this church will be the most uncomfortable feet in the world because we present a gospel that divides it so true that when the church courts the world dies. As I read to you from Revelation 31 the Sardis church thought it was alive, but it was courting the world. And so it wasn't alive. It was dead. The duty of the church is not only to teach St. but the duty of the church is to warn man of God's standard and were not fair and were not faithful to the call of God of all we do is advertise the abundant life.

Now that's a great dimension of salvation, but somewhere along the landline we got to proclaim that man is a sinner that he separated from a holy God and in the eyes of God is an object of God judge me the child of wrath.

As Paul says in the boldly proclaim Jesus Christ to boldly proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ, the boldly proclaim the truth about man in his sin is to divide you remember correctly, the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1034 you will remember that he said think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace, but what sort for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man flows shall be they his own household. So says Christ, the true church of Jesus Christ is not a religious institution which welcomes everybody is the body of Jesus Christ set a part of the God uniquely married and wedded to the selfsame Christ redeemed by faith and no one outside of that faith, redemption can be a part of it, or that is the requirement for the church and it is our task as a people and a preacher to warn those who have not received Christ to warn them in love, but to warn them. Nonetheless, how they are in danger of the terror of the Lord. This is our tax in our text is such a warning. Our text is a warning to those who are comfortably entrenched in the church are who think they are comfortably entrenched in the church but who in reality are not.

This is not a warning to outside people. This is a warning to us who are involved in the church to be sure that it's real and I think it only fair to begin our ministry here that we stop and really approach this with a sense of sobriety and earnestness to understand how we stand.

In view of God right now as individual knows the scene in verse 21. There is a phrase in that they is a very important phrase because it says that there is coming a particular day when Christ is going to judge the idea of that day in the Bible, is connected with judgment. This picture is a picture of that day in that name appears in prescriptions three in connection with the time of the judgment of believers. It appears various places in the Bible in connection with the judgment of unbelievers, but it is always a phrase tied in with judgment the finality of judgment. Now in Matthew 721 to 23 we are taken to the final judgment. We are at the great white throne and we are seeing some of the people who are confronting Christ at that time and they are saying on the him Walmart Walmart here we are. We are the ones who were religious people call this day to day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men in the phrase that he uses ungodly men may seem like a very difficult phrase in view of the fact that these are religious people. There is an awesome silence at this judgment and then the silence is pierced by the words of Jesus Christ, that he says in verse 21. Not every one that set them to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that do with the will of my father who is in heaven. There we have. First of all, the condition for entrance to the kingdom. The condition for entrance to the kingdom. What is that condition how a man enter the kingdom of God becomes a part of the kingdom of God. Man can be, as it were with God in a real vital relationship. How is it. Well first of all, it's not the one to say Lord more, but those who do the will of God. In Matthew 25, 1 to 13 have a very interesting story. The story of 10 virgin and they were invited to the feast, and five of them came and they had prepared by bringing oils and putting them in every oil and having in the land. The other five were foolish and they did not prepare in verse 11 of Matthew 25. The door is shut.

Of the five on the outside and you remember what they say.

They say Lord Lord, open to us in the Lord of the fee says verily I say unto you, I know you not interesting is not that they were invited to the feast they had heard the gospel in a sense, symbolical. They the proclamation come to the feet is an illustration of God's call of the world. They even prepared, to the extent they had the right close on. They even arrived at the meeting. How they didn't get it, and their cry was the same as it is in Matthew chapter 7 Lord Lord, open to us but he says it is not those that say Lord, Lord, but those that do my will. What a solemn morning at the end of that parable crisis watch therefore or you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man come when you can see that it's not. Those who wish to enter the kingdom of getting necessarily it's not to enter the Getty and necessarily not enough to ask is not enough to wish it is enough to be obedient God is that certain rules for entrance to the kingdom. They must be obeyed, or there is no inference. You may want to winter it back. You may want to read you you you come to church you get involved but not to involve the less you come by the way of Jesus Christ, you cannot enter all your religious operation all the formality that you go through is meaningless. Peter said in a great sermon the fourth chakra back. He says neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. There is no other name than Jesus Christ. None other name is only through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that you or I or anyone else will ever know the kingdom of God is not through our religious emotion is not through our sanctified feeling. It is through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Lip profession is no good. There must be obedient in a statement, Lord, Lord, you get the idea.

Some have a surprise.

Don't like the shock you mean when I getting in.

Listen to Jesus Christ in Luke four, 640 608 said, he says why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and what do not. The thing I say God has set in order the requirement for entrance to the kingdom of heaven. It has nothing to do the building. It has to do with Jesus Christ.

So Christ announces the condition for the kingdom. Now watch the cry of those refused and first of all, in verse 21 we saw the condition for entrance into the kingdom in verse 22 we see the cry of those who were refused entrance. Many will say to me, and that they Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in the name of cast out demons, and in my name done many wonderful work. The cry of the people first. When Christ in judgment says not everyone that says Lord Lord all of a sudden there's an outburst of the plea from the hearts of these people in the cry of anything we've done all these being many people are going to go to hell internally disappointed because they thought the religiosity was, millions of people depend on our morality, their good deeds, their baptism, their church membership, the religious feelings remain church workers and elegantly many pastors there is sad to say many teachers and so-called religious school and I'm sure very many there as we see in Matthew seven. Many of these are going to say to Christ.

Christ, it's us. We prophesy in your name Jesus will tear off the sheepskin and lay bare the raving wolf. That's exactly we've been talking about in verses 15 to 20 false prophets.

Those who claim that reality and not what I picture it will reveal.

You have only a form of godliness. You know the Lord. Personally, do you see yourself at the great white throne with your feeble excuses. Jesus told Nicodemus, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

What you mean born again simply to receive Jesus Christ and allow God to make of you a new creation, born eternally into the family of that same guy, Nicodemus came to Christ and had a lot of Kemeny was a religious man. He was the teacher in Israel.

The teacher you think with all the religious Stephanie taken Christ was that all you do. Nicodemus such a great guy got so far.

You had such a fantastic life you got it.

Wonderful things.

I think one more giant step herein, the Christ with a mix of Nicodemus, as if the say you've done everything there is a new religiously. Nicodemus forget it all go back and be a baby be born all over. It was a good take another step you start from the beginning was kind of useless defenses and the condition of the kingdom during the will of God. The will of God is to receive Christ.

Those who were standing there and haven't done that cry out in horror. But it's a useless defense and then the judge speaks again in verse 23. Listen to what the judge said, we find the condemnation of those without Christ we see in the condition for entrance to the kingdom we see the cry of those who are left out. And here's the condemnation of those without Christ and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you depart from me, ye that work iniquity profess his word. It means to openly proclaim and here Christ proclaims that he does not know them. That same word, gal.

That same word is used in Matthew 1032 N. Denver says whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my father the same word is used. If you are not willingly openly proclaiming Christ here that he will not openly proclaim you.

There instead. He says I never knew you.

Now we come to one of the most important concepts in all Scripture.

The word no.

This is a very, very important concepts from time to time.

You might find you repeating this because it's critical.

What does it mean for God to know somebody and to know somebody else that we know it doesn't mean it is not aware of somebody we don't have any easy thing. I don't know who you are, not all he knows everybody you got everybody's hair there hand numbered. He noticed Bill call he knows everything there is to know as far as cognizance or awareness is concerned there was anything we did.

I never knew you I watched this critical it's very important. Second Timothy 219 gives the key says that the Lord knows them that are his the levers again 2nd to 19th. The Lord knows them that are his. I was not me really trying to say the word no. In Scripture, implying a unique love relationship in Amos 32 God says Israel only have I known now, is it really only nation got nova willing no, no, you bet about what he think he was saying with Israel. I have an intimate relationship in the Old Testament the concept of a man and a woman coming together in a relationship. The produce of the child is spoken of as a man knowing his wife, for example, in Genesis 417 the Bible says chain new is right now and not to assume that he knew his wife in the your that the just knowing or at obvious the murder. In the beginning the unknown or guarding more than that since Cain knew his wife and he bear. In other words, to know implies the pinnacle the most unique human love relationship possible. Even a human level, your member. The Bible says that Joseph had not known Mary is what you give up so much when I was pregnant why he had a choice of either storing or putting away, probably because she was pregnant he had never known her were now in a human realm applies unique love relationship between two people in terms of God's relationship with the same thing if the very same thing for Paul said in Galatians 4 I think it's worth nine fees as believers are no beautiful constant.

The intimacy is likened to a man knowing his money is that not what happened in Scripture. Did not God say that Israel was his wife is the church, not the Brian and Christ the bridegroom.

We have an intimate relationship with God is a fantastic thing and illustrated beautifully for us in the words of John chapter 10 where John points out the fantastic truth of this relationship by recording the words of Jesus Christ, I want to share them with John 10 verse 14 he said I am the good shepherd crisis and what you know my sheep. All that's bent that now as we go through this in your mind, substitute the word love for every time the word no comes up, I'm gonna read it with the word love instead of the word no.

I am the good shepherd and love my sheep and are loved of my father loves me even so love by the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. Verse 27 my sheep hear my voice and I love them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and he shall never perish. 20 man pluck them out of my hand.

My father, who gave them to me, is greater than all in. No man is able to pluck them out of my hand.

I and my father are one. You see the beauty of the love relationship we have with Jesus Christ. You see the intimacy of Romans 11. The apostle Paul that God is not set aside his people Israel, whom he foreknew God has a predetermined love relationship with you. If you're Christian you know that in the counsel of God. It was foreordained by God's sovereign act of his will that you should be a child of God, you have a predetermined love relationship with God is like Israel did and does in the intimacy of that love relationship is so beautiful that God speaks of it in the most magnificent of human terms that consummating act between the love of a man and a woman. That's the kind of a love relationship you have with God. When God says I know my sheep when prices I know who you are. That means you and I have an intimate love relationship. What a glorious five but to these who do not have that love relationship. He says I never knew you. We had no such predetermined love relationship. We had no such relationship is a sheep of the shepherd as a bride and the bridegroom to be outside that special love relationship is the supper for he says, depart from me, the saddest three words in the Bible depart from the what a tragedy. Nothing ever sadder than that. The harsh words in Matthew 2541 again reiterated depart from me, ye cursive into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels or how sad it is the final picture of judgment is a picture of sadness, the final picture of judgment in the Bible is a tragedy. The unbelieving of all the ages are brought before God.

Jesus Christ reiterates the condition for the kingdom to do the will of God. They cry out those who have been held out we've got all that and the judge speaks finally and says, but wait a minute you're condemning because we never had a love relationship. Christianity is not a formality. Christianity, if you please. In the modern term is not a religion. It is a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ you have that love relationship, you know, that same Christ. I close with this illustration was inaccurate or bridegroom function who was asked to recite that he stood up and want to be gracious to his audience. Source also all recite anything you'd like me to recite. No one suggested anything sorrel preacher have to be very sitting in the back where I got there about to crash the party.

Normally we just don't get invited the drawing of the high society level that he was there he recited 20 thirds of the act was a little shocked at that ready to blow himself up as we had to do with the master do you happen to know what source it all right all the surgery.

The 23rd Psalm with complete eloquence masterfully interpreted diction was beautiful when he was done was spontaneous applause throughout the entire room in the after figuring he'd get back at the old gentleman said Nasser. I'd like to hear you recite the old gentleman had bargained for that but because of this love for Christ, so that a repeat of the 20 thirds or his voice cracked, broke very beautiful. Patient was really that you we got in was no plot, but there wasn't a dry eye in the room after sensing his own emotions that assimilated down. I reached your eyes and ears, and he reached your heart and to the differences. It I know the Psalm.

He knows shepherd you been listening to the first message John MacArthur preached as pastor of Grace Community Church.

The sermon that launched more than 53 years of verse by verse Bible teaching the title of that sermon. How to play church part of his series on grace to you called the New Testament. Beginning to end.

Keep in mind the entire series is available to download, including several hours of content that we won't have time to put on the air.

To download this series for free in audio and transcript format. Go to GT Y.org again the study to look for titled the New Testament beginning to end. Downloaded today. The series gives you a helpful overview of the New Testament. Major themes elements that every Christian needs to understand if you want to live a joyful victorious spiritual life, just like all of John's sermons.

The messages from the New Testament beginning to end are free to download@gty.org and when you visit GT Y.org.

Make sure you also download the study Bible app. It's a free app that gives you the full text of Scripture in English standard King James and new American Standard version said it also allows you to link instantly from the passage or studying two related online resources including Q&A's blog articles and sermons from John MacArthur and for a nominal price.

You can add the notes from the MacArthur study Bible to download the app again. It simply called the study Bible visit GT Y.org now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for tuning in today and invite a friend to join you tomorrow when John looks at the parable of the prodigal son and helps you make sure you're not missing the main point of this familiar passage is another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you