JOIN US FOR WORSHIP - A.M. "The Benefits of the Church" Pt. 3 - Chris Butler

The church stands as one of the greatest blessings God has provided to his people. God provided two divine institutions, the home in Genesis chapter two and the church established by Christ, and the church is created for spiritual benefit. The benefits of the church include salvation, family, encouragement, growth, protection, worship, care, work, unity, hope, restoration, and fellowship.

Unity comes because God made all nations of one blood. Sin is the common problem, and sin is the great equalizer among men. The rich man and the poor man alike stand guilty before God, and education, race, politics, and social standing do not remove the need for mercy. Christ is the one mediator, the one ransom, the one way, the truth, and the life. The church does not erase every earthly distinction, but the church makes every earthly distinction secondary. In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, because salvation is offered in one body by one Savior for all people.

Hope comes because Christ is living. The Christian is not exempt from sorrow, sickness, persecution, loss, or death, and humanity shares a common appointment with death and judgment. Yet the church provides a hope that is not shallow optimism. Peter calls it a lively hope, rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That hope is an anchor of the soul, reaching behind the veil where Christ abides. The church keeps pulling the eyes upward, away from power, money, comfort, pleasure, and the approval of the world, toward the things that are eternal.

Restoration comes because sin is destructive and Christians still face temptation. Galatians six one does not only concern the brother overtaken in a fault, but also the one doing the restoring. Spiritual people restore in meekness, considering themselves lest they also be tempted. Matthew eighteen shows that restoration begins not with gossip or public humiliation, but with private appeal, love, compassion, and the desire to gain the brother.

Fellowship comes because Christ reconciles his people to God in one body. The Lord is not far from his people. Christ is in the midst when his people do what God has told them to do, whether in conflict resolution, in carrying out the great commission, or among the churches pictured as candlesticks in Revelation. The church lives before the Christ who knows its works, struggles, failures, and faithfulness, and the blood of Jesus Christ continues to cleanse those who walk in the light.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. One body for all people The church makes every earthly distinction secondary because Christ reconciles all people in one body. Race, class, wealth, education, and background may remain as facts of earthly life, but none of them carry saving weight before God. The cross slays the enmity and gathers sinners under one Savior, one gospel, and one hope. [35:39]
• 2. Hope is rooted in resurrection The church’s hope is not a cheerful mood or a refusal to face death. Peter calls it a living hope because Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now lives at the right hand of God. Death remains an appointment, but resurrection gives the Christian an anchor that reaches behind the veil where Christ abides. [39:38]
• 3. Restoration requires humble spiritual people Galatians six one places both the fallen brother and the restoring brother under the same warning. Restoration is not a work for the proud, harsh, or self righteous, because the one correcting another also stands capable of temptation. Meekness does not weaken correction, but it keeps correction from becoming destruction. [46:17]
• 4. Fellowship means Christ is present The Lord’s people do not act alone when they follow his will. Matthew eighteen places Christ in the midst of hard, private efforts to resolve sin, not as a slogan for casual worship, but as a promise tied to obedience. Revelation pictures Christ among the candlesticks, knowing the works, struggles, failures, and repentance of his churches. [50:06]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:32] - Why the Church Is Needed
• [24:48] - Reviewing the Benefits
• [26:24] - Unity, Hope, Restoration, Fellowship
• [27:21] - A World Full of Divisions
• [28:16] - One Blood, One Origin
• [29:21] - Sin as the Common Problem
• [31:07] - One Mediator and One Gospel
• [32:21] - Earthly Distinctions Made Secondary
• [37:20] - Common Suffering and Death
• [39:13] - Living Hope in Christ’s Resurrection
• [44:15] - Discipline and Restoration
• [48:17] - Fellowship With God
• [52:58] - The Invitation to Enter the Body

Bible Reading

Galatians 3:26-28
“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” [33:08]

1 Peter 1:3-4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” [39:30]

Galatians 6:1
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” [44:30]

Matthew 18:20
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” [49:31]

Observation questions

1. According to Galatians 3:26-28, what earthly distinctions are named, and what does Paul say believers are in Christ? [33:08]
2. What two things does 1 Peter 1:3-4 connect together as the basis of Christian hope? [39:30]
3. In Galatians 6:1, what kind of people are told to restore someone caught in sin, and what attitude are they told to have?
4. When Matthew 18:20 was discussed, what situation was in view, and what was said Christ is doing in that moment? [50:06]

Interpretation questions

1. If all are one in Christ Jesus, how does that help explain the claim that the church makes earthly distinctions secondary rather than saving? [32:21]
2. Christian hope is called a living hope because Christ rose from the dead. How does that make Christian hope different from simply trying to stay positive during suffering or death? [39:13]
3. Galatians 6:1 warns the person doing the restoring to watch himself also. Why is that warning so important when helping someone who has fallen into sin? [46:17]
4. Matthew 18:20 is tied to obedience in hard situations like conflict resolution. What does that teach about fellowship with Christ when believers do what he has commanded? [50:11]

Application questions

1. Earthly differences can easily become too important in the heart. Are there any distinctions—background, politics, education, money, family history, or something else—that have started to shape the way you view fellow Christians more than your unity in Christ should? [35:39]
2. Everyone suffers, and every person faces death. In this season of life, what has been testing your hope most deeply, and how does Christ’s resurrection need to steady your heart in that area? [37:20]
3. The hope of the church keeps pulling the eyes upward instead of letting the heart live for money, comfort, pleasure, or approval. What has been pulling your eyes downward lately, and what would it look like this week to set your mind more deliberately on eternal things? [41:11]
4. Restoration is meant to be done by humble, spiritual people. When someone falls into sin, is your first instinct usually compassion, avoidance, frustration, or criticism? What might a spirit of gentleness look like in a real conversation? [46:17]
5. The first step in dealing with sin is not gossip or public embarrassment, but a private appeal meant to gain a brother. Is there a strained relationship, offense, or unresolved matter that needs a quiet and loving conversation? What makes that hard? [47:05]
6. Christ is present with his people when they are doing what he has told them to do. How would remembering that change the way you approach difficult obedience, especially in conflict, correction, or service? [49:31]
7. Fellowship with Christ is not only something to talk about, but something to walk in. What habits or choices are helping you walk in the light right now, and what habits may be weakening that fellowship? [52:39]