“Where Christ Is, There Is the Church”

 

Ignatius of Antioch —“The Ancient Voices of the Church”

Scripture:

John 17:21 — “That they may all be one… so that the world may believe.”

Ancient Text:

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church.” (catholic = universal, the whole church belonging to Christ)

Introduction: A Pastor on the Road to Martyrdom

Listen to the voice of Ignatius of Antioch, a pastor who lived in the early second century. He was arrested for his faith and taken to Rome to be executed. But on the way, he wrote letters to the churches — letters full of love, urgency, and pastoral wisdom.

He did not write about fear. He did not write about injustice. He wrote about unity.

Ignatius believed that nothing was more important for the church than staying united under Christ. And in one of his most famous lines, he wrote:

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the church.”

Not wherever a building is. Not wherever a denomination is. Not wherever a program is.

Wherever Christ is — there is the church.

This is the heartbeat of Ignatius’s message.

I. Ignatius Saw the Church as a Christ‑Centered Community

Ignatius lived at a time when the church was small, scattered, and often persecuted. There were no large institutions, no councils, no creeds yet. But there was Christ — and that was enough.

For Ignatius:

• Christ was the center
• Christ was the unity
• Christ was the identity
• Christ was the foundation
• Christ was the Shepherd

He believed that the church is not defined by human structures but by Christ’s presence.

Church, our unity is not built on:

• shared preferences
• shared backgrounds
• shared traditions
• shared personalities

Our unity is built on shared belonging to Christ.

II. Ignatius Warned Against Division

Ignatius wrote passionately against division. He saw division as one of the greatest threats to the church’s witness.

He warned against:

• pride
• rivalry
• false teaching
• self‑will
• stubbornness
• spiritual independence

He believed that division was not merely a disagreement — it was a departure from Christ’s way.

Jesus prayed in John 17:

“That they may all be one.”

Ignatius believed that unity was not optional. It was essential. It was evangelistic. It was Christlike.

III. Unity Is Not Uniformity — It Is Harmony Under Christ

Ignatius did not call for sameness. He called for harmony.

Harmony is different voices singing one song. Harmony is different gifts serving one Lord. Harmony is different people following one Shepherd.

Unity is not everyone being the same. Unity is everyone being centered on Christ.

Ignatius believed that when Christ is the center, unity becomes natural.

IV. Unity Is a Witness to the World

Ignatius understood something we often forget:

The world listens when the church is united. The world ignores when the church is divided.

Jesus said:

“That the world may believe…”

Unity is evangelism. Unity is testimony. Unity is credibility.

When believers love one another, forgive one another, and walk together, the world sees Christ.

Ignatius believed that unity was not a strategy — it was a miracle of grace.

V. Unity Requires Humility, Love, and Obedience

Ignatius urged believers to:

• submit to one another
• honor their leaders
• avoid gossip
• forgive quickly
• pursue peace
• stay rooted in Scripture
• keep Christ at the center

Unity is not maintained by force. Unity is maintained by humility.

Unity is not maintained by agreement on everything. Unity is maintained by love.

Unity is not maintained by personality. Unity is maintained by obedience to Christ.

VI. Where Christ Is, There Is the Church

Ignatius’s great line is more than a statement — it is a declaration of identity.

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the church.”

This means:

• The church is present in suffering
• The church is present in small congregations
• The church is present in rural towns
• The church is present in persecuted places
• The church is present wherever believers gather in Christ’s name

It means your congregation — right here in Northern Michigan — is part of the same church Ignatius loved, served, and died for.

Not a different church. Not a lesser church. The same church — because Christ is present.

Conclusion: Let Christ Be the Center of Our Unity

 Ignatius calls us to a simple, powerful truth:

If Christ is the center, unity will follow. If Christ is not the center, unity will fail.

Let Christ be the center of our worship. Let Christ be the center of our fellowship. Let Christ be the center of our decisions. Let Christ be the center of our relationships. Let Christ be the center of our hearts.

Where Christ is, there is the church. May He be present among us richly.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the center of Your church. Unite us in Your love, keep us in Your truth, and make us one so that the world may see Your glory in us. Guard us from division, pride, and self‑will, and lead us in the harmony of Your Spirit, today, tomorrow, and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://lnkd.in/gc--bX66

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book

https://lnkd.in/g664NEdT

"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

The Transformation Power of Worship

                              

Ambrose of Malian -Ancient Voices of the Church 

Scripture:

“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” — Psalm 96:9

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“In the beauty of holiness, God is beheld.” (Ambrose, Exposition of Psalm 118)

A Pastor Who Taught a City to Worship

Church, today we listen to Ambrose of Milan, one of the most influential pastors of the fourth century. He was not born into ministry — he was a Roman governor. But when the church needed a shepherd, the people cried out for Ambrose. He was baptized, ordained, and consecrated bishop in a single week.

Ambrose became: • defender of the poor • protector of the church • teacher of worship • composer of hymns • mentor to Augustine

Ambrose believed worship was not merely an event — it was a formation of the soul. He believed holiness was not merely moral — it was beautiful. He believed mercy was not merely kindness — it was Christ Himself.

Ambrose shows us what that beauty looks like.

I. Ambrose Shows Us That Holiness Is Beautiful

Ambrose wrote:

“Holiness is the beauty of the soul.”

He believed holiness is not harsh, cold, or rigid. Holiness is radiant. Holiness is attractive. Holiness is the glow of Christ in His people.

Scripture:

“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.” — Psalm 90:17

Ambrose teaches us that holiness is:

• purity of heart • integrity of life • devotion to Christ • compassion toward others • joy in worship

The church today needs this reminder: Holiness is not a burden — it is a blessing. Holiness is not unattractive — it is beautiful.

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“The soul that cleaves to God is made beautiful by His grace.” (Ambrose, On the Duties of the Clergy)

II. Ambrose Shows Us That Worship Shapes the Heart

Ambrose transformed worship in Milan. He introduced congregational singing. He wrote hymns still sung today. He taught believers to pray with Scripture. He believed worship forms the soul.

He wrote:

“We are shaped by what we sing.”

Scripture:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” — Colossians 3:16

Ambrose believed worship:

• teaches truth • strengthens faith • comforts the weary • unites the church • prepares the heart for holiness

The church today needs worship that shapes hearts, not merely fills time.

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“He who sings prays twice.” (Traditionally attributed to Ambrose; widely cited in early Western liturgical tradition)

III. Ambrose Shows Us That Mercy Reveals Christ

Ambrose was known for his compassion. He sold church treasures to feed the poor. He confronted emperors who oppressed the weak. He defended widows and orphans. He believed mercy was the clearest sign of Christ’s presence.

He wrote:

“Where there is mercy, there is Christ.”

Scripture:

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” — Luke 6:36

He believed mercy is:

• the fruit of holiness • the expression of worship • the witness of the church • the heart of Christ

The church today needs this truth: Holiness without mercy is hypocrisy. Worship without mercy is empty. Doctrine without mercy is noise.

Mercy is the beauty of Christ in action.

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“The poor are the treasure of the Church.” (Ambrose, On Naboth)

IV. Ambrose Shows Us Courageous Holiness

Ambrose confronted emperors — not with anger, but with holiness.

When Emperor Theodosius massacred civilians, Ambrose refused him communion until he repented. He risked his life to protect the church. He believed holiness requires courage.

He wrote:

“Truth must be spoken with love, but it must be spoken.”

Scripture:

“Speak the truth in love.” — Ephesians 4:15

The church today needs this courage:

• courage to defend the weak • courage to confront injustice • courage to stand for truth • courage to live holy lives

Holiness is beautiful — and brave.

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“Not only by words but by deeds must we defend the truth.” (Ambrose, Letter 51)

V. Ambrose Shows Us That Holiness Flows From Christ

Ambrose believed holiness is not achieved by effort — it is received by grace.

He wrote:

“Christ is the source of holiness; we are its reflection.”

Scripture:

“You are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” — 1 Corinthians 1:30

He believed:

• Christ makes us holy • Christ fills us with mercy • Christ shapes our worship • Christ beautifies the soul

The church today needs this reminder: Holiness is not self‑improvement — it is Christ‑formation.

Ancient Quote (Ambrose):

“In Christ we are made new, for His grace renews the inner man.” (Ambrose, On the Mysteries)

Conclusion: Worship in the Beauty of Holiness

Church, Ambrose calls us to a simple, powerful truth:

Holiness is beautiful. Worship is formative. Mercy reveals Christ. Courage protects the weak. Christ is the source of holiness.

Let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Let us show mercy as Ambrose did. Let us sing with joy. Let us live with courage. Let us reflect the beauty of Christ.

Where there is mercy, there is Christ. Where there is holiness, there is beauty. Where there is worship, there is transformation.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, source of holiness and fountain of mercy, beautify our souls with Your grace. Shape our hearts through worship, fill our lives with compassion, and give us courage to live in Your truth. Make us a people who reflect Your beauty — today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://lnkd.in/gc--bX66

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book

https://lnkd.in/g664NEdT

"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

“The Shepherd and the Tower: A Call to Repentance and Renewal”

 

                                                                   

Hermas —“The Ancient Voices of the Church”

Scripture:

Titus 3:5 — “He saved us… by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Ancient Text:

“The tower is being built upon the waters… the Church is founded upon the waters of baptism.”

Introduction: A Shepherd’s Voice for a Growing Church

Church, today we listen to Hermas, a Christian living in Rome in the early second century. His book, The Shepherd, was so beloved that many early believers read it alongside Scripture. It is not Scripture — but it is one of the earliest Christian devotional works, filled with visions, parables, and pastoral exhortations.

Hermas was not a bishop. Not a theologian. Not a martyr. He was an ordinary Christian — and God gave him a message for the church.

His central vision is simple and powerful:

The church is a tower being built by God, stone by stone, life by life.

Some stones are strong. Some are cracked. Some need repair. Some need replacement. But the tower continues to rise — because God is building it.

Hermas’s message is a call to repentance, renewal, and spiritual strength.

I. The Tower: God’s Vision for His Church

Hermas sees a great tower rising from the waters. The waters represent baptism — the beginning of the Christian life. The tower represents the church — the people of God being built together.

This is deeply biblical. Peter says we are “living stones.” Paul says we are “God’s building.” Christ says He will “build His church.”

Hermas reminds us:

The church is not a club. The church is not a meeting. The church is not a building. The church is God’s construction project.

Every believer is a stone in that tower. Every life matters. Every act of obedience strengthens the structure. Every act of sin weakens it.

Hermas calls us to be stones that strengthen the tower.

II. Cracked Stones: The Need for Repentance

Hermas sees some stones in the tower that are cracked — damaged by sin, compromise, or neglect. But he also sees something hopeful:

The Shepherd takes the cracked stones, repairs them, and places them back into the tower.

Hermas believed that repentance restores usefulness.

Repentance is not humiliation. Repentance is healing. Repentance is renewal. Repentance is restoration.

Hermas teaches that no believer is too damaged to be repaired. No life is too broken to be renewed. No heart is too cracked to be restored.

The Shepherd — Christ Himself — repairs what sin has damaged.

III. Rejected Stones: The Danger of Persistent Sin

Hermas also sees stones that are removed from the tower — not because they sinned, but because they refused repentance.

Hermas is gentle, but he is honest:

• Sin that is confessed can be healed.
• Sin that is cherished becomes destructive.
• Sin that is hidden becomes corrosive.
• Sin that is defended becomes deadly.

Hermas warns the church:

Do not cling to what Christ wants to heal. Do not protect what Christ wants to remove. Do not hide what Christ wants to forgive.

Persistent, unrepentant sin weakens the tower — and harms the whole church.

IV. The Shepherd: Christ’s Work of Renewal

Hermas’s book is named The Shepherd because Christ appears to him as a gentle shepherd — guiding, correcting, strengthening, and restoring.

Christ is not a harsh builder. He is a patient shepherd.

Hermas:

• calls
• comforts
• convicts
• restores
• renews
• strengthens
• rebuilds

Hermas’s Christ is the same Christ we meet in Scripture — the One who leaves the ninety-nine to restore the one.

Hermas believed that renewal is always possible because Christ is always present.

V. The Call to Strength: Be a Stone That Strengthens the Tower

Hermas urges believers to become strong stones — stones that support others, stones that endure storms, stones that remain faithful.

He calls the church to:

• purity
• prayer
• generosity
• obedience
• forgiveness
• steadfastness
• holiness

Hermas believed that the strength of the church is not in its size, but in its faithfulness.

A small church can be a strong tower. A rural church can be a strong tower. A suffering church can be a strong tower. A persecuted church can be a strong tower.

Strength comes from Christ — and from lives built on Him.

VI. Renewal Is the Ongoing Work of the Spirit

Hermas’s message aligns perfectly with Titus 3:5:

“The washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Renewal is not a one-time event. Renewal is the ongoing work of the Spirit.

Hermas believed:

• The Spirit renews the weary
• The Spirit restores the broken
• The Spirit strengthens the weak
• The Spirit purifies the sinful
• The Spirit builds the church

The tower rises because the Spirit works.

Conclusion: Let the Shepherd Restore, Renew, and Build Us

Church, Hermas calls us to a simple, powerful truth:

We are stones in God’s tower — and Christ is our Shepherd.

If we are cracked, He can repair us. If we are weary, He can strengthen us. If we are sinful, He can forgive us. If we are discouraged, He can lift us. If we are broken, He can restore us.

Let the Shepherd do His work. Let the Spirit renew your heart. Let Christ build you into His tower.

May our congregation be a strong, faithful, Spirit‑renewed tower for the glory of God.

 Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, our Shepherd, repair what is cracked in us, restore what is broken, and renew what has grown weary. Build us as living stones into Your holy tower, and make our lives strong in faith, hope, and love. Strengthen Your church and let Your Spirit continue the work of renewal in us, today, tomorrow, and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://lnkd.in/gc--bX66

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book

https://lnkd.in/g664NEdT

"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"