The Church

9 Year anniversary!

Talk about the past 9 years for a min.

grateful to you all serve team Supporters

As we celebrate 9 years living out and pursuing God’s mission and vision for City Church, we are fittingly in a series we have title Unshakable Truth.

What do these phrases have in common?

2+2=4

That floor is brown.

Eric Barton is incredible.

Celery is gross.

These are all unshakable truths...

OK, maybe not all of them. I’ll give you the celery.

If you haven’t already noticed, so much in life is shifting and unstable.

What we thought could never change one day becomes a thing of the past the next. (blockbuster)

It’s all been made abundantly clear this last few years, I never thought I’d wonder if Id have enough toilet paper in the house or if a virus would wipe out the planet.

So much is shakeable, unstable and incredibly fragile.

We have to make sure that we are grabbing hold of and hanging on to things that are stable and reliable.

Hebrews 12:26-28

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe

God’s kingdom is unshakable.

Not only is the world around us unstable, I believe God is shaking things up all around us so that we will let go of them and hold on to him.

His word gives us some unshakable truths that we can hold on to.

TRUTH:

The Church is Unshakable.

(Set up the story, commotion about Jesus after the feeding of the 5000, Jesus asks his disciples, who are people saying I am?)

Matt 16:16-18

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

He was there to establish his kingdom, through building the church. And the church he builds will not be shaken!

Hell itself doesn’t stand a chance.

This is why church is vitally important and life changing.

I had a washing machine that sounded like it was going to walk out of the house every-time we did a load.

Shaking everywhere. Would give and error and quit working.

I found out there were these stabilizer bars on the inside. Once those go bad, it can’t keep the load balanced.

That’s the church, its a stable anchor when were connected. It cannot be shaken.

You need that solid foundation,

Your kids need that unshakable ground to stand on,

Your marriage, your sanity, your relationships need unshakable church.

It’s not because of whose in it, we’re all imperfect people.

It’s because of whose it is, this is Jesus’ church.

What is this Church?

There are a whole lot of places you see the word church, that don’t represent the unshakable church of Jesus.

Their truth comes from the world instead of the word.

And we have to make sure that we are the church that stand on the truth of Jesus not matter the world’s current beliefs and opinions.

Sometimes to understand what something is, you have to understand what it’s not.

when I eat don’t know what I want but what I don’t

What church isn’t:

A Style and Tradition

I remember church looking like a hymn book in my hand and rows of pews.

Huge controversy when we incorporated overhead projectors with transparency paper, someone new songs were evil.

Pews were a great place to sleep as a kid!

But when padding was first introduced to the church it was vehemently opposed!

It was wrong and sinful to be more “comfortable” in church. Jesus died on the cross we can at least sit in discomfort.

Let’s not get started on the evils of the rock and roll, acoustic guitar when it was used...

There is nothing wrong with tradition, but sometimes we cling to tradition more than Jesus.

The church isn’t about our style and preferences, it’s about Jesus and his kingdom.

If the church argues about the carpet color, not wonder people outside never want to be a part.

We have to be Committed to our Mission, But be willing to change our Methods.

God’s word is immovable, cultural things always are!

A man made club

Some people think of the church as nothing more than just another organization or club to attend.

Nice people trying to do good things.

Theres the church, Rd Cross, YMCA, PTA, Shriners… all the same pretty much right??

No! some organization do really great work and make big impact.

But the church is here to see God’s kingdom advance.

To see people brought from death to life.

To see people eternally saved and set free.

To see people plucked from hell and the lies of satan.

It’s a place to find hope, build real community, discover yoru purpose and live to make a difference!!

None of these man made clubs are all meeting and saying, how can we beat back the gates of hell!!!

The church is the only people group with God’s enabled power to beat back what the enemy is trying to do in our world.

It doesn’t matter what style you use to do it, as long as that is the purpose!

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Every single person is in one of these situations.

Being robbed, killed and destroyed from your purpose and the life your intended to live

or your living redeemed, freed, overflowing with the life of God.

This is why the mission of the church is so vital!!

We are called to lead people to the redeemed lives God has for them.

There is no middle ground.

We are a people on mission to see that happen.

If the church can be lulled into just being another club, the enemy can win the souls of people.

It’s not just about being nice and doing good things, it’s about sharing our faith and advancing the kingdom of God.

Standing on God’s truth.

A spiritual Supermarket

Just a place I go and pick out exactly what I need for me.

Whatever church has the best coffee, preaching, kids and youth ministry wins.

When we walk into the church, it’s not about saying what am I getting out of this today, (and you will get something every time!), but how can I be a part.

What if we changed our thinking and said I’ll be a part not just go to.

There is a big difference.

The church of Jesus isn’t just a group of consumers getting the best product for them and going home.

When your a part, your building something you connected to something.

Through your serving, through your praying, through your giving.

so what then is the church??

An unshakable church is Jesus’ church done Jesus’ way.

What does that look like?

3 Words.

Glorify, Grow, Go.

An unshakable church exists to:

To Glorify God

Nothing and no one is more worthy of our worship, attention and passion that God.

All creation exists to worship our creator God.

So we exist to worship and glorify him.

You were created to worship your creator.

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

WE are a people set free because of the cross of Jesus and so we give our praise and honor back to him for who he is and all he has done.

We offer our sacrifice of praise because he alone is worthy.

Worship isn’t just a part of the church, it is who we are as God’s people.

Worship isn’t an event it’s our conduit of relationship with our God!!

Some say you aren't full-filled when coming to church, are you worshiping. are you connected with your creator God??!?

We don’t worship the songs, the preaching, the style, the building or anything else.

In jesus’ Church Jesus gets the glory.

To Grow Believers

We’re all about relationships and connecting.

But it’s not just a place to fit in, but to grow in.

The church helps you become healthy and grow spiritually.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Paul didn’t say learn all of the perfect things and go through all of the right classes, It was follow me as I follow Jesus.

Hebrews 10:24

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

We spur one another on.

It’s about loving and living in a way that others see you and follow Jesus.

If you are a believer how are you loving, leading and guiding others?

Coffee, groups, connecting in the halls, inviting to lunch, praying for one another.

Who are you pouring into??

We think its all about the leaders putting on the right classes or teaching to go deeper, but the example we see is follow me as I follow Jesus Discipleship.

Ephesians 4:11-15

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Pastors equip, you go to work!

Go Out on Mission

An unshakable church is busy not just coming, but going.

into our jobs, homes, and lives and being the light of Jesus.

We get equipped here to go out there.

Mark 16:15

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The church of Jesus is activate to spread the message of Jesus to others.

Conclusion

Unshakable Truth, Jesus’ church is unshakable!

City Church will be the kind of place that is unshakable.

You’re invited to be a part!

9 years is past, so many great stories and moves of God.

but join in to be a part of the future. Greater is ahead. Greater impact. Greater influence.

What an honor to be a part of Jesus’ unshakable church!!