God's Dream for The Church

Introduction

When Jesus set out to build his church, what did he have in mind. Was it the church we see today, or possibly something a little different. If we exist to join God in his dream of building a people for himself, we need to make sure we are doing it God's way. In this series of Teach us to Dream, we must learn to dream with God and not for God.

What is a disciple of Christ?

A devoted follower and imitator of the ways and works of Jesus Christ.

What is discipleship?

Discipleship is the art of teaching others to follow and imitate the ways and works of Jesus Christ.

What is the Church?

The household of Spirit filled believers redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

What is a local Church?

A group of born again believers gathered together under the authority of Jesus Christ in a particular area.

God’s Passion

Dreams are born out of passion and desire. From the beginning of creation God desired a people with whom he could fellowship and share His loving kindness. One of the saddest verses in the Bible for me is Gen 6:5-6

Genesis 6:5–6 ESV

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

A people for Himself

2 Corinthians 6:16–18 ESV

16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

A people to love and worship God alone.

A forever family

Romans 8:15–17 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Salvation for Everyone

God’s will and desire is that all people would be saved.

1 Timothy 2:3–4 ESV

3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God’s Plan

Dreams only come true through plans to accomplish them. God’s dream and desire is to have a people that desire to love Him in return.

There is a predestined plan of salvation for the lost

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

God’s redemptive plan existed before the foundations of the world.

God predestined an adoption through Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost

Luke 19:10 ESV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

If God had simply predestined a people for himself there would be no seek, but only saving.

God is seeking true worshipers

John 4:23 ESV

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

We join God in seeking the lost to fulfil his dream

Matthew 9:37–38 ESV

37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

God’s Process

God creates through multiplication. In every living thing he places a seed that carries all the DNA to reproduce itself. There are two elements of reproduction that God has placed in his people for reproduction and multiplication: His Spirit and His Truth. When we walk in the Spirit and truth of God we will draw people unto the Father.

We are to be the salt and light of evangelism

Matthew 5:13 ESV

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Salt is the truth of God lived out through the believer.

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Light is the Spirit of God in our hearts shining through us.

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We are to be disciples that make disciples

“Our first priority should be Christ’s last command” -Christine Cane

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We are to take the gospel to all nations

We are to train faithful disciples that will train faithful disciples.

2 Timothy 2:2 ESV

2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

God’s dream is be the Father of all nations

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”