Becoming a Healthy Church!
Notes
Transcript
1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Gaius, John’s friend. The Epistle of 3 John is addressed to a man named Gaius who was a member of an unnamed church that John had the oversight of (3 John 1:1). John calls this man a “dear friend” (verses 1, 2, and 11). Gaius is commended for his hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel (verses 5, 6 and 8); for his faithfulness (verse 5); for his love (verse 6); and for his walking in the truth (verse 3). According to tradition this Gaius may be the one whom John appointed as bishop of Pergamum.
What is the God’s greatest desire/ pleasure?
Answer: He wants us to healthy ( mature, complete, prosper, be made whole) in area of our lives. (spirit, soul, and body).
Good Success, go well,
As we stay connected and abide in Christ . We all will experience this promise in some capacity in this and in the fullness in the life to come.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just like we desire for our natural children to be healthy, mature, and whole. God desires his child to be healthy.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The Kingdom= the Kings Dominion; dive us back our inheritance.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
What does a health church look like?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
A health church has a revelation that God is One (Holy). That has manifest Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy.
A healthy church has a unquenchable passion and longing for to know and obey God’s presence, will, Word and way. ( vertical love)
A healthy church loves others (horizontal love)
Love self ( inward love)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
A church church is in unity (one mind, one accord, no divisions, quarreling fight- able to resolve conflicts in Christ center/ Cross center way).
Knowledge of the Son of God (revelation and intimate relation with Christ) (know him in his Resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering.
Healthy church is mature, not toss to fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Speak the truth in love
Joined together as body; weep when on weeps, rejoice when. We do life together.
How to we become a healthy church?
The church must have healthy leadership.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, Saith the Lord of hosts: Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: And I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
To become a healthy church we must not forsake gathering together.
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Healthy church do not forsake the fellowship with one another. ( I believe we should fellow more).
We should do life together life, help one another, and bless one another.
To become a healthy church we must submit to God and God given leadership.
1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
To become a healthy church the Word must be taught and mixed with faith.
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
To become a healthy church we must walk in obedience and be felled with the Word, the Holy Spirit, and faith, That we produce the fruit of the spirit and avoid the works of the flesh.
A health church is one that grows deeper in the knowledge and wider and reaching more people for Christ.
A healthy church , comes from a healthy believer, having a healthy home.
I pray today that God imparts the spirit of HEALTH in every area of of lives!