What We Believe: The Church, Part Five (05/03/2023)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
What We Believe • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 33:19
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Announcements
Announcements
Sign up for the Community Barbecue on Saturday, June 3, 2023
Sign up for Neighborhood Bible Time
Sign card for Martha Kinyonga (Today, she was to meet with the doctor/surgeon.)
Our insurance company is requiring us to begin having our volunteers, who serve with children, fill out and sign a basic background questionnaire.
Our full-time staff will not need to complete this questionnaire since, as part of their employment, a full background check is completed.
This questionnaire will become part of our annual preparation for NBT.
What we believe about the church.
What we believe about the church.
Turn to and read Acts 2:41-42. Pray.
We believe that the local New Testament church is composed of regenerated, baptized believers, voluntarily united together for the purpose of worship, edification, ordinances, fellowship and service;
Tonight, quickly, we’ll look at the statement which begins...
For the purpose of...
For the purpose of...
This gathering of the first century church took place in and around the area of the Temple Mount known as Solomon’s Porch (or Portico).
Temple Mount
Temple Mount
Temple Mount (1)
Temple Mount (1)
Temple Mount (2)
Temple Mount (2)
For the purpose of...
For the purpose of...
Worship
Worship
Acts 2:47 (KJV 1900)
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
I could preach an entire series of message simply on the topic of worship. However, that is not my intention here and at this time.
Allow me to give a couple of definitions:
Lexham Theological Wordbook Worship
Worship is the awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God.
Lexham Theological Wordbook Concept Summary
Worship is the reverential response of creation to the all-encompassing magnificence of God
But, I believe that the best definition of the word worship is simply found from the entomology of the word itself:
WŎRSHIP, n. [Sax. weorthscype; worth and ship; the state of worth or worthiness. See Worth.]
And this can be seen in Psalm chapter 29:
Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Question: What is worth your time, your energy, your devotion, your finances?
The object - the only object of our worship - should be God.
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
However...
Upright Downtime: Making Wise Choices about Entertainment Exhibit Discerning Wisdom and Hold Fast to Truth
In a culture that worships entertainment, God cannot receive worship unless He is supremely entertaining.
We must be careful that our worship does not simply become another form of entertainment.
Our church services emphasize the preaching of God’s Word while also understanding that singing makes up a part of our worship to and of God.
A Psalm of praise.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.
But, we must also remember that, for the Christian...
Worship should encompass everything that we do.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
For the purpose of…worship
For the purpose of…worship
Edification
Edification
Edification is the building up and strengthening - in the faith - of believers and this local church.
The act of bringing something closer to fullness or completion.
Romans 14:19 (KJV 1900)
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
Turn to and read Ephesians 4:11-15.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
We are strengthened by God. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is what is used in our lives to build us up and to strengthen us.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
But, we also have a responsibility to strengthen - to build up - each other. We have the ability to do this through our words, our actions, our attitudes.
We must be careful, though, because our words, our actions, our attitudes can just as easily tear down. (We just need to consider James chapter 3 to understand this!)
How are you doing? Are you being built up? Are you building others up?
For the purpose of…edification
For the purpose of…edification
Ordinances
Ordinances
Acts 2:41–42 (KJV 1900)
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
One of our distinctives as an independent, New Testament, fundamental, Baptist church is that we practice only two ordinances - believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper.
What is an ordinance?
What is an ordinance?
By definition, an ordinance is an observance commanded.
An ordinance is something that was ordered by the Lord to be commemorated in the local church.
Ordinances are pictures or object lessons that teach doctrine.
That is important for us to understand because some denominations - the Roman Catholics and other orthodox religions - would teach that these ordinances (or sacraments) are a means of salvation.
What are the ordinances?
What are the ordinances?
Baptism commemorates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
Baptism commemorates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
As we have already stated, Scripturally baptism can only happen after an individual receives Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Also, Scripturally baptism is only by immersion, not merely sprinkling or pouring.
The Lord’s Supper also commemorates Christ’s death.
The Lord’s Supper also commemorates Christ’s death.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
For the purpose of…ordinances
For the purpose of…ordinances
Prayer Requests
Prayer Requests
Weekly Class Picture: First Grade
Need: SCBA K4 Teacher & Kindergarten Teacher
Will you please consider fasting and prayer until the Lord provides these needs?
Also, we have a SCBA family that is need of help in transporting their children to and from school next year. (The family lives in the Danby neighborhood.) If you would be willing to help, please let me know.
Weekly Missionary:
Church Parking Lot Repairs
Praying for an Open Door
According to Colossians 4:3-4 we should pray that God would open unto us a door of utterance to declare the Gospel.
The Estates at Sugar Creek
The Ridge at Sugar Creek
Our Hispanic Community
Our Indian Community
Our Muslim Community
Neighborhood Bible Time & Teen Extreme!
June 25-30, 2023
Our Leaders
According to 1 Timothy 2:1-2 we should pray that they govern in such a way as to allow us to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
The Charlotte City Council
The Charlotte City Council is made up of 11 elected officials and the Charlotte mayor.
The members, of the council, serving the districts closest to Pineville:
District 3 - Victoria Watlington
District 6 - Tariq Bakhari
District 7 - Edmund Driggs
The Pineville Town Council
These four individuals serve along with Mayor, Jack Edwards.
These four (from left to right):
Ed Samaha
Les Gladden
Chris McDonough
Amelia Stinson-Wesley
Church Business Meeting
Tower/Crosses
Modular Building