Jesus Loves the Church
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
<Talk about Jesus questioning peter and whether he loves Him or not?>
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Peter, If you love me, then you will love my people.
What Is the Church?
What Is the Church?
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.
The Church is how God wants to reach the lost world. We are Jesus to the world.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Prior to this there was no church. Jesus says this and everybody is probably looking around saying, what is a church?
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Christianity is an open invitation. It is not exclusive in the sense that only a certain kind of people are invited.
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.
God wants everybody! He is running after everyone hoping that they will repent and accept as their Lord. Because of this openness we have a very diverse group of people.
People that aren’t like us. People that don’t look, think, or act the way that we do. This is where a very healthy or a very unhealthy thing can take place. WE either group with those like, think like, or act like us and insulate our lives or we reach out and allow God to stretch us as we hear different stories and hear from different people how God has rescued them.
The Church is to be a house of prayer for all people
Americans, mexican, indians, asians, african, europeans. All peoples
All Colors, All languages.
No one left behind.
Sin Creates Division
Sin Creates Division
When we begin to rub shoulders with other people we will inevitably find someone that drives us crazy. This is where SIN rises in us and it begins to give birth to pride, arrogance, racism, or whatever prejudice it can stir up in you that will cause you to look at your brother or sister in Christ in a way other than the way Jesus looks at them.
Whether that is a political division? Can you believe so and so voted for Biden? Can you believe that think guns are bad? They don’t believe Trump won? Can you believe i?
Or maybe your liberal and you cannot believe so and so hates poor people so bad that the cut funding to social programs.
Maybe it’s the way they dress, or smell, act, or maybe they just look at things differently?
When Adam Sinned, it didn’t simply break communion with God but it also broke communion with Eve as Adam through her under the bus.
There is no perfect Church
There is no perfect Church
We are admittedly a messed-up people. If I told you how many times I have heard some sob story about how someone has been hurt at church I would be here for hours. But it’s almost always the same story. I’ve been hurt so I stopped going to church!
People that are smart, intelligent and great people allow poor examples of Christ to destroy their shot at knowing Him. Let me speak directly to anyone here that is on the edge because they have witnessed a Christian failing and sinning. You cannot let one person’s failure separate you from Christ. You just can’t. They made a mistake! You are throwing your eternity away in an attempt to prove yourself nobler then they were. It’s foolish
The church is full of the nasty, self-centered, bitter, broken, battered, wounded, arrogant people. Yet at the same time they are some of the most kind, merciful, selfless, loving, redeemed, restored, humble people that you will ever meet!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is the church messed up? Because you are part of it. Because I am part of it. Because Pastor Chuck is part of it! Because Carolyn is part of it. We are a broken people growing into the image of Jesus! And until we get to heaven and Jesus finishes restoring everything we are going to have problems, disagreements, and fights.
The great lie of Satan is to tell you that you should walk away because you have been hurt. Or you should gossip about it. Divide people on it. There may be divisions among us but we are one church with one Lord.
The church is the last hope of the world
The church is the last hope of the world
<Share personal Stories>
You when you were sick
Food Giveaway yesterday. The West sides view of Us. view of Us.
Jesus Loves the Church
Jesus Loves the Church
How did Jesus love the church? He died for Her!
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
If Jesus came and died to remake his people. If he gave everything to save us, then we should at the very least love each other. If the person next to you means everything to Jesus and if us standing together and loving each other is so recklessly important to our king that He would leave heaven to redeem us and make it possible then we should without reservation love the church as He does.
Closing
So why am I here this morning? I thought about this the last few days. What do I want you to take away? What do I want these fellow believers to walk away with? Do I want you to walk out of here just thinking
● Maybe I should give more grace to this thing they call a church.
● Maybe I will start loving more?
● Maybe I will give more grace next time I’m hurt?
● Maybe I will extend love to the dead, the dying?
● Maybe I will reach out when I see someone in Pain?
● Maybe I will listen better?
● Maybe I will give the pastors more grace?
● Maybe I will reach out to the visitor?
● Maybe I will whatever?
Maybes often become Nevers. They too often become lost in the business of life. Too often are forgotten about on Monday morning.
So what then? Why am I am here? Why has God brought us together?
To declare to you this morning that JESUS LOVES THE CHURCH and so should you!
Us loving one another is how we declare to the world that we are Christs:
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”