Who Are We? The Church

Introduction

This series is about who we are as a church

Slide of Vision statement

Second slide of last two lines

But let’s start with an overview from Ephesians about what the church is and is to be

I. Family - Eph 2:18-19

A. Personal

We are dearly loved Children of God

1 John 3:1 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Do you know and believe this?

This isn’t speaking of maturity but identity, belonging and purpose.

1 John 3:2–3 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

loved to transformation

John says that if this is our hope we begin to work towards looking like Christ now

This love, identity and hope drives us to personal transformation in Christ by the Spirit

B. Corporate

But we are also His children among other children

God’s love should compel us to transformation so that we might love as He has loved us.

1 John 3:16–18 ESV

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

It is sacrificial

1 John 4:9–11 ESV

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

C. World

So we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ

But Jesus us calls us to love all people - even our enemies

But we can think or at least act as though we deserve God’s love but those other people don’t

The Biblical story tells us this is not true

None of us deserve it but have been given the opportunity to receive this love by faith

And so we are to show this love to all people

III. Temple 2:19-22

A. Personal

I Cor 6 - Paul tells us that individually the temple of the Holy Spirit

We are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God

Paul is calling the believers away from sexual immorality and so his conclusion is

“glorify God with your bodies”

But is we extrapolate from there.... glorify God in all things

glorify - to positively acknowledge, recognize or esteem God’s character, nature or attributes

B. Corporate

But also together

Temple was again the dwelling place of God among his people

Place of worship - meeting with God

We are built together for God by the Spirit

We are now together the meeting place of God with his people

David Platt: You think about gathering with your church on a Sunday, all these spirit filled brothers and sisters coming together, that there is a unique dynamic when the church comes together, the dwelling place of God’s spirit, he is with you, he is among you. When you gather with the church, just a powerful reminder, you are not alone, God is with you, God is among you, his glory resides in that gathering. Oh, that changes everything about how we approach that gathering. We come to this gathering of God’s church, as God’s temple with a sense of awe, with a sense of anticipation. We make sure his word is clear and everything we do, as we pray we’re not just saying words, we’re actually encountering God as we sing. We’re not just going through motions, we’re actually worshiping God. When we open God’s word, somebody teaches it. We’re hearing from God, this is communion with God in the temple. The temple is not the building, it’s the people, it’s this gathering of God’s people

C. World

Ephesians 5:15–21 ESV

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Making the best use of the time

understanding the will of the Lord

comes through the filling of the Spirit

Whom we are to be led and directed by

III. Servants 4:11-16

A. Personal

Humility - no one is greater than the other

1 Corinthians 12:13–19 ESV

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?

Contrary to our culture, our life is not only about us

We are only strong when we grow to relate in healthy ways to each other in humility and service

Ch 12 ends with “I will show you a still more excellent way.”

B. Corporate

And so Ch 13 talks about love

Love through service

ch 12 - gifts

ch 14 - proper view and use of gifts

last part of 14 - loving use of gifts

We are not volunteers but servants

We serve not because we must but because we are Christ’s servants

C. World

And we are to live like this wherever we go

We cannot/should not be servants in the church then treat others as less than out side of it

Matthew 25:37–40 ESV

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

So how can we serve our community?

IV. Bride - Eph 5:22-33

A. Personal - preparation

It is about our relationship with the bridegroom through the Spirit

Spirit, like a wedding ring/dowry, is a gift of promise

Paul says

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

And so we are his and are to be ready for him to return

Interestingly, Matt 25 begins with the parable of the ten virgins

Which ends with..

Matthew 25:13 ESV

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

B. Corporate

This is not only individually but the bride is all of us together

Together we are to be ready

How?

By living out the other aspects of live together faithfully

And with hopeful expectation of his return

ex. Communion

C. World

Tell others

Fascinating part of Revelation

Revelation 22:17 ESV

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

This is our role in the world until he comes

Conclusion