The “Gathered Together”
Notes
Transcript
ILLUST: Team, needing members? Each unique. - played a lot of baseball, softball;
People showed up to help, to play, it was fun, though less than connected
?? Family, also unique, different family members, contributing
Ecclesiology
Ecclesiology
Ekklesia = gathering together, assembly
A physical gathering of people - wherever they meet
The Church
The Church
READ Acts 2:41-47
When those gathering together - the “ekklesia” - do so to worship, fellowship, break bread, pray, read the Word, hear the Word taught
That is the church
1) The Church’s Origin
1) The Church’s Origin
Acts 2 passage
Giving of H.S. marks the start of the Church
Definitions
Church vs church
Church vs church
Church - believers-at-large - all believers
church - local gatherings of believers
Majority of NT letters, Paul’s Epistles, to a local group of believers
To the church, or churches at Corinth, Galatia…to the saints at Ephesus, Philippi, etc.
The Church will remain until Christ returns
The local church? It started in Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria, and beyond
Made it all the way to Noble
We’ll see, getting saved, being part of the CHURCH, is only the start…
2) The Church’s Purpose
2) The Church’s Purpose
Acts 2 passage - see v 42
see Eph 4:12 - Ephesians passage edifying, equipping saints -
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
This is the role of the local church, to equip the Church, building up the body
What we do - patterned after Acts 2 - Word, teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer
We, the church, are Yahweh’s plan to represent Christ until He returns
HIS PLAN
We gather on the first day of the week - Jesus rose on the first day
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
And we gather to sit under the Word, His teaching, fellowship, break bread, prayer
3) Belonging
3) Belonging
We are created to be social, together
Commonality is what creates belonging
What is it we have in common?
The local church - GOD’s divine design for believers
Started as house churches, some used synagogue sites on Sundays
Points of membership, of formally belonging
Biblical pattern - much seen in the Corinthian letters
Accountability
Belonging, distinction
As a believer is set apart, distinct, so must be a church
NOT to be a board member (there are non-members here who serve more than some members, so it’s not about that)
Autonomous, local church
Non-denominational - how do you explain that? Why important?
Not a synod, or presbytery, or diocese, or convention
BELONGING
To the Church - eternally important
The Church is who is gathered together to meet the Lord in the air, as in 1 Thess 4:17
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
We will serve there with the LORD, forever
To the church (local church) - meanwhile
We have service to do HERE
The primary place of service, today, is in and through the local church
“Called out” from the world, to be distinct, separate, as in 2 Cor. 6:17
“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
Biblical support for membership in a local Bible-believing church
1 Cor 5:2 passage, assumption of membership (v. 4 “when you are assembled”)
Matthew 18:17 passage, makes zero sense if there is no local church (Discuss a bit, regarding discipline and accountability)
Can’t bring an un-repentant before the Church, but can address a local church
And in 2 Corinthians 2, the man in 1 Cor. 5 REPENTED of his sin, and is restored to fellowship in the church
THAT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT (sadly today, correct someone and they’ll just leave and go to another church, taking their problems with them)
Individually - you represent Christ
Collectively - we are the body with Christ as head
Benefits of membership in the local church - what’s in it for you
Well…you get to give of yourself to something much bigger than yourself
You get to be obedient to God’s plan
And WE - members - are blessed by your addition to our roll, to our numbers
FINAL THOUGHTS, THINKING ON THIS CHURCH
This local body of believers
One word on attendance - Hebrews 10:25, engaged vs attending
When the church ATTENDED, it ENGAGED
not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
If the church is not a place of encouragement to you, in these last days, then the issue is either with the church, or you.
I’ll do my best to make sure the issue is not with the church…
I am not the head of this church
That role is for Jesus
And you, believer, you have the Holy Spirit!
To those of you, formal members of Cornerstone
How are you giving of yourself to make this body stronger?
To those of you, faithful fellowshippers with us, but not yet formal members
We’d LOVE for you to join our rolls - I’d love to talk more with you about it
We’d love for you to join our rolls
Doing so will make us stronger
“To the saints, the faithful, in Noble, gathering together as Cornerstone”
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ
We are the outward expression of Yahweh’s divine plan
Encourage others to be here, to be engaged
Challenge yourself to grow here
Challenge yourself to engage, not just be
This body is only as strong as you help it to be
The challenge to Colossae is ours, too:
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
This church, this is the LORD’s church
He’d love for you to be actively connected, engaged…working hard for Him
He promises to make it worth it - eternally
