The Church: God's Dwelling Place

Good morning and welcome to CCC

Why ChurchThe ChurchI must say the past two weeks were such a blessing for me and I pray for you as well

On the 3rd we have Ryan Watts with us. I felt it was important to share the pulpit with him as he begins his walk with God in being called to preach the Word

Last week we had Juliet Hardee with us from Guiding light ministries to update us on their recent travels and ministry in Kenya. It is always a blessing and encouragement to have Juliet with us as her passion for Jesus and getting Him to the lost world is contagious

School starts back up this week for Nevada on Tuesday....I ask you to join me in prayer....in fact I am going to do something a little different this morning.....we are going to start with corporate prayer

I want for us to come together and pray for the new school year....for the students....the parents....the admin....the teachers.....and all the support staff from janitors to secretaries and paras and beyond

I will lead us in prayer so if you would join me down front here as a family and pray with me

Thank your for that.....there is power in fervant prayer of God’s Children....please continue to pray as the year gets going for Jesus to be proclaimed throughout the district

Let’s Pray

Today we embark on a 3 week journey looking at the church.....the local body of believers....

how it was established giving it authority

how it should operate....unity

what are it’s works....ministry

One thing that makes studying the Bible hard for us as humans is God breathed it

We looked at that on the 27th of July

But since God breathed it that ensures it is beyond us

Isaiah 55:8-9

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Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God breathed....wrote the Bible

His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our ways and our thoughts

without the Holy Spirit we dont stand a chance

even with the Holy Spirit we must truly dive into scripture and study it

look at the original language as best as we can in order to gain insight and understanding....

I am putting a picture of the home page of the online concordance that I use to dive into language of the Bible

The first picture is from a google search for concordance

the second picture is the homepage of the site i use

I have this site bookmarked to every computer I use so in one click I can be ready to dive into God’s Word deeer

Why is that important because God is God

His thoughts are so much higher than ours

His ways so much higher than ours

and language changes over time

words come and words go

meanings and definitions get changed

not God’s meanings and definitions but mans

so much gets lost in translation so by trying to discern what the original word was and meant we can then discern God’s truth

It is so important to dig into scripture to find God

A few years ago our brother in Christ Gary Kurtz led us through a study on Revelation on Monday nights

One of the first things he said was there will be a lot of meanwhile back at the ranch during our study

that meant you have to understand other scriptures to understand Revelation

there is also figurative and literal language in the Bible and because God is God and His ways and His thoughts are so much higher than our own sometimes He uses both figurative and literal language at the same time!!!!!

Our study this morning is an example of just that

Church has two meanings at least that is always what I was taught

People say Bride of Christ is what is meant by church

That is true.......all Christians make up the Body and Bride of Christ....one body....one church.....

I believed before and now firmly believe Church is important

church is established by God and Jesus and many today believe lies spread by satan to weaken the power of the church

I believe based upon scripture that all christians make up a larger body...the Bride and Body of Christ

i also believed based on scripture that God called us to assemble together

to meet together in His house

a physical church

as His house...temple of the Holy Spirit

I believe where confusion comes in...confusion is of the devil....is when God talks about both at the same time

You must have the Holy Spirit to discern

You and I are the Bride of Christ and make up His Body

Revelation 19:7

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Revelation 19:7 ESV

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

Ephesians 5:25

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Ephesians 5:25 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

I Corinthians 12

Starting in verse 12 talks about us being one body made up of many members.....ti culminates in

I Corinthians 12:27

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1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Many members.....Christians.....make up one Body...the Bride of Christ

Today people want to lump what the Bible discusses in church to what we just looked at

however looking at the Greek it just isnt so

How many times have you heard or even said

we are the church....buildings dont matter

attendance doesnt matter

I can have church anywhere because I am the church

Now those statements are not wrong when rightly divided

However most of the time when these things are said they are excused to cover up our failures in putting the church where it needs to be put in priorities

Most of the time when people say we are the church buildings dont matter and attendance doesnt matter and i am the church so I can have church anywhere what they generally mean is

i have been hurt by people in the church so therefore I need justification to not attend church any longer

or

God’s Word was proclaimed and I was heavily convicted so I will just stay away from church or move around until I find one that doesnt convict me any longer

Usually excuses are just to cover up or justify actions we know are wrong

This morning and the next two weeks I want to look at the church......strongs G1577 ekklesia.....ek-klay-see-oh that means a calling out, a popular meeting especially a religious congregation, assembly, church

This church was established by Christ Jesus Himself

Matthew 16:18

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Matthew 16:18 ESV

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.

Church here is ekklesia....a calling out, a popular meeting especially a religious congregation, assembly, church

This is also one of those figurative and literal times as Jesus is also talking about Christians....His Bride....His Body at the same time

I Timothy 3:14-15

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1 Timothy 3:14–15 ESV

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Now we will look at the last part of 15 when we get to works of the church but for today I want to truly understand this scripture

To truly understand this scripture and the church we must look at another word

House

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comes from a greek word (spell it than pronounce it) oikos....oy-kos it means a dwelling....literal or figuratively....a home...family, temple

Church

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you guessed it ekklesia

I mentioned a month or so ago I reposted a facebook post from another pastor about going to the house of the Lord on Sunday and got a couple of very direct comments that I was very arrogant and had no idea what scriptures says

How could I limit God to the inside of a church?.....that doesnt even make sense and really doesnt even need a comment....first God is everywhere at the same time and second how could I ever limit God? I am creation He is the creator

The first part of me being arrogant and ignorant of scriptures is rebutted by this scriptures

Here is I Timothy 3:14-15 in the KJV

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth

Notice house here instead of household I believe the KJV gets the translation correct here as it uses house not household as the ESV did because using household here can breed confusion

Galatians 6:10

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Galatians 6:10 ESV

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Household is a different Greek word with a different meaning

Household

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From Greek word (Spell then pronounce) oikeios...very close but different

it means domestic, relative of his own house

This refers to our duties....to us being one body...us being adopted by God as Christians

House is referring to physical dwelling place

household our position as Children as Christians

I John 3:1-2

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1 John 3:1–2 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. 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.

So much meat here

Children of God and one day we will be like Jesus because we will see Him in all His glory!!!!!

We will dive into us as members of the church in the next two weeks but I wanted you to see scripture calling this place God’s house so we should call it that as well

So you may be saying

pastor josh I can buy church..ekklesia...is a calling out....assembly.,...church but so waht

Why do you believe we must attend

Let’s dive into that shall we?

Colossians 1:17-20

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Colossians 1:17–20 ESV

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Jesus is powerful

All things are held together by Jesus

Have you ever noticed when things begin to fall apart it is usually because you forgot to include and follow Jesus!!!!!

The fullness of God dwells in Jesus!!!!

God used Jesus to reconcile all things....including you and me to Himself

I want to spend a minute or two here on this

Is your life held together or is it falling apart

So many times we are guilty.....or at least I know I am....maybe you guys are much more mature in Christ than I am......we are guilty of doing the planning and preparation and never consulting Jesus

We don’t pray about it

We don’t dive into God’s Word searching His direction

We ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit calling us to God and Jesus about it

We don’t ask brothers and sisters in Christ to pray about whatever it is

We move and expect God to bless our movement and decision

What if that movement and decision are not in line with God’s Word?

Well then life falls apart

If you have been with us over the last four years you have witnessed and heard about a very chaos filled and a season of life filled with turmoil and angst and anguish on my part in terms of my job outside of the church

I was in my devotional again on the 25th of July and it hit me....God hit me....I got this truth

the title of the devotional was Unfair Unfair

The scripture was

Isaiah 53:7-9

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Isaiah 53:7–9 ESV

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

I want to quote Tozer

“Christians who understand the true meaning of Christ’s cross will never whine about being treated unfairly”

and again

“It is a certainty that Christians will suffer wrongs; but if they take them in good spirit and without complaint, they have conquered their enemy. They remember that Jesus was reviled-but any thought of His shouting for fair play simply cannot be entertained by the reverent heart!”

This hit me like a ton of bricks. Long story short about 5 years ago the high school where I taught for about 7 years at that point got a new principal

He was....is....an awesome man of God but his leadership skills were not very good. He got his first opportunity at administration at a class 4 school and that probably was not fair for him

by the end of his 2nd or 3 year I was low....i was in a dark place....i was angry.....i was upset....i hated going to the mission field that God called me to.....i realize that now I didnt so much at the time

I did and said a lot of things I wish I could take back....I have since sought forgiveness first from God then from those involved

Part of those who bore the brunt of my frustration and anger was the sped director.....that is important later

I started looking hard at ways out and then justified it as professional growth

i found an opportunity at NEVC to be the principal and jumped at it

Things had to be better when I was in control correct?

I loved being a principal

I loved the kids at NEVC but it was not home.....I needed to come home so in February of that year I started to bang on the door of Nevada again

after being put off for quite some time by the sped director....yes the one I treated horribly just a year prior.......I was finally contacted for an interview

in that interview I didnt know exactly what position I was being considered for as representatives from all schools were there....that is kind of how sped works

in that interview I felt the 2nd grade principal start to take over and one of my worst professional fears was coming true....becoming an elementary teacher

I felt I had no other option but to accept as I had already resigned from NEVC and wanted to eat so I accepted the position

Up until the 25th of July I felt that the sped director had it out for me....rightfully so to an extent and treated me so unfairly.....i have tried to get back to secondary since I was hired back but have been blocked at every turn again leading to some hard feelings on my part and with those hard feelings come hard words and attitudes

i deserved some of this to a point as I left horribly....probably never should have been rehired but I was and instead of gratitude i felt entitled and on top of that I lost sight of Jesus and what He paid to cover a debt I owed and He did not yet He never complained or screamed unfair

I am excited for this school year.....not because I am still in second grade but because I get to stand on Jesus and follow His example in my reactions and attitudes

I say all of that to say this....my world was falling apart because of me and I am so grateful for God opening my eyes to where I was and more importantly where He wants me to go....held together by Jesus Himself!!!!!

Back to this morning

Remember Matthew 16:18 when Jesus said my church

ekklesia...assembly...church

If it is Jesus’ church and you love Jesus why on earth would you ever put it down or want to miss it

Jesus died for you

if you have made Him Lord and Savior what matters to Him must matter to you i have news for you

the church matters to Jesus

Ephesians 5:22-27

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Ephesians 5:22–27 ESV

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 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.

How in the world could you ever read this and not see Christ’s love for the church...again ekklesia here

I am not the head of this church as pastor

Kenny and I are not the heads of this church as elders

the congregational board is not the head of this church

Jesus Christ is the head of this church

Why is He the head?

He gave Himself for her

He died for her

Why

because He loves her.....He loves the Church

He loves this church

Here again you see both local body...church...and Bride of Christ all chrisitans at same time

Do you see it

God also cared about church.....local bodies...in fact He made appointments with in them

I Corinthians 12:28

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1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

Christ loves the church

Christ died for the church

God appointed within the church

The church matters to God

The church matters to Jesus

The church was established....built....by Jesus and appointments made within it by God

it is so much more than a building but you and I are to gather here

Finally this morning

Hebrews 10:19-25

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Hebrews 10:19–25 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

21 house is oikos...dwelling...home....house...temple

Because Jesus is who He says He is

because we are saved

because we can enter with cofidence into Holy places...our relationship with God Himself

Because we have hope without wavering

we meet

we do not neglect meeting together as the habit of some is

what is your habit

God just told you church is important

the questions now becomes

what do you do with it?

Invitation