Church in the Making

The Exchange: Today after service upstairs

We would love to get to meet you…Gives us a chance to hear more about you…also gives me a chance to tell you more about our story as a church sent out from our mother church in Pelzer, and more about the church we desire to be for this city.

The Lessons

Acts 2:42–47 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

1 Peter 2:1–5 “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

How Its Made

How many of you have ever watched the famous docu-series “How Its Made”?? A series of 30 min. documentaries following the making of everything you can think of from flourescent Tubes to Inflatable Safety Devices to Manhole Covers… One of my favorite episodes: How It’s Made: The Flying Water Bike! [Picture on Screen]

As interesting as those episodes are, I’d be really interested in an episode for example about our guitarist Glen Chaddok who is such a creative mind, always coming up with new ideas (How It’s Made: Glen Chaddok)… or How It’s Made Ty McGonicle, just had his first child and is one of our security team members…or How It’s Made Brad Clardy who leads our productions team and lives off Ghost Energy Drinks and is amped up 24/7!!

Principle: You are not an accident! The Holy Spirit breathed you into this life and he is forming you into the man or woman you were created to be.

Just like the Holy Spirit is forming YOU, the same holy Spirit is at work making US the Church (the Body of Christ to the world)

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

To be Holy is to be “set apart”, different…

There should be a contrast to the way the church is in the world and the way the world is in the world.

Scripture calls that Holiness. The church I grew up in called it sanctification. John Wesley called it Christian Perfection.

Christian Perfection (not sinless perfection) “is purity of intention, dedicating all the life to God. It is the giving God all our heart…It is the devoting, not a part, but all our soul, body, and substance to God…it is all the mind which was in Christ, enabling us to walk as Christ walked. It is the circumcision of the heart from all filthiness, all inward as well as outward pollution. It is a renewal of the spirit in the whole image of God, the full likeness of him that created it."

- John Wesley

Becoming a People made in the image of God is not something we work on ourselves. It is something the Holy Spirit does in us as we surrender and obey his ways rather than our ways.

Psalm 1:1–3 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Leave it to the Professionals! Over the past several weeks I’ve been sharing just how glad I am that we are through with the building renovation phase of beginning this church… Let me make something clear…I am a pastor, a shepherd of God people…NOT A CONTRACTOR! I have watched some YouTube videos, but that tends to get me in trouble. A few weeks back the building inspector came through and pointed out some wired hanging from the ceiling. He said they needed to be covered and hidden for protection. I was running short on time, so I decided I could figure out how to deal with that problem. So…I cut the wires!! They looked REAL nice and clean!! The problem was, when we all arrived for Sunday service two days later, for some mysterious reason, the AC was no longer working!

How many of you know, that’s a good example of me trying to do something I have no power, no knowledge, and no business doing!

The same thing is true to for how God makes us as the church…We tend to want to do it our way. But when we do it our way we end up cutting the power from something important.

Truth: The Holy Spirit is the power at work in you to do the work God has given us to do. What we need to do is surrender to that power and watch what he will accomplish through and in us!

How the Holy Spirit Forms the Church

Through Hearing the Word

Psalm 119:9–11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Through the Fellowship as a Church Family

Matthew 12:48–50 “But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.””

In the fellowship of the church body, we are not just enjoying each other’s company, we are passing the Holy Spirit back and forth to one another.

Truth: Nothing will shape the course of your life more than the relationships you give your time to.

Through the Prayers

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Through the Breaking of Bread Together

There is something deeply spiritual about sharing a meal together…

One of the most important practices in our home over the years has gathering our children around the table for a meal regularly. It’s really not about the food…it’s about the way to the Spirit uses that moment to knit us together… to bring unity where there was division…to remind us of our holy calling and our holy connection to one another.

Why Communion and the Altar?

In this simple bread and cup we encounter the real presence of Jesus (medicine for our soul)

At the altar we join on faith with one another and encounter the work of the Holy Spirit.

We are one body, like this one loaf and one cup.. In this practice of unity we become the body of Christ for the world.

The Table of the Lord

Prayer:

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

 Scripture:

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Consecration Prayer:

Lord, we celebrate the memorial of our redemption in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. 

Make these gifts holy and set apart by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the (†) Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of the new covenant.

Lord, as we receive them, as we take them into our bodies, make us also holy, set apart for your work, so that we may serve you all the days of our lives until your soon coming return.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ.

AMEN!

Instructions:

I will come down to serve communion today at the front of the aisle to your right (my left).

I invite you to come down the aisle starting from the back of the church and stop at the front row to receive the elements. You can come with your hands held open to receive and I will place the elements in your hand for you.

After you receive communion our prayer partners are here at the altar to agree with you in prayer. If God is speaking to you today, if you have a need, I invite you after receiving communion to find a prayer partner and let them pray with you before returning to your seat.

[Worship Team Lead in Song]