Why do we Gather?
Own the Vision • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsIn order to better understand our vision, in this message we hope to explain why we gather in order to "Own the Vision"
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The State of the Church 2016
The State of the Church 2016
1. Every time I went they asked me for money.
2. The people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly.
3. The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable.
4. I went to many games but the coach never came to call on me.
5. The referee made a decision with which I could not agree.
6. Some games went into overtime and I was getting home late.
7. I suspected I was sitting with some hypocrites – they came to see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to watch the game.
8. The band played some numbers that I never heard before.
9. It seems the games were scheduled when I wanted to do other things.
10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.
11. I recently read a book on sports and I now feel that I know more than the coaches do anyhow.
12. I don’t want to take my children to any games because I want them to decide for themselves what sport they like best.
Introduction
Introduction
Christian church has been the cornerstone of American life for centuries
Much has changed in the past 30 years
The last thing we need is more meaningless activity in our lives
Barna Group
Barna Group
Christian church has been the cornerstone of American life for centuries
Much has changed in the past 30 years
Millennials a time of great skepticism and cynicism toward institutions—particularly the church.
Add to this secularization & growing antagonism towards the faith community
73% of Americans call themselves Christians
55% display their faith by attending worship services
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
1. We Gather Because of What Christ Has Done for Us.
1. We Gather Because of What Christ Has Done for Us.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
NIV
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
The early church understood this principle of gathering because of what Christ did for them!
14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Acts 1
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
The Marriage Analogy
The Marriage Analogy
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
Acts 2
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
I, (Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:
These traditional vows are all about true, genuine love & commitment. We should strive to live these out with our God given mates but we should also reflect these qualities of faithfulness and steadfastness to our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.
2. We Gather Because We Need Each Other.
2. We Gather Because We Need Each Other.
The “Let Us” statements of Hebrews 10
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
To break down walls. We were not saved to just have a personal relationship with God, but we’re saved to have a corporate relationship God.
Ephesians
What happens when we gather
What happens when we gather
The Lonliness Epidemic
The Lonliness Epidemic
Loliness is a public health crisis. Worse than alcohol consumption, obesity, and air polution. Lonliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigerettes a day.
“Bowling Alone” by a Harvard Professor
“Bowling Alone” by a Harvard Professor
The conclusion of 20 years of research. People who are socially disconnected are 2-5x’s more likely to die from all causes compaired with people who have close ties with family, friends, and community. The conclusion - We need each other. We were created for relationship.
Koinonia
Koinonia
When we are active participants in the church we “do life” together. This is the entire meaning of the word used in the Bible for fellowship. The Greek word koinonia means shared life, participation.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
3. We Gather Because We Have a Mission to Accomplish.
3. We Gather Because We Have a Mission to Accomplish.
3. We Gather Because We Have a Mission to Accomplish.
3. We Gather Because We Have a Mission to Accomplish.
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
"The Church was not formed as a separation between good and bad people, to give reason for religious people to meet, or even to perform service to the world."
"The Church was not formed as a separation between good and bad people, to give reason for religious people to meet, or even to perform service to the world."
When king Herod had rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem between 19 and 9 B.C. he enclosed the outer court with colonnades. The large separated area was referred to as the Court of the Gentiles because the "gentiles" (non-Jews from any race or religion) were permitted to enter this great open courtyard of the Temple area. They could walk within in it but they were forbidden to go any further than the outer court. They were excluded from entering into any of the inner courts, and warning signs in Greek and Latin were placed giving strict warning that the penalty for such trespass was death.
The engraved block of limestone was discovered in Jerusalem in 1871. It's dimensions are about 22 inches high by 33 inches long. Each letter was nearly 1 1/2 inches high and originally painted with red ink against the white limestone. Part of another sign was unearthed in 1936.
Josephus the Jewish historian of the first century A.D. wrote about the warning signs in Greek and Latin that were placed on the barrier wall that separated the court of the gentiles from the other courts in the Temple. Not until 1871 did archaeologists actually discover one written in Greek. Its seven line inscription reads as follows:
NO FOREIGNER
IS TO GO BEYOND THE BALUSTRADE
AND THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE
WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO
WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME
FOR HIS DEATH WHICH WILL FOLLOW
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Illustration - Coming to the Table
Illustration - Coming to the Table
Illustration about my children coming to the table. It’s not about the food, it’s about family. Some of us act like children when it comes to coming to the table. We’ve made it about what we want and like.
Charles Spurgeon: “I believe that every Christian ought to be joined to some visible church; that is his plain duty, according to the Scriptures. God’s people are not dogs, else they might go about one by one; but they are sheep, and therefore they should be in flocks. Now, I know there are some who say, “Well, I hope I have given myself to the Lord, but I do not intend to give myself to any church, because—” Now, why not? “Because I can be a Christian without it.” Now, are you quite clear upon that? You can be as good a Christian by disobedience to your Lord’s commands as by being obedient? Well, suppose everybody else did the same, suppose all Christians in the world said, “I shall not join the Church.” Why there would be no visible Church, there would be no ordinances. That would be a very bad thing, and yet, one doing it—what is right for one is right for all— why should not all of us do it? Then you believe that if you were to do an act which has a tendency to destroy the visible Church of God, you would be as good a Christian as if you did your best to build up that church? I do not believe it, sir! Nor do you either .”
What to do next?
What to do next?
1. Make a commitment to gather. Prioritize your week around our gathering times.
2. Commit to taking a next step
Class, membership, serve
Community groups will be launched in October