Sermon Tone Analysis

Intimate

When you think of intimate what do you think of?

Defined as: (adj)

Closely acquainted; familiar, close.

Private and personal

We all have some intimate relationships in one sort or to one level or another (insert illustration of mine).

This series as mentioned before is about our living together here on earth and as a church family.

Previously discussed are we a community of believers or a group of anonymous worshipers.

As mentioned I believe we are a community of believers who are concerned for one another and always can use ways to grow and improve and protect from becoming the other as we grow in our church.

Last week we did the intro into this series and were short on scriptures, well tonight we are going to get into this and get into scriptures and look at what Jesus has to say and teach concerning the church He would build and how we should be in our intimate forever family.

I. Different world views of Church

Today’s world view

Institution

Organization

Then there are some of the titles you may hear or see

Associate Minister

Director of Children’s ministry

Director of song, music, worship

Are we talking about a church, a fellowship of believers or a business, a corporation?

Don’t get me wrong we are to have some organization for God is not the God of confusion (1Cor14:40)

Jesus world view

Family is the one’s doing the will of the Father in heaven.

MT12:46-50, 6:8-9; 1Pt2:17; 1Tim3:15)

Mt12:50

There are many other places this is found too, where we are told to address the Father in heaven as father.

Mt

M

the Apostles speak of family

We are a brotherhood, a family of believers

Another verse you maybe familiar with from Paul

1Tim

We are a household, we are the church, under the care and protection of the living God.

We are not an institution, we are an intimate family, we are not an organization but a fellowship of believers united into the family of God.

Sometimes we may display the intimacy, sometimes we may need a little help in doing it and seeing it in each other.

II.

Intimacy in Family

Interpersonal relationships

We are to be like little children (Mt18:1-4)

We are to be submissive to one another (Eph5:21)

We are not to lord over each other, but serve each other

We are to be interdependent on one another for we are one.

(1COr12:12-13)

Then there is our concern for one another (Mt17:5-7)

We are to build up, not put stumbling blocks before each other.

There will be those things, but together we can help each other over them.

For the one who strays to help him be restored (Gal6:1)

Or staying with the Matthew passage (Mt18:10-14)

Be willing to help the lost sheep, be willing to look for the lost sheep.

For the will of the Father is that none perish.

Sometimes family needs discipline and we need to do that to one another, but from a place of love, with gentleness and respect.

(Mt18:15-17)

Mt18:17

IF we ere to look at another passage in 2The3:6-15 we would see.

First we are commanded, stay away from unruly (v.6)

We know the example we should follow (vv.7-10)

Don’t be a busybody, work for a living (v.11)

As a family we don’t live and allow unruly behavior, we know the examples set before us in the scripture including and not limited to gossiping and living off others, we are all to contribute to our household, our wellbeing and our family.

Tough love for the erroring brother maybe hard, but is necessary.

withholding family relationship is geared to help bring them back to the fold not to put them out forever, better the flesh be destroyed than the soul.

As an intimate family we are to forgive each other.

(Mt18:21-22)

We are not to keep a record of wrongs done or offenses made.

In doing that it hinders and hampers the intimacy of the family.

Family forgives (1Cor13:5; Col2:13; Mt18:35)

Remember we are to love one another, love forgives

If we need a reminder, remember our Father who is in Heaven forgave us

We are commanded to forgive even and you can look at that in Mt18:23-35.

Just look at this last verse

We must forgive for when we don’t the Father does not forgive.

Not just words, but must be done from the heart!

Then as an intimate family we are to serve one another (Mt20:25-28)

Mt20:27-28

We serve one another as we would our physical family.

Maybe you remember the line from a song long ago.

“He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”

We serve one another by being willing to carry each others burdens.

(Gal6:2)

The law of Christ is love (1Cor13:13)

Intimacy within our forever family is important, it may be the only thing people notice when they walk through the door.

Our church, our fellowship, our forever family is to be, a home away from home, a place of refuge and restoration.

It is our eternal home with each other.

The church is our true home.

III.

Church our true home

In our true home, our forever home, while here on earth it is not easy in the forever family.

In fact it can be costly

Could cost earthly family members (Mt10:34-39)

We have to be willing to forsake earthly family

We have to be willing to pick up our cross (burden) ad follow

Know that whatever the cost maybe, as difficult as it maybe at times the cost is eternally worth it.

(Mk10:28-30)

Our intimate family, our true family can be a family to help those

disadvantaged that need a helping hand

Those who have no real family at all

The hurting, the sinners, the broken, the outcasts

Our true family is to be an available family to help the helpless and the hurting.

Then there is those who are in dysfunctional situations maybe by choice, maybe by upbringing we can love them and help them to come to know the truth and to walk in the truth.

This leads to final point for tonight about our intimate church family.

IV.

Building on Intimate Church Family