Be a strong Church
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· 27 viewsThe measure of a strong church; May we know and follow this measure
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Church Assembly
Church Assembly
As a church (body of believers) we come together, and I think all will agree, it is important in our walk as the body that we do assemble. (Heb10:24-25)
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 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.
(Go back now and put it in context for then; and what can we glean from it for now) develop this, it is important!
First century had lots of church plants, had lots of churches going on, but not all had it going on right, did they? (Rev2:4, 14-15, 3:2, 15-17)
4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
14 ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 ‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
Rev
(expand)
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
(expand)
17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
Rev3:
(expand)
Today we may have lot’s of churches with lot’s going on, but does it make it a strong church?
(below is for outline only not to be said)
What is the measure (the standard) of a strong church; that is what we are going to be looking at today.
Is a church strong because of it’s building?
Is a church strong because of its programs and classes?
Is a church strong because of outreach to community?
May we remember Rev3:2, you may look alive, but be dead. When we look at the right measure (standard) there maybe lot’s of dead churches out there. I hope and pray as we go through this today that we not be found in the obituaries of the dead.
So let’s use descriptions, using the right measuring stick, that we can find in the bible. We find words like:
Body
Family
Temple
Kingdom
And Bride
Sure collectively these terms are used for the church as a whole, the universal church, but I know we can find application to our local church too. When looking at these passages my heart is warm when I think of these things and our congregation as a whole.
So when we look at the measure of a strong church it is one who . . . .
I. Operates like a body
I. Operates like a body
A strong church works together to function, to operate the way a body does.
For the Church is the body of Christ (1Cor12:27)
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
We are a living body, we work together, function together, operate together and have organization as a body does. Each has it’s part to play.
Though we can be connected if each is not doing it’s part it can still be a dead body, couldn’t it?
The body has many members ( Rom12:3-8, 1Cor12:14-19, 20-22)
3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
As we know many members that make up one body, the body of Christ, in which Christ is the head. - - - we do not all have the same function, we do not have the same gifts, the same graces as noted in (v.6).
Each part needs to appreciate his/her own function (1Cor12:14-19)
14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
Look at (v.18) GOD PLACED MEMBERS (PLACED YOU)! just as HE desired!
(expand briefly)
So we are to appreciated that God has placed us, individually, in the body, we then need to
Each part needs to appreciate the function of others (1Cor12:20-21)
20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
(expand briefly)
Each part has a function to fulfill (Eph4:14-16)
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
(expand on the word “every, and each individual part)
Growth happens when “every part” does his part (or does his share).
And if that is true, then the body is affected too and does not grow the way it should when part of the body does not do its part, its share. You know when they are inactive in the body.
You know the saying you are only as strong as the weakest link; that can be true of the body, we only grow as strong as the weakest link.
Strong members can try to help, but it is all members that need to help so we, as a body, grow to be a strong church.
Each part, each member his a member of the body and has a part to play that affects the strength of the body, may we all be doing our part.
II. Displays love like a family
II. Displays love like a family
Another great measure of a strong church is how we treat each other.
The Church is the household of God (1Tim3:14-15)
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
We are the household of God as a strong church, body of Christ, we should conduct ourselves like a family does
With concern for one another
With care for one another
With love for one another
We can follow the example of the church at Thessalonica (1The4:9-10; 2The1:3)
9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,
Notice the word of truth, of encouragement Paul gives to them! Look at the challenge as a family what they are asked to do - excel still more!
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;
A strong church that’s faith is greatly enlarged because of love for one another!
It does not come naturally, naturally we think of ourselves first, then others, but to be strong church we need to develop a sense of family
A desire to get to know each other on personal level (which we do)
1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.
1Tit5:1-2
Making the most of time, spending time together (which we do)
The end result will continue to be when people come in the door by invitation or inquiry they will feel the love that we have, regardless of anyone’s have’s or have not’s.
How well we love one another, how we display love for one another will be a true measure of the strength of this church
Another measure of a strong church will be one who.
III. Praises like God’s temple today
III. Praises like God’s temple today
There was a tabernacle, there was a temple in the Old Testament and there is a temple in the new one. We, the church, are the temple today.
Temple of the Old Testament designed for praise, prayer and sacrifice
The structure, the design was very specific in the O.T. as was the way of worship and sacrifice. It was designed to create a place of worship, praise and sacrifice
The Church is God’s temple today (1Cor3:16-17; 1Pt2:5 9-10)
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
The temple of God (THAT’S YOU) is Holy; and that is what YOU ARE!
We are the temple, we are holy and today we are priests too who offer our sacrifices, spiritual sacrifices
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Those sacrifices, acceptable sacrifices are with purpose, to proclaim the praises of God
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
(expand; focus on v.9- proclaim the excellencies of Him)
So we are the temple, we are holy, we are priests who offer spiritual sacrifices, so now, what are those sacrifices, glad you asked!
Sacrifices we can offer to God today as the temple
Lifting our voices in song and prayer (Heb13:15)
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
(expand on fruit of lips)
Lifting our hands in doing good deeds (Heb13:16)
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
(expand on some good deeds we can do, and we are doing)
Lifting ourselves to be a living sacrifice (Rom12:1-2)
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
We are urged, or some may say commanded, we are told what to do, and why to do it, and how to do it.
So as a strong church, may we be a holy temple that offers spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing and perfect to God when we live our voices and offer our body as a living sacrifice.
A strong church is one who willingly:
IV Submits like a “kingdom”
IV Submits like a “kingdom”
I know that is a weird phrase, how are we to submit like a kingdom?
We understand we are privileged to be in the kingdom of Christ (Col1:13)
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
Oh wait, cannot stop there, cannot take it out of context
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Submit to Christ as the king of the kingdom (Col3:17)
COl3:17
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
We do things as a strong church in His name, under His authority, under His direction as laid out in the bible. We don’t make up our own rules, we follow His!
How we submit to the Lordship of Christ Jesus will display the strength of our church.
Finally, one more point, a strong church is one who is like:
V. Pure Bride
V. Pure Bride
We are called the bride of Christ and as any bride prepares herself. So as does the strong church. So how do we look at this, see this, do this?
We know we are betrothed to Christ (2Cor11:1-2)
1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
Being betrothed come with responsibility to be pure.
We have Christ’s example to learn from (Eph5:25-29)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,
Christ’s example - He offered Himself up, so the bride could be pure and holy
Christ’s example - was done out of great love.
May we as a strong church do it the way Christ did!
Rev
We do it because of the hope we have laid up for us in heaven (Rev19:6-9) you can look that one up
We maintain our purity by:
Originally by our baptism (Act2:38; Act22:16)
Then in our walking in the light and confessing (1Jn1:7-9)
We maintain it also abstaining from unrighteous deeds (Eph5:3-5)
As a strong church or a church that desires to be strong that measures by the measure laid out in the scripture may we learn by these things we have looked at today.
8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
May we operate like a body
Love like a family
Praise like a temple
Submit like a kingdom
And be pure as a bride
Each of us has a part to do, to perform, to do, I hope that you are encouraged to keep doing what you are doing if you are doing, and if not doing that you would consider doing so we may continue to grow stronger. May our love help grow us stronger in and for the Lord and may our love be visible.
(Lead to invitation) - so you say you love the Lord, have you submitted to Him? You have submitted to Him, do you serve him by bringing your gift to the church so we may all grow stronger together.
(Insert invitation slide)
(Insert exit slide)