The Church Matters - How Much?

Illustration: The human body - 100 trillion cells, need them all

Intro: Future Indicators (READ) - take small notes of ones good and of concern (2 columns)

How Much Does the Church Matter?

Why here? Why THIS church?

1) What IS the church? What is its purpose?

(Past “not a building, but people” - let’s get serious and intense about this)

A - God’s creation - Christ’s body, and dwelling place of the Holy Spirit - see Acts 2

So important to God, it should be of primary concern to every believer

The church is God’s passion - we are part of His bride - PASSION

Is it passionate to us?

Healthy marriage - you embrace each other’s passions, desires, enjoyments

B - Vulnerable to be shaped by concerns of being relevant, not making waves, just blending in with culture - more concerned about that then what God desires of us?

Do we know what He desires of us?

Are we willing to let His Word tell us?

C - We are to be a direct reflection of God - to do that, we need to know Who He is, be related to Him, listen to Him, and follow. I mean seriously FOLLOW. SURRENDER.

I’m concerned - this is serious

The church is the place to live in a healthy relationship with God. - Jesus has chosen to dwell here

PURPOSE: wisdom of God made known - HE said, He came to seek and save that which was lost, AND THEN gather them into a body!

Ephesians 3:10 NASB95

so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

Technically: Ekklesia is the gathering (noun) of “called-out ones” full of saints (“set apart”) - Those who are following the call, heard by all, responded to by some

Acts 2 - H.S. promised to all who would so respond

Word used 109 times, overwhelmingly pointing to local churches

NT letters of Paul - to churches - actual gatherings of people, and names and numbers were recorded, as seen through Acts

Individual, autonomous, none answered to a larger body (denom.)

Last thing here - FAMILY - God as Father, we have brothers and sisters

This word spoke for the strongest bond in their time - Family

Sibling bond not stronger than marriage - this is the strongest word that could have been used to relate to bond between fellow Christians

But, have to choose to be part of this family - if not, the word really can’t apply

POINT: When you understand church as family, you realize that belonging to it is not an option, it’s commanded.

2) What does the church need (THIS church)?

First - Christians need the church (Heb 10:25) and the church needs Christians

Areas of focus from questionnaire: (8 main ones)

Prayer, Evangelism/Outreach, Teaching/Knowledge, Fellowship, Stewardship, Unity, Worship, Service/Ministry

(Unity - Look around, people are missing, 6 people on Wed., etc.)

These are all areas we can address

Not subject to political control, because we are governed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

This is why churches survived persecution, oppression, since Acts 2

“BUILDING” - Christ laid the foundation, God is joining parts together 16:18

Matthew 16:18 NASB95

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB95

But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

Joined together, and being built - this church needs more parts for God to build with

Ephesians 2:21 NASB95

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

1 Peter 2:5 NASB95

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.

I need to make sure we are building on a solid foundation, the right foundation;

1 Corinthians 3:10–11 NASB95

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE FOUNDATION

He provided it, we maintain it, He’ll build (and keep building)

To show Christ to the world, to Noble

Not a country club, not

3) What can YOU do? How important is this to you?

Starts with being saved - can’t connect to the body if not; Dead spiritually if not connected - PERIOD. Think otherwise? Deceived.

Baptized as a believer - obedience starts there

Growing, need to? Want to? Skipping it?

Must be connected to a body of believers (more on meaningful church membership later) - cannot grow without it. Think otherwise? Deceived.

Church is Jesus’s choice of where to dwell, in believers who are uniting together in His body, with Him as head - same pattern as in NT

Have to be honest with yourself.

Might be 3 or 4 here on board. OK, good start. We’re not waiting for 30 or 40 or…

Some focus areas

Worship - Acts 13, 1 Cor. 14

Prayer - Acts 12, 13, 14

Reading Scripture - 1 Tim 4:13

Teaching and Learning - Eph. 4:11

Fellowship - Romans 16

Serving less fortunate in the church- 1 Tim 5:16

Spreading the Gospel and helping support those who do - Acts 13

Those we send and support must be doing this!

These and MORE are simply part of the very nature of a healthy NT church

No fanfare, no begging and pleading

But dynamic, purposeful

Cornerstone - every potential to be an amazingly healthy NT church

CLOSE

The body, healthiest and most vibrant when every part does its part, and every part is strengthened by the interworking of every other part.

Body parts MUST be connected

This church body - healthiest and most vibrant when every part does it’s part, and every part is strengthened by the interworking of every other part.

Parts must be connected

You must be connected, or this church can’t benefit from your talents, your gifts

If you are not connected, you are not healthy - Sorry,you’re not (I hope you are, and I sincerely desire you to be)

If you are connected, you are a vital part of this church, of this ekklesia, this very body of believers - EXCITING!

If you want to be connected, let’s get you connected - it is my passion to see this church, our church, please God, and we do that HIS WAY!

Coming soon: related studies, focus, opportunities - need help

I’m owning this, it has to start here, and it’s crucial we grow and thrive

If there are 3 or 4 of you, let’s go. If there are 20, 30, 40, let’s go.

Jesus said “follow me” and off He went

I’m following Christ, and if you are too, off we go!