D3 | The Gospel for the Church

The Gospel must land on us personally (last week)

The Gospel also creates community (Church)

Local Church: a body of believers in Jesus drawing their life from him together.

Being part of a church frees us from a vague idealism and gives us traction for real gospel advance that will matter forever.

Football or Concert vs. Church Body (1 Cor. 12:12-27)

In order to participate in the body of believers we lose some things; what do we lose?

Sleeping in

Personal time

Money

Weekend getaways

Ephesians 5:21 ESV

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

As we participate in the body of believers we gain some things; what do we gain?

Mutual submission

Selfless practices

Family

Worship

Eternal Fruit

1 Thessalonians 5:12 ESV

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

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.

“Christians have to choose between isolation which is easy and belonging which is costly- and much more satisfying.”

There is no church-less Christianity in the Bible

The church is the shower through which the water flows that washes us clean. This is God's design for our cleansing and his glory.

Illustration: Beach shower - cleans off the sand.

Ephesians 5:26 ESV

that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

We are corrupt and easily corrupted - we are the whores of Hosea and Ezekiel. We need to be cleaned. (Ezekiel 16)

Our Holiness vs. Christ’s Holiness

We are no good at it; but he is

because we fail and fail; his promise to make us holy is what matters

How can this idea of holiness be evangelistic?

People are alone in the world today - let’s not be loners, instead let’s be faithfully commited to the community of the Church as we seek to display the beauty of God through the holiness of the church.