The Power of the Church Service

Pastor Anthony J Shetley – Point of Life Church

August 15, 2021

Common words about the church.

“I don’t believe in organized religion.”

· (1 Corinthians 12:28) “God has appointed in the church…”

*Define the contrast between the local church and the universal church.

The Local Church

God had many people in Corinth. (Acts 18:10, NIV)

Paul planted a church in Corinth; Apollos pastored the church in Corinth.

Paul writes to the church at Corinth and names specific members.

Instructions given: “When you come together” to have a church service. (1 Corinthians 11:18,33 NIV)

The command found in the book of Hebrews: “Forsake not assembling” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV)

The Church Service:

Matthew 18:20“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

THE SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH SERVICE

The Spirit’s Ministry of Revelation

Romans 10:17 - So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Acts 16:14 - A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

John 16:13–15 (NIV) 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.”

The Spirit’s Ministry of Conviction

John 16:8 - “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

Luke 24:32 - “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”

1 Corinthians 2:4–5 - My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

The Spirit’s Employment of Change

Repentance / transformation of mind and character: Romans 12:2

Transformation of Character:

Colossians 3:10 (Putting on the new self) … “Which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Results Evidenced in Growth

Ephesians 4:11–16

So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.

From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows, and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The Power of the Church Service is realized in the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit. He works among the assembly of God’s people.