It Is Time For Church

OCTOBER 17, 2021 STUDY NOTES SUBJECT: CHURCH BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES IT IS TIME FOR CHURCH INTRODUCTION It is time for today’s “True Church” to be the church It is time for Christians to realize that we are the “True Church” We are the church wherever we are every day of our life It is time for us to have church when we come to church (Next Sunday’s message) I am working toward a new series of study for Sunday Mornings, it will be the book of Acts Today and next week the messages are to prepare us for our study in Acts Where we find the beginning of the “Church Age,” and the example of the 1st century church A study of Acts will teach us the message, mission, and ministry of the N.T. Church The “True Church” can also be called the “Family of God” A local church membership does not mean that you are a member of the “Family of God” People today often speak of the “Fatherhood of God” and the “brotherhood of man” God is the creator of all, but He is not the Father of all All men are the creatures of God, but creaturehood and brotherhood are not the same Everyone likes to think that they are a child of God by claiming to be a Christian They want to believe they belong to the family of God based upon their own beliefs But Satan is the father of many people, the devil also has a family, listen to Jesus Jesus had a conversation with the Jews, Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. There are those who do not belong to the family of God, they belong to the family of Satan In local congregations today we have united-together what Jesus called “wheat” and “weeds” Jesus spoke a parable concerning the “wheat and the weeds” in Matthew 13:24-30 The wheat represents born-again believers, and the weeds represent those who are spiritually lost He said the “weeds” come from the enemy and they appear among the wheat They come together and meet-together today, but one day they will be separated, Jesus said, Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. There is only one way that mankind is united together with God and with one another, Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) “Dead in sins” means that you are spiritually dead, spiritually separated from God “Quickened” means to be made spiritually alive, “by grace you are saved” explains it The opposite of “dead in sin” is “alive in Christ,” “together in Christ,” Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: All believers have been spiritually united together in Christ, in Christ we are one body, Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. That one spiritual body is the “True Church,” it is the one “True Family of God” WHO BELONGS TO THE FAMILY OF GOD? Who is a member of the true family of God? Jesus asked that same question in an account found in Matthew 12:46-50 Jesus was teaching a crowd, his mother and brothers were trying to reach him They couldn’t get to Jesus because of the crowd, word was passed on to Jesus, Mat 12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. Then Jesus asked the question, Mat 12:48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? Jesus answered his own question, Mat 12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. His answer reveals a most important spiritual truth, the truth of the “True Family of God” Whosoever” means anyone at all, no racial barriers, no social barriers, no educational barriers Anyone who believes in and receives Jesus as savior becomes a member of the family of God, Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Jesus said, “whosoever shall do the will of my Father,” what is God’s revealed will? It is for all to accept and believe in His Son, 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. To come to repentance is to personally receive Jesus Christ, Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: You cannot join the true family of God, you must be born into the family of God All who are in the family of God have been born from above, Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. The spiritual birth is as real as the physical birth, Jesus said, Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. WHERE IS THE FAMILY OF GOD? The truth of the family of God is found in, Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, There are only two realms that you will find the family of God, either in heaven or on earth For the Christian, life on earth is the best life that can be lived on earth, Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. At the very moment of physical death, the Christian goes to be with the Lord in Heaven, 2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. And for the Christian, life after death is far better, Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: BIBLICAL IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAMILY OF GOD The Apostle Paul tells us that we have been “adopted” into God’s family, Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Paul speaks of spiritual adoption, we become children of God through spiritual adoption Spiritual adoption can only take place through Jesus Christ Believers are adopted in Christ, unto Christ, and for the glory of Christ “Adoption” in the NT means “placing as a son,” being placed in the position of an adult son As a baby I was physically adopted into the Jones family, I received the name of Jones At the age of 13, I was saved, born spiritually, and spiritually adopted into the Family of God The picture of spiritual adoption is that our old relationships have been severed We have been taken from one family and placed into a new family, the family of God No longer are we of Satan, we now belong to God through Jesus Christ and the new birth We are a full-fledged child of God’s family, we are brought into the position of “sons of God” We now have a new Father, a new Family, with new privileges, with new obligations The meaning is that we now share in the position and privileges of “sonship” And we are to be committed to the obligations of family membership We are assured that it is true because of what God says We have the witness of the Holy Spirit the moment we believe, Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. One present privilege that we have as a child of God is that we can say, “Abba, Father” Which says that we can call our Father “Daddy,” identifying a special relationship Something that an OT Jew would never do, it was considered-to be irreverent But it is a term identifying our personal family relationship with the “Father” Believers belong to the “household of God,” Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; As Christians we are united together as the “household of God,” the “True Church” Which is also known as the “household of faith,” Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Because we are of the household of God, we are given instructions, “do good unto all men” Which begins with our church family, minister to our church family and then reach out to others THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH The early church saw itself as a family, from house to house they gathered-together, Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart We could say “from family to family” they praised God As a member of the family of God you should unite with a local church family We miss something when we speak of someone “joining our church” It is much more meaningful to say “they united into the fellowship of our church family” That is the true concept of the local church, a family member united into our local church family The local church is where the Christian can fulfill their responsibility as a family member The greatest emphasis of the church in the NT is placed upon the idea of the local church Only as believers unite-together can they properly function as a family as revealed in the NT Paul prays for the local church family in Ephesians 3:14-21, he prayed for the whole family He prayed for them to be strong in the faith and in the love of Christ He prayed that they might be filled with all the fullness of God He prayed for God’s power to be working in us, Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, He tells us how he expects his prayers to be answered, through the local church family, Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. WHAT IS GOD DOING WHEN THE CHURCH MEETS TOGETHER? When Paul would meet with the church family, he would teach the Word of God, Act 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Together they studied God’s Word, Act 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Peter and John had been arrested because they were preaching Jesus (Acts 4) The Jewish leaders threatened them, Act 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. When they were released, Peter and John went straight to the local church, Act 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. (“Their own company” was the local church) Their church family immediately began to pray, Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: The church prayed together with Peter and John, read their prayer, listen to their request, Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, (Exactly what they were doing when they were threatened) And God answered their prayers, Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Can you imagine being a church member and missing that prayer meeting? (Don’t miss church!) IT IS TIME TO COME TO CHURCH The church can live with expectation when they study God’s Word and pray together as a family At church we have the-opportunity to exercise spiritual gifts for the edification of one another At church we learn of the needs of others and have the-opportunity to “Do good works” We can encourage and comfort one another in the times of sickness, trials, and tragedies We can rejoice with one another in the good times, the happy and joyful moments of life A support ministry begins with the local church family, we must love and care for one another As the family ministers to one another they become a visible presentation of the works of God The “Labor of Love Ministry” can be a powerful witness to the lost world The world has the right to expect us to be different, don’t disappoint them The family of God is different from the world, come to church and learn who you are in Christ When you unite with a local church family you identify with God’s work through His people As a local church we identify with a doctrinal position and with Biblical practices Together we have an accountability of our beliefs and daily conduct of life, and we need that We all need to be accountable to our church family and its doctrine Our family name is important, we represent the name of “Christ,” we are known as “Christians” Christians are to be “followers of Christ” going out to make followers of Christ It is time to come to church because it is time for the church to go out into the world, Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: It is time for the church to prepare its members to go into the world and witness to the lost It is time for the followers of Christ to go make followers of Christ Then bring them in to the local church and baptize them, and teach them God’s Word, Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. CONCLUSION: Can it happen at church today like it did in the first century church? (Acts) Yes, if the church is the same, we have the same Father, the same Savior, the same Salvation We are cleansed by the same blood, regenerated by the same Spirit We have the same scriptures to study, same God to worship, the same power to witness We must have the same desire, the desire to go to church and then go into the world as the church Listen to the song