How The Church Helps Us Take Steps To The Right - Big Picture Christian Life (Part 6)

Luke 14:25-27, 33 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple… 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-27, 33 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple… 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Definition of a Church What a church IS: • A group of believers who organize together to do what a church does: preach the word, make disciples, baptize converts, celebrate the Lord’s Table. Definition of a Church What a church is NOT: • Camp or conference • Home group or Bible study • Radio station or podcast • Building or business • Entertainment show • Self-help or personal empowerment club • Individualistic, consumeristic, private experience 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 • Verse 12 – the church body has many different and important parts • Verse 13 – you belong to the church body • Verse 15 – you cannot say about yourself, “I don’t belong here” • Verse 18 – God arranged the body as He chose 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 • Verse 21 – you cannot say about someone else, “You don’t belong here” • Verses 24-26 – God composed the body…that there be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Hebrews 10:24-25 • Command – “let us consider” • Purpose of the command – “how to stir up one another to love and good works” • How NOT to obey – “not neglecting to meet together” • How to obey – “but encouraging one another” • Importance of the command – “all the more” Ephesians 4:11-16 • Verse 12 – every Christian has a job to do • Verse 15 – how we are to grow up…into Christ • Verse 15 – by SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE Examples (Marshall) Bill is chatting to George after church, and shares with him how encouraged he was by a particular verse in the Bible that day. Examples (Marshall) Alison is worried about her friend Debbie, who struggles with anxiety and has been missing church quite a lot. Alison writes her a one-page letter, offering encouragement, quoting a few Bible verses, and offering to get together to pray. Examples (Marshall) Warren goes to a Bible study group each week at Jim’s house with six other people. He makes sure that he has read and thought about the passage before he goes, and prays that God would help him to say true and encouraging things in the group. Examples (Marshall) Irene is quite elderly and finds it hard to get out, but she phones her friend Jean every second day, talks to her about the Bible passage she has read that morning and prays with her over the phone. Examples (Marshall) Michael meets one to one every fortnight over breakfast with his mate Steve, who is a new-ish Christian. They use a Bible study booklet to work through some of the basic issues of living the Christian life. Can you imagine a church like this? A people… • Who understand their true identity and purpose • Who are connected and caring • Who purposefully gather together all the more to encourage each other • Who are themselves Word-filled and who lovingly share it with others