Good morning Church. Let’s recollect what we are going through from the past few weeks.
As we all aware that we are going through the series of values.
Today we are going to look into the value that is Church.
What is church?
Jesus told His disciples that one of His purposes for coming was to “build my church”
Matthew 16:18.
Let us approach in this way? Let’s ask our mind….What is church?
Yes what your mind is thinking is right – WE ARE.
Over the years, the word “Church” has come to mean the building we meet in. I still remember one of our midweek cell started like this when you show the hotel Peace park is our church to your friend what will be the reaction?!! I hope you all remembered that.
Someone will say (for example) “I’m going to church” meaning their building. but
Church is Always people the never a place
Always a believing assembly, never a building
The church is we who pray, not where we pray.” In simple words Jesus died for us not for the building.
Definition of Church:
The church is the Assembly of God’s redeemed people, living in right relationship with God and each other, gathered with a view to hear and do his will.
Some of the Metaphors of the church:
- Body of the Christ
- Bride of the Christ
- Family of God
- The army of God
- The temple of God
- The vineyard of God
- The flock of God and
- The Nation of the God
Goal of the church:
Many Christians are caught up with going to heaven but the church’s role is to bring heaven on earth. (Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven)
- To display God’s wisdom (Eph 3:10)
- To demolish Satanic strongholds (Mat 16:18)
- To bring unity, intimacy& maturity (Eph 4:11-14)
- To restore creation (Romans 8:18-21)
- To usher God’s Kingdom (Rev 11:15, Dan2:44-45)
- To disciple nation (Mt 28: 18-20, Gen 1:26)
Activities of the church:
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. – Acts 2:41-47
- Joining
As soon as people were born again, baptized in water and in the spirit, the decided to join the 120 disciples. It’s very important. To grow in spiritual life we need to be a part of a community. A Christian without a church family is an orphan.
- Teaching
Jesus commissioned his disciple in Matt 28:20 to teach his new converts everything he had commanded them until they began practicing it. We are also encouraged to be always equipped with bible, note pen in the time of studying the scriptures. Wherever it’s possible it’s our duty to spread Gospel
- Fellowship & Community Life
- Love one another,
- Prefer one another
- Edify one another
- Accept one another
- Instruct one another
- Serve one another
- Forgive one another
- Greet one another
- Consider one another
- Encourage one another
- Breaking of Bread
Time of remembrance, thanks giving, renewing of our covenant, communion with the lord, proclamation of Lords death, a time to renew our hope in his second coming and time of self-examination.
- Prayer
Prayer is spending time with God. Uncle told a lot about prayer.
- Witness & Evangelism
People are lost without God. We are commissioned in the bible to go reach out to others (Mat 28:19,20) if we do not tell others we will be the losers at the end. We must share the love of God and hope of Jesus to people. Obviously no one wants our friends and family to suffer in the hell for eternity
- Praise, worship & Spiritual Gift
Praise is the response to the Greatness of God, Worship is the response to the Holiness of God. Worship honors God, It’s a proper way to come before the lord, brings Gods presence, only God is worthy of our worship. During the time of worship the spiritual gifts are also released where God begin to communicate with us. If not yet now it’s time for us to begin actively participate in worshiping God. So church is not simply attending the church service or holding a paper membership. But its demands the active participation from each and every person. Each one must function and contribute for the whole body to grow.
Why we need a church?
WE GET TO BE A PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING!
The wonderful thought is you and I get to be part of this – of seeing the Lord do this in us as believers and also be part of making it happen in the Church.
Learn to see your spiritual journey in these four aspects that the Lord Jesus is working in the Church – that is in us, and through us:
(A)The Church is coming to a place of unity of the faith – are you doing things, living life in a manner that promotes unity of the faith in the Church, that is the Body of believers. Avoid anything that divides, anything that causes disunity.
(B) The Church will come to know Jesus accurately, knowing Jesus for who He really is – look at Jesus for who He is as revealed by the Holy Spirit through the Holy Scriptures.
(C) The Church, believers, will come to a place of maturity by becoming Christlike, becoming like Jesus in life, word, and deed – we need to allow God to transform us personally into Christ likeness. Is becoming like Jesus, in life, word and deed, our goal, our vision.
(D) The Church will come to a place of being a glorious, a Church that is sanctified, cleansed. It’s act that we allowing Jesus, to sanctify us, cleanse us, and make us holy and blameless, through His Word, so that His glory – virtue and power – can be revealed through us
We all remembered the story of Jesus feed 5000. Jesus uses people to bless people it’s a great privilege of being part of it. Always we assume our self in the receiving end. We need to be in the giving end also. God wants us to use to bless people.
I just want to read the scripture portion from Roman 16: 3-15
3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them.
People who were mentioned here in Romans 16 were workers. People risked their lives, worked hard in the Lord. All the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.” And a few of these people had church services in their homes. They were the “nuts and bolts” of the congregation. And so God honored them, by telling us their names For all of eternity… their names are listed in our Bible BECAUSE God wanted us to know their names. The church is not about some famous people. It’s not about powerful ones. We don’t need any power and position to do whatever smallest thing we can do. I feel so happy when our children helps the time of winding our stuffs. With a heart full of joy the used to carry.
So my dear Church… there are no unimportant people. Even the small ones. In Church… god knows your name. We are here to do the will of God. God’s plan and purpose is greater than our imagination
Haggai 2:9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
Dear church, all the ministries which we are doing as a community and as a church is all God’s plan for us, for the people around us, for the city God have placed in. All has a unique plan and purpose.
In this morning God gives us the opportunity to make a difference in our world where god have placed us By involving our self fully in church. When we started feeling that church is nothing but us all this will start happening. What a joy that we get to be part of this – of seeing the Lord do this in us as believers and also be part of making it happen in the Church.
God will make things better, stronger, and greater! In God, today is better than yesterday. We go from glory to glory, from faith to faith, from strength to strength.
I was a person who was being a part of a church till my 8th standard. After that some issues I cant connect to a godly family. But after a long gap I got our church to be part of. Newly married things were new that time the church helped a lot. Abled to see god’s guidance, love and affection through people. There are people outside like the old me, Jesus expects us to give hands to the people outside its our duty to bring those people to the Gods family, to serve them, to reach out people so that the people those are fatherless will have father, hopeless will be having hope.d
And here is the prayer of Christ for all of us,
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mat 12: 50)
18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:18)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17- 20-23)
Jesus wants us, members of his global family/community, to be one. One with him, and with his father, and with each other. And we are one. We are one with all our sisters and brothers who are committed to doing God’s will.
Church are we ready to see church in us?
God placed me in the church for _______
Beulah is PHD in Mathematics and is part of Renewed Hope Community Church. The Renewed Hope Community Church is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
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