My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Feb 23rd as we take a one week look at the Church.  (Kicking off our 13 week SS study on the Church). Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon.  They are provided to help follow as we walk through the Word each week.  To see the sermon each week or subscribe to the weekly sermon podcast please visit http://www.fbcap.net

 

The Church – Who are we? Whose are we? Why are we here?

(A kickoff sermon as we begin a 13-week S.S. series on “The Deliberate Church”)

 

Who we are

1 Timothy 3:15 – if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

• Household – Family, Body.
  • Leadership, Love, Encouragement, Support, Responsibility, Discipline
• Church – assembly. Ekklesia.  Called out ones.
• Pillar and Buttress of Truth
  • Built on truth.  The Gospel.  John 14:6
  • For the truth. A display of God’s Goodness and Glory 1 Tim 4

Whose we are

Acts 20:28 – Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

 

Our relationship with Jesus is also a relationship with His Church

• To know Him is to be long to His church
• They cannot be separated

 

Ephesians 5:25–27 – [25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (ESV)

 

Christ gave his life and shed His blood for the church.

• Knowing this…just think about how flippantly we think about church.
  • Our worship
  • Our involvement
  • Our ministries

 

As believers we all are building upon His Church

 

1 Corinthians 3:9-18 – [9] For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

[10] According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. [11] For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—[13] each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. [14] If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. [15] If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

[16] Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

 

IF ANYONE BUILDS

• Individually and Corporately
• We build on the Gospel
• We build with the right materials
  • God’s – Gold and Silver. TRUTH
    • Lasting, Permanent, Pure
  • Ours
  • World’s

EACH ONES WORK BECOME MANIFEST

• Everyone’s
• Standing before the Lord.
• A steward of all that God has given us.
  • Our daily worship and service unto Him

 

DO YOU NOT KNOW…

• YOU are Individually
• YOU are Corporately
• This should bring both joy and fear

 

Why we are here

 

As believers we are entrusted with a precious and glorious ministry

Ephesians 3:7–13

[7] Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, [10] so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [13] So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (ESV)

 

The ministry of the Gospel entrusted to the Church– vv. 7-13

v. 7 – As a believer we are a MADE A MINISTER (servant) OF THE GOSPEL

• It is a gift of God’s grace
• By the working of His power

 

• Often church becomes about us. Our needs, expectations, our availability.
• The church …HIS CHURCH is about the Gospel.
• The Gospel is NOT believe in Jesus, join the church, then go to heaven when you die.
• The Gospel is the transforming message that Jesus has redeemed fallen man and made them new creations. The Gospel is about forgiveness and newness of life.
• The Gospel is transforming and sustaining.
• The Gospel is progressive and on-going
• I need. We need the Gospel every second of every day.
• The Gospel is what allows us to:
  • love our wife (spouse)
  • Raise our kids in a Godly home
  • Be a person of biblical friendships.
  • Live fulfilling life and know we have accomplished much as we have lived for Him.

 

v. 8 – As servants WE PREACH – The unsearchable riches of Christ (THE WORD). The Bible is the WORD…. THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.

• Preach the word
• We sing the word
• We speak the word
• We live the word

 

v. 9 – As servants WE bring to light – The goodness of the Gospel – to bring the light to all men.

 

SO THAT THE CHURCH

vv. 10-13 – By doing this WE MAKE KNOWN HIS GLORY

• Make known the manifestation wisdom of God to make the church and cosmic beings.
• WE ARE HOUSE OF GOD
• THE LIGHT IN A DARK WORD
• THE PEOPLE OF HOPE

 

 

Scripture References

1 Timothy 4

[1] Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, [2] through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, [3] who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. [4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, [5] for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

[6] If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. [7] Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; [8] for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. [9] The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. [10] For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

[11] Command and teach these things. [12] Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [13] Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. [14] Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. [15] Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. [16] Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (ESV)