- Last week
- Is local church membership biblical? Yes.
- Here’s what I mean… Gospel, Position, Placement, Growth
- And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, Acts 17:26
- The invisible, universal church, becomes visible within the local church context. Explicit but implicit
- Church Discipline & Excommunication
- Shepherding and Submission
- Community and Care
The Invisible Becomes Visible
- Gospel, position, placement, growth
- Our placement in the local church, that then leads to our growth to the glory of God and our joy.
- Growth: Learn to live visibly the invisible implications of the Gospel
- But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
- For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. James 2:18 & 26
- Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:8 & 20
- We do life with “one another”
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The Invisible Becomes Visible in Community
- Esteem one another in love (Phil. 2:3).
2. Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thes. 5:11).
3. Serve one another (Gal. 5:13).
4. Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
5. Be gentle with one another (Eph. 4:2).
6. Be kind to one another so as to preserve unity (Eph. 4:32).
7. Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:25; Col 3:9).
8. Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21).
9. Show compassion to one another (Col. 3:12).
10. Forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
11. Encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11).
12. Live in peace with one another (1 Thes. 5:13).
13. Confess sins to one another (James 5:16).
14. Pray for one another’s spiritual and physical healing (James 5:16). 15. Be hospitable to one another without complaint (1 Peter 4:9).
16. Serve one another (1 Peter 4:10; Gal. 5:13).
17. Act in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5).
18. Refuse to become resentful toward one another (1 John 3:11–12). 19. Give sacrificially to meet one another’s needs (1 John 3:16–17). 20. Fight fear together by growing in love (1 John 4:18).
21. Walk in truth together (1 John 3:18; 2 John 1:5).
- We ask our members to be in a community group
- Sundays at 9:45am, / Tues, Wed, Fri, at 6:30pm WHY? Because we are…
- Family of God
- If I did everything for our kids would you think I was spoiling them?
- And so if I do everything for you and you just show up, am I spoiling you?
- As much as my generation looks at a younger one and says, “entitled and spoiled” I think we need to take a look in the mirror and ask, when it comes to church, am I entitled and spoiled?
2. The Invisible Becomes Visible in Serving
- As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10–11
- So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone (the city), and especially to those who are of the household of faith (the Church). Galatians 6:10
- Serve the city, county, country, world (everyone)
- Serve the church (not partiality but priority)
- Serve the city
- City within a city to bless the city
- The invisible God becomes visible through our lives!
- As a church and in our community groups
- In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
- Serve the church (Priority)
- Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4–7
- So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12
- What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 1 Corinthians 14:26
- Build up- GIVING
- In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14 (1 Timothy 5:17-18)
- The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
- You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 2 Corinthians 9:6–7 & 11–12
- Giving serves the church, our city AND our world
- Giving is going well! We give to Network medical, Hope Refuge, PCN- Church planting, missions all over the world
3. The Invisible Becomes Visible in Worship
- The invisible God is worshiped visibly!
- This is a healthy church, made of healthy members that are doing life together, serving the city and the church all to the glory of God and our joy.
- May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5–6
- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16–17
