A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, ‘Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late! Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late!’
While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again!
As she ran she once again began to pray, ‘Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late…But please don’t shove me either!’
Every Sunday, we come together, assembled ourselves into a rhythm or routine to worship, praise and serve God. We say hello to old friends, chit chat about our daily lives and the lives of others. We assemble together for a great causes and reasons. The assembly of Gods people is as old as time itself—written in historical records upon papyrus and even stone archives. It’s is also worth noting that people of all cultures, races and backgrounds that worship false Gods and idols, also assemble themselves together with like minded people. But is there a valiant reason for Church, the gathering together? So we are going to investigate further into the modern nomenclature of the Reason for the Church. Now I want to be clear, there is no way under heaven I can clearly elaborate on all aspects of Church, but let me start off in asking, Why do we go to church?
The modern church has been an integral part of our communities for several centuries. One only needs to look at the skyline of almost any town to see the towering spirals of steeples and spires indicating the presence of church buildings below. But the landscape is changing. Now churches meet in former malls and shopping plazas, in rented school buildings, homes, hotel meeting rooms and even at a funeral home. Some churches even gather in secret, sometimes virtually underground, hidden from the oppressive view of local authorities. The church is seriously being threatened and oppressed, all for the sake of Christ. However, From mega-churches to house-churches, God’s people gather in a variety of places and settings — and yet they gather for the same grand purpose.
Its no secret that in recent years, even before the pandemic, all a person needed to not to come to church was a valid reason. Sports, vacation, family events, just to sleep in, illness, disputed fellow parishioners, etc. The serious age-old question that in most recent years that seemed to surface more is the question, do I have to attend church to be a Christian?
You can say I don’t have to go to church to be saved, I don’t have to attend church to be loved, I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. You can be saved, loved and accepted anywhere at anytime! But, if you LOVE JESUS, your going to LOVE what Jesus LOVES and that’s the Church! The one thing Jesus died for, the one thing Jesus instructs us to build up, the one thing Jesus tells us not even Hell itself can destroy is the Church. Matthew ch 16 “I also say to you that you are Peter , and upon this rock I will build My church ; and the gates of Hades [Hell] will not overpower it.” Amen.
Who is the Church what Christ is talking about? It’s the people that is gathered together in His name, not this building of brick and mortar. Scripture tells us “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” That is the church. And its this Church that Christ alone tell us to cherish and hold dear. Not to be ignored, taken for granted, put to the way side, but to uphold and maintain for the good of God and His people, which includes all of us.
How do we tell people that we love them? How do we show people we love them? We embrace, we caress, we meet with them and demonstrate our love to them don’t’ we? Just like what we would do to our family and friends.
Those of you whom are in attendance this morning, do you know what your saying to God and the people of the world? You are saying at least two things by being present in Gods House of Worship, living in the light of the soon coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Number one, God is important to me! Number two, you are the people who is important to me! Sounds rather sobering doesn’t it! This same enlightenment and expression is exercised clear around the world!
In an article in Vice, Brian Merchant argues that the first structure that humans will probably build on the Moon after they have completed building a base there will be a church. Indeed, Christian missionaries and clergymen have built churches in the harshest of climates, whether they be the tropical jungles of Africa or the sun-drenched deserts of Australia.
When the Ross Sea Party of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917 landed in Antarctica, among the men was an Anglican priest named Arnold Spencer-Smith. Spencer-Smith set up a small chapel in a dark room in Scott's Hut at Cape Evans. He built an altar with a cross and candlesticks and an aumbry where he reserved the Blessed Sacrament.
Today, there are eight churches in Antarctica. One is in a cave in the ice that still in use today. It is the most southern place of worship of any religion in the world. Even those that worship in a ice cathederal, to our small underground cave, the church is the people of the living God. God did not design us to be hermits, lost in translation to His spirit. We need Church, people, just as we need food and water. We need the church to give support, care, connectivity to others, and to center ourselves in worship of Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth and be amongst fellow believers. Hebrews 10:25 “…not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Just think how we as a people of God can ignore our fellowman by NOT doing Gods work by Being His Church! Jesus tells us in Matthew “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” This is Gods Church. Church is real! Church is powerful! Church is what we need to bring to people around the globe, which means our own neighborhoods. We leave false judgement at the door, we surrender our will to God by saying the most important words, “Here I am Lord, send me!” This morning, I wanted to give some helpful insights that if done, it will prove to be most effective to Memorial and all of Gods people in His church.
God designed His church to be a catalyst for spiritual growth. The language here uses a familiar visual illustration of a child growing into maturity. This truth must include the idea that there has been a “new birth-experience” (John 3:7), when we found Christ, in so then to reach out to people—be involved. It is imperative for the church to be about the task of seeing people come to Christ and helping them grow towards maturity in Christ. How do we grow unless we feed off His word?
The community of believers is essential to God’s plan for His church. The Bible uses the words people, body, household, and family as a description of Church. Scripture tells us God wants His people to grow and mature within a community of unity and togetherness. It was never intended for His followers to practice their faith in a vacuum away from other believers, like a hermit. We are to pass the torch, draw closer to Christ as we draw closer to others in loving unity. The church is at its best when every believer is devoted to the mission of His church.
Serving the Lord must be the center function. Scripture is clear that God wants each believer to actively serve Him by ministering to others inside and outside our building. When a person puts their faith and trust in Christ, is when the process of service begins. This is salvation. When each of us made that decision to follow the living God, scripture tells us each of us has been given spiritual gifts to use and share. We become equipped to do God’s work! Notice I say equipped. God does NOT call the already equipped disciples, He equipes His disciples.
Church is NOT a “spectator sport” where people show up on Sunday mornings to watch others perform. God expects every Christ-follower to use their natural abilities and spiritual gifts to faithfully serve Him which means serving His church. The end result of serving His church is we shall see His church grow, both spiritually and numerically. Growing churches do not depend upon some man-made plan or program. The Bible is clear that God wants each of His people to intentionally, actively, and faithfully share their faith with others. However, evangelism is to be done through the church where those who come to Christ can grow in Him and also participate in the church’s mission.
The church exists to reach people for Christ and to disciple them to maturity in Christ. Both of those priorities are absolutely essential and should be practiced in harmony by each local church.
CLICK ON SLIDE #1 MEMORIAL LOGO
And it is this harmony friends I want Memorial to continue with. Do you want to see Memorial grow spiritually and numerically? I hope so! In order to do that, we must also grow! I wanted to share with a video, to help some inspiration from a witness to God’s divine influence.
CLICK ON SLIDE #2 VIDEO
This man’s name is Nick. A great testimony of God and what God has done for Him. As you will see, he gives us a very good reason why we should serve God and His church, His people.
PLAY VIDEO
BE A MIRACLE…SERVE OTHERS…Others will need each of us as we need them.
NEXT SLIDE WHO AM I When you see this picture, what do you see?
NEXT SLIDE I AM CHRISTIAN.
I am growing Christian. [REPEAT] Just as we Grow in Christ, so should we grow Gods Holy Church. This is Jesus command to us! [Will visit this]
NEXT SLIDE GOD PROVIDES INCREASE
If there ever was a disciple that knew what growth us, its Paul, or whom we known him as ‘Saul of Tarsus.’ Pauls first letter to people of Corinth. I planted
NEXT SLIDE
, Apollos watered, [Fellow disciple of Christ]
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but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. We are NOT doing this work alone, unequipped and designed for failure
NEXT SLIDE OUR MISSION
You heard this word mentioned a few times this morning. Mission! What is our mission!
NEXT SLIDE MISSION STATEMENT
Mission Statement of The United Methodist Church
The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by proclaiming the good news of God's grace and by exemplifying Jesus' command to love God and neighbor, thus seeking the fulfillment of God’s reign and realm in the world.
Very satisfying description with loads of potential. Where do we get this from?
NEXT SLIDE GREAT COMMISSION
Matthew 28:19-20 (MSG)
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
How are we to do it? How can we do it?
NEXT SLIDE LIVE GODLY VALUES
NEXT SLIDE WHAT CAN WE DO
Go through the steps….
NEXT SLIDE HOW CAN I HELP
Read scripture….Matthew 20:28 “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve”
NEXT SLIDE TAKEAWAY
NEXT SLIDE SUGGESTIONS
Emphasize DO NOT MAKE SUGGESTION AND WALK AWAY
NEXT SLIDE QUESTIONS