Back to Church 2

The number one focus of God is to build His Church.

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church. Matt. 16:17-18

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph. 1:22-23

Recognize the two aspects of the church.

1. Invisible – the universal church
2. Visible – the local church

We connect and interact with the universal church through the local church.

Example: Churches in Rev. 2-3.

Do you recognize the church?

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23

The local church is people in relationship with God and each other.

What holds the Church together?

We are built on the same foundation.

…and on this rock I will build My church. Matt. 16:18

Although everyone is different, we value each other as important and necessary.

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 1 Cor. 12:18

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 1 Corinthians 12:21

Ligaments of commitment:

Not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:19

Declaration of Independence vs. Declaration of Interdependence

The Value of the Local Church

Someone is looking out for your soul.

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17

The leaders help us to grow and equip us for service.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Eph. 4:11-16

Each person has a unique gift that is meant to benefit others.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. 1 Corinthians 12:7

The Connection Process:

º Baptized into the universal church

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

º Heart to heart connections with others in the local Church