Notes:
Reasons We Love The Church:
#1 The Church is Father God’s Family:
• Father gave His best (Jesus Christ) to mankind, so that mankind would have a relationship with Him through his son Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15-20 ESV
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 3:6 ESV
6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Reasons We Love The Church:
#2 The Church is the only thing that has eternal value:
• Who the church is and what does the church does is the only thing that God created that will last for eternity.
• What governments, hospitals, schools and any other organizations are doing is not bad, but only the church has been around for more than 2000 years and will still be going strong when Christ returns to receive His bride.
• When the local church is working right, there is nothing more powerful and breathtaking in the world. It's the place where lost people are found, where found people grow to love Jesus more, where addicts are set free, where the excluded are included, where the hopeless find hope, where marriages are restored, where forgiveness is extended and where God gets the glory for it all!!
1 Peter 2:4-10 ESV
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,a cornerstone chosen and precious,and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling,and a rock of offense."They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Ephesians 2:17-22 ESV
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Reasons We Love The Church:
#3 The Church Family/Community has Purpose:
• The plans and purposes of God is not about “playing life safe.”* Jesus did not play it safe...
• Jesus did not play it safe...
The early church did not play it safe...
None of the original apostles played it safe...
THEY ALL PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS!
• Life is short, Hell is real and Eternity is forever! The World has never been and never will be impacted by believers who spend their lives begging God not to allow anything bad to happen to them. JESUS IS GOOD, BUT HE IS NOT SAFE!!!
Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV
18 "Remember not the former things,nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?I will make a way in the wildernessand rivers in the desert.
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Acts 4:23-31 ESV
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage,and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers were gathered together,against the Lord and against his Anointed'— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
