The Basics of Life – A New Family
1.
Going to start out sharing a few data-points... Church
Statistics - A recent study by the Barna group revealed some startling
statistics… of those who responded:
a.
Those who say they attend church “regularly” has
dropped from 43% in 2004 to 36% today, but that doesn’t tell the whole story….
b.
“Regular” church attendance used to mean 3 or
more times per month,
c.
Today people consider themselves “regular church
attenders who attend once every 4-6 weeks
2.
Looking at the future generation gives us an
even less optimistic picture:
a.
Millennials (30 & under) only 20% feel
church is important,
b.
45% of Millennials say church is NOT important
c.
and 35% actually have an anti-church stance.
3.
Of the reasons Millennials cite for not holding
church to be important:
a.
35% say irrelevance, hypocrisy, moral failures
by church leaders
b.
20% say they feel God is missing from church
c.
10% say they feel legitimate questions are not
tolerated.
4.
NOTICE what they younger generation is NOT
saying…
a.
Not saying that they don’t believe in God, or
that they have no place for God in their lives…
b.
They’re saying that they have no place for
church in their lives
5.
Last data point is what people who actually
attend church say about the church they attend.
Of the people who attend regularly, they give the following reasons for
attending church:
a.
44% want to be closer to God
b.
27% want to learn more about God
c.
20% say they want fellowship with other
believers
6.
OK, so how is the church doing at meeting those
expectations?
a.
44% want to be closer to God, only 20% actually
feel closer to God
b.
20% want fellowship, only 10% of those who
attend church say that they experience fellowship.
c.
27% say they want to learn more about God, only
6% say they actually learn more about God
What does all of this tell us?
7.
People in general, especially the younger
people, are losing faith in the institution of church.
a.
And those that do attend church, the church
doesn’t seem to benefit them in a spiritually positive way.
b.
BOTTOM LINE - the church isn’t functioning in
the way that Jesus intended it to.
c.
From the data-points that we looked at, it’s
clear that in some ways the church has strayed from its mission of being a
world-changing organization centered on Jesus Christ.
What is the church supposed to be? What should it look like? What is
its place in my life? That’s what we’ll be looking at today.
Define:
church - noun \ˈchərch\
: a building that is used for Christian religious services
: religious services held in a church
: a particular Christian group
8.
The word “church” comes from the Greek word
ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.”
a.
The root meaning of “church” is not that of a
building, but of people.
b.
Romans 16:5 Paul writes
“… greet the church that is in their house.” Romans 16:5
9.
Paul refers to the church in their house—not a
church building, but a body of believers. So we could say…
Church isn’t a social club; isn’t a building, isn’t a
program,
The church is a group of
followers of Jesus Christ, who live and serve together in such a way that their
lives and their communities are transformed.
(should affect the surrounding community – Johnny’s Bar)
Foundation of the
Church
10. Every
structure needs a foundation, something upon which it’s built, and make no
mistake, foundations are important.
a.
Tammy & I used to live in San Francisco, and
we each worked in one of the tall buildings you see. (San Fran skyline photo)
b.
We were there during the 1989 Loma Prieta
earthquake (collapsed freeway photo), the Bank of America building swayed some
15-20 in each direction – how did it not fall?
c.
When they built it, they dug deep into bedrock
(construction photo), then they drove long steel pylons deep into the ground,
the building doesn't fall because it’s secured to the rock.
11. The
church also has a foundation it is also built upon “The Rock”
...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18
12. Jesus
is saying something very profound here: He is describing the formation and the
foundation of the Church... His church
a.
“Peter” - Greek “petros” = “little rock”
b.
“Rock” = Petra = HUGE ROCK! Gibraltar!
c.
Jesus is saying that that His church isn't going
to be built on a man, or an institution, or a set of principles, it will be
built upon HIM...
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders,
which has become the chief cornerstone. - Acts 4:11
13. A
cornerstone is the first stone set in building a foundation, and all other
stones are set in reference to that stone.
a.
The cornerstone of the church is the Lord Jesus
Christ!
b.
Who He is:
His position, His purpose, His Plan
c.
His Body that was broken, His Blood that was
shed, His resurrection from the grave, and His Promise made to us that He will
be with us through it all.
d.
He is the cornerstone, the foundation, the
center of it all!
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ. - 1 Cor 3:11
14. There
have been many empires, many institutions, some have lasted for centuries, yet none
have lasted as long as the church, it will never cease to exist, because it’s
built on the eternal Cornerstone of Jesus Christ!
The Local Church
15. Often
when we use the term “church,” we are talking about a local group of
believers. “what church do you
attend?” “I’ll meet you at the church.”
a.
Nothing wrong with that use, because even though
the church is the people, not the building,
b.
in practice a local church is a group of
believers who gather together as a spiritual family.
16. Now
I know that some Christians have a “I don’t have to attend church to worship
God” perspective,” some even would say
“the bible doesn’t say I have to be in church.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts
of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some
people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return
is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
a.
Further, look at Rev 2-3 Jesus is addressing
LOCAL CHURCHES - the fact that Jesus takes the time to address these churches
affirms their importance to Him
b.
Then look at the birth of the church...
Acts 2:41-47
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized;
and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through
the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had
need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread
from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved.
17. The
word was preached, received, people believed, were baptized, lives were
changed,
a.
There was unity, people shared their possessions
with one another
b.
They came together IN the temple, and they came
together OUTSIDE of the temple, praising God,
c.
And the Lord added to the church
18. It
would seem from these passages and examples that the Lord very much expects us
to gather in local assemblies in the same way;
a.
in other words, the local church is NOT OPTIONAL
for the Christian.
b.
Not only are our lives changed, but the lives of
people all around us are changed.
c.
In that sense, for those who do not know Christ,
church is life and death.
d.
In that sense, it seems clear that what we do
inside the church matters.
e.
(yesterday my son and I were discussing that
“everything matters”)
Order - Roles in the Church… In
Ephesians 4 Paul lays out specific roles:
Eph 4:11-16
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of
the saints for the work of ministry - Eph 4:11
19. What
Paul is giving us here is a picture of the different roles in a healthy church
a.
Apostles – people who are called and gifted to
be sent out,
b.
Prophets – people who are called and gifted to
speak for the Lord, either through His written word, or by the Holy Spirit
c.
Evangelists – those who are called and gifted to
go and tell people about Jesus
d.
Pastors – Those who are called and gifted to
oversee and care for the church
e.
Teachers – those called and gifted to teach the
word of God
20. While
these are individuals that Paul is describing (not limited to one) they are
intended to work together,
a.
Working together with individual gifts and
calling,
b.
with the common mission being to build up and
strengthen the members of the church in their faith, knowledge, doctrine,
truth, for the purpose of
to equip the saints for the work of ministry Eph4:12
The result? We will...
growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is
the head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together
perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts
grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Eph
4:15-16
In other words, in the church EVERYONE is MINISTERING TO EVERYONE!
Ministering in the
Church...
21. FACT: Every Christian is a minister. A pastor’s job
is not to do all of the ministry in a church, but according to Ephesians 4
apostles/prophets/evangelists/pastors/teachers are to….
“equip the saints (YOU!) for the work of ministry, for
building up the body of Christ” Eph. 4:12
22. Admittedly
Ministry sounds intimidating until you develop a realistic view of what
ministry is really about.
a.
Maybe you’re not gifted to preach sermons,
launch a new church, or teach a marriage retreat.
b.
But do you know anyone struggling with sin? Do
you know anyone who’s carrying a burden?
c.
If so, guess what? Your ministry is simple: You
help them.
23. But
you might say “how am I supposed to help them?”
Well, remember the ministry of the Holy Spirit:
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. - 1 Peter 4:10
24. In
other words, God has directed the Holy Spirit to give ALL OF US spiritual
abilities so that we’re able to ‘minister’ to others,
a.
Not in our own power, but by the power of the
Spirit of God that lives in us!
25. Lets
look at what the bible tells us about ministering:
Is someone you
know rejoicing or weeping?
Rejoice with
those who rejoice…weep with those who weep. - Rom 12:15
Is someone you
know hurting?
…that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God - 2 Cor
1:4
Has someone you
know blown it?
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you
who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness… - Gal 6:1
Does someone
you know have a need?
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his
brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God
abide in him? - 1 John 3:17
26. This
is some pretty straightforward stuff. No
seminary involved, no classes to take.
27. And
you know what I find interesting? The
bible doesn’t say:
a.
“If you see someone in need, call Pastor Clay…”
b.
“If you see someone who’s hurting, call Wes…”
c.
No… YOU are the church, I am the church, WE are
the church! (Not "leave it to the professionals," please stand -
"I hereby pronounce you all by the power of the Holy Spirit, "professionals,"
at ministry)
My Problems aren’t just my problems…
28. See,
our problems are not just our problems—ultimately, our problems belong to the
church body that God has placed us in
a.
If we are “one body” as Paul describes us in 1
Cor 12, then my problems affect you, your problems affect me
...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 Cor 12:21
b.
It also means that if one person is not active
in the church, that person is hurting their brothers and sisters.
29. One
paralyzed leg ("I'm just not feeling this whole walking thing) forces the
rest of the body to work twice as hard to make up for that leg’s inactivity.
a.
(this week, young lady stopped by for food, I
encouraged her “Go tell your church!). Sometimes the last people we tell- our
church!
b.
See, we are called to encourage, challenge, and
help the other Christians, and they are called to do the same for us.
“I’ve got my own problems…”
30. Some
might say “I have enough problems of my own to be able to help someone else…
a.
"My life is messy enough—why complicate
things by taking on other people’s junk?"
b.
Here’s the thing - If you wait until all of your
own problems are gone before helping someone, you’ll never help anyone!
c.
This is a trap that many Christians fall into,
not realizing that our own sanctification happens as we minister to others.
I find that when I am willing to
step out and minister to others, I grow!
31. I
find that when I’m willing to step out and be a part of someone’s life, it
helps me to rise above my own problems
a.
I find that the truth I may speak to someone
else about their problem applies to me too, and if I’m asking them to grasp
that truth and apply it, I should as well!
b.
I find that when I pray for victory for someone,
I’m suddenly reminded that I have victory too!
c.
I find that I often get more out of helping
others than they do!
32. We
can be real: Bearing one another’s
burdens is not easy, and it can get messy, but it is also not optional.
a.
We have to be willing to face this challenge
head on: A church that is full of isolated individuals feeling defeated by
their sin and stripped of their joy - is NOT God’s plan for the church.
b.
A church that is full of individuals that are
only focused on their lives, their family, their hobbies, their business - is NOT God’s plan for the church
c.
It’s Jesus intention for His church to advance
powerfully through the centuries, bringing love, joy, and freedom to all we
meet. What did He say...
“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it” Matt. 16:18
d.
Why will the gates of hell not prevail? Because the Spirit of God who raised Jesus
Christ from the dead is working IN and THROUGH us (Eph. 1:15–23; Rom. 8:11).
33. This
mission is too important to leave to “someone else.” The moment we begin to
believe that our church can be healthy and transformative to our community,
while we personally sit on the sidelines and let others “do the ministry,”
a.
…we’re essentially throwing in the towel. We are
crippling our church's ability to be a transformative agent in our city.
Our Goal…
We are to grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every
joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the
body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Eph. 4:15–16
34. The
goal of the church is to grow up in every way into the likeness of Christ. The
only way that will happen is if “each part is working properly.”
a.
My heart is that you will embrace the truth that
God designed you with a specific calling, and He has empowered you with a unique
set of spiritual abilities,
b.
and that
His CALLING for you is to use those abilities in the context of this local
church.
35. And
we need to realize that until each one of us is actively ministering to the
people around us, the people in our neighborhood, the people we work with,
a.
They will not see God! (it’s through US that people see Christ!)
Close – City on a Hill
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill
cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on
a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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. Matt. 5:14–16
b.
We live in a dark and threatening world, and
Jesus didn’t say we’re to be a bomb shelter, He’s calling us to be a
lighthouse. (KEEP THIS IMAGE UP)
c.
IOW We are not called to hide from trouble but
to guide others out of it.
36. God
has placed us, CCW, in the midst of a broader community so that we will spread
His love, His hope, and His healing into the lives of the people around us.
a.
When every member takes this calling seriously,
it makes for a healthy, life-changing church.
b.
And when the church functions as God intended,
the results are nothing short of miraculous.
c.
The church, our church, becomes a place of
healing, not only for those IN the church, but for those OUTSIDE of the church,
37. Like
a lighthouse, beckoning to the lost ships out there, "This way! Over here!
There is life here!"
Copyright © 2014 Clay Ritter.
This data file is the sole property of Clay Ritter. It may be copied only in
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Calvary Chapel of Wilmington, 2831 Carolina Beach Rd, Wilmington NC, 28412, or
via email to office@calvaryofwilmington.org.
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