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Acts 15 Means of reaching a conclusion Letter to the church in Antioch

Welcome! www.SunsetChurchofChrist.net Bibles and copies of sermons are available Please silence your cell phones Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM www.SunsetChurchofChrist.net

Hymns - Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord Ephesians 5:18b-19 Hymns Invitation Red Songbook - Supplemental

The Design of the Church Many churches choose to have themes, plans or focuses for a year. Is this a problem? Ephesians 4:11-16

God’s Eternal Purpose Design of the church: - Spiritual foreshadows through Israel (1 Cor. 10:11) - Repeatable design in a local setting (Titus 1:5) 1Co 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Tit 1:5 ¶ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

God’s Eternal Purpose Design of the church: Intent and Purpose of the Church - Equipping Saints for service (Ephesians 4) - In evangelism (and edification) - In good works - Offer a corporate worship (Acts 2:42) Ac 2:42 ¶ And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Equipping Saints for Service Means: The goal is Effective Saints The church is the means to the goal The church is entirely equipped for the goal

Missing the Purpose of the Church The church’s (main) purpose is not the church: - To grow itself - To accomplish Christian works itself When we see the church as its own purpose: - We make the church an independent body CAUTION: This is a nuanced claim; while the church is authorized to do works of benevolence, edification and evangelism, the church’s intent and purpose is to equip Christians to accomplish this task. We convert people to Christ, and they are subsequently and in the same manner added to the church

Missing the Purpose of the Church The church’s purpose is not the church: - To grow itself - To accomplish Christian works itself When we see the church as its own purpose: - We make the church an independent body 1 Corinthians 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. CAUTION: This is a nuanced claim; while the church is authorized to do works of benevolence, edification and evangelism, the church’s intent and purpose is to equip Christians to accomplish this task. We convert people to Christ, and they are subsequently and in the same manner added to the church

Aiding the Purpose of the Church How can we as individual members aid the church? - Participation? - Personal growth? - Understanding the church’s core effort Matthew 18, Acts 20, Rom 16:16, 1 Cor. 5, 2 Cor 2, Gal 6:2, Phil 4:2, 2 Thes 3, 1 Tim 6:4-5, 2 Tim 3:5, Titus 3:9-10, 2 Peter 2, 1 John 2:18, 2 John 9, Jude What are the three most common church directives?

Aiding the Purpose of the Church Most New Testament language to the church: 1. Membership discipline (15 NT books) Matthew 18, Acts 20, Rom 16:16, 1 Cor. 5, 2 Cor 2, Gal 6:2, Phil 4:2, 2 Thes 3, 1 Tim 6:4-5, 2 Tim 3:5, Titus 3:9-10, 2 Peter 2, 1 John 2:18, 2 John 9, Jude

Aiding the Purpose of the Church Most New Testament language to the church: 1. Membership discipline (15 NT books) 2. Doctrinal purity (12 NT books) Acts 2:40, Gal 1:21, Eph 4:14, Tit 2:1, 1 Tim 1;3, 6:3, 2 Tim 4:3, 1 Pet 2:2, 1 John 2:19, 2 John 9, 3 John3, Jude 17, Rev 2:14

Aiding the Purpose of the Church Most New Testament language to the church: 1. Membership discipline (15 NT books) 2. Doctrinal purity (12 NT books) 3. Familial affection (56 “one another” verses)

Purpose of the Church We need to esteem the purpose of the church - To prepare US for the works of God - Accepting discipline from others - Seeking doctrinal purity - Growing a familial bond - Offering God the worship of His Temple