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Acts 17

Athens

Athens: Market

Athens: Market

Athens: Mars Hill

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

Psalm 119:54 Thy statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage. Hymns Invitation Red Songbook - Supplemental

Purpose of the Church - Offer pleasing worship - Equipping saints for service - Offer pleasing worship - Organizing according to the pattern - Membership discipline - Doctrinal purity - Familial affection One another passages -

Ephesians: All the Answers how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Ephesians 3:3-4 Ephesians is a book with all the answers, as Paul suggests in chapter 3

Why Are We Here? He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6 Ephesians is a book with all the answers, as Paul suggests in chapter 3

What Did We Do? In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 Ephesians is a book with all the answers, as Paul suggests in chapter 3

How Was the Church Established? And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23 Ephesians is a book with all the answers, as Paul suggests in chapter 3

Who Are We To Him? adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself Ephesians 1:5 We are His workmanship Ephesians 2:10a Ephesians is a book with all the answers, as Paul suggests in chapter 3

What Does It All Mean? Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 The purpose of the church: to be the household of God, the dwelling place of God

What Does It All Mean? Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 The purpose of the church: to be the household of God, the dwelling place of God

The Purpose of Being the Family of God Ephesians 4:11-16 The work of organization The purposes of service (evangelism, benevolence) Leaving immaturity (through discipline) Doctrinal purity GOAL causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love

The Purpose of Being the Family of God Paul’s point: be “members of one another” (vs. 25) vs. 25 – speak truth to one another vs. 26 – do not be angry with one another vs. 28 – give to one another vs. 32 – be kind to one another vs. 33 – forgiving one another

All of this was to create a FAMILY of believers Jesus Built a Church GOAL All of this was to create a FAMILY of believers Uniting all men and authority (Ephesians 1:22) Revealing God’s manifold wisdom (Ephesians 2:10) An eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:11) Purchased with His blood (Ephesians 2:13) Ephesians 3:14-15 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, Eph 1:22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, Eph 3:10 in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.] Eph 3:11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

THEREFORE: Esteeming one another is the most divine and godly mindset you can hope to achieve Our family relationship is as close to being like GOD as we can accomplish in this life Churches that fail

If you DON’T love the family of God, Heaven may not be relevant to you THEREFORE: If you DON’T love the family of God, Heaven may not be relevant to you 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Churches that fail

The Adoption of God Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." Heb 12:1 ¶ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The Adoption of God Hear the word and believe – Romans 10:17 Confess Jesus as Lord – Matthew 10:32 Repent of your sins – Acts 2:38 Be baptized – 1 Peter 3:21 Remain faithful until the end – Hebrews 12:1 Heb 12:1 ¶ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,