2019 Theme Lights in a Dark World Philippians 2:15

Seeking First God’s Kingdom (4) The Church (1) We Need Each Other

The Church In God’s Pattern What is the church? Universal – the body of all who are saved (spiritual relationship) Local – a group of Christians in a given location who join together to do the work He has given us to do collectively

The Church In God’s Pattern Following God’s word, together we engage in: Worship Evangelism Edification Limited benevolence

The Church In God’s Pattern The importance of the church Ephesians 3:10-11 – eternal purpose Matthew 16:18 – belongs to Christ, Acts 20:28 Acts 2:47 – saved added to it 1 Timothy 3:15 – the pillar and ground of truth

The Church In God’s Pattern The importance of the church The New Testament is our pattern Within its pages, we learn of her organization, work, worship, name, terms of admission and doctrine

The Church In God’s Pattern The church and the world – What does the world see? The universal in our salvation The local in our conduct We are designed to stand out and project the light of Christ to a lost world. We ought to be concerned about our individual conduct, but we should also be concerned about the church collective.

The Church In God’s Pattern The importance of the church The church and the world – The world sees who we are 1 Thessalonians 1:6-9 Revelation 3:8 – the church with an open door We cannot let what others think keep us from doing the right thing. Are we reflecting God’s word?

How important is the church to me? God wants me to be part of His church! Both the body of the saved, and a local church Most letters written to churches Examples of brethren joining churches - Acts 9:26, 11:26, 13:1

What can the church do for me? NOT in a selfish way Catering to my desires Understanding her, should compel me to ask what I can do for her Yet, we need to understand the local church serves a purpose as part of our lives

What can the church do for me? It can ground me in the faith One work of the church is teaching Ephesians 4:11-16 1 Timothy 4:6 2 Timothy 4:2-3 This is why we emphasize teaching so much

What can the church do for me? It can give me a spiritual family to turn to with my struggles The world can produce struggles and disappointments in many ways Our brethren are there for us Philippians 2:20 Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:10, 15 Hebrews 12:12-13 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

What can the church do for me? It can be a place of refuge from the carnal ways of the world We desperately need refuge from filthy entertainment, worldliness, ungodly worldviews, etc. Acts 4:23-24, 31 Acts 12:5, 12-17 This is why we have a mid-week assembly! Hebrews 10:24-25, 3:12-13

What can the church do for me? It can help bring me closer to God Draw near to Him James 4:8, Hebrews 10:22 By worshipping in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) Hebrews 13:15-16

What can the church do for me? It can hold me accountable Am I headed in the right direction? What if I’m not? What if I’m struggling DON’T avoid brethren. We need to be held accountable Galatians 6:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 This is NOT a bad thing!

What can the church do for me? Such things will only be helpful if I am truly seeking first the kingdom of God The church IS the kingdom! (cf. Matthew 16:18-19)

How important is the church to me?