“The church is an eternal organism in the earth, doing the will of God and accomplishing the purpose of God.” If We Are the Body…

the Word1 John 5:7 – “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Hebrews 10:5-7 – “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared Me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do Thy will, O God.”

John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:14 – “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 – “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

the church Which is His body Ephesians 1:22-23 – “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.”

Ephesians 4:13 – “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” Colossians 1:18 – “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

qualities priorities 7 qualities of Christ AS THE 7 priorities of His Church

But if we are the body Why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body Why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way We MUST embody the WORD of God We MUST embody the IMAGE of God We MUST embody the POWER of God We MUST embody the LIFE of God We MUST embody the GLORY of God

The word… Expository preaching

The IMAGE … BIBLICALDiscipleship

The power… Global missions

The LIFE… Exponential reproduction

The GLORY … SPIRITED Worship

But if we are the body Why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body Why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way We MUST embody the WORD of God We MUST embody the IMAGE of God We MUST embody the POWER of God We MUST embody the LIFE of God We MUST embody the GLORY of God LOVE We MUST embody the LOVE of God

The LOVe… Sacrificial LOve

1 John 5:13These things have I written unto you1 John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

1 John 4:7-8 – “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 3:16- “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 4:9- “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Genesis 22:2 – “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” He gave His only begotten SonJohn 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 1 John 4:10 – “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

and will declare itJohn 17:25-26 – “ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” 1 John 4:17 – “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.”

We MUST love GOD.We MUST love GOD. We MUST love PEOPLEWe MUST love PEOPLE.

Mark 12:28-31 – “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD?

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? ObedienceObedience (Am I obedient to the Word of God & do I want to be?)

1 John 5:3- “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” John 14:15– “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:21 – “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” John 14:23-24 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me.”

Ezekiel 36:26 – “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

1 John 3:8-10 – “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience FaithFaith (Do I believe God and do I take Him at His word?)

1 Peter 1:8 – “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” them that love HimJames 2:5 – “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?”

Galatians 5:6 – “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” 1st Thessalonians 5:8 – “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith SeparationSeparation (Do I not love the world ?)

James 4:4 - Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15-16 – “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,(the desire to do) and the lust of the eyes, (the desire to have) and the pride of life (the desire to be), is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Proverbs 13:10(a) – “Only by pride cometh contention:..”.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

2 Timothy 2:26 – “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” in times pastEphesians 2:1-3 – “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation TestimonyTestimony (Do people know that I love God ?)

1 Corinthians 8:3 – “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation Testimony ResistanceResistance ( Do I resist temptation ?)

James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.”

What does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation Testimony Resistance RejoicingRejoicing (Do I rejoice at what rejoices the heart of God ?)

John 14:28 – “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I.” 2 Timothy 4:8 – “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”

What does it mean toWhat does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation Testimony Resistance rejoicing missionmission (Am I involved in feeding the world the word of God ?)

John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I T. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto Him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

What does it mean toWhat does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation Testimony Resistance Rejoicing Mission conformingconforming (Does my life give evidence of God’s working all things together for the good of conforming me into the image of God?)

Romans 8:28-29 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

What does it mean toWhat does it mean to LOVE GOD? Obedience Faith Separation Testimony Resistance Rejoicing Mission conforming

We MUST love GOD.We MUST love GOD. We MUST love PEOPLEWe MUST love PEOPLE.

Mark 12:28-31 – “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Romans 5:1-5 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

ye have love one to anotherJohn 13:34-35 – “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 17:20-21 – “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”

What does it mean toWhat does it mean toLOVE PEOPLE?

What does it mean to LOVE PEOPLE? sacrificesacrifice (Am I willing to lay down my life for the sake of my brothers and sisters in Christ?)

1 John 3:14 – “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” because1 John 3:16 – “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

What does it mean to LOVE PEOPLE? SacrificeSacrifice compassioncompassion (Does the compassion in my heart reach my hip &/or feet ?)

let us not love1 John 3:17-18 – “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

What does it mean to LOVE PEOPLE? SacrificeSacrifice CompassionCompassion God- likenessGod- likeness (Have I become like God in that I love those who have made themselves my enemies ?)

if He loved us while we were yet sinners1 John 4:7-11 – “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth (truly) is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son (there it is again- remember Genesis 22?) into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so (if He loved us while we were yet sinners) loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Romans 5:8-10 – “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Matthew 5:46-47 – “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?”

What does it mean to LOVE PEOPLE? SacrificeSacrifice CompassionCompassion God- likenessGod- likeness forgivenessforgiveness (Is there anyone that I rationalize hating because of what they did to, or said about me?)

he is a liar1 John 4:20-21 – “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people:

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of SelfThe Love of Self

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of SelfThe Love of Self For men shall be lovers of their own selves lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Timothy 3:1-4 – “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God ”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of praise

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of praise For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God John 12:42-43 – “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of pre-eminence

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of pre-eminence who loveth to have the preeminence among them III John 1:9 – “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of money

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of money 1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of pleasure

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of pleasure For men shall be lovers of their own selves lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Timothy 3:1-4 – “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God ”

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of this world

6 things KEEP US FROM 6 things we can love that will KEEP US FROM loving God and people: The Love of this world having loved this present world 2 Timothy 4:10 – “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”

1 John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

LOVINGLOVINGGOD ObedienceObedience FaithFaith SeparationSeparation TestimonyTestimony ResistanceResistance RejoicingRejoicing MissionMission conformingconforming LOVINGLOVINGPEOPLE SacrificeSacrifice CompassionCompassion God-likenessGod-likeness forgivenessforgiveness

But if we are the body Why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body Why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way We MUST embody the WORD of God We MUST embody the IMAGE of God We MUST embody the POWER of God We MUST embody the LIFE of God We MUST embody the GLORY of God LOVE We MUST embody the LOVE of God