1. Welcome to the assembly of the 160th Ave. Church of Christ!
We gather Sunday at 9 AM (class), 10 AM, 5 PM, & Wednesday at 7 PM
Check the bulletin for various announcements

2. Pray for Ben Calderon (Conway, Arkansas)
Sept. 17, 2017

3. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us… (Psalms 115:11-12 NKJV)

4. The Local Church: The Commitment of
Christ & Christians

5. Christ, Christians, Commitment
The Local Church:
Christ, Christians, Commitment
I. Cannot EXIST without— A. Christ Rom. 16:16 B. Committed Christians Mt. 22:37; Acts 9:26-28; Eph. 4:16
I. Cannot exist without
A. Christ
1. Many people today think “I love God, am a Christian but don’t need any church.”
2. No one is saved without Christ Mt. 26:28; Acts 2:36-38—they are the church (one body)
3. Rom. 16:16 Christ is not only the head of the one body but is also head of each of the churches of Christ.
a. These churches exist because of Jesus--His deeds and words spread by the apostles and prophets.
b. Where did He call His churches “Catholic,” “Mormon,” or “Protestant”? Did these groups begin because of Jesus’ teachings or man’s teachings?
3. The simple fact that He planned and provided for His churches to exist shows how important they are.
-- He designed them to exist whenever---
B. Christians committed
1. First, committed to Christ Mt. 22:37
2. We are generally committed to love all Christians (1 Pet. 2:17)
3. But there is another commitment: Acts 9: to each other
a. Paul was not just trying to visit their assembly—he came to Jerusalem hoping to stay and teach (22:17-20)
b. Was he part of that church b/c he wanted to be? Not until they shared that desire and expressed it.
c. He was with them...—they are sharing the work being done = Eph. 4:16
d. Without this mutual commitment between Christians, a church cannot exist.
4. How does anyone know who is among us, ourselves? When is someone a member?
a. The church wants it, without that one’s knowledge and agreement?
b. The individual wants it, without the church’s knowledge and agreement?
c. The individual attends an assembly for two months or the church asks them to lead a prayer or....?
d. As Acts 9—when someone who is committed to Christ expresses desires to commit to us and we have same desire
- A church of Christ exists only when Christ and Christians are committed to working together.

6. Christ, Christians, Commitment
The Local Church:
Christ, Christians, Commitment
II. Cannot GROW without— (Acts 16:5) A. Christ Eph. 4:11-12; Col. 1:28-2:23 B. Committed Christians Eph. 4:11-12, 16; Rom. 12:10-12
II. Cannot grow without
- Acts 16:5 Growth may be in number or strength---which is most important? may grow in # without Christ
A. Christ
1. Eph. 4: Jesus is committed to the growth of His churches, so He formed a plan for growth
a. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers sharing the word w/ lost, saved
b. Every saint be strengthened and equipped to serve
c. The churches are the most effective way for a-p-e-p-t to strengthen and equip saints
2. Col. 2:5-7 steadfast faith in…, receive…, rooted/built up in…--Jesus is the source of this growth.
3. Col. 1:28 preaches Christ by warning and teaching
2:7,8 the faith v philosophy, empty deceit (humanism)
2:11 circumcision in Him v circumcision made w/o hands (Judaism)
2:18-19a hold fast to Head v things which he has not seen (Islam, Mormon, visions, etc)
2:20 die with Christ v principles of world: doctrine and comm of men (Cath, Protestant)
4. Growing w/ Christ is tough but growing without Christ, but Christ alone does not cause a church to grow-
B. Christians committed…
1. To Christ, growing His way Acts 16:5, how did Christ cause the church to grow? v4 decrees (teaching).
a. Much of this decree taught them to avoid certain things (15:23-29)—that strengthened them! (see 1.)
b. How do you react to teaching that identifies what we must avoid?
c. Lubbock Christian Univ (like Pepperdine, Harding) hosted a lectureship with topics such as “Grace: Don’t Tell Me What It Isn’t” (Rubel Shelly)—not even a church of Christ will grow with that approach.
2. We grow when every part does its share Eph. 4:11-12, 16
a. Rom. 12:10-12
i. how many of these did you do last week? plan to do this week?
ii. a church-sponsored youth minister, cafeteria, or family life center will not make us grow closer to Christ and each other—thoughts, prayers, and schedules are full of verses will!
iii. Your sp growth or decline, laxness or zeal, enthusiasm or boredom contributes to the condition of this church.
b. Elders do not guarantee growth—commitment of elders and the church to each other and Christ does!

7. Christ, Christians, Commitment
The Local Church:
Christ, Christians, Commitment
III. Cannot SURVIVE without— A. Christ Rev. 2-3 B. Committed Christians Mt. 12:25; Lk. 12:51-52
III. Cannot survive without
A. Christ
1. That is the message of Rev He pays attn to each church, He does not consider “one church as good as another,” and any that persist in sin do not survive.
2. We are in the middle of a series, hearing what He through the Spirit through John says to the churches (2:7).
3. One thing you cannot miss from those two chapters is that the churches are dependent on Christ for their life, no matter how large or small, rich or poor they are---without faith, it is impossible to please Him, which includes---
B. Christians who are committed to
1. Christ
2. Each other
a. Mt.12:25 needless division kills local churches (convenience/preference/opinion). Answer? Eph. 4:1-3
b. Lk. 12: yet if our commitment to each other becomes stronger than our comm to Christ, we die
i. All divisions cannot be disregarded as needless.
ii. If division is necessary, the few faithful who must hold each other up. Can you do that if friends, family are the cause of division?
C. Is this a guarantee a church will always exist, if faithful?
1. The only “unknown” essential for the survival of the churches is hearts receptive to the gospel.
2. A church may cease to exist if people die or move and serve the Lord in other places, often as communities shrink.
3. If this church dies, let it be b/c none accepted the message preached, not b/c we were not sharing it!

8. The Local Church: The Commitment of
Christ & Christians

9. “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”
Hear The Gospel (Rom. 10:17)
Believe In Christ (Jn. 8:24)
Repent Of Sins (Acts 2:38)
Confess Christ (Rom. 10:10)
Be Baptized (I Pet. 3:21)
For The Erring Child:
Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9),
Pray (Acts 8:22)