The Church
Notes
Transcript
Church
Church
We have all grown up in the church and were taught to do things in specific ways or talk to specific people only. Have you ever stopped and looked at the standard as to what God says we need in order to do come together for Church.
There is a couple of things that we will be talking about When it comes to the Church and how we are called to be.
First, we are going to be talking about why it is you come to the Church in the first place. It might not be the reasons you think.
The word Church comes from the Greek word ἐκκλησία, -ας, ἡ which means to assemble.
The Church is a place where we come together and share the faith that we have in Jesus.
Now there's a lot of misconceptions that come when it comes to thinking about the church one of the misconceptions are you have to be perfect to come to church.
that is a lie throughout the entire New Testament we look at and we see that Jesus only talks to the imperfect picture he only helps the ones that were hurting
that was in pain
that was lost
But we are going to focus on the start of it why did the church start how did the church start who did the church start with tonight we're going to focus on Peter.
“But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
Peter
Peter
Now, this is probably one of the most known statements that Jesus ever made to Peter. We know that he doesn't he's going to be the rock he's going to build his church is going to have his foundations. But the question is have you ever seen a rock and I mean actually look at a rock rather than just say Oh well it's a rock every rock that you pick up there's always at least one imperfection
about it whether it grooves
whether it's cracked's
whether it's rough there's never a perfect rock. This relates so much to Peter I mean look at him he was a fisherman so that means he was uneducated he was so quick to get angry about everything and he comes up to the point after this that here where he goes and he denies Jesus three times he's everything but perfect.
We have to get this misconception out of our head that church is built for people that are perfect because until you realize you're not perfect you will never actively seek God.
Now most of us are probably thinking that's great about Peter but what does that have to do with me what about your imperfections think about him which ones do you have whether it's being depressed whether it's disobeying your parent's drugs alcohol the list goes on and on and on and if Peter is the one that built the church what makes you think you don't belong here.
But as we go through this we see that peter's life drastically changed after Christ raised from the dead and he comes into an aspect that explains why we act the way in church why we called to pay attention and listen and not act wild or be interruption.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin—in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry. They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you. They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.
Are you Equipped
Are you Equipped
Now we come to the time where we look at it and we see why it is we come to church why it is so important we pay attention whether it's worshiping whether it's the sermon whether it's someone's testimony it doesn't matter.
We are called to equip ourselves which means studying and preparing to suffer the same fate that Christ suffered weathered socially physically mentally. Pay attention to verse 2 here in order to live the remaining of our time we no longer can go after human desires but for the will of God we have to search the will of God
that is why we come to church just think about how equipped are you how many of you can I say a verse and you could point it say it right now it doesn't matter what we're in the Bible it is or lead somebody to Jesus right now it is time to start focusing on why you're here the church is not just a building.
it's not just a place where we put in work and we do songs and we just laugh and joke and have fun it is a place where we come together and we fellowship and have fun but understand we are preparing
And now we have our fun times and I'm pretty sure the disciples had times where they would laugh and joke and have great times but they also knew when it was time to work when it was time to listen to what Jesus had to say.
so it leaves the question we end with this are you equipped have you been getting equipped preparing or do you come here as a joke come here to hang out with your friends keep you warm and if you're not equipped maybe it's time to talk to God about the distractions that are stopping you from becoming equipped