Church: The Comeback
Notes
Transcript
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.
33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
37 For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
1. Confidence is the essential element to a Christian life and ministry effectiveness
1. Confidence is the essential element to a Christian life and ministry effectiveness
Confidence: to be convinced conclusively; to have an inward certainty
The people know whether you have confidence
confidence in the face of conflict
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
Confidence is not: in self or conceit
No confidence in the flesh
3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—
Confidence in God's Ability Eph 3:20
Confidence in God's Affection Rom 8:38-39
Confidence in God's Abundance Phil 4:19
Confidence in God's Assurance Phil 1:6
2. Keep the Hope we profess because He who promised is Faithful
2. Keep the Hope we profess because He who promised is Faithful
Encourage each other to provoke love from each other
Encourage each other to provoke good deeds from each other
Do what is right not what is easy
Don’t look for the easy way out, look for the God way
Don’t look for convenience, look for commitment
Don’t live by preference, live by principle
Stay in the house of worship in the midst of pandemics or trials
3. Develop the habit of attending your House of Worship
3. Develop the habit of attending your House of Worship
Everything we do starts with an idea
The idea takes form the more we think about it
The more we think about it the more we believe
When we believe we speak
When we speak we follow with action
Action develops a habit
We are a result of our habits
Habit: an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary
Some are in the habit of not attending church services
When you are in that habit you will develop excuses and reasons to defend the habit
“We are the church”
“The building is not the church”
Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hades will not overpower it”
Jesus is coming back for a radiant church without blemish or wrinkle
26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
“When” not “if” we come together
In spite of trouble we are called to develop the habit of meeting together
4. Reignite the zeal for the Lord and for attending worship services
4. Reignite the zeal for the Lord and for attending worship services
Those who love the Lord will want to be with others of like mind
We must worship together for our own good
25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other.
26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
How can we know that you are okay unless you attend church
We need every part to be in the church
We are healthy when every part is present and active
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.
You make up the Body of Christ
God appointed the leadership of the Church
You can’t be the Church but you can be a member of the Church
You are the temple of the Holy Spirit but you are not the Holy Spirit
You are part of the Body of Christ but you are not the Body of Christ
You are a member of the Church but you alone are not the Church
Comeback to church
Get out of the covid cave and come back to your house of worship
5. A life of perseverance gets the promise
5. A life of perseverance gets the promise
Perseverance: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition;
Being steadfast is being stubborn for the right reasons
We can’t proclaim one thing and live another
We must continue to believe in the God of our Salvation
Will you trust a vaccine more than the God who heals you
If He tells you to get the vaccine then listen to the Lord
If you are using your own understanding then don’t do it
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
Don’t let the media tell you what you should believe
Go to the Word and Believe His Word
Don’t go into hiding
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Stand for Him
Time to Comeback to Church
Time to Get Back to our regular worship with other believers
Man can’t tell you how to worship
God called us to come together to worship
God commanded a blessing in our unity
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
You can’t get the blessing when you are not in His houses of worship
Comeback — Reset — Church Life