Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #10

Here is the tenth and final consideration that I will give as to why we should love the church.  To recap, we have seen that...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God

6.  Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification

7.  Loving the church brings about a genuine caring and sharing in the body of Christ 

8.  Loving the church creates and environment for church growth 

9.  Loving the church creates a godly excitement in the fellowship

 

And now, number ten...

10. Loving the church keeps the focus on Jesus! 

As Colossians 1:18 clearly states, Jesus is to come to have first place in everything.  And being the Head and Lord of the Church means that the focus of the church is to be upon Jesus; upon knowing Him as well as serving Him.

Churches that get caught up in divisions and struggles can trace the origin of such things to one thing...selfishness.  As with a marriage where the husband and wife are to look to serve one another rather than simply their own needs and wants, so too, in the church, believers are to put the Lord and His desires first.  How many heartaches would be avoided if we would put the attention on the Lord's will.  Then things like personal preferences, self-seeking agendas, even our prideful egos would be forgotten.

As a church learns to love biblically, then the focus will be on Jesus.  As Paul said in Philippians 2:3-4...

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Why are we to have this outlook?  How is this keeping the focus on the Lord?  Because of what Paul wrote next in verse 5...

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

This was the attitude of Christ!  This was the focus of Christ!  This was and is the will of Christ!  Without a doubt, the church is to be a place that this characterized by grace and truth; a place where people are accepted as they are, but also told like it is!  The love we are to have for the Church is not some sappy human sentiment; nor is it some fluctuating emotionalism.  Love is rooted and grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Let me remind you once again of my working definition of love....

Love is a one-way, unconditional act of the will that seeks the highest good of another, regardless of the cost and all for the glory of God.

Love for the Church is a decision you must made.  This love will involve sacrifice (love without sacrifice is no love at all).  This love for the Church is only possible by the grace of God and must be steeped in the truth of God.  Love for the Church is nothing short of love for Jesus.  You CANNOT love Jesus and not love His Church!

May our prayer be that of Paul's for the Church at Thessalonica and recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10...

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more...

May it be our ambition to excel still more in the love of Christ so that we might, as the Church, be everything God intends for us to be to His glory!

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #9

Just two more considerations as to why we should love the church.  Here is what we have covered so far...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God

6.  Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification

7.  Loving the church brings about a genuine caring and sharing in the body of Christ 

8.  Loving the church creates and environment for church growth

 

And now, number nine...

9. Loving the church creates a godly excitement! 

One of the the things that has been such a blessing to hear as a Pastor is when people "long" to come to church.  Of course, the opposite is just as discouraging, that people hate to come to church.  And what would cause someone not to want to come to church?  Well, for one thing, if the church is lifeless and cold; appearing as though every one is simply going through some kind of religious motion.

But when and where the people genuinely love one another; when the goal of church is to encourage, edify and stimulate one another on to love and good deeds; when we come wanting to worship our great God in the presence of other believers, then people will want to be there.  Such a love creates a godly excitement about what God has done, what God is doing and what God promises to do!  Oh that our hearts would echo that of David who wrote in Psalm 122:1...

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

I pray that there will be an ever-increasing gladness that fills our hearts as we anticipate attending church!

What most encourages you to want to attend church?

What most discourages you?

What can you do to encourage others both to attend services and while they are at church?

Where you are discouraged, what should you do about it?

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #8

Everyday the list grows longer as to the reasons why we should love the church.  In case this is your first day reading this, here is what we have covered in previous posts:

We have made it to the seventh reason why we should love the church.  Thus far we have briefly considered that...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God

6.  Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification

7.  Loving the church brings about a genuine caring and sharing in the body of Christ

 

Here is number eight for your consideration...

 

8. It creates and environment for church growth 

It should be the heart's desire of the believer to see the church grow both in knowledge as well as in numbers.  Our church's vision verse is 2 Peter 3:18 which is a call to spiritual growth saying,

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Believers who are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ will be on the front lines of making disciples, followers of Christ, wherever they go (Matthew 28:19-20).  But why would people want to know Christ and belong to the Church?  Never forget that people desire to be in a place where they are loved.  People have a longing to know that come what may, there is someone who will listen to them, care for them and communicate to them the truth of the Word of God.  Where biblical love is being practiced, there is a noticeable difference in the atmosphere of the church.  While sin is confronted, love is the motivation; love to God and love for others.  Rather than judgmentalism, such love results in a hunger and thirsting for righteousness.  This is because love that is rooted and grounded in the Gospel results in producing the beautiful aroma of Christ.  We read in Ephesians 5:2...

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 

 As unbelievers walk into a fellowship where such love and such fragrances are being produced, there will be a wonder, and prayerfully, an awakening of their spirit by the Spirit of God to long to belong to such a group.

I attended a church a long time back whose tag line was, "A place to belong...a place to become."  Pithy and perhaps a bit vague yet that is the Church, a place to belong by glorious adoption and justification as provided by God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:15, 30); and a place to become like our Elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).  Such a place creates the fertile ground where growth in the church can occur.

 

 

 

 

 

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #7

We have made it to the seventh reason why we should love the church.  Thus far we have briefly considered that...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God

6.  Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification

 

And now, number seven...

 

7. Loving the church brings about a genuine caring and sharing in the Body of Christ.

To genuinely love someone is to care for and serve that one.  When true Christian love is developed in the church, the Body of Christ will, by default, care for and share in serving one another.  Read the testimony of Paul regarding the church at Thessalonica...

Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

So desirous of ministering to the Thessalonians, Paul sent his beloved co-worker Timothy to the benefit of the church.  Oh that we would so love one other that we would sacrifice whatever is necessary to "strengthen and encourage" the church.  A bit later Paul wrote these words to the church...

For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account...(1 Thessalonians 3:9).

As the Body ministers one to another, as we care for one another and share in each others' lives, then there is great cause for rejoicing and motivation to express gratitude to God.  

How might you express a genuine attitude of caring for someone with whom you fellowship today?  What might you share in or with someone with whom you fellowship today?

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #6

Good morning and I pray what is the start of a great week!  In continuing this little series on why we should love the church, I find it appropriate to make this sixth entry on a Monday.  For we might be prone to think of the church little, seeing that we were just together yesterday.  But let us keep the church on our hearts and minds even today.  

Thus far we have see five of ten reasons why we ought to love the church:

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God.

 

And now for number six...

 

6. Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification!

To read the letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians is to see that Thessalonica was one of Paul most dearly loved churches.  Not only did Paul express His love toward the people, but clearly the people demonstrated love one for another.  And, as  a result of this love, Paul expressed words of encouragement and commendation.  We read in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 these words...

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; ⁴ therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

The point is this, that as Christians rightly love one another, it will generate a desire to see one another built up (edified) in the faith. Is this your experience?  Is this your desire?  Who might you encourage today in the things of the Lord, thus demonstrating your love for that person as well as for the church?

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #5

Sunday morning - and as I have been posting all week about why we should love the church, this is one of the best days to do so. 

It was suggested to me that as I progress along, that I also post the previous days' reasons for your remembrance; so here goes.  Thus far, the reasons why we should love the church are...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church creates UNITY in the body of Christ

And now (drum roll please), here is reason number five as to why we should love the church:

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God.

When love and unity are present in the Body of Christ, it allows our corporate worship environment more powerful and substantial.  It creates a fervency in our worship.  In the following four verses from Psalm 95, notice the repeated use of the word us! I have underlined them for you:

¹ O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,

Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

² Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

⁶ Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

⁷ For He is our God,

And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand...

The “us” in these verses are the people of God coming together to truly praise and worship the Lord.  Oh, may our worship of our Lord Jesus Christ not be about "us" - but may it be through "us"!

Ten Reasons Why We Should Love the Church - #1

In our church circles, no one questions the the importance of having a high view of God; nor does anyone question the need to have a high view of Scripture.  But what about having a high view of the church?  Is that equally important?  The Scriptures reveal it so.  For it stands to reason that if one has a high view of the Scriptures, and of God, and thus of Jesus Christ, that the natural result is a high view for the church.  Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).  Over the next few days, I would like you to consider with me ten reasons why you ought to love the church.  

This morning I start with the "greatest" reason why we ought to love our church.  Of the other nine, we might discuss their right position in the list of ten, but this first one is indeed to be first.

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God!

We read in 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  God loves His church, as is made clear from passages like Acts 20:28, "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." 

If God so loved the church that He sent His Beloved Son to die for her, to cleanse her of her sin and to present her holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:27); then when we love the things that He loves, in this case "the church," it brings honor and glory to Him.

Questions:

1.  Have you been glorifying God by loving the church?  Specifically, how have you been loving the church?  

2.  Would others see your actions and involvement in your church as expressions of love and demonstrations of your desire to glorify God?   

3.  What are some things you could  do prayerfully to glorify God by loving the church?

May I Be Relentless?

"...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Be edgy; be radical; be revolutionary; be cutting edge....

Ummm....strike that; enough with the agitating, anarchist language.  While I like the word "relentless", I would simply pray this,  

"Lord, make me a man after Your own heart; an ambassador for Christ, a witness of the glories of Jesus."  

If people think I am radical, so be it.  If people call me revolutionary, so be it.  If I be deemed as edgy, oh well.  But that is not what I want to be.  That is not my goal.  Rather, I want to be a true, biblical Christian.  Yes, that should be my "normal" - a true and biblical Christian; telling others of the wonders of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Oh yes, grant me just one extra word please?!  May I be a true, biblical and relentless Christian to the glory of God!

Dan Walker: Standing Up For The Lord’s Day

Dan Walker is a sports broadcaster for the BBC. In this article from DayOne, Dan explains how God has made it possible for him to work as a sports journalist without having to compromise on keeping the Lord’s Day and the opportunities this has given him to explain the importance of Sunday to his colleagues, potential employers, and sports stars like David Beckham.

Many people—even Christians—have asked me why I feel so strongly about the Lord’s Day. For me it seems quite obvious. God, our creator, has given it to us for our own good. Some will argue that Jesus Christ’s coming means we are no longer obligated to keep it special but that is a viewpoint I fundamentally disagree with.

There are still ten commandments and it is more important than ever before to guard the fourth one jealously. I think it is also essential to stress the importance of being part of a ‘local’ church. The church, the corporate worship of God, and the preaching of the Word are three of the main things Satan aims to undermine in the lives of Christians. I know that I would suffer both spiritually and practically if I started working on Sunday. I don’t think our attitude to the Lord’s day is a ‘salvation’ issue but I do firmly believe that it is a sign of our spiritual temperature. What does it say about us if we would rather be on a football pitch than in the presence of God’s people hearing his Word?

Read it all here: http://www.lordsday.co.uk/Dan%20Walker.htm

The Most Broken Vow of All

I came across this challenging article and would ask you to read it.  It is by Carl Trueman and was published at Reformation21:

What is the most broken vow in the church?   The wedding vow?  Divorce rates among Christians are high, but rates of breach of this vow are probably higher still.   Ministerial vows to preach the gospel?  Conservatives in mainline denominations might point to those who are ministers and who deny key tenets of the faith from their pulpits week by week, though, ironically, such may not be in breach of vow if said vows do not explicitly bind them to uphold said tenets.   That’s the dilemma faced by many in mixed churches today.  Baptism vows, to raise children in the fear and nurture of the Lord?   Doubtless there is much delinquency here.  Perhaps it is this one.

No.  The most broken vow is almost certainly that by which church members submit to the authority and teaching of the elders in the church.   It is as solemn and serious as any other vow one might take — marriage, baptism, an oath in court — and yet what does it mean?  How many truly think about the implications?  How many truly act as if the vow really meant something?  The vows are voluntary, but once taken, they are serious and require focused commitment and a particular pattern of behavior.  Yet members feel free to speak as they wish to, and about, church leaders; they move from church to church as, so some say, the Spirit leads them; and they trample their vow to submit again and again.  When political parties enjoy more loyalty from their members, you have a serious problem; and don’t gun for sports stars caught cheating on their wives when your own view of vows is at best selective in how they are honored.

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