John Lloyd - Church: God's plan to reach the world
/Strengthen Your Core Series
Church: God’s plan to reach the world
November 10, 2019
Pastor John Lloyd
Our physical bodies are made up of several core muscles. If kept in shape through exercise, they will function properly. God’s goal for followers is to make us more like Jesus. This happens when we think like Jesus, CORE beliefs, act like Jesus, CORE practices and be like Jesus, CORE virtues. We need to exercise our CORE in order to glorify God. The journey of becoming like Jesus begins by thinking like Jesus. When we start thinking like Jesus, we are well on our way to becoming like Jesus. Today, we will consider the core belief of church. We will focus on answering the following question:
Key Question: How does God accomplish his purposes today?
Ephesians 4: 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherd and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Memory Verses: Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Key Idea: I believe the church is God’s primary way to accomplish His purposes on earth.
The church is the primary but not exclusive means to be used in accomplishing God’s purposes on into eternity. Randy Frazee
The church is the community of all true believers for all time. Wayne Grudem
I. Focus on how God views the ______________.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 Because we are members of his body. “31 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
Church as a vine- John 15:5
Church as an olive tree- Romans 11:17-24
Church as a field of crops- I Corinthians 3:6-9
Church as a building- I Corinthians 3:9
Church as a new temple/spiritual house- I Peter 2:5
Jesus as the cornerstone of the church- I Peter 2:7
Church as the body of Christ- I Corinthians 12:12-27
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus is building His Church. The Church is very special to God.
II. Consider how God thinks about ________.
Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
God cares about you! His love is unconditional and powerful.
Jesus is building His church with imperfect people.
III. God will accomplish His purposes through His __________:The church.
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[ I will build my church, and the gates of hell[shall not prevail against it.
Ephesians 4: 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherd and teachers,
A. Worship
Matthew 22:37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God
be glorified in the Son. (Ephesians 5:16-19)
B. Nurture
Ephesians 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (Colossians 1:28)
C. Evangelism and Mercy
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Acts 1:8, Acts 8:1)
Acts 11:29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 2 Cor. 8:4, James 1:27
Jesus is building His Church!
IV. We are made to be ____________________________ not independent.
Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eccl.4:9-10)
In the body of Christ, you will grow faster in your walk with God.
Acts 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 17:6
In the Body of Christ, you will become part of movement that is larger than yourself.
God used both Israel and the church to accomplish his grand plan to redeem and restore us to a right relationship with him. God’s plan for Israel was to bring us Jesus, who would provide the only way back to God. It took a little more than 2000 years for this divine plan to be fulfilled. After Jesus resurrection and ascension back to the Father, God created the church. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church has existed for approximately 2000 years. God’s primary plan for the church is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all nations until Jesus comes again. Today there are an estimated 2.2 billion Christians in the world. If you have received and accepted the grace of Christ, then you are a member of the body of Christ. And remember you are an integral part of his plan—God wants you to be fully vested in his church to accomplish his great and wonderful purposes. Randy Frazee
Jesus is building His church!
Spiritual Growth Questions for November 10, 2019
(Take one question each day and grow deeper in Bible study)
Based on your understanding of the church, use a scale of 1-6 to rate how strongly you believe the statements below (1=no belief at all, 6= complete confidence).
____ I believe God gives spiritual gifts to every Christian for service to the
church and the community.
____ I believe the community of true believers is Christ’s body one earth.
____ I believe the purpose of the church is to share the gospel and nurture
Christians in maturity in Christ.
Key Idea: I believe the church is God’s primary way to accomplish His purposes on earth.
1. Read Ephesians 4:11-16 two times. Observe as many things you can from this text as to how God builds his church. What are the blessings that come from being a part of His Body?
2. Read Matthew 16:13-18 two times. How does Jesus say He will build His church? Combined with Ephesians 4:11-16: How does Paul say God will build his church?
3. Read Acts 11:19-26 and Acts 13:46-47 two times. Make a list of observations as to what Paul and Barnabas were doing to grow the church at Antioch. What stands out to you?
4. Read Ephesians 5:25-32 two times. What did you learn about how God views the church? How should this impact our view of the church and how we speak about the church?
5. Read John 14:11-13, Revelation 5:9-10. What might the greater work be that Jesus mentions in John 14? How is it played out in Revelation 5? How does being a part of a church become a work of God that is greater than we are?
6. How would you counsel someone who feels they do not need a church or has been hurt by a church?
7. What if anything, hinders you from fully offering your time and abilities to the mission of the church?
8. What is something you can do this week to demonstrate your belief in the church as God’s primary way to accomplish his purposes on earth?
Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.