And the Spriti and the Bride say, "Come". And let him that hears say, "Come". And let him that is thirsty "Come". And whoever will , let him take the water of life freely!

Rev. 22:17
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  ~  THE CHURCH ~  

CHURCH=THOSE SET APART 

THE CHURCH IS : THE FRUIT OF THE GOSPEL

 

ACTS 2:43-47 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 

THE BIBLE USES SEVERAL TERMS WHEN REFERRING TO THE CHURCH:

 

  • THE BODY OF CHRIST

 

ROMANS 12:5-10 we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

 

1 CORINTHIANS 12:27-31 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

 

Love Is Indispensable

 

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.       

 

EPHISIANS 4:12-16

 

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

  • THE BRIDE/BELOVED

 

REVELATION 21:9 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”   

 

REVELATION 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and be glad  and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

 

  • PEOPLE OF GOD

 

1 PETER 2:10 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

 

 

 

  • FAMILY OF GOD

 

EPHESIANS 2:19 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

 

  1. WHO STARTED THE CHURCH?

1 PETER 2:4-6 4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

 

 

 

JESUS IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

 

EPHESIANS 5:23 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

 

COLOSSIANS 1:18 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

 

 

 

JESUS IS LORD OF THE CHURCH

 

ACTS 20:28 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

 

ACTS 4:11-12 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the Cornerstone.”  12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

 

 2. WHO FORMS PART OF THE CHURCH?

 

  THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS AND ACCEPT HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR

 

JOHN 1:12 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God;

 

ACTS 2:47 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.         

 

THOSE WHO CONFESS THEIR SINS TO JESUS

 

1JOHN 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 

 3. THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

 

TO MATURE SPIRITUALLY, WE NEED TO STOP BEING INDESECIVE INFANTS   

 

 EPHESIANS 4:14  14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

 

TO PERFECT THE SAINTS FOR THE MINISTRY

 

EPHISIANS 4:14-16 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

  1. WHAT IS THE GREAT PROMISE TO THE CHURCH?

 

     THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HER

 

MATTHEW 16:18 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

 

(GATES= PRINCIPALITIES AND RULERS OF THE DARKNESS)

 

     SATAN’S LAST WEAPON IS DEATH

 

     HEBREWS 2:14-15 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

 

 5. WHY DO WE GATHER AS A CHURCH?

 

BECAUSE THE GATHERING OF THE COLLECTIVE BODY TO WORSHIP IS VITAL FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.

 

HEBREWS 10:25 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

CONCLUSSION: NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHO FOUNDED THE CHURCH AND PAID FOR HER WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. THAT THOSE WHO CONFESS THEIR SINS, BELONG TO HIS CHURCH. DON’T YOU THINK IT’S TIME TO ASK YOURSELF, IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, OR ONLY AN EXPECTATOR?