TAKE ME TO CHURCH … RIVERSTONE 10

I COR 12:12-14

 

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

 

   ROMANS 16:3-5, “ ALSO GREET THE CHURCH THAT IS IN THEIR HOUSE”

 

   I COR. 1:2, “UNTO THE CHURCH IN THE CITY”

 

   ACTS 9:31, “SO THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA AND GALILEE AND SAMARIA.”

 

   EPH 5:25, 32, “AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER … THIS MYSTERY IS GREAT BUT I AM SPEAKING WITH REFERENCE TO CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.”

 

 A COMMUNITY OF REGENERATED BELIEVERS WHO CONFESS JESUS CHRIST AS LORD, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE SCRIPTURES THEY ORGANIZE UNDER QUALIFIED LEADERSHIP, GATHER REGULARLY FOR PREACHING AND WORSHIP, OBSERVE THE BIBLICAL SACRAMENTS F BAPTISM AND COMMUNION, ARE UNIFIED BY THE SPIRIT, ARE DISCIPLINED FOR HOLINESS, AND SCATTERED TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMANDMENT AND THE GREAT COMMISSION AS MISSIONARIES TO THE WORLD FOR GOD’S GLORY AND THEIR JOY.

 

THE CHURCH EXIST FOR THE GLORY OF GOD …

 

   HEBREW – KABOD, TO HONOR, AS IN “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER …” DEUT 5:16

 

   GREEK – DOXA, TO HONOR, PRAISE, AND GLORY THAT COMES FROM A GOOD OPINION.

“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.’ JOHN 1:14

 

THE CHURCH EXHIBITS THE GOODNESS OF GOD …

 

   DECLARED IN WORSHIP,

 

    DEMONSTRATED IN THE WAY WE NURTURE ONE ANOTHER,

 

   DIRECTED IN WITNESS TO THE WORLD,

 

 

THE CHURCH EXPOUNDS THE GOSPEL OF GOD …

 

   WHERE THE WORD IS RIGHTLY DIVIDED,

 

   WHERE THE ORDINANCES ARE RIGHTLY ADMINISTERED,

 

         COMMUNION

 

         BAPTISM

 

APPLICATION:

 

THE FUTURE OF RIVERSTONE COMMUNITY CHURCH IS AS BRIGHT AS THE PROMISES OF GOD …