Grace And Peace In The Church Series

WHAT THE CHURCH IS INTENDED TO BE

Study of the Seven Churches of Asia

Sermon 1 – Grace and Peace

Introduction to the Study

Taking a Journey

? What does church mean?

? Why is church important?

? Why do we do Church?

? We are going to take a journey through letters sent to 7 churches in Asia. These letters are found in the book of Revelation and were written by the Apostle John

? We are going to study these letters to see what Jesus said to each church and how we can come to understand what Church should be.

? Each sermon is a stand-alone sermon, if you miss a week you will miss a topic, but you will not miss the entire point of the series.

Are you ready to quit wondering about Church and begin to love God and Church? Then let’s get going.

Prayer

What is Church?

1. Church is not a building or a denomination

a. Ephesians 1:22-23; And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

b. The church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

2. It is seen by the most people as a building or a denomination

a. When you think of church you more than likely think of this building

b. Well, Church is so much more than a building

c. One problem with the church today is the way it is viewed by those who do not understand

3. The Church building contains:

a. Sinners saved by the Grace of God (Christians)

b. Sinners looking for salvation by the Grace of God (Lost)

4. The Church is made up of:

a. Sinners saved by the Grace of God

b. The important part to remember here is that the Church is made up of sinners, not perfect people.

5. The world’s view

a. The world has the wrong view of the church and therefore has the wrong expectations of the church.

b. So do many Christians!

The Church today

1. The church today is faced with pressures to:

a. Compromise

b. Sin

c. Look away

d. Fade away

2. Many churches are not what God wants them to be

a. Growing

b. Loving

c. Sharing

d. Unified

3. Too many churches have lost their ways and:

a. Compromised

b. Stopped Growing Spiritually

c. Catered to the world

d. Grown complacent

4. So what is Church, and what is it intended to be?

Revelation 1:4-20

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.