Let's Have Church

LET’S HAVE CHURCH

MT. 16: 13--18

INTRODUCTION; THE CHURCH THAT JESUS BUILT WAS BUILT UPON HIMSELF. HE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE FOUNDATION.

MT 21:42: HE REMINDED THE UNBELIEVING JEWS OF THE PROPHECY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED. HE SPOKE OF HIMSELF.

1. HEAD CORNERSTONE, THE BEGINNING OF THE FOUNDATION, THE STRENGTH, And THE ANCHOR OF THE BUILDING.

2. WHEN WE CENTER OUR WORSHIP SERVICES AROUND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WE HAVE A SOLID FOUNDATION TO WORK UPON.

3. THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS TO WORSHIP AND GLORIFY GOD, DISCIPLE THE SAINTS OF GOD TO WORK AND WITNESS FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST, AND TO BE A LIGHTHOUSE FOR LOST SOULS TO FIND JESUS.

4. OUR SERVICES OUGHT TO BE AN EXCITING CELEBRATION OF JESUS. HE’S ALIVE AND HIS CHURCH SHOULD LIKEWISE BE ALIVE.

I. LOOK AT THE EARLY CHURCH. ACTS 2: 41:

(A)EXPERIENCED EXCITEMENT 3000 SOULS SAVED IN ONE DAY.

(B) CAME AS A RESULT OF POWERFUL, PURPOSEFUL PREACHING.

1. ACTS 2:14: PETER RAISED HIS VOICE AND PREACHED BOLDLY (TOLD IT LIKE IT IS.)

2. 2 TIM 4:2: PREACH THE WORD.(in season and out)

3. 1 COR 1: 21: GOD HAS CHOSEN THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING TO SAVE THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE.***

4. IT WAS POWERFUL>>> GOD ANOINTED

5. PURPOSEFUL>>> CUT TO THE HEART, THE HOLY GHOST BROUGHT CONVICTION TO THE LOST SINNER.

1. A PERSON WILL NEVER GET SAVED UNTIL HE REALIZES HE IS LOST.

(C) THE RESULTS: THEY GLADLY RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD.

ACCEPTED THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD AND GOT SAVED.

II. LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THIS REVIVAL. ACTS 2:46 THEY CONTINUED IN ONE ACCORD.

(A) THEY WERE IN AGREEMENT AND HARMONY ON GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S WILL.

1. REVIVAL WILL BRING ABOUT HARMONY

2. REVIVAL WILL END THE STRIFE AND DIVISION THAT HINDERS THE WORK OF CHRIST WITHIN HIS CHURCH

3. REVIVAL WILL PUT PEOPLE IN A MIND TO WORK TOGETHER. (NEHEMIAH)

(B) THEY BEGAN TO WORK TOGETHER.

AMOS: 3:3

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

EXAMPLE OF TWO MULES PULLING TOGETHER.

EARLY DAY PLOWING OF A GARDEN.

1. THE EARLY SAINTS WERE HARNESSED TOGETHER BY THE WORD OF GOD

(C) THEY RECEIVED GOD’S NEW BLESSINGS EACH AND EVERY DAY. ENTHUSIASM PRODUCES MORE ENTHUSIASM.*****

III. LOOK AT WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH SUCCESSFUL.

1. THEY RECOGNIZED CHRIST AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

2. THEY RECOGNIZED THE NEED OF CHRIST CENTERED SERVICES.

3. HE MUST BE HONORED, GLORIFIED AND LIFTED UP IF WE ARE TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD.

4. WE MUST REMEMBER IT IS “HIS CHURCH”

(A) THE EARLY CHURCH WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ONE THING.

1. THE CENTRAL THEME (MAIN ISSUE) WAS GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO JESUS.

2. THE FUEL THAT DROVE THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A BURDEN FOR LOST SOULS.

3. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR SELFISHNESS NOR SELF-SATISFACTION

4. THE BURDEN FOR LOST SOULS KEPT THE CHURCH ON FIRE FOR GOD.

5. MANY CHURCHES ARE DYING TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST THEIR VISION, LOST THEIR BURDEN, NO NEW LIFE FLOWING IN AND MANY HAVE BECOME STALE AND STAGNANT. DRYING UP AND ON THEIR WAY TO DYING.

(B ). THE ONE CONSUMING DESIRE OF THEIR HEART WAS TO SEE PEOPLE GET UNDER THE WORD OF GOD, GET CONVICTED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND GET SAVED.

1. WE NEED TO BE BURDENED NOT ONLY FOR THE LOST BUT ALSO FOR THE BACKSLID.

2. WE ALL KNOW ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF CHURCH AND BACKSLID, TO FILL THE CHURCH UP.

3. EVERY PROBLEM OF THE EARLY CHURCH HAD JUST ONE SOLUTION: PRAYER AND TRUST**********

IV. LOOK AT THEIR SOURCE OF POWER. ( HOLY SPIRIT.)

(A) THEY WERE NOT DEPENDANT UPON THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

(B) THEY BATHED EACH PROBLEM IN PRAYER.

(C) THEY SOUGHT GOD’S WILL IN EVERYTHING.

1. THEY PUT ASIDE THEIR PETTY INDIFFERENCES AND SOUGHT THE WILL OF GOD.

2. BECAUSE OF THEIR VISION, WE HAVE GREAT CHURCHES TODAY*****

V. LOOK AT THEIR MESSAGE. (JESUS)

THE ONLY THING THEY PROMOTED WAS THE WORD OF GOD.

(A) THEY WENT EVERYWHERE NOT JUST PREACHING “ABOUT” JESUS BUT PREACHING JESUS . ENCOURAGING THE SAINTS OF GOD TO LIVE A GODLY, CHRIST LIKE LIFE.

THEY PREACHED:

1. MIRACLE OF HIS VIRGIN BIRTH

2. MIRACLE OF HIS SINLESS LIFE

3. MIRACLE OF HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION

4. THEY PUT FORTH THE FULL PACKAGE.

(B) THE WORLD TODAY HAS REJECTED THE MESSAGE OF JESUS, AND HAS SUFFERED GREATLY.

1. SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT IT WILL GET WORSE AND WORSE.******

(C) THE CHURCH TODAY HAS BECOME WEAKER

1. SUBSTITUTED RELIGION FOR SALVATION.

2. MANY HAVE BECOME LITTLE MORE THAN RELIGIOUS SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.

3. TONED DOWN THE WORSHIP SERVICES TO BE DIGNIFIED.

4. TUNED OUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS TO BE MODERNIZED

5. TURNED THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP INTO A SOCIAL HOUR.