Loving The Church Our Lord Jesus Christ Loved

Title: Loving the Church our Lord Jesus Christ Loved

Text: Ephesians 5:25

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Introduction:

Our Lord Jesus Christ loved the church that He gave His own life for it. He purchased it with His Own blood – Acts 20:28.

For Him, the church is a “pearl of great price” worthy of His highest sacrifice to acquire it (see Matthew 13:45-46).

He called it – “MY CHURCH” – Matthew 16:18 (cf. Malachi 3:17 – “MY JEWELS”)

If we believed that this church is the Lord’s church, and if we really believed that our Lord Jesus Christ loves this church, then we believers should love it also.

We members should love this (local) church.

Now, if we really love this church . . .

1. We will not say anything against it –

IT’S YOU

‘Sez I to myself, as I gambled and growled,

“I’m sick of my church,” and then how I scowled.

“The members unfriendly, the sermons too long;

In fact, it seems that everything’s wrong.

I don’t like the singing; the church – a disgrace,

For signs of neglect are all over the place.

I’ll quit going there, and won’t give a dime:

I can make better use of my money and time.”

Then my conscience sez to me, sez he,

“The trouble with you ia, you’re blind to see

That your church reflects you, whatever it be.

Now come, pray, and serve cheerfully;

Stop all your faultfinding and boost it up strong;

You’ll find you’ll be happy and pround to belong.

Be friendly, be willing, and sing as you work,

For churches are not built by members who shirk.”

– Copied –

A MINISTER’S DREAM

It is said that a minister dreamed he was hitched to covered wagon, and was laboriously, but slowly, pulling it along, until he reached a place in the road where the mud seemed to get deeper, and it was with much difficulty that he moved the wagon a few inches at a time. He thought it peculiar, as the last time he looked back thought he saw the entire congregation pushing. But the longer and harder he pulled, the more difficult it became to move the wagon.

Finally, almost exhausted, he went to the rear to examine the source of the trouble. All church members had quit pushing. Not only had they quit pushing but they were sitting in the wagon and were criticizing the pastor for not pulling the church along faster.

Well. Was it a DREAM . . . .?

– Copied –

2. We will not damage its reputation by our BAD TESTIMONIES –

THE WRECKING CREW

Two classes of people manifest themselves in every church

• Some are the CONSTRUCTIVE

And others are DESTRUCTIVE

• Some are POSITIVE

And others are NEGATIVE

• Some are ASSETS

And others are LIABILITIES

And what a difference their attitudes make in the work of Christ!

A good thing to remember and a better thing to do –

Is to work with the CONSTRUCTIVE GANG

And not in the WRECKING CREW!

– Copied –

3. We will support it – cheerfully and faithfully support it –

a. We will support its programs and activities – (the church is A TEAM)

The story is told of a horse pull contest in Canada.

The winner pulled 9,000 pounds, while the first runner-up pulled 8,000.

The contest organizers decided teamed them together, expecting to pull 17,000 pounds.

But, not so! For these two horses (teamed together) pulled 30,000 pounds.

This principle is called – SYNERGISM. It is the simultaneous action of separate agents working together has a greater total effect than the sum of their individual efforts.

Therefore, more can be done if the members who love the church that the Lord Jesus Christ loved if they work as a team effort. In order for the principle of synergism to work in the church, as it should, there has to be TEAMWORK.

If in everything we do we observe teamwork and trust, the church will accomplish more for the Lord.

NOTE: Someone used the word TEAMWORK as an acronym to mean –

T – ogether

E – veryone

A – chieves

M – ore

WORK

b. We will support (attend) all its services –

WHAT KIND ARE YOU?

There are three (3) kinds of church members

There are the “OLD FAITHFULS” – God blesses them!

Then, there are the “ONCE-IN-A-WHILERS” – They come one Sunday – and stay away five.

There are also the “ALMOST NEVERS” – They never come!

Perhaps, I should not have said – “Never”

They do come on anniversary, and occasionally.

– Copied –

I VOTED TO CLOSE THE CHURCH

Last Sunday, I voted to close the church;