“You are the Church”
What do you think about the church?
A preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again. After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered, "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?" (www.sermoncentral.com and Christianstories.com) I will try not to hurt you too much tonight!
What is the role of the Church today? What is your role in the Church?
“I Need a Hug (You are the Church)”
Introduction:
1. Have you seen those shirts that say “Free Hugs?” Everyone needs a hug. Maybe you could make some money selling hugs. People will do anything for a “hug”, to be accepted for who they are, even when it harms them.
2. Have you ever got a hug that made everything better? Some studies show that hugs make us healthy and even live longer. The more hugs we get, the happier and healthier we are. “A hug delights and warms and charms, It must be why God gave us arms...” www.hugs4health.org (Policeman carry teddy bears for kids to hug at a crime scene)
3. Cappie was a high school freshman. As she talked about her fears of going to high school, she told how her father left when she was a baby. With tears in her eyes, she said it hurt when friends at school talked about their dads. Later Cappie learned to party with the boys. Her mom said it was because she needed male approval. When she graduates, her mom said she learned to be independent and not need a man. But she will be chasing that hug from her dad the rest of her life. (Source: High School Confidential, The WE Channel.)
4. What are you hugging? God wants to hug us. He hugged us through Jesus, but more specifically through His body, his bride, the Church. We are the hug from God that they world needs. We are the arms of God arms that wraps around a lost world.
Explanation (Review):
1. Nehemiah re-built the walls.
2. The people made a commitment together to right relationships
3. The rest of chapter 10 is all about finances that are given to God’s House (Temple)
4. They gave the first of everything to God’s House (not just money). (God is not physically on earth, so His house represents Him).
5. The Temple represented God’s presence (Hug) to the people.
6. Where is God’s house today? The Church – Us! We are the HUG!
Text: Nehemiah 10:39
We must not neglect the House of God for the following reasons:
I. When we neglect the Church we neglect ourselves.
1. Because we are the Bride of Christ (believers)
1) We are beloved by God
Isaiah 62:4 (NLT) Never again will you be called the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God’s Delight and the Bride of God, for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his own.
2) We are his masterpiece. Eph. 2:10
2. Because God loves his Bride.
1) “If you love God we would..." but even more, if we realized how much he loves us, we would not crave anything else!
2) Jesus is not a formula – He is a real Person with real feelings.
3) Does God cry? Hosea 11:8-9 How could I give you up?
Illus: Illus: Runaway Bride. Are we running away from our own wedding?
II. When we neglect God’s House, we neglect the lost.
1. Because we are the Body of Christ.
1 Cor. 6:19 (NLT) Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
2. We are the building of God: The door, Access to God.
Genesis 28:17 (NLT) (Jacob) was afraid and said, "What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God—the gateway to heaven!"
1) We hold the Good News of the Gospel in our hands.
2) Not just a building, but also a building. Most people connect The Church with church buildings and services.
3) A refuge, hospital. A place of safety and salvation.
Illus. “A little boy looked at a picture of his absent father and said to his mom, ‘I wish father would step out of the picture’.” Wess Pinkham (The Abba Outcome: Getting the People Done) © 2000 Journey to the Heart by Wesley M. Pinkham and Christopher D. Waters.
4) We are the hug the world needs from God. We need to step out of the picture and let the world see Father God.
III. When we neglect God’s house, we neglect each other.
1 Cor. 12:27 (NLT) Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.
1. Because we honor his body 1 Cor 11:29
Psalm 69:9 (NLT) Passion for your house burns within me, so those who insult you are also insulting me.
2. Because we are responsible and Response-Able
1) We are able to respond to the needs of people through the love of Christ.
2) The Church is a spiritual boot camp for believers to prepare for spiritual battle in the world.
3) “Battle Buddies” take care of each other.
3. Because it is we not me. (“ME is WE upside down!” Kristina Davis)
1) The people made a group commitment.
2) “You” is plural – all of us.
3) When I neglect the church, I am neglecting you (a real person with a name and feelings).
4) Every person is important.
Quote: “There is no personhood outside of relationships.” Wess Pinkham
Illus: Bayless was a drug addict. Bayless grew up in Southern California where, during his teenage years, he became involved in a lifestyle of drug and alcohol abuse. After years of searching for truth, and a number of near-death experiences, he found Jesus as his Savior when a 12-year-old boy shared the Gospel with him.
Today Bayless Conley pastors Cottonwood Christian Center, a thriving church located in Orange County, California. His television program, Answers with Bayless Conley, airs on television in over 100 nations worldwide.
Source: Answers with Bayless Conley Website.
http://www.answersbc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=84
Conclusion: We will not neglect the house of God because…
1. God loves (hugs) the Church
2. The Church holds (hugs) the message of salvation.
3. We care about (hug) each other.
What is the Church? God’s beloved, His bride, planned from the beginning of time. God hugged us through His Son Jesus and holds us by His Spirit.
What is the Role of the Church? To proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of Peace to the Nations, to be the House of God. To Hug the world with His love.
What is our role in the Church? To worship God, to serve each other, to train for spiritual battle. To hug each other!
Application:
1. Whenever you think about giving up on the Church, remember how much God loves you and the Church.
2. Whenever you feel like skipping out, remember the lost people that need to hear about Jesus.
3. Whenever you feel like taking a break from God’s House, think about your friends that need you.
4. Hug God – raise your arms to your Abba.
“You are the Church” Youth March 19, 2008
What do you think about the church?
A preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again. After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered, "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
(from Chrsitianstories.com) I will try not to hurt you too much tonight!
What is the role of the Church today? What is your role in the Church?
“I Need a Hug (You are the Church)”
Introduction:
1. Have you seen those shirts that say “Free Hugs?” Everyone needs a hug. Maybe you could make some money selling hugs. People will do anything for a “hug”, to be accepted for who they are, even when it harms them.
2. Have you ever got a hug that made everything better? Some studies show that hugs make us healthy and even live longer. The more hugs we get, the happier and healthier we are. “A hug delights and warms and charms, It must be why God gave us arms...” www.hugs4health.org (Policeman carry teddy bears for kids to hug at a crime scene)
3. Cappie was a high school freshman. As she talked about her fears of going to high school, she told how her father left when she was a baby. With tears in her eyes, she said it hurt when friends at school talked about their dads. Later Cappie learned to party with the boys. Her mom said it was because she needed male approval. When she graduates, her mom said she learned to be independent and not need a man. But she will be chasing that hug from her dad the rest of her life.
4. What are you hugging? God wants to hug us. He hugs us through Jesus, but more specifically through His body, his bride, the Church. We are the hug from God that they world needs. We are the arms of God arms that wraps around a lost world.
Explanation (Review):
1. Nehemiah re-built the walls.
2. The people made a commitment together to right relationships
3. The rest of chapter 10 is all about finances that are given to God’s House (Temple)
4. They gave the first of everything to God’s House (not just money). (God is not physically on earth, so His house represents Him).
5. The Temple represented God’s presence (Hug) to the people.
6. Where is God’s house today? The Church – Us! We are the HUG!
Text: Nehemiah 10:39
We must not neglect the House of God for the following reasons:
I. When we neglect the Church we neglect ourselves.
1. Because we are the Bride of Christ (believers)
1) We are beloved by God
Isaiah 62:4 (NLT) Never again will you be called the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God’s Delight and the Bride of God, for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his own.
2) We are his masterpiece. Eph. 2:10
2. Because God loves his Bride.
1) “If you love God we would…but even more, if we realized how much he loves us, we would not crave anything else!
2) Jesus is not a formula – He is a real Person with real feelings.
3) Does God cry? Hosea 11:8-9 How could I give you up?
Illus: Illus: Runaway Bride. Are we running away from our own wedding?
II. When we neglect God’s House, we neglect the lost.
1. Because Jesus is the Way, but He is in heaven.
1 Cor. 6:19 (NLT) Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
2. We are the building of God: The door, Access to God.
Genesis 28:17 (NLT) (Jacob) was afraid and said, "What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God—the gateway to heaven!"
1) We hold the Good News of the Gospel in our hands.
2) Not just a building, but also a building. Most people connect The Church with church buildings and services.
3) A refuge, hospital. A place of safety and salvation.
Illus. “A little boy looked at a picture of his absent father and said to his mom, ‘I wish father would step out of the picture’.” Wess Pinkham (The Abba Outcome: Getting the People Done) © 200 Journey to the Heart by Wesley M. Pinkham and Christopher D. Waters.
4) We are the hug the world needs from God. We need to step out of the picture and let the world see Father God.
III. When we neglect God’s house, we neglect each other.
1 Cor. 12:27 (NLT) Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.
1. Because we honor his body 1 Cor 11:29
Psalm 69:9 (NLT) Passion for your house burns within me, so those who insult you are also insulting me.
2. Because we are responsible and Response-Able
1) We are able to respond to the needs of people through the love of Christ.
2) The Church is a spiritual boot camp for believers to prepare for spiritual battle in the world.
3) “Battle Buddies” take care of each other.
3. Because it is we not me. (“ME is WE upside down!” Kristina Davis)
1) The people made a group commitment.
2) “You” is plural – all of us.
3) When I neglect the church, I am neglecting you (a real person).
4) Every person is important.
Quote: “There is no personhood outside of relationships.” Wess Pinkham
How important is the Church and the people of the Church?
Bayless was a drug addict. Bayless grew up in Southern California where, during his teenage years, he became involved in a lifestyle of drug and alcohol abuse. After years of searching for truth, and a number of near-death experiences, he found Jesus as his Savior when a 12-year-old boy shared the Gospel with him.
Today Bayless Conley pastors Cottonwood Christian Center, a thriving church located in Orange County, California. His television program, Answers with Bayless Conley, airs on television in over 100 nations worldwide.
Source: Answers with Bayless Conley Website.
http://www.answersbc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=84
Conclusion: We will not neglect the house of God because…
1. God loves (hugs) the Church
2. The Church holds (hugs) the message of salvation.
3. We care about (hug) each other.
What is the Church? God’s beloved, His bride, planned from the beginning of time. God hugged us through His Son Jesus and holds us by His Spirit.
What is the Role of the Church? To proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of Peace to the Nations, to be the House of God. To Hug the world with His love.
What is our role in the Church? To worship God, to serve each other, to train for spiritual battle. To hug each other!
Application:
1. Whenever you think about giving up on the Church, remember how much God loves you and the Church.
2. Whenever you feel like skipping out, remember the lost people that need to hear about Jesus.
3. Whenever you feel like taking a break from God’s House, think about your friends that need you.
4. Hug God – raise your arms to your Abba.
Hug each other – by serving and loving.
Hug the world – tell someone about God’s love.
