What kind of Church will Calvary Be?
Therefore: "What is a Church?"—How would you define a Church?
A biblical picture or a photograph of a church is:
A church that God can honor.
A church that God can use.
A people that God can bless.
Ephesians 2:19-22 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (NIV)
1. The church is to be like a, nation. vs. 19 "…you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people…"
Alien or Foreigner - someone who is in a country that is not his native country. He has never become a citizen of that country.
How can you tell if you are existing in a church or are you part of that nation?
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV)
2. The church is to be like a, family. vs. 19"…members of God's household…"
Our relationship to a nation is a legal relationship, but our relationship to a family is a blood relationship.
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” (NIV)
Family members have the responsibility to family, and when we are just consumers the family suffers.
3. The church is to be like a, building. vs. 19b-22 "…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit…"
A building is together, and one part of the building depends on another part of the building for it to stand.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (NIV)
The foundation of a Church must be Jesus Christ.
Then he goes deeper: “with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone…”
God always builds a core to reach more.
The church is not for you. You are for the church!
