✎ Some day Susie and I hope to build our “dream home,” but before we do we have to overcome some obstacles. First we need to talk together about the house we picture in our minds. We both would like to build a house, but I’m sure that the house I want to build is not the same as the house she wants to build. After we agree on the mental picture of what the house will look like, then we need to talk with an architect who can see the house we describe and draw the plans on paper. Next we will need a builder to take what is on paper and make it a reality. Once the house is built, hopefully it will be picture perfect; the house we pictured in our mind will be a reality. Unfortunately we may discover that not everything turns out the way we imagined. . .
Jesus said he would build His Church. Jesus won’t settle for anything less than a Church that is “PICTURE PERFECT.” Jesus won’t take any shortcuts to save time in construction, nor will He lack the resources to do everything He has planned. God is building His Church!
The Church is no ordinary building. Jesus is not using common building materials in its construction. The church is being built with “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5); Believe it or not, Jesus wants to use each of us to build His Church; you and I are the miracle that is Praise A/G–a part of His “PICTURE PERFECT” Church.
Are you wondering why God would want to include you in the building of His Church; you might be the first to admit that you’re not perfect, so how can you be a part of a church that’s “PICTURE PERFECT?” Or perhaps you don’t feel like you are a part of the church; you’re not important. I hope that this morning you discover how God will take ordinary to imperfect and insignificant people and make them a part of His “PICTURE PERFECT” Church.
✎ A good set of blueprints should do two things. It should show you WHAT the building is going to look like and HOW it should be built.
The Church is a community of believers united together in Christ. This morning we are going to look at three “PICTURE PERFECT” plans Jesus has for the Church; three images that show us what the church looks like and how it is built.
1. THE PROCESS; HOW THE CHURCH–THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS--IS BUILT.
Before we look at the “Picture Perfect” PLANS, lets look at the PROCESS. In other words let’s start with the how and then move on to the what. (This way when we look at the three pictures the process or the how should be obvious and jump out at us.) Look with me at Romans 12:5 and discover how Christ joins us together into His Church
+ Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (NIV)
The Church is built as “we who are many form one body.” In the Church Christ takes the many and makes us one. How does that happen? Two things happen which unite us.
A. First, we are IN CHRIST.
If you read your Bible too quickly, you might miss two very important words: “IN CHRIST.” When we slow down and take time to understand what the words “in Christ” mean then these words will seem to appear on almost every page of the New Testament.
Our union with Christ is what it means to be a Christian; anyone who has not been united with Christ is still dead in their sins and transgressions.
1. IN CHRIST we have a new beginning; we’re born again!
+ 2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV)
2. IN CHRIST we are made righteous; free from sin.
+ Philippians 3:9 and be found IN HIM, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. . .(NIV)
3. IN CHRIST we are reconciled to God; we’re God’s friends.
+ Ephesians. 2:13 But now IN CHRIST Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (NIV)
4. IN CHRIST we are kept by the Holy Spirit.
+ Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included IN CHRIST when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked IN HIM with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. (NIV)
5. IN CHRIST we have our identity.
+ Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one IN CHRIST Jesus. (NIV)
6. IN CHRIST our cup overflows with the goodness of God.
+ Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing IN CHRIST. (NIV)
7. IN CHRIST we discover our purpose.
+ Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created IN CHRIST Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)
To be a Christian means that you have been connected to Christ; we are joined to Christ. Therefore, because believers are IN CHRIST, we share a COMMON UNION.
Through our common union we are joined together IN CHRIST to form His Church; the many are made one IN CHRIST.
B. Secondly, because we are IN CHRIST and share a COMMON UNION, WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER.
What does it mean to say that “we belong to one another?”
1. Belonging is NOT OWNERSHIP. I am not your property.
Being IN CHRIST, we belong to Him. By His death on the cross, Jesus has redeemed or purchased us for God. The price has been paid.
+ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19. . . You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. (NIV)
No one else can claim ownership–not even joint ownership with Christ–not even if someone else died for you. Even then their death won’t be enough to pay the price; Jesus laid down His life as a spotless lamb; He was innocent–no sin could be found in Him, but He died for you and me. That’s the price that has been paid. No one else’s death can come close to satisfying the value God was willing to pay through the death of His Son. We belong to Christ.
2. Belonging means WE NEED EACH OTHER.
Within the church we are interdependent and connected to each other.
“Melos” is the word translated “belongs” in the NIV or “members” in the KJV. Literally “melos” means “limb” or “part of the body.” We belong to one another like my arms belong connected to my shoulders, or my feet are properly connected to my ankles. If sickness or an injury occurs in one part of my body then all the other parts know it too because the parts are all members of one body. If my hands were connected to my cheeks, how many of you would realize right away they didn’t belong there?
✎ When a puzzle is put together each piece is interconnected to the other pieces. Alone a piece is inadequate; a single piece cannot show you the whole picture. Likewise if one or more pieces of the puzzle are missing then it is defective; it’s lacking an essential part and is incomplete.
Being IN CHRIST means we share a COMMON UNION bringing us into the COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS. Simply said; we need each other! Why? Where there is no union there can be no communion.
Christ is building His Church, so YOU BELONG HERE! I’m often asked about my calling as a pastor and how I know that God wants me here in Garrettsville. Pastors are not the only one’s called to a local church. You are not here by chance; God brought you here. This is where you belong.
That’s one of the reasons membership within the local church is so important. Through membership you acknowledge to God and the local church that He has placed you within that church.
You and I are not free to just come and go as we please. Far to often people say, “God is leading them to another church” because they don’t want to resolve conflict with others in the local church. If God is leading you, then the church should be able to rejoice with you and send you on your way into your new ministry. Instead the church is often weakened and deformed as one part of the body tears itself away from the others.
Over and over again the Bible encourages us to be careful about division and to maintain unity within the church.
+ Romans 16:17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions. . . Keep away from them. (NIV)
+ 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. (NIV)
+ Ephesians 4:3 [Be] alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. (MsgB)
Jesus builds His Church in a two step process. We are included IN CHRIST through faith. Once united with Christ, we then share a COMMON UNION with other believers and enter into the COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS.
IN CHRIST NO ONE CAN GO IT ALONE; WE BELONG TOGETHER!
Remember, the Christian lifestyle is about “WE” not “ME.”
That’s the PROCESS–the how Christ builds the Church; now let’s look at
2. THE “PICTURE PERFECT” PLAN; WHAT THE CHURCH–THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS–LOOKS LIKE.
A. The Body
The body is one most common picture or illustration of what the Church is supposed to be like. The Church, of which we are all a part, is often called “The Body of Christ. Look again at Romans 12–starting this time at verse 4.
+ Romans 12:4-5 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form ONE BODY, and each member belongs to all the others. (NIV)
The picture of the body is also found in 1 Corinthians 12.
+ 1 Cor. 12:12-13 12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (NIV)
What body are we baptized into? The Body of Christ. We are included IN CHRIST. The Church is being built.
+ 1 Cor. 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)
Through Christ we share a COMMON UNION. The Church is built as we each take our place in the body of Christ.
B. The Vine and the Branches.
+ John 15:5-8 5I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (NIV)
C. Marriage
+ Ephesians 5:31-32 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. (NIV)
Paul tells us about the roles of the husband and wife within a Christian marriage and then suddenly he tells us, “I’m really not taking about marriage so much as I’m painting a picture of what the church looks like.” And some of us want to say “What?”
Lets just make a simple application to what we already know. In the same way the husband and his wife are one flesh, the church is united to Christ. Remember as believers we are included IN CHRIST; we are one just as the husband is one with his wife.
Now before I go on, let’s make sure we’re on the same page and we all know the truth! To say we are IN CHRIST or that we are ONE or UNITED with Christ does not make us into “little gods” or equal with Christ. A husband and wife are one flesh, but neither loses their individual identity–my wife Susie is not Greg and I am not Susie, but we are one flesh. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God–God of very God; we are the beneficiaries of His love as we by faith are brought into Christ.
Okay now secondly, not only are we one with Christ, but we are also united one to another; we share a COMMON UNION with Christ. Jesus, pictured as the husband does not have many wives. The Church is united in Christ as one wife. We don’t have to be jealous of each other; Jesus does not love you more than He loves me. We are the One Bride of Christ, and He loves us all equally.
Conclusion:
3. How does this all work in the local church? Because we are IN CHRIST and share a COMMON UNION uniting us together, HOW SHOULD WE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER AS A PART OF PRAISE A/G?
A. We can practice the communion of the saints by addressing one another as “BROTHER” and “SISTER.”
B. We can PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. As we commit to pray for the church I believe that we will see the “beginning of miracles.” August 15th is my “red letter day”; that’s the conclusion of 40 days of prayer for the church. It is the “beginning of miracles.” (It’s also the continuation of a lifestyle of prayer.)
C. We can participate in our church PHOTO DIRECTORY. Even in a church of our size few of us know everyone. A picture is a simple way of being introduced; it will also help us in our prayer for one another.
D. We can live by the 10 FOOT RULE. What’s the 10 foot rule? When we are together as the church anytime someone you don’t know is within a 10 feet circle around you, then you go over to them with a smile and introduce yourself. Ask these four questions: [1] What’s your name? [2] Are you new to the area? [3] Do you have plans for lunch (or pie) after church? [4] Is there anything we could pray about together?
E. SHARE MEALS TOGETHER.
