The Church Building Community

The Church community Acts.2: 42-47.

Why does CBC exist? What is our purpose here at CBC?

Many Churches can lose their God given purpose or can be driven by other things like by the upkeep of a building, tradition, programs, finances, events, and personalities. What is our purpose? Its vital important to know our purpose, otherwise we will be like a ship on the open seas with out a rudder drifting along aimlessly and getting nowhere.

I believe our purpose is to be: ‘A Church building community, where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord.’

And I believe the clearest evidence to support this mandate is found in the Bible: Matt;22.34 28;19 The two greatest commandments and the great commission.

The clearest example of this pattern is in Acts.2:42-47. Lets look at the 1st Century community of believers.

1. A learning community v42 Apostles teaching,

Matt.28:19 Jesus said go into the whole world and make disciples…teaching

Christians are to be people who are being nurtured and built up in the faith. The Church should be a place where there is a desire for learning. Notice what it says they devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching:

I remember when I first left school at 16 with no qualifications, yet I got a job and earnt a living what could I do with all the extra income I had? My mother told me to take driving lessons. I had 26 lessons in all, it was money well spent it was intense but I devoted myself to passing the test. Should’nt we be as keen to learn and grow in our faith by being devoted to the apostles teaching? Do we desire to finish the race? Then we must be devoted to learn more from Gods Word.

The apostles teaching as we see from Peter’s sermon focused upon Jesus being the fulfilment of all Gods promises to redeem and renew his people. Acts 2:22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 36.

Jhn. 8:31 Jesus said if you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples

A true characteristic of a Christian is a genuine desire to learn from Gods word. A follower of Jesus is called a disciple

1Pet 2:2 like new born babies crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation

This has to be paramount in a Church building community. We do what we do as a direct result of what Gods Word says there is no other benchmark.

Jesus rebuked the devil himself from the Word Matt.4:4 Man shall not live on bread alone but from every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Deut 8:3

We need to be maturing as Christians in our faith.A real barometer of where we stand before God is to ask ourselves how desirous are we to learn from Gods word? The purpose of Gods word is not only to bring saving faith but also to bring spiritual maturity.

Col.1:28 Present every man mature in Christ.

The most popular exotic fish dived for is the shark. Did you know that a shark can be kept in fish tanks and they will only grow in proportion to their surroundings so a fully mature shark can be as small as 6 inches yet that same shark in the open waters will grow to 8 ft. Are we growing? Are we putting ourselves in the correct surroundings?

The purpose of the Church is to be a MATURING community growing into our full spiritual maturity, maturing under Gods word, in turn this will equip you to be a stronger Christian, and bring a solid foundation to your life: Eph; 4:11 – 13.

Psalm 119: 15,16 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees I will not neglect your word.

B. V46 who meet everyday! Notice we will not grow in isolation but in community they grew together.

Notice they meet everyday! Not only on the Lords day, but everyday!

When revivals take place this sort of thing is happening before-hand Christians are meeting together.

Did you now there is a group of people called the Leicester Watchman who pray for our city 24hrs a day everyday.

But also in homes

Notice they meet in the temple courts, but also in homes this is a biblical pattern to follow which we have recently implemented a place where we can share with one another they broke bread in homes ate together and remember the Lord! And others would come along and be nurtured. This isn’t a new thing but a Biblical example;

Jesus himself went to synagogues but he also meet in homes

Levi’s home, Simon the lepers, lazarus home, the upper room, Peters home, a home in Galilee, Pharisees house and in each one of these homes what is going on the people are being taught.