The Church: Should Be Light

Introduction:

Tonight going to share what has been weighing heavy on my heart

It is something that has become very personal to me.

I have been struggling with this for quite some time

Why come to church? What makes church so great?

How many people show up to church to enjoy it?

How many people that show up are new faces? Same ole same ole?

What should people come to church?

Not talking about West Side, GB or any denomination.

I’m talking about church in general…nothing more nothing less

Before dive in to topic let me say that church is not about judgment

We should never judge anybody in church

Judgment is for God. Let God deal with making all the judgments

Church not about Gossip! Leave the Gossip at home.

Now let us look at what church should be about: Mostly Y Come to Church

Point #1: Church Place to Experience God (Ex. 3:1-10)

Church is place to experience God

In order to experience God we need to be expecting God to move

Prior to services, be ready to experience God – Prayer, Bible Study, etc

What r we doing prior to Worship Services?

Everybody who walks in a service should have opportunity to see God

The building we gather in is a holy place

People come to church sometimes with heavy hearts. God can help

We can’t get in the way of their experience.

Each person will have different experience in worship service

Yet sometimes we get in the way. How? Gossip, watching reactions, etc

Gather together to worship fully.

Don’t worry bout what others do in church – Key Focus on God

Maybe strive have experience like Moses did in Exodus 3:1-10

Bible Example: Moses Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-10 says, “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (NIV)

1. Moses had wilderness experience with God – God call him (vs. 1-4)

2. Moses had worshipful experience with God – Holy Ground (vs. 5-6)

3. Moses had wonderful experience with God – Hears Prayers (vs. 7-10)

Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” (NASB)

Psalm 95:6 says, “Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” (NASB)

Phil. 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (NKJV)

Moses experience is great example that we should all strive to have

An experience with God is totally free

We r nothing without God

John 4:24 says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NKJV)

God will use everything around us to see his Glory

R U Ready to let God and let God move in your life?

God doesn’t want just pew sitters

God can use our personal experiences to help others have experience God

Point 2: Church Place Spiritual Growth (2 Cor. 2:4-5)

Before a church can see any numerical growth must have spiritual growth

Church here to encourage others to grow

Spiritual Growth happens all the time not just in church: home as well