The Task Of The Church #1 Series

Tittle: The Task Of The Church part 1

Theme: The focus of the Church is to be on God and His will in everything we do.

Written: 4-11-99

Introduction:

There are many references in the New Testament

that will tell us what our task is as a part of the Church.

-- What I want to do is look at these references in a series of lessons.

-- In part one of this series I want to look at 4 points.

-- Concerning

The Task Of The Church

[As we live our lives as Christians

there are several items we need to realize that God wants

that God even expects

the first and foremost task of the church

is]

I: To Love God (Rev. 2:2-4)

A: The Church in Ephesus (Rev 2:2-3)

1: The church at Ephesus

- Did everything that a good church would be doing today.

2: Yet there was still a problem that needed to be pointed out.

B: God held something against them (Rev 2:4)

C: Their first Love was to be the same as our first love is to be. (Mt. 22:37-38)

D. Our love for God is displayed

1: through our love for others (I Jn 4:19-21)

[ and while remembering that God is to be our first love, and that we are to show this through our love for others

- we must also focus on the second point in this series ]

which is

II: To Glorify God

A: Why should we want to glorify God in our lives? (Eph 1:5-6)

In Readers Digest, a contributor told of an Aunt Ruby and Uncle Arnie who had adopted a baby boy after five years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive. To their surprise, a short time after the adoption, Aunt Ruby discovered she was pregnant, and she later gave birth to a baby boy.

One day when the two boys were eight and nine years old, the teller of the story was visiting Aunt Ruby, and a woman in the neighborhood came to visit. Observing the children at play, the woman asked, “Which boy is yours, Ruby?” “Both of them,” Aunt Ruby replied. The caller persisted. “But I mean, which one is adopted?” Aunt Ruby did not hesitate. In her finest hour, she looked straight at her guest and replied, “I’ve forgotten.”

When we are adopted as God’s children, we quickly come to cherish our heavenly Father’s forgetfulness. For He chooses to forget our sins, to forget our wayward past, and give us the full rights of sons or daughters. He treats us as if we had never sinned.

1: By sending His Son to the cross to die in our place

-- God predestined us all to be adopted as His children

-- Every man, woman and child on planet earth.

-- Provided they except the offer made through Jesus Christ.

- Eph 1:11-12

- Eph 1:14

- Eph 3:21

2: It is for this that we are to GLORIFY GOD !!

- II Th 1:12

- Rom 15:9-13

[In exhibiting our Love for God and Glorifying God

it should cause us]

III: To Display God’s Grace (Eph 2:6-8)

A: God gave us grace.

1. We do not deserve it.

2. We cannot earn it.

3. We cannot buy it

4. God simply gave it to us.

B: Are we displaying that same unselfish, undeserved grace to the world.

1. Or don’t they deserve it

2. Maybe they can’t afford it.

3. Have they not earned it yet.

4. Have we made it such a reverent sacred thing that we have covered it up.

A man told a story about a primitive tribe that was given a sundial. They were so enthusiastic in their desire to honor it and keep it sacred that they housed it in and built a roof over it. When telling this story Dwight L. Moody asks. Is your belief in God so reverent that you put it to one side carefully, as being too sacred for daily use?

a. Learn to use it.

b. Let God in on your life.

c. Let your faith inspire you to good works.

d. Let your light shine (Eph. 5:8)

[ All of the things listed earlier

- To Love God

-To Glorify God

- To Display God’s Grace

will cause us to desire what God desires

and that is

IV: To Evangelize The World

- Matt 28:19-20

- Luke 24:46-47

- John 20:19-21

- Acts 1:8

Nineteen out of every twenty who ever get saved

do so before they reach the age of twenty five.

After twenty-five, only one in 10,000.

After thirty-five, only one in 50,000.

After forty-five, only one in 200,000.

After fifty-five, only one in 300,000

After sixty-five, only one in 500,000.

After seventy-five, only one in 700,000.