What Is The Purpose Of The Church? Series

ILLUSTRATION: STAYING WARM TOGETHER

In what the news called "The Miracle at Quecreek", 9 miners, trapped for three days 240 feet underground in a water-filled mine shaft, decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group.

The 55 degree water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so when one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around the person and warm that person, and when another person got cold, the favor was returned.

"Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset. "But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together. And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That¡¦s the only way it could have been."

They faced incredibly hostile conditions together¡Xand they all came out alive together. What a picture of the body of Christ.

The Close of 1st Peter: 1 Peter 5:1-11

We Find...

A Call for Pastors, Ministers, and Deacons/Elders to Shepherd and Care for the Church

A Call for The Church Family to be Responsible

A Call for All to Stand Firm & Together

- Remembering God is In Control

Peter closes this 1st of 2 letters to a small, beat up, and worn down church by reminding them of their purpose AND their FOUNDER. WE CLOSE REMINDING OURSELVES OF OUR PURPOSE AND CALLING!

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH?

1. A Call to the Leadership

2. A Call to the Church Family

3. A Call to Stand Together

POEM: There is a small little poem titled "This Is My Church" that goes like this:

This is MY Church!

It is composed of people just like me.

It will be friendly if I am.

It will do a great work if I work.

It will make generous gifts to many causes if I am generous.

It will bring others into its fellowship if I bring them.

Its seats will be filled if I fill them.

It will be a church of loyalty and love, of faith and service,

If I who make it what it is, am filled with these,

Therefore, with God¡¦s help, I dedicate myself to the task of being

All these things I want my Church to be.

Based on your testimony & example: WHAT KIND OF CHURCH DO WE HAVE?

I. A CALL FOR LEADERSHIP (VS. 1-4)

Remember the GRK language is a small language with words having may different applications.

A. READ VERSE 1

1. ’to the elders’ - to those in Called Positions of Leadership - some say ’a fellow elder’(Peter was all)

2. ’a witness of Christ’s sufferings’

a) As a Called Leader, Peter participated in the sufferings of Christ

b) ’witness’ also means ’martyr’ -one who bears witness by his death.

Application: There is a Cost of Leadership and it includes PAIN

3. ’will share in the glory to be revealed’-reminds us that the cost will be rewarded.

Peter, now having identified who this last section was addressed restated the calling.

B. READ 2-3: What is an Elder’s Responsibility?

1. ’be shepherds’ - to tend, care, feed, lead, guide, protect, and admonish

a) What does a shepherd do? Your Call is to do the same.

b)EVERYTHING a shepherd does is in the best interest of his sheep.

2. ’of God’s flock that is under your care’

a)’flock’ - Most see as a volunteer position and NOT a calling!

b)’under your care -assigned a certain flock (church, class, group)

To those Called, Peter Gives 3 CHARGES

1. the Right Motivation: 2a) ’not because you must, but because you are willing;

2. the Right Goals: 2b) ’not greedy for money, but eager to serve’ (recognition, status)

3. the Right Methods: 3a) ’not lording it, but being examples’

a) not ’lording’ You are CALLED TO LEAD - this is not a popularity contest - it¡¦s not a fence - it’s also not a dictatorship. Having the Right Method requires the right heart

b) 3b) ’being examples’-doesn’t mean to be perfect (as so many require) but rather ’Lead by Your Example’ of doing what you are calling on others to do.

Leaders, based on your Motive, Goal, Method, WHAT KIND OF CHURCH DO WE HAVE?

READ JOHN 21:15-17

(at verse 17, insert your name and answer the question)

____ - do you love me? (Your answer) ’lord, you know all things; you know ______?

II. A CALL FOR FAMILY (VS. 5-7)

So what is the RESPONSIBILITY of the FLOCK? Before going into this section, consider for a moment what you believe -what your actions have shown -the answer to be to this question. Based on your actions (here and away from the church), what IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to NHBC?