HeartSight – Body Life

HeartSight – Body Life                               3-1-20

Bottom Line:  The only thing that matters about church is what does God want it to be?

Introduction:

 A. What was your most amazing worship experience?

   1. Me and God on a mountain or in a tree stand

   2. Being with those I love the most

   3. Life changing, faith affirming, love building, and most of all, connecting to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!

 B. When has that happened for you?

 C. What is the ideal church for you?

   1. What words best describe it for you?

   2. Demanding? Challenging? Stretching your faith? Sacrifice, support, & serve? Love, care, & celebrate?

   3. World view of church: Fun, exciting, entertaining, moving, meeting all my needs, no demands, cheap…  Unneeded & unnecessary?

 D. What analogy best fits your idea of church?

   1. Team? Band of Brother/Sisters? Club? Pep Rally?

   2. Best fits you? Fan? Supporter? Spectator? Member?

 E. God chose to describe His church as a body and family!

   1. Body = unity & togetherness, interdependence, care

   2. Family = close, support, loving & forgiving

 F. The only thing that truly matters is what does God want his church to be? What is our job?

   1. Church is defined by traditions & Church Growth

   2. God has always been clear – Eph.4:1-6 unity & love

 G. Let’s ask God what He wants. How does He see his church? (vs.7-16)

1. What do you want your church to do? (vs.7-10)

 A. God says, “To each one of you has been given grace from Jesus to help you maintain unity and love for one another.” (vs.7)

 B. Giving grace is what Jesus does in the kingdom vs.8-10

 C. We all have a part to contribute to the family/body

2. How do you want your church to do it? (vs.11-13)

 A. “We called on some to be apostles and prophets to help build the foundation of the church family, and some to be evangelists, pastors, and teachers to prepare or equip everyone.”

 B. Equip us for very specific things – simple & clear!

   1. Works of service to build up the body of Christ

   2. To stay after it until everyone is united in faith, until everyone knows and understands Jesus, and until everyone becomes mature or Christlike

 C. The job of church family leaders is helping and guiding everyone family member into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

3. Why do you want this to happen to your church? (vs.14-16)

 A. “I don’t want anyone to remain a baby in Christ, being misled, mis-taught, or damaged by the cunning and craftiness of men who are deceitful schemers. I want my children to speak to one another in love and help each other grow up into Christ who is the Head of the Body. From Him the entire body, joined and help together by mutual support will grow and build itself up in love – as each part does its work.”

 B. God wants spiritual stability, spiritual growth, and a deepening connection between every member

 C. Notice: “as each part does it’s work” – remember vs.7?  Grace was given to all to help one another

Conclusion:

A. If the world wrote the Bible, it would read like this:

   “If anyone would come after me, let them…

     – find a church family that will take care of all their

       needs,

     – let someone else carry their cross,

     – and then follow me, if it is convenient and

       comfortable.”   Realworld 16:24

B. Jesus said something very different in Matthew 16:24

C. Tough and challenging verse, but isn’t it really what we do in a family? Deny self, take up cross (sacrifice), and follow Jesus (the head of the body/family)