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Sunday Life Mirror
Theme: UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH (5)
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Topic:
THE CHURCH: IT'S POWER
TEXTS: 28:16-20,
Memory Verse:
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus
had appointed for them And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him but some doubted...
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ¡°teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always even to the end of the age" Amen. (Matt.28: 16-17, 19-20)
INTRODUCTION
And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him but some doubted. First, we are going to look at the church: its worship. ¡°When they saw Him, they worshiped Him¡± (above verse17). To worship is to bow down in awe; to pay divine honors to God in humble, reverent homage.
There are three essentials in worship, they are:
- Faith, ¡°The people believed; ¡ then they bowed their heads and worshiped¡± (Ex.4: 31).
- Spirit, ¡°Those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit¡±(John 4:23,24). Spiritual worship is worship directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Phil.3:3).
- Truth, ¡°Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth¡± (John 4:24). Jesus Christ is truth, ¡°I am the way, the truth, and the life¡±(John 14:6). Therefore, there can be no pretense or hypocrisy in true worship. The parable of the Pharisee and the publican illustrates true and false worship (Luke 18:9-14). The publican worshiped in truth and he went home justified. The Pharisee worshiped in religious pride and he went home rejected.
Second, the church: its work. ¡°For from you the word of the Lord sounded forth¡± (1 Thess. 1:8). The church in Thessalonica did the work of the Lord so well that the apostles did not have to evangelize Macedonia and Achaia.
The church shared its faith with the lost, and after all, that is the main work of the church. In this way, ¡°for two years,.. all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks¡± (Acts 19:8-10). All of Asia did not journey to Ephesus to hear Paul.
It is evident that the believers went everywhere sharing the gospel; the work of the church is to go with the gospel, because:
- The church is commissioned to work (18-20).
- The church is to work with Christ (2Cor. 6:1) and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32).
- The church is to work with Christ in His field (the world) (Matt. 13:36-43; also Mark 16:15).
- The need for the church to work is great (John 4:35).
- The time for the church to work is now (2Cor. 6:2).
- The church is to work until Jesus comes to judge the works of the saints (2Cor. 5:10).
- The church will be rewarded for its works (1Cor.3:9-15). God¡¯s program for the local church is COME AND WORSHIP, GO AND WORK (witness) (Acts 8:1-4).
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Thank you
See Archive for Past Study Outline
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