No Apologies- The Church

What is The Church

Romans 12:4-5

“Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.”

-Jesus is the head of The Church

-Believers are all parts of the body of Christ carrying out the mission of Christ

Matthew 28:19-20

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

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What The Church is not

-A building(where a community of believers meets)

-A name(Identifies a community of believers, but not The Church)

What The Church is called to do….

Acts 2: 42-47

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

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-Devoted- to learning the Word and applying it to their lives

-Held all things in common- their goals and desires were the same because of the devotion they had.

-They were selling their possessions and belongings…. Nothing was off limits, because nothing held more importance in their hearts than Gods instruction

-Day by Day meeting TOGETHER and breaking bread in their homes…. Coming to church MATTERS and having community MATTERS

-They were Generous and Grateful, this leads to favor and draws people to Jesus…

1. I can’t be The Church because of what I have done… No Excuses

2. I won’t be The Church because of what they have done… No Excuses

3. I won’t be The Church because of what The Church has done to me… No Excuses

How am I supposed to live by “No Excuses”?

Acts 7:54-56

“When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! ””

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We fix our eyes on Jesus

Acts 7:59-60

“While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! ” He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them! ” And after saying this, he fell asleep.”

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When we fix our eyes on Jesus.. Love Conquers All Excuses

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1 Peter 3:15 - but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

CAN I TRUST THE STORY OF THE BIBLE?

James 5:16b – … The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

1. *TEACH THEM TO *FEAR YOU.

Proverbs 9:10 – 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

2. *SURROUND THEM WITH DIVINE *FAVOR

Psalms 90:17 – 17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands establish the work of our hands!

3. BRING *GODLY *INFLUENCES & FRIENDS INTO THEIR LIVES.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.

Proverbs 13:20 – 20 The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.

4. HELP THEM TO *TRUST *YOU WITH THEIR LIVES AND *BE *SAVED!

Philippians 2:12-13 – 12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

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HOW DO I KNOW I AM SAVED?

1 John 5:11-13 – 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

SERMON TITLE: “IF YOU KNOW… YOU KNOW!”

1. SALVATION IS A *DECISION, AS A *RESPONSE

John 3:16 – 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 6:44 – 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Romans 10:8b-10 – …This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

2. SALVATION IS NOT *FROM *WORKS, BUT *FOR THEM

Ephesians 2:8-10 – 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

James 2:17 – In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

3. SALVATION *CHANGES *EVERYTHING ABOUT *YOU!

Matthew 7:17-18 – 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.

DOES MY LIFE REFLECT THE FAITH I PROFESS?

Romans 5:1 – 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Not your works

Not your effort

Not your feelings

Not your past

It’s Jesus

Romans 8:1-6 CSB 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.

1. REVEAL ANSWER

Is Grounded In REVEAL ANSWER

; REVEAL ANSWER

Grounds Us In REVEAL ANSWER

Romans 8:1-2 CSB Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:3-4 CSB 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

2.Condemnation Is A REVEAL ANSWER

Of REVEAL ANSWER

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 CSB I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.

3. Condemnation Is REVEAL ANSWER

By Our REVEAL ANSWER

In Christ

Revelation 12:10-11 CSB Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.

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Romans 3:23

Romans 2:15

Romans 10:4-13

1. We have to recognize our *need for *Him, and the *way for us to be *saved.

2. We can’t let *pride prevent us from *relationship with Jesus.

3. You are *never going to *do enough to *earn it.

We can’t have relationship without repentance

Matthew 7:21-23

1 Timothy 2:3-5

Romans 10:9

Because HE loves you and wants the best for you. Because HE has purpose for you.

Because Death is coming and Eternity will follow

Psalms 103:11-13

1. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE *RIGHT *THING IN THE *WRONG *PLACE

Luke 24:2-5 – 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men.

2. THEY WENT TO THE GRAVE EXPECTING *DEATH BUT FOUND *LIFE

Luke 24:5-7 – 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?”

John 11:25 – 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

3. THE EMPTY TOMB MEANS JESUS DID WHAT *WE *NEVER *COULD

2 Corinthians 5:21 – 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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Luke 7:18-23 – 18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? ’ ” 21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

SERMON TITLE: “DEFIANT HUMILITY”

Luke 7:18-19 – 18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

1. JESUS IS NOT *INTIMIDATED BY OUR *DOUBT

2. JESUS ANSWERS *DOUBT WITH *EVIDENCE, NOT *EXPLANATION

Luke 7:22 – 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,

Luke 7:23 – 23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

3. DEFIANT *HUMILITY *TRUSTS GOD WHEN IT DOESN'T *MAKE *SENSE

John 3:30 – 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

Philippians 2:5-11 – 5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death – even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.