Everyday Church
Gospel Communities on Mission
PRAY!!
Life at the Margins
No Longer Cool to be Christian
· Christ is the same but the culture is different
o Hebrews 13:8 – 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
o
Christendom is Dead
· Christendom is the formal or informal alliance between church and state
o Christendom was favorable for Christians but not necessarily for Christianity. Because there were benefits to being associated with the church MANY people were Christian by name and affiliation but not actual Christians by regeneration and devotion.
o (Example of death: Louie Giglio gets canceled for Inauguration Day prayer. January 21,2013)
o The Church as a Hotel or a Home?
§ For the Christian the church is family and therefore we meet regularly as brothers and sisters with our Father in His house.
§ For the Christendom Christian the church is where you go for special occasions. (weddings, funerals, baby dedications, counseling)
§ In the current culture many of these traditions have gone by the wayside.
BUT!!
Christ, Christianity and the Church are not dead!
· Not even death can stop us
o Jesus
§ Revelation 1:18 – 18I am the Living One; I was dead,and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
o Us
§ Ephesians 1:17-23 – 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,may give you the Spirit[f]of wisdomand revelation, so that you may know him better.18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightenedin order that you may know the hope to which he has calledyou, the richesof his glorious inheritancein his holy people,19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That poweris the same as the mighty strength20he exerted when he raised Christ from the deadand seated him at his right handin the heavenly realms,21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,and every namethat is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.22And God placed all things under his feetand appointed him to be headover everything for the church,23which is his body,the fullness of himwho fills everything in every way.
o Church
§ Matthew 16:18 – 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,and the gates of Hadeswill not overcome it.
The State of the Church
· In the USA over 3,500 churches close their doors for the last time each year. The attendance of more than 80% of those remaining has plateaued or is declining.
o Man, Movement, Monument, Museum
We Must Go As Missionaries – Reach ALL Lost
· Go – to the lost
o Luke 19:10 – 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
o Luke 15 – Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son
· Show – love
o Luke 10:25-37 – Good Samaritan (Love God and Neighbors)
o John 13:34-35 – 34“A new commandI give you: Love one another.As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
· Sow – the Word
o Mark 4:2-8, 13-20 – The Seed on the Four Soils
§ Mark 4:14 – 14The farmer sows the word.
o Galatians 6:7-10 – 7Do not be deceived:God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.8Whoever sows to please their flesh,from the flesh will reap destruction;whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.9Let us not become weary in doing good,for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodto all people, especially to those who belong to the familyof believers.
Praise through the Persecution
1 Peter 1:1-9 –Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect,exilesscatteredthroughout the provinces of Pontus,Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,2who have been chosen according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,to be
obedientto Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!In his great mercyhe has
given us new birthinto a living hopethrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead,4and into an inheritancethat can never perish, spoil or fade.This
inheritance is kept in heaven for you,5who through faith are shielded by God’s
poweruntil the coming of the salvationthat is ready to be revealedin the last
time.6In all this you greatly rejoice,though now for a little whileyou may have had
to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.7These have come so that the proven
genuinenessof your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though
refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honorwhen Jesus Christ is
revealed.8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do
not see him now, you believe in himand are filled with an inexpressible and
glorious joy,9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your
souls.