Hebrews 12:25-27 UNSHAKABLE
Matthew 16:18CHRIST’S CHURCH
Intro.-The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is Unshakable, and worthy of you building your life upon. Though Churches have come and gone, the Church which consist of all believers will never fail.
**THE CHURCH IS UNSHAKABLE
*It will last till Jesus Comes for it, so be ready!!
BUT… it just doesn’t look that way right now. Hebrews 2:8 Thouhast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.It IS, but doesn’t look it.
Illustrations:
When you were born, your mother brought you to church.
When you were married, your wife brought you to church.
When you die, your friends will bring you to church.
Why not try coming to church on your own sometime?
In 1991 a Gallup poll showed that 78 percent of Americans expect to go to heaven when they die. However, many of them hardly ever pray, read the Bible, or attend church. They admit that they live to please themselves instead of God. I wonder why these people would want to go to heaven.
In his new book America at the Crossroads (Baker Books), George Barna offers a disturbing survey of the trends impacting American culture and the challenges they pose to the church. In one chapter he offers insights about the unchurched, including these data points:
* “46 percent of adults are now unchurched – an increase from the 35 percent in 2005.”
* “62 percent of the unchurched consider themselves to be Christian.”
* “59 percent of Americans disconnect from church life either permanently or for a prolonged period of time between the ages of fifteen and twenty-nine.”
Statistics Say: 1,700 pastors a month quit being a pastor. #1 reason is discouragement
Only 10% of Churches in America are growing. 10% have leveled off, and 80% are in decline.
WHY ISTILL GO TO CHURCH?
1. BECAUSE OUR SAVIOR FOUNDED A CHURCH
Matt. 16:18 (Text)
2. CHRIST PURCHASED THE CHURCH WITH HIS OWN BLOOD Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
3. CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Colossians 1:18 Andhe is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
4. CHRIST WANTS PEOPLE TO BE ADDED TO THE CHURCH Acts 2:47 PraisingGod, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (We seek to grow not for us, but for HIM!!)
5. PAUL GAVE US AN APOSTOLIC EXAMPLE
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
6. IT IS WHERE THE WAY IN CHRIST IS TAUGHT
1 Corinthians 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
7. WE ARE TOLD TO EDIFY THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH 1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
8.GOD MADE IT THE SOURCE OF PROPAGATING TRUTH 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
9. IT IS WHERE WE SING GOD’S PRAISES
Heb2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
10. WE ARE ADMONISHED TO ATTEND
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
So why do I go to Church-- because my Savior does!
READ ARTICLE ABOUT CHURCH (Clark Peters)
The old mountaineer had lived a full but not exactly saintly life and now was on his deathbed. He summoned his weeping wife. "Sara," he said, "go to the fireplace and take out the third stone from the top." She did as instructed. "Reach in there," said her husband, "and bring out what you find."
Her fingers touched a large Mason jar, and with some effort she pulled it up. The jar was full of cash.
"Sara," said the old man, "when I go, I'm going to take all that money with me. I want you to put that jar up in the attic by the window. I'll get it as I go by on my way to heaven."
His wife followed his instructions. That night the old mountaineer died. After the funeral his wife remembered the Mason jar and went to the attic. There was the jar still full of money and by the window.
"Oh," the widow sighed. "I knew I should have put it in the basement."
ARE YOU READY TO MEET JESUS??