The Church as a Family
Eph. 5:25-27
Jesus loved the church!
a. Consider the price He paid for it.
b. The church came first with Him
c. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us loved the church as He did?
Jesus wanted the church to radiate and glow!
d. Mt. 5:16
e. He wanted us to live in such a way as to cause others to be drawn to the church.
But what is the key to being a radiant, glowing and growing church?
f. What does the world need to see?
g. We are a family!
h. This catches the world’s attention more than anything else.
i. Must have the right doctrine but we also must have the right relationships.
j. This is why we look forward to Sunday and Wednesday night- to be with our family.
k. This is why we worship together- we are family.
l. This is why we stand around and visit when services are over- we are family.
This morning, let us take the word family, form an acrostic, and show by each letter what it takes to have a radiant, glowing and growing church.
"F" is for fellowship.
A. Acts 2:42
B. What is meant by "fellowship"?
1) It means having a part in.
2) In order for the church to glow and grow each member must feel that he or she is a part.
C. We need to start using the words "We" and "Us" in connection with the church.
1) We need to learn to say, "Do you know what WE are doing at Lenoir church of Christ? And "God is really blessing US at Lenoir!"
2) When this church has a victory, we all have a victory; when this church fails, we fail, because we are a part of this fellowship called family.
D. This is your family.
1) Be proud of it!
2) Uphold her good name!
3) Fight her enemies!
4) Insure her victories!
E. If this church is to mean anything to you, you have to take part in the fellowship. You need to spend time with your family (dinners, outing, classes, in your home).
"A" is for attitude.
F. Attitude is everything.
1) The rise to the height of success from the depth of failure is not so much a matter of altitude as a matter of attitude.
2) When a Christian is asked how he is doing he should respond with, "I am great, but I am going to get even better!"
G. The world is filled with doleful creatures, sad sacks!
1) They can brighten a room just by leaving.
2) No matter what you say to them they shoot it down.
H. What should our attitude be?
1) Phil. 2:5
2) He had a beautiful attitude.
a. He could see a Samaritan woman and see an opportunity to convert someone.
b. He could see a woman taken in adultery and see someone who could be forgiven.
c. He could see a publican named Matthew and see someone who could write gospel.
d. He could see a persecutor like Saul and see a great apostle to the Gentiles.
I. I am thankful this church has such a wonderful attitude. We should never gripe about the church. If it was perfect you couldn’t be a member here.
J. Let’s work hard to maintain this attitude.
1) Prov. 23:7
2) "Lenoir church of Christ is the most wonderful place!"
"M" is for message.
K. To have a radiant, glowing and growing church, we must have a message.
1) Rom. 1:16
2) There is no power without the right message.
L. That message is the gospel, the good news.
1) Why is it good news?
2) Must the same message that the early church preached.
3) It must be distintive!
"I" is for inspire and involved
M. Heb. 10:24
1) A growing church is one that will inspire and encourage one another to love and good works.
2) We need to do a lot of encouraging.
a. Write cards and letters.
b. Make phone calls and visits.
c. I Thess. 5:11
d. Hug someone; pat someone’s back; shake their hand.
N. We also need more involvement from all our members.
1) We are all members of the same family.
2) Do your part. Pull your weight. Find something to do. And do it.
3) Don’t wait to be asked but ask to do it.
"L" is for love.
O. Jn. 13:34
1) What is new about it?
2) Not the first time commanded to love.
3) It is new because we are commanded to love like Jesus.
P. I am not ashamed to tell you I love you.
Q. We must all love each other (Jn. 13:35).
R. And don’t just say it; show it (I Jn. 3:17)!
"Y" is for yearning.
S. We have to have the desire.
T. We can be the kind of church God wants if we have a burning desire.
U. I want this church to be the very best church it can be.
1) I lie awake at night thinking about it. I bet your Elders do too.
2) I pray for it. So do your Elders.
3) How about you? Do you have the burning desire to make this family the best family on this earth?
4) Not for our pride but for God’s glory and the souls that can be saved when the world sees our family and wants to be a part of it.
1. This is what it takes to have a growing family: belonging to the fellowship, having that radiant attitude, preaching the marvelous message, inspiring one another and getting involved in all the activities we can, loving one another and yearning to grow.
2. Let’s thank God we are a family and let us work harder to make our family grow.
3. Would you like to join our family?
James Pharr
Lenoir, NC