“So You Have a New Church”

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:11-16

I. We do not have a new church but just a new location

A. The church is made up of people, Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 12:18

B. The location is not important

C. We could meet in an empty lot, someone’s house, a rented building, or build a building such as we have here.

D. It is not important where we meet but that we meet together, Heb. 10:24-25.

E. We must consider how to encourage one another to faithfulness.

F. We must not forsake opportunities to worship together

G. It is the habit of some It should not be our habit

H. I am thankful for the old church that meets here and our new location

II. I hope we become a new church

A. People have said that we have a “new church” in that we have a new building; I hope that we become a new church in certain ways.

B. Growth

C. The church is a living organism that must grow or die.

D. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 27 – We are a body that works together for growth

E. Ephesians 4:11-16 – God has provided the nourishment for growth

F. We grow stronger individually and collectively as we grow in our knowledge, service, and relationship with God. If we do not study, pray, serve one another, or otherwise exercise ourselves to godliness, we will become stagnant and die, Revelation 3:1-5

G. If we continue to grow in number, we will truly be a new church

H. Matthew 28:18-20 – the Great Commission2 Timothy 2:2 – Commit the word to others that they may teach also We desire new members so that the church that meets here a year from now will look different because of new faces

I. Zealous Work

J. When a person moves into a new house, they often make new goals and other changes in their lives.

K. We have been zealous, for the past ten months, to move into the new building.

L. We are now here making ourselves at home.

M. We must now direct our zeal toward reaching others in the community to bring them to Christ.

N. Our goal is not to open the back pews because of so many people. Our goal is not to increase our contribution by new members. Our goal is to lead souls to Jesus—that is our work.

O. We must direct our zeal towards welcoming all who visit here and those who regularly worship here.

P. We must direct our zeal towards building one another up in the faith. We must be good examples to one another. We must speak good and not evil; we must serve, not ignore.

Q. Godly Love

R. Revelation 2:1-5 – The church at Ephesus forgot their first love Paul established the church in Ephesus and loved it very much.

S. John wrote that they forgot their first love

T. How could this be? They rebuked false teachers and uncovered some false apostles, v.2. They were patient in suffering and labored in love, v.3

U. Yet Jesus, through John, rebuked them for not loving Him.

V. From the outside, it seemed that they were doing well; most would say they were a strong church. However, God could see into their hearts and knew that their love was gone. They forgot where they came from and to whom they should be committed; an error we all can make.

W. We must have our heart dedicated to Jesus.

X. Your allegiance should not be to this beautiful building. Your allegiance should not be to me, as a preacher, or the elders, or any other person in this church. Your allegiance should not be to the “church of Christ” as a body.

Y. Your allegiance should be to Jesus Christ, the Father, and the Spirit.

Z. This commitment drove Paul, 2 Timothy 2:121 John 5:1-4 We can come here and work our hardest, appear to others to be righteous but if our true love lies elsewhere, we deceive ourselves and we will be lost, Matthew 7:21-23.

A. Transformation

B. I hope we never become an old churchI hope we have constant growth, both adding to our number and growth of the members here. My prayer is that as individuals and a body we become more like Christ and do His work.

III. We must always be Christ’s church

A. Not follow man’s innovations, Matthew 15:9.

B. Seek to please God and not men, Galatians 1:10

C. Not compromise the truth for respectability

D. Some would not confess Jesus lest the Jewish leaders cast them out of the synagogue and, thus, popular society. We must not compromise the truth to gain respect in the community. Remember that we will be judged by God; 1 Peter 4:17-19

E. This building, our bodies, and our souls all belong to Christ

F. Let us use them for His glory Let us obey His authority

IV. So You’ve Got A New Church