The Church

2 Corinthians 5:14-18 (NIV) 14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

RECAPPING SOME AMAZING THINGS:
Who we are (Vision & Mission)
• Once we come to Christ, we are then on a journey.
o Our whole world has changed, including our worldview (our view of and beliefs about the world).
o We are saved from something for something.
• Head, Heart, Hands, and Feet; SCMD; Discipleship—it’s important we’re speaking the same language.
• The first week of this series, we talked about how we are to live out being a disciple (The Lord’s way).
• Last week, we looked at Abide. We love because He first loved us.
• What compels us on this Journey? It is Christ’s love.

THE CHURCH: A SPIRITUAL NATION.
Jesus died to establish His church—not a building but a people.

Ephesians 2:19–22 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

• It was God’s plan to share the wisdom of God through the church, a people, a Holy Nation. (Ephesians 3:10)
• We are to live a life worthy of the calling. (Ephesians 4:1–6)
• We are to bare each other’s burdens. (Love, Patience, Forgiveness)
• We are broken, but we know it.

A BODY AND A FAMILY:
The church is a body.

Ephesians 4:11–16 11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

• As a body, we learn and grow (via God’s word, Pastors, Teachers, gathering with other believers, Life Groups, etc.).
• Church isn’t just for paid players. We are all on this mission with Jesus.

The church is a family.

Matthew 12:46-50 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

• How does this family function?
• We don’t do it perfectly, but we strive for that as God changes us to be more and more like Him.

SALT AND LIGHT:
We are to be the salt and light of the world.

Matthew 5:13-15 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

• We are to love God and others. We’re to know God, know others, and be known by others. We love because He first loved us. We are to be a light in the darkness.
• We’re to learn who God is, become like Him, and obey Him—not because we have to but because we want to after what He did for us. We don’t just check boxes. Our hearts and desires are changing as we remain in Christ.
• We produce what we remain in, so we are to produce light because He is light.
• We can do all the speaking, serving, sacrificing, learning we want, but if we have no love, we are nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
• We are ambassadors of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

CLOSE
1) What is standing out to you? What are you hearing?
2) Are you living for the spiritual nation first (the body, the family)?
3) What step do you need to make?
4) Are you abiding in Christ and His love so you can produce what you abide in, what is compelling you on this journey?
5) Are you connected to God’s Church and living in that sphere as God has intended? Are you being salt and light?

QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
Passages to consider: Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:6-12, Ephesians 4:1-6, Ephesians 4:11-16
Icebreaker: What was a team, club, or group you wanted to be a part of growing up? Or What country would you like to visit? Share some reasons why.

• Share some insights you gleaned from this week’s sermon.

1. Divide up into four groups and have each group take a passage. Read Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:6-12, Ephesians 4:1-6, and Ephesians 4: 11-16. What do you discover about the church from these passages?
2. When you hear, “BE the church,” what comes to mind?
3. Who has modeled for you how to be a part of God’s family, body, church?
4. What are you discovering about your own part in being a member of God’s family? A) What can stop you from getting involved?
5. How does being in relationship with Jesus impact your relationship with His church? A) How does being in relationship with other believers impact your relationship with Jesus?
6. Conflict comes in the midst of relationships, even in the best of families. How does being a part of God’s church—His family—affect your response to conflict?
7. How do you want to grow as a group in the church sphere? A) Where can you serve as individuals or as a group? Think of spiritual goals and serving goals for your group.