What If every Member of This Church Loved It As Much As You Do?

What If every Member of This Church Loved It As Much As You Do?

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”{Ephesians 5:25}

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? “Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”{2 Corinthians 11:28}

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • Can a person love God and NOT love His church? • Can we be in submission to Jesus and refuse to support His church? • Can I serve Jesus and refuse to be a faithful, committed member of a local church?

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • Who could we count on to be present at all the services? • Would the worship be Scriptural, sincere, and enthusiastic? • Could anyone be depended on to get things done?

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • Would we have sufficient financial support to carry out the work? • Who would be engaged in personal evangelism? • Would everyone be striving for unity?

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • God commanded: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”{Hebrews 10:24}

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • The early disciples:“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”{Acts 2:42}

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • What is your attitude toward assembling with the saints?“I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." {Psalm 122:1}

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • Your presence encourages others (and your absence discourages them)“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." {1 Thessalonians 5:11}

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • The local church needs members who are available to serve.“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.“{Romans 12:4,5}

Who Could We Count on to Be Present at All the Services? • What message does poor attendance send to visitors? (our worship suffers, and we send the wrong message!)“In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility." {Titus 2:7}

Would the Worship Be Scriptural, Sincere, and Enthusiastic? • “God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.” {John 4:24} • God does not accept unauthorized worship. • “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” {Matthew 15:9}

Would the Worship Be Scriptural, Sincere, and Enthusiastic? • I should praise, seek, and love God with all my heart. • “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.” {Psalm 9:1} • “Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.” {Psalm 111.1

Could Anyone Be Depended on to Get Things Done? • The local church needs many things... • Elders, deacons, teachers, song leaders, etc. • Men who will lead prayers, serve the Lord’s Supper, read Scripture, make announcements, offer mid-week invitations, etc.

Could Anyone Be Depended on to Get Things Done? • The local church needs many things... • Grounds keepers, people to help on work days, prepare the Lord’s Supper, monitor the web site, process Bible Correspondence Courses, visit the shut-ins and spiritually weak…

Could Anyone Be Depended on to Get Things Done? • The local church needs many things... • “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” {Romans 12:4,5}

Could Anyone Be Depended on to Get Things Done? • The local church needs many things... • “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching.”{Romans 12:6,7}

Could Anyone Be Depended on to Get Things Done? • The local church needs many things... • “He who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”{Romans 12:8}

Would We Have Sufficient Financial Support to Carry out the Work? • Do you “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and the first fruits of all your increase.” {Proverbs 3:9} • Do you give with liberality? • Romans 12:8

Would We Have Sufficient Financial Support to Carry out the Work? • Do you give as you have been prospered? • “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” {1 Corinthians 16:2}

Would We Have Sufficient Financial Support to Carry out the Work? • Do you give cheerfully? • “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”{2 Corinthians 9:7}

Would We Have Sufficient Financial Support to Carry out the Work? • The local church has work to do; this requires money! • “Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.”{Philippians 4:15}

Would We Have Sufficient Financial Support to Carry out the Work? • The church has bills and obligations (utilities, supplies, facilities, etc.) that require money. • What if everyone gave AS YOU DO? Would we be able to carry out our work? Would we be able to meet our obligations?

Who Would Engage in Personal Evangelism? • Do you go everywhere preaching the word? • “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.”{Acts 8:4,5}

Who Would Engage in Personal Evangelism? • Do you care if your neighbor, friend, or co-worker is lost? • “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”{Romans 1:14,15}

Who Would Engage in Personal Evangelism? • What if everyone engaged in personal evangelismAS YOU DO?(Would the church grow with your help? Who would hear the gospel in the Dayton area?)

Would We All Strive for Unity? • Those who love the Lord love unity, based on what God has said- • “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” {John 17:20,21}

Would We All Strive for Unity? • Too many cause problems with their attitudes, agendas, and teaching. • “For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” {1 Corinthians 3:3}

Would We All Strive for Unity? • Too many cause problems with their attitudes, agendas, and teaching. • “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”{Galatians 5:15}

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • Our attendance would be consistently good or poor… • Those present would be edified or discouraged by our worship... • We would never or often have trouble finding someone to do the work!

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • We would or would not be able to fund the local work and meet our obligations. • We would excel or fail in our personal evangelistic efforts. • We would have harmony or division?

If We All Loved the Church As Much As You Do? • Can one love the Lord and NOT love His church? • Can I be in submission to Jesus and refuse to support His church? • Can I serve Jesus and refuse to serve as a faithful, committed member of a local church?

What If every Member of This Church Loved It As Much As You Do?