The Church I See, Week 1: We Keep Jesus the Main Thing

The local church is the HOPE of the world! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) We lead PEOPLE into a new life of FREEDOM in JESUS. …I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.  I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out... Exodus 6:6-7 (NIV) Value # 1 – We Keep Jesus the Main Thing …Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 (KJV) For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV) 1.  WE WORSHIP Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’Matthew 22:37 (NIV)   And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” John 12:32 (NLT) 2.  WE HANG ON HIS EVERY WORD All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching,rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness… 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (NLT) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35 (NIV) Before Jesus can be the MAIN THING in our church… He has to be the MAIN THING IN OUR LIVES. 3.  WE MARRY THE MESSAGE; NOT THE METHOD …These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observeyour own traditions!Mark 7:6-9 (NIV) You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!  Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39-40 (NLT) We will sacrifice PREFERENCE and TRANDITION… in the name of EFFECTIVENESS. 4.  WE ARE ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FAR FROM GOD On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Candara;} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 (NIV)