24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. —Matthew 16:24-25
WHY IS CHURCH COMMUNITY SO IMPORTANT?
1. It was __Jesus’
idea
16 …I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. —Matthew 16:18
13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. —Colossians 1:13-14
25 And LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. —Hebrews 10:25
Church should be your excuse for missing everything else.
WHY IS CHURCH COMMUNITY SO IMPORTANT?
2. It’s where
happens
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 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 28:19-20
Discipleship is a community project, not just a personal pursuit.
a.
discipleship
1 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths. 5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. —2 Timothy 4:1-5
b.
discipleship
2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. —2 Timothy 2:2
c.
discipleship
3. It’s where
are shared and given
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. —1 Corinthians 12:12-18
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. —1 Peter 4:10
4. It’s the
role model
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and HIS LOVE IS BROUGHT TO FULL EXPRESSION IN US. —1 John 4:11-12