What Happens When We Worship | Week 8

My name is Kyle if you're visiting with us today, I want

to say thank you for being here. I serve as lead.

Pastor here, want to welcome you today.

If you have your Bible with a statute, open it to Ephesians

chapter to the book of Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

We are going to look at a few verses 17 through 20 to here

today, as we continue our series on worship.

Again, we talk about worship, we're not talking about simply

singing. Songs.

That's a modern connotation. If you will of what we mean.

When we say, worship is worship songs.

Typically is how you hear that? Put, but historically, speaking

worship is a reference to what happens on the Lord's day when

we come together in a service. This is called a worship

service. And so, we have gathered

together, in what we call our worship center for a worship

service, and we have been singing already.

We've prayed together and that we were here for here from the

word together. We've given As well.

And so all of these things are meant to be elements within a

worship service as far as the Bible is concerned.

And so that's what we're giving ourselves to.

And so in the series what we've been looking at is why worship

what happens when we worship? What's the purpose of coming

together? Is there anything transformative

taking place? If so, what is it?

If not why in the world? Are we doing this, right?

But there is and I want to show you another aspect of that today

as we look at the communion of saints.

It's the communion of saints is, you know, I've been called an

old soul by those who I think are not trying to be rude to me.

I think they're trying to be encouraging.

The communion of saints is an old way of saying, what we're

talking about. And I don't, I don't think it's

always bad to use the old terms and then, I think the old terms

capture a lot of what we're looking for, and they help keep

from muddying the Waters of what, maybe new terms are doing.

And so, when we talk about the communion of saints, Since we're

talking about the communion that we have together as Saints.

Now, you might sit there and say, well I'm no sign.

I'm a sinner, I understand. But biblically speaking.

If your faith is in Christ, you've been saved from your

sins, you are a redeemed Center, which is a saint.

You are a saint in the household of God.

And that's what we're going to look at today.

And so today, we've come together, we're communing with

one another in within rather our Union in Christ.

It's a men. It's our communion is not based

on anything else other than our Union, with our God who saves

and praise him for it. Amen.

And so, we're going to focus on that.

If you have your worship, God in front of you, you've got a place

to take notes children. You also have a worship God.

Now, if you didn't get one, there's some on the back table,

you can run and grab one of those, or throw your hand up.

Will make Jasper bring you one. He's back there, counting heads.

So But you can take notes. First thing I want you to write

down is this and then I'm going to read our passage for this

morning. Christians worship as those

separated from the world and United to one, another

Christians worship is those separated from the world and

United to one another. Now, if you would, as we do

weekly would you stand? Now, as we prepare to read from

the word of God, when I'm finished reading, I'll say this

is the word of the Lord. Ask that you respond.

Thanks be to God and we're going to read Ephesians chapter 2

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

starting in verse 17. And he came the he there is

Christ and he came and preached peace to you who were far off

and peace to those who were near for through him, we both have

access in one spirits to the father.

So then you are no longer strangers and Aliens but you are

fellow citizens with the Saints and members of the household of

God built on the foundation of Of the Apostles and Prophets

Christ. Jesus himself, being the

Cornerstone in, whom the whole structure being joined together.

Grows into a holy Temple in the Lord in him.

You also were being built together into a dwelling place

for God by the spirits. This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks, be to God. Amen.

Let me pray for you and then you have a seat.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the time we have now to

read. To hear from your word of the

Lord. I pray that you would open our

hearts and Minds to receive your word to understand the

importance. The power that's available to

us, as well, the benefits of the communion of saints.

Lord, we praise you for this great privilege.

Even if for some of us and even myself, I'm seeking to gain a

deeper understanding of truly. What's taking place?

We praise you for the gift of this communion.

We thank you, Lord. We Eyes that as we come together

today that we are coming together in our Union and

Christ. And so therefore, we have

fellowship with one another as those who are altogether

separate from the world yet United together in Christ, we

love you. Lord, help us to see these

truths today. Christ's name, I pray.

Amen. Amen.

You may be seated. At the beginning of the series,

we talked about him how humans are wired for worship.

In other words, your created for worship intrinsically in.

You is a desire to be a worshipper and you are going to

worship something Ecclesiastes tells us that you were created

with eternity set into your heart.

So there's a understanding that there's an eternal weight, two

things, there's Eternal value, to some things and then to some

things there aren't. But what it means is that you

Are seeking something of Eternal worth and so you worship and

typically, you're worshipping those things that are bringing

value to your life. Now we find fulfillment in our

design when we worship alongside others.

Again, the Bible is instructive for us here in Genesis, we read

that it was not good for the man to be alone and so God says, I

will make a helper fit for him. Now the purpose of that was to

be fruitful and multiply, so bring about out the presence of

others other people who would also be joining in worship to

God. And so there was a communion

that was to be present and undefiled communion that was

defiled by sin but nonetheless, your created to worship and you

find fulfillment in worship when you worship alongside others.

Now, this isn't simply because a group of people decide that

they're going to get together and enjoy worship with one

another, the suit there's nothing.

Spiritual. Let me rephrase that this isn't

simply because a group of people decide to come together.

Right. Just because a group of people

gather together doesn't mean there's anything.

Spiritual about that. Nothing Supernatural goes on in

sold-out, stadiums during a sporting event or in a packed

movie theater. Just because a bunch of people

come together. There's nothing Supernatural

taking place there. My first experience in Baton

Rouge for an LSU game was in 2011 that we were playing

Arkansas. It was a sold out crowd.

The hype video before the game, the crowd the stadiums, full,

the people are going crazy they've you know enjoyed a lot

of things before the game. And so they're in there and

they're all hyped and excited and just going bananas.

And this height video comes off. So again my first time here and

there's a voice over with the hype video.

Yo and the voice says, this says, it's talking about Death

Valley, the stadium. It says it is the Cathedral of

college football and worship happens here.

And I remember thinking to myself in the middle of all this

long and I was, I winced, it's like, you know, here I am just

here to watch a football game and I'm being told that this is

the Cathedral of college football that worship happens

here. Now, they would say that this is

not meant to be offensive, you know, to other religions, or any

of that, nothing of the sort. But the point is made the point

is made that people value Sports in a worshipful manner, right?

And so did the writer of that thing.

So when LSU was down, 14-7 and Arkansas elected, the punt, the

ball to a guy named Tyrann Mathieu, you might know him as

the honey badger, it was a high deep punt.

He Fields it at his own 8 yard line after a few moves here and

there there was no one left to tackle him and Whole stadium

could see the field open up for Tyrann Mathieu, and the place

goes Bonkers and as he crosses the goal line, it sounds like a

bomb. Goes off in the stadium is just

so loud. Every second of his run became

louder than the next and it was pure pandemonium was a lot of

fun LSU went on to win. 4117, in case you forgot just wanted to

remind you, I know as exciting as the game was as incredible as

that moment was for. Ever, probably seared in my mind

as loud as the stadium had become an, even though my voice

wasn't the same the next day, make no mistake.

There was nothing Supernatural taking place.

No, no one's life was spiritually.

Transformed by the game. It was just football on a

Saturday night in Death Valley. However, Christian worship is

wonderfully Supernatural, be cut it because it is true worship of

God through Christ Jesus, his son alongside the saints of God

as the Apostles Creed, a Creed that's been long used throughout

church history. It's believed to Date back to as

early as days just after Pentecost.

It says that one moment in here in the Apostles Creed, it says,

I believe in the communion of saints, I believe in the

communion of saints. We sing a song Here.

Occasionally, it's called this. I believe that's just a, the

Apostles Creed puts a lyrics essentially.

But the music because in the communion of saints, why do we

believe in the communion of saints?

Because in the communion of saints during worship, God is at

work, God is at work. In your heart.

He's at work. Your mind, he's at work in your

life and he's doing so through the spirit, which is present

with us. So what is the communion of

saints? Why is it so special?

Well, it's nothing less than Christians worshipping is those

who were separated that is called out from the world and

United to one another under Christ.

Amen. This is why we worship.

So, again, the first point I want to make to you today, you

can write this down if you want to.

We are separated from the world. We are separated from the world.

I'm going to read to you again, efficiency 17, through 19, and

he came and he preached peace to you who were far off and peace

to those who were near for through him.

We both have access in one Spirit to the father So you see,

first of all that the communion of saints is extremely

explicitly is probably a better word trinitarian.

It's trinitarian. He came Christ.

Came and preached peace to you, who were far off and reference.

Here, he's talking about the Gentiles, and those who were

near he's talking about the Jews for through Christ.

We have access in one Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit to the

father, amen. It's explicitly at The Tyrion

thing that's taking place and then in verse 19, he says.

So then you are no longer strangers and Aliens but you are

fellow citizens with the saints of God with the Saints or and

members of the household of God. So again once you were far off,

but Christ has brought you near once.

You did not know peace with God but now you have peace with God

through Christ. Once you did not have access to

the father but now by the spirit of God, which is made, you alive

in Christ. Jesus.

You have access to the father Christ, your mediator, the

spirit. Now making you alive to come to

the Lord. You can come amen.

You've been regenerated. You've been given a new Heart,

you are a new creation. According to second, Corinthians

5:17, old things passed away. Everything has become new.

All of that by the spirit of God, the same spirit of God Paul

writes in Ephesians one that raised Christ from the dead and

he came in to you and gave you life when you first believed.

So you were once a stranger and an alien that just simply means

a foreigner, you were foreign to the household of God.

You were foreign to the people of God.

You did not. Home to such a group but now you

who, were once a stranger nail into the household, God now, you

are a member of the household of God, your counted among the

saints, which makes you now a stranger and an alien to the

world. Amen.

That's why Jesus prays in John 17 and he's talking also about

his disciples. Those those present with him,

those who would come after him, he says, I am not of this world,

they are not of this world, you have drawn them out of the

world. And first Peter, we read that we

are a chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood.

You read that you have been called out of marvelous, re

called out of Darkness into Marvelous Lights.

You are an altogether new creation as a person of God.

Amen. This is not it's not simply that

you've just been Kylie, I don't know the word I'm looking for,

it's not simply that you've just been redeemed or transformed or

that you've been made better than you were.

That's a good way to put it because morality teaches that

you can just be made better, right?

Just by your behavior. You can change and become a

better person, but what God teaches is that you need more

than morality. You need a new nature, your old

nature is sinful, and it's disposed to only sin.

Your new nature which comes by faith in Christ through the

power of the Holy Spirit which resurrects in you.

A new life, gives you a new heart where there was once an

old heart, there's a new fleshly heart put in you, buy a new

spirit that's put in you. And you are a new creation

altogether changed. And then there should be more

smiling at that. There should be more joy at that

because without it without it you are certain to split hell

wide open. You can't be good enough.

You can't be grand enough. You can't be awesome enough.

God has to save you and that's what we're reading about today.

We're reading that you were once far off, but Christ has brought

you in here, you were once a stranger and an alien to the

household of God, but now you remember of Christ.

Very own body. You once were destined for hell

and Damnation forevermore but now you know, eternal life with

Christ. Amen.

And so Christians are those who have been called out of the

world placed into the household of God.

Now, I think, you know this but by world when I say world, I

don't simply just mean the world out there.

I mean the kingdom of Satan and sin just as the scriptures

means. Okay.

So I'm not talking about like the world is in the Earth and

all that encompasses. I'm talking about those who are

Living For The Devil. Those who are serving him

actively and there Own sinfulness Romans 12:2.

Romans 12:2

Okay. Just so you know, this isn't me

making up a term here, do not be conformed to this world but be

transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you

may discern. What is the will of God, which

is good and acceptable and perfect.

So God's will is distinct from the will of the world.

The only way to know God's will is to be transformed by the

renewal of the spirit. Amen, Galatians 6:14 but far be

Galatians 6:14

it for me. He pulses to boast, except in

the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ by which the world has

been crucified to me, and I to the world, what's he saying?

He said, I don't serve the world.

I'm not meant to have any active relationship with sin and evil.

I serve Christ. I'm dead to the world and alive

to Christ. Amen.

It stands to reason, then that our worship Services must

reflect. This truth, that we are now

members of the household of God. And as such, we are strangers to

the world, we are separated from the world unto the father by the

work of Christ, through his spirits.

But modern worship practices, take a different approach.

There's a concerted effort to make worship Services.

More appealing to non-christians, historically and

biblically. This has not been the case.

It's not been the case. Historically in biblically, it

is not been the purpose of the church to appeal to

non-christians. And why I say the church, I mean

the church is worship services. Throughout church, history

worship has been an encounter between God and His readings and

we risk losing the power of the, the powerful component in this.

If we kneel to trending, cultural shifts, brothers and

sisters. We are meant to be separated

from the world. We are members of the household

of God. The worship service should be a

weekly reminder of this great truth.

And so churches lose the great truth.

When they make their worship Services resemble the world.

So that non-christians feel more comfortable attending.

Here's a deal. Our words are strange to the

world. We're talking about the

Redemption of Sinners. We're talking about mines that

are being transformed by the spirit of God.

We're talking about hearts that are being renewed by the spirit

of God hearts and are being made new.

We're talking about serving a king that we cannot see in a

kingdom that we cannot yet lay eyes on.

This is weird to unbelievers. Amen.

And surely, you know this Surely, you understand that all

of this is a bit strange to those who are perishing, it

might have been strange to you at once, you might have found it

a bit odd as well. our words are strange to the world because

they ought to be Our songs are different because they ought to

be. Our message is misunderstood

because it ought to be all of. It reflects an otherworldly

message, that Christ came to save, Sinners, that God calls

those redeem Sinners to worship alongside one.

Another each week as Christ has said, you are the salt of the

earth. But if the salt loses its

saltiness, how will it be made salty again?

It's only good to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

We keep salty, brothers, and sisters, and a good way.

When we bind ourselves to the word of God, We keep salty, when

we come together for worship with the Saints.

We keep saltiness. When we depend on Christ in all

of life. Don't you understand that?

This is weird to the world. This is bizarre to them.

However it is such faithfulness. Christ, makes it clear in his

word god makes it clear in his word that it is such

faithfulness to live by and to Proclaim God's word and it's in

living by it and proclaiming it, that ultimately unbelievers will

be attracted to Christ. Not us to Christ.

Amen. Faith Comes Romans 10, says

faith comes by hearing and hearing by By the word of God.

Paul asked their, how will they hear?

Unless someone proclaims it? This is what we're doing again.

When we show up week in and week out, and we sing, and we pray

and we read and we preach, we are proclaiming if we're doing

it the right way, we're proclaiming the word of God.

We're pronouncing it to one another.

None of this means, That we do not want non-christians present

and worship. If you're here today and you

were a non-Christian, you're an unbeliever.

You have not repented of your sins.

You have not submitted to the Lord.

I am grateful that you're here. I want you here.

I want you hearing the words of God, I want you to know the

truths of the Gospel. It's your only hope for

salvation and so none of this means, I don't want you here.

It just means that we're not here to please.

You're itching years, we're here to serve Christ.

We're here to honor our God. We're here to refresh one.

Another to be strengthened for the battle that rages Monday

through Saturday. Sunday is a break for us.

It's a respite for us. It's an opportunity to beat to

be reminded of the goodness of God.

Just as Alan. Talked about earlier, we have

all We have all in this church experienced highs and lows.

You could survey just the last week and see that you can survey

the last year and really see that We've all experienced it.

But what we're all saying? Collectively together because of

our Union and Christ is that God is good.

That he has not failed us that he is worthy of our worship.

He's worthy of her adoration, and we intend to show up every

Sunday and do just that and to encourage one another in it.

So that we not lose sight of it so that we not grow weary in

doing good so that we can stir one another up to love and good

works. As Hebrews 10:25 says, let us

Hebrews 10:25

not neglect then weekly worship. Amen.

It's the communion of saints. It's where we've come together

and so none of this means we don't want non-christians

President. We want them present.

Absolutely. The church is meant Jonathan.

Cruz says this. In his book, the church is meant

to be a place for converting, Sinners a place where people are

transformed and rescued from the kingdom of sin, but we must

recognize that God is doing something in and among his

people that he is not doing among unrepentant.

Sinners, it's true. The unbelieving world is

ignorant about Who God is and who we are first, John 3:1 tells

John 3:1

us this see what kind of love the father has.

Given to us. John writes that we should be

called children of God. And so we are the reason why the

world does not know us, is that it did not know him.

The spirit of God is at work and true worshipers in a way that he

isn't and mere. Observers again, John writes,

this time in his gospel, John 14:16 through 17, he says, and I

John 14:16–17

will ask the father, and this is Jesus saying this but John's

reporting and I will ask the father and he will give you

another helper to be with you forever.

Even the spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because

it neither sees him nor knows him, you know, him for he dwells

with you and will be Be in you, amen.

The weekly worship Services, a great blessing for Christians.

However, for an unbeliever, it might be a terrifying

spiritually. Terrifying, encounter Second

Corinthians 5 to 15 through 17. Paul writes for we are the aroma

of Christ to God Among those who were being saved.

And among those who are perishing, 21, we are afraid

grants from Death to death to the other, a fragrance from Life

To Life, who is sufficient for these things.

For. We are not like so many Peddlers

of God's word, but as men of sincerity as commissioned by God

in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

He's talking about a different language and he's talking about

something that becomes within the community of Believers and

aroma. Of life to those who are

believing and of death to those who are perishing and it's that

Aroma that will wake someone from their perishing.

Amen. It's the aroma of the word of

God being lived out. Being sung about being prayed

about being preached about, that will cause an old dead sinner to

be risen to New Life. This is what we see in Ephesians

2. But you were, once a part of

those who were perishing, according to your trans, press

your trans passes, and your trespasses and sins, trans

passes, your trespasses and sins.

You were following the course of the world, you were a son or

daughter of disobedience. We were followers of Satan but

now Paul writes but God being rich in Mercy and with great

love he has saved you. For by Grace you have been saved

and he is seated you in the Heavenly places with Christ.

And you have a new nature, right?

That's what he's saying. You have a brand new nature.

You've been adopted as a son or a daughter of God, but you were

wants son or daughter of Satan. You were once a follower of hell

you were once doing the devil's bidding.

These were the only two options before us, you're either serving

the world the kingdom of sin and death, or you're serving Christ

the kingdom of righteousness and life then.

And so we will gladly welcomed the world into our worship

service. We will gladly welcome people

who do not know the Lord here. But we will remember in all of

it that worship is not for the world worship is for God.

God is glorified in us and through us when we approached

him with reverence and awe. as unrepentant, Sinners behold that

kind of worship as they hear the gospel preached sermons week in

week out as they observe the gospel in baptisms and the

Lord's Supper as a hear the gospel song to one another may

the Lord draw them unto himself for salvation, he saved them

just as he saved us just as we once were His business is the

Redemption of Sinners. Our business is the worship of

God. In our business is true worship.

And it's only as true worship. When it says, those who belong

to the household of God. We are the separated, we are the

called out. We are the Gathering of the

remnant of God's people and an idolatrous world.

It's literally what the word ekklesia, which is where we get

the word church from, in the New Testament.

It means those called out. You are the ekklesia.

You are the Church of Christ. You've been called out.

Amen. Praise God for it.

Christians worship as those who are separated from the world and

United to one another. So that's my point on

separation. Let me talk to you about what it

means to be United to one another.

Again, Ephesians 2, verses 19 through 22 here.

Ephesians 2:19–22

So then you are no longer strangers, and Aliens.

But you are fellow citizens with the Saints and members of the

household of God, built on the foundation of the Apostles and

Prophets Christ. Jesus himself, being the

Cornerstone and whom the whole structure being joined together,

grows into a holy Temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being

built into a dwelling place for God by the spirits, pay

attention to the words. You see, especially there in the

beginning, in verse 19, Paul writes.

So then you are fellow citizens with the Saints, fellow-citizens

with the Saints. Your identity is their identity.

You have the same citizenship in heaven, as they have.

Amen. You are fellow citizens with the

Saints. You are members, which means you

belong to the household of God. But it's again, membership gets

a bad rap these days as you know, as it should because we

can be, you know, as you go to sign into your Netflix account,

it says, are you a member or do you need a new account?

You got to sign in to Hulu. Are you a member?

Do you need a new account? You go to, you know, to play

golf at the Country Club? Are you a member?

You go, you know, wherever so membership typically now is just

seen as something you hop in and out of, right?

I mean, I know you guys your skirting the streaming system,

right by hopping in, and out of Hulu and Netflix when you want

to. All right, I'll get that

membership for a month and I'll do this one for a month, right?

If you're not do it, it saves money.

Gosh, what's wrong with you? so, But what we see here is the

word members and members of again as fallen on hard times.

But when we talk about a member of the household of God, when I

look at my son's down here, they're members of my household.

Why? Because I were born into my

family. I couldn't excommunicate them as

a member of my household, even if I wanted to their members by

birth, or members from being born into the my family.

Amen. What if I go and adopt a child?

Is he or she a member of my family absolutely praise God.

They're no less a member of my family than my birth Sons.

Amen. This is what's taken place for

you. In Christ.

Christ is the only Son of God. The only true son. but not by

birth, just by mere existence. Lots of explain there, but we're

going to move on. You however, are a member by

birth. New Birth, not your physical

birth, not your physical being. In fact, by your physical being,

you're a member of the household of Adam as we read.

But by your Redemption, by your new life in Christ, you are now

a member of the household of God.

And it's why we're told in the scriptures that we can now

address God as Abba. Father, because he is our

father, you are a son or a daughter of God.

If you are in Christ, you are an heir with Christ of the things

that belong to Christ rightfully so.

And yet God has chosen to share them in his grace with redeemed.

Centers Saints. Amen.

And you're no less a member, you're no less a fellow citizen

of Heaven, you're no less a member of the household of God.

Not only are you called out of the world, but your United to

other believers as fellow Saints and members of God's household.

This is the body of Christ. The communion of saints means

that there is a union that binds us together.

This Union is our Union with Christ.

Again we don't we're not bound together here because we agree

to a membership Covenant alongside one another.

Let's part Love it. But the the membership coven is

founded in our belief in Christ. Amen.

If we're saying anything in our membership Covenant other than

what the scriptures say about how were to follow.

God, then we've created something altogether different

than the Church of Christ and we should be abolished.

We should stop showing up but where we Center everything on

Christ and who he is and what he's done for us and how he

commands us to live, then we can rightfully say, I'm going to

Covenant together with these brothers and sisters for my

Mutual edification for my edification of them.

And for the up building of the Church of God, that we might

glorify the Lord in Columbia County.

And Beyond, should he allow? Amen.

This is the beauty of communion. It's the beauty, the beauty of

communion of the saints of God and them coming together and

it's nothing short of miraculous.

It's nothing short of miraculous you were likely sitting on a row

or near someone that you would have no other common interest

with accept Christ and in Christ, you have the greatest

common denominator that exist for anyone to ever come together

under any Banner ever. Amen.

You get to come together under the blood of Christ as those who

have been redeemed and here's the beauty of this is you will

talk about this in a moment, but you could be transplanted from

this church to another city to another Nation.

And guess what? You're still going to find

people who are members of the household of God in that place.

Unless you're called, to indigenous missions where there

are no current Christians, right?

And if Lord calls you there, we're going to happily send you

as what a member of this body, a member of this body, you're

never detached from your membership to the Saints and

then it's a union that's deeper than anything.

And so we are united to one another as the body of Christ by

Christ through the spirit, our communion then is other worldly,

and that's what makes this. So, Amazing it.

What's what makes it better than a Netflix membership or any of

the lights? It's it's otherworldly.

We belong to Christ, the King of the world, the King of Kings,

the Lord of lords. We are in him.

And so, therefore we belong to one another as well.

We're members of the same household and so God means for

corporate Christian worship to unite us to one another.

It absolutely must be a uniting factor.

It's not that we were simply on the same team.

It's not that we strapped on the same Jersey and were marching

out onto the same field together, it's deeper than that.

I hope you understand. It's deeper than that.

This isn't simply some cells team rally meeting where I'm

trying to get you pumped up and send you out to make a lot of

sales this week or conversions. All right and the worship

service, we are drawn deeper and deeper into Christ himself by

the spirit of God. And as we're drawn deeper and

deeper by Christ himself into Christ we are drawn closer and

closer to one another. We're being united together.

And so, when I talk about how we are united, we've been called

out, we're all together separate, but we're also United

with one another. I want to give you three ways.

We're reunited with one another one where we are united.

As a body, gotta slow down. We are united as a body.

Romans 12 4354 is in one body. We have many members and the

members do not all have the same function.

So we though many are one body in Christ and individually

members. One of another First Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12:12

12:12 for just as the body is one and has many members and all

the members of the body though, many are one body, so it is with

Christ. And so this is what we're saying

that when the body of Christ comes together in corporate

worship, it is built up by the spirit of God, as we read in

Ephesians a moment ago. And then we are unable to live

out our spirit given function within the body of Christ.

Meaning, you have gifts that the Lord has blessed you with And

so, as members here, locally of New Life Community Church, none

of us can look at a fellow member and say we we don't need

you. We don't need you.

None of us can look at a prospective member.

Someone who's saying I want to join with your church because I

love the Lord. I've submitted myself to him.

I've been baptized I'm I want to join with you guys.

None of us. Can look at someone like that

and say yeah but we don't need you.

That's not how this works. The Lord gives each one of us

differently so that the body would grow and mature.

We all have need of one another, for example, We're beginning.

The process is Jasper mentioned earlier of, installing two new

Elders. Tonight's James Jones, Steve

Atkinson. I do believe that this is a

wonderful time in the life of our church.

It's good for all the members to show up tonight at 5:00 and be a

part of the process because these are the men you're saying

I'm submitting myself too. I also think it's good for men

especially to show up and observe the character

qualifications for elders to see the kind of men that the Lord

places and pastoral leadership of the church if that's being

done biblically. I understand that it's not

always. I do think that what we're after

is biblical However, just because I want all men to show

up and see it and women as well. But, especially you, man, I want

all men to show up, not to applaud James, not to applaud

Steve not to say, look at how Mighty they are.

But to see how ordinary they are.

To see how normal it is to be a man of High character, who loves

the Lord. But here's the deal, not every

man is called to be an elder. This is clear in Scripture.

God has gifted certain men to do this and so not every man is

called to be an elder but every man is called to have the

character of an elder. You say well I don't know about

that little just read 1st. Timothy 3 1 through 7 aside from

being able to teach. What do you see there that you

think all men shouldn't have? Maybe not all men.

Teach, I understand that. And that's why I say Not all men

are called to be elders. But we do need more and more men

committed to the kind of Godly character that an elder must

possess. It is our hope then, to put men

in the role, who are worthy of imitation.

Why? Because Paul writes in Ephesians

4 that he's, that Jesus has given the church pastors and

teachers for the edification of the church, so that the body

would be equipped to do the work of the ministry.

And so these men are pacesetters their teachers, their

instructors are men, who can be imitated.

There will be many different gifts in a local church, but all

of those gives work together for the building up of the body of

Christ, the edification of the Saints. there's a document

called the London, Baptist confession of faith and it says

this in chapter, 27 paragraph, 1, Talking about the communion

of saints, it says All Saints are united to Jesus Christ their

head by his spirit and by faith although this does not make them

one person with him. They have Fellowship in his

Grace's sufferings death. Resurrection and Glory.

Since they were United to one another in love, they have

communion in each other's gifts and Graces and are obligated to

carry out these duties both public and private.

And an orderly way to promote their Mutual good.

Both in the inner and outer. Cesare aspects of their lives.

So again, we just see a wonderfully put paragraph on why

the communion of saints exists. It's for the mutual edification

of one another as the body of Christ that we were built be

built up into what Ephesians 4 says is mature manhood.

Ephesians 4 21 as we read. Sorry, 221, not 421 to 21 as

we've read. Today, says, the whole structure

being joined together, grows into a holy Temple in the Lord.

The second point I want to make about our Union together is that

we are united as a temple. We are united as a temple.

First I said we are united as a body.

Now I'm saying, we were United as a temple needs two things.

Don't go against each other. You have to have both the use of

the word Temple throughout scripture to describe the body

of Christ. Us to important truths.

The first is that the primary role of the church is worship.

The primary role of the church is worship in the Old Testament.

The temple was the place of worship in the New Testament,

under the New Covenant. God's people have become the

temple. The place of worship.

First Corinthians, 3:16 Paul says, do you not know that you

are God's Temple? But God's spirit dwells in you.

There he goes on to talk about all the ways you should treat

your body. Well, because you are the Temple

of the Living. God God is pleased to be

worshipped. He's chosen people for worship.

So that worship takes place, only in.

And through his people, God has not only glorified in me.

Personally, when I worship or in, you personally, when you

worship, but collectively, when we all worship together, God

gets the glory. Amen.

Ephesians 2:20 to in him, you were also being built together

Ephesians 2:20

into a dwelling place for God by the spirit again.

You're a temple in which the spirit dwells, which is what we

So in First Corinthians 3, it takes a community to be the

temple of God. We are being built together with

other Saints into the temple of God.

By the spirit of God. Meaning we are transformed by

the spirit of God. And so we become the worship

center for God's glory. The second thing about this

Temple imagery is that it points us to the worship, still to come

in the new heavens and new earth.

Points us to the worship that is still to come.

In the new heavens and new earth, we will dwell with God

and he will dwell with us. Revelation tells us that his

name will be written on our foreheads.

We will be his people and He will be our God and pain.

I don't know if that literally means you're getting a tattoo

but don't don't do it. Now, though you're hard to hire.

Even if it says God right here, like you show up at a job

interview with God, written on your forehead.

It you know, it's not going to happen.

You have to be consent doing something else the rest of your

life, okay? All right, so wait till heaven

in the new heavens and new earth.

We will dwell with God and he will dwell with us.

This means that our every breath, our every thought, our

every action will be one of unadulterated worship before

God. Again, we're talking about

worship, we're not just talking about singing, right?

We're talking about the lives lived.

And every moment of your life in eternity is going to be spent in

pure worship of God. Amen.

Praise the Lord, the beauty of weekly corporate worship then is

that we don't have to wait until the new heavens and the new

Earth to at least get a glimpse of the worship.

That's going to be present. There we get a glimpse of it.

Every Sunday when we come together for corporate worship,

this is the building blocks right here.

This is the building blocks of what's to come in eternity.

This is why this matters. One reason why it matters so

much again. We see that it's literally the

building blocks and Ephesians 2:20 322 built on the foundation

Ephesians 2:20

of the Apostles, and the prophets that is their writings.

What they've laid out for us in the word of God by the spirit of

God, which spoke to them. So that what we have here in our

work and our Bibles is the very Breath of God, this is the

foundation. And Christ that says, is the

Cornerstone in him. The whole structure being joined

together, grows into a holy Temple in the Lord, in whom you

also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by

the spirits. That's what's taking place in

here week in and week out that the spirit is actively preparing

you for the world to come. He's actively preparing your

heart and your mind and your life to resemble the world to

come. And he's doing so by his own

sanctifying work in US, each week, you were being discipled

week in and week out. If we're doing this, right.

To be more and more of representation of the image of

Christ. And so as the saints of God

Community together and weekly worship we grow together, he is

you knighting us together. Amen.

Final thing I want you to see about this uniting is that we

are united across time and space to very important attributes

about God to that. You must understand, you must

know their their amazing enough that will never fully comprehend

it and they're understandable enough, that a child can get it.

Such is many things with the Lord.

Two essential attributes of God. One his immensity.

His immensity second is infinity.

All right. I'm going to explain those

immensity refers to God's presence everywhere.

When we say, God is a big God, we mean that he is present

everywhere when we say that God is a big God.

We mean that he is all-powerful. Yes, but we mean that he is all

present as well. There is not a Nook or a cranny

that God cannot Not be found so what the psalmist again and 139

I think I quoted it the other day, but Psalm 139 David writes.

He says if I make my bed in Shield you were there.

If I Ascend to the heavens you are there.

If I hide in the depths of the sea, you are there.

If I hide under a man in a cave, you are there.

What's he saying? You're everywhere.

There's no nook and cranny that I can go.

That God is not a men. He is immense.

But he's infinite also is infinite and infini what we say

when we're talking about the Infinity of God, what we're

saying is that the same is true. But this time in regard to time,

there is no point in time in which God is not present.

He is eternal. And so we're saying, when we say

he's Eternal were saying, he always was and that he always is

going to be a man. There's never a time where there

won't be God. There's never been a time

without God. God is always present and he's

always filling the space. This means that when the inmense

and infinite Holy Spirit fills us, that is God.

The spirit, we are united, then to all other Christians, no

matter where they are and no matter when they are, praise

God. Our foundation is the apostles

and the prophets. You are united to the apostles

and the prophets. Because you are in Christ.

Your Cornerstone is Christ. He is the one building the whole

structure, it holds together in him.

And so everyone who is a part of the body of Christ as United in

Christ, and therefore, we all enjoy the same Fellowship.

And so when worship we talked about this, it's been months ago

now. We had to pause on the series

but we talked about how we meet with God and worship and one of

the things we said is that we come to, we don't we don't come

to a mountain, we don't come to Sinai, we don't come to things

that may be touched and seen. That doesn't mean there's not a

physical aspect to worship there.

Absolutely is. But what happens in worship is

that the Holy Spirit draws our souls into heaven?

We're worshipping there in Ephesians 12.

It says, you're worshiping with the angels and the Saints who

have gone before you your you now.

Fighting together with them. I told you guys that this has

been a great comfort for Patricia.

And I, as we worship with you on Sunday mornings, we're

worshipping with Winnie as well. As you're worshiping this

morning, you're worshiping with those who have gone on before

you who have paved the way. It's a cloud of witnesses, we

read. And you're joining with them,

there are witness to the testimony.

That Christ is King that he is Lord.

Amen. And so, when you come together

on Sunday, don't miss the fact that you're worshipping with the

angels, you're worshipping with the saints of God, across time

and space. We have been bound by the spirit

of God, to all faithful worshipers, there are no borders

and so we are united by one Spirit through one mediator to

one father. This is what Paul writes to the

Corinthians and 1:2 of First Corinthians.

He says to the Church of God to those at Corinth.

He says to those Sanctified in Christ Jesus, that's all of us

who are submitting ourselves to the Lord called, to be Saints

together. With all those who in every

place call. Call upon the name of our Lord,

Jesus Christ, both their lord and ours.

What's he saying? You saying you're no less a

member of the household of God then your Christian brothers and

sisters who are worshiping in Brazil or Portugal or

Washington. Right.

Or just across the county. You're a member of the household

of God, you're a saint because Christ has called you to be

Saints together. With all those, who in every

place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, that's not only present that's past Saints.

That's future Saints. We are united together in the

body of Christ, no matter where they are, no matter when they

are, and so Christian worship. As those separated from the

world and United to one another, that's what we're after.

That's how we want to worship. Let me tie this up real quick.

It's important then. All this means that it is of

utter importance. To keep our worship pure.

To keep our worship. True, to keep our worth worship.

Faithful to the Bible. And doing so we're not only

benefiting ourselves. We're not only doing exactly

what God commands us to do. And so, therefore, we are found

to be obedient to him and God blesses, those who are obedient

to him. It's for that.

Yes. But we're laying a foundation

for future generations. And so, look around you.

Boys and girls are present all throughout this service and I

thank God for it. I read a thing.

The other, that's the one sign of a healthy church is crying

babies and singing men, praise God.

Praise God. That's what we want.

I know Mama's I know when they, when they get ya, see they get

fussy, it's easy. It's easy to start looking

around and watch, we don't care. All right, we're glad you're

here. We're glad your child's here and

then And so we're laying a foundation for future

Generations, in here. This is why we've said we want

kids in the service with us. It's why we took two years to

finally, get a worship. God together for children

because, you know, we got right ideas, but we're just not that

smart. Sometimes it takes a minute.

Okay. But it's what we're saying is

that we value children. Jesus said, let the little

children come unto me and we're going to agree to that.

Amen. We're not going to hinder them.

And so we're laying a foundation as we remain.

Faithful. Faithful to God's word.

We are helping our children and our grandchildren.

And our great-grandchildren. If you need to have a Long View,

men of that, a long view of what you're doing week in and week

out and worship is to the benefit of your

great-grandchildren commit to it and then commit to it.

And so there's nothing greater that we could be doing but to

guard the good deposit as Paul calls it.

That's been entrusted to us to Gardens.

And so I ask you, have you considered the weight of

corporate worship before? If you thought about it is

easiest spent most of my Christianity just wandering in

and out of worship services. Not really thinking much about

what was taking place. Have you thought about it as a

bit of time travel by which you get to commune with Saints, past

present and future. There's nothing more amazing.

Than this happening in your week.

I know. Alright, let's think about it.

There's nothing more amazing than what goes on in corporate

worship happening in. You were weak.

Amen. And so let's be a people.

An otherworldly people but let's be a people made up of men and

women and boys and girls who are committing ourselves to

corporate worship the communion of saints for the building up of

the body of Christ. Amen, let me pray for you.

Heavenly Father, we praise you today.

Thank you. Lord, for a people who love your

word, people who are seeking to understand your word.

Who are seeking to align their lives with your word.

Father, I thank you for them and we thank you today for this word

in Ephesians 2. These truths about the communion

of saints. Would you help us?

Father, just as we've talked about, help us to see and to

understand. The amazing truths that is that

a company corporate worship? Things that we participate in

week in and week out, Lord, may we not be ignorant of those

things anymore. Would you grant us knowledge

knowledge? That doesn't pop us up.

My goodness. What could be worse than Pride

that has knowledge? Lord kill that but grant us

knowledge, that creates love within us, a love, first and

foremost for you. Our father, I love that we have

and that we can participate in because of Christ and because of

the spirit which is made us alive, build us up and knowledge

that builds up love in us for you.

And Lord as at love for you grows, May our love for one

another grow with it. May we commit ourselves to one.

Another may we commit ourselves to discovering what it is within

the body that you would call us to do.

How have you gifted me? Might we ask And then show us

Lord how we can use that for the edification of your sites.

My brothers and sisters. so that we would be mature so that we

would grow So that we would honor God first and foremost

above anything else. Lord, we love you today.

We praise you today. Father, I do ask anyone in here,

who's an unrepentant sinner? You draw them to yourself.

Did you grant them, repentance? Did you help them to know Christ

as Savior? To have a deep faith in him.

Lord, would you save them from their sins and give them New

Life In Christ? We love you in the Name of

Christ. I pray.

Amen. We love you in the Name of

Christ. I pray.

Amen.