Big "C", little "c": Week 2 - "The Church Made Visible"

Big C little c 2022
Written By Steve Gentry

“The Church Made Visible”

Acts 2:42-47

The Church Is Meant to Be Seen in This World

  • Acts 2:42-47

  • 1 Corinthians 14:22-25

  • A Local Church Is:

  • A community of regenerated believers (Christians) who confess Jesus Christ as Lord (Titus 3:5-8)

  • Organized under qualified leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

  • Gather regularly for preaching and worship (Hebrews 10:24-25; 2 Timothy 4:1-2)

  • Observe the biblical ordinances of baptism and communion (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

  • Unified by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:10)

  • Disciplined for holiness (Titus 3:10)

  • Scatter to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as missionaries to the world (Matthew 28:19-20)

Membership Makes the Gathered Church Visible

  • Romans 12:4-5

  • 1 Corinthians 12:13, 27

  • Hebrews 10:24-25

Membership Helps the World to Know Who Is in and Who Is Out

  • 1 Timothy 3:14-15

  • Hebrews 13:7-8

  • Hebrews 13:17

  • 1 Peter 5:5

  • Church Membership Is:

  • A covenant of union between a particular church and a Christian

  • Consists of the church’s affirmation of the Christian’s gospel profession

  • Consists of the church’s promise to give oversight to the Christian

  • Consists of the Christian’s promise to gather with the church and submit to its oversight

Application Points:

  • Following Jesus leads to real commitment to a real church

  • Non-Christians see the Gospel at work through the gathered church

  • The local church offers tangible environments to obey God

  • Covenant membership provides the WHICH, the WHO and the HOW of building God’s church

Steve Gentry
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