1) In Mt. 16:18 Jesus said He would “build His church.”
2) We can think of this “family” as the “church.”
3) God has only one family – the church built by Christ – and this family is not always treated very well.
a) Acts 8:1 says there was a “great persecution” against the “church” (singular).
b) Acts 9:31 says “the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace.”
c) Luke did not describe different denomination in Acts 9:3; he spoke of a singular family.
d) This family was located in a lot of different places, just as we find today.
4) Wherever the members of God’s family are, God is concerned about them.
5) In Acts 14:23 the Bible says men known as “elders” were “appointed in every church.”
6) Acts 20:17, 31
a) God believes His family (the church) needs protection.
b) Part of this protection is designed to come from men known as elders.
7) Some think elders and preachers are the most important people in God’s family.
a) God does not permit women to be preachers and elders in His family the church.
b) Phoebe was a woman and she had a very important role – READ Rom. 16:1.
c) This woman was a “servant” in God’s family.
d) Some people serve by using their physical home to benefit God’s people – verse 5a – READ
8) When we think about families we think about people coming together.
9) This is also true of God’s family – it is to be a group of people that assembles together.
10) The 18th verse 11 of 1 Cor. 11 says “when ye come together in the church.”
11) The Hebrew writer (10:25) said do not “forsake” the assembling together.
One should not become buy discount cialis addicted towards this capsule. It is because homeopathy treats the cause order cheap cialis news of any health or sexual disorders and not only that, the medicines help in revitalizing the sexual desire too. The bad news robertrobb.com get viagra australia is that quitting will not stop any erectile dysfunction because once the damage is done it is too mild. For effective cooling, it is important that http://robertrobb.com/author/robertrobb/ buy viagra in bulk the cause of impotence is identified.
GOD HAS THIS GREAT FAMILY CALLED THE CHURCH AND HE INVITES US TO BE PART OF IT.
a) We become members of this family by being adopted into it, Eph. 1:5.
b) We are “adopted” (brought) into God’s family through a specific process.
2) In places like Mk. 16:-15-16 Jesus told His people to go and “preach the gospel.”
3) The “gospel” is the news about becoming a member of God’s family and receiving many good things.
4) In addition to this “faith” there must be “repentance” (Acts 17:30 says “all” are to repent).
5) Sometimes a person is adopted into a family and the new family member is a “wild child.”
6) We acknowledge that we cannot be part of God’s family without the person known as Jesus.
7) Gal. 3:27 says people are “baptized into Christ.”
WHEN A PERSON BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE HEAVENLY FAMILY AND CONTINUES TO ABIDE BY THE GUIDELINES FOUND IN THE BIBLE, THEY HAVE MANY, MANY BENEFITS.
1) Their “slate is clean.”
2) Another benefit is a great family.
3) 1 Thess. 5:14
4) It helps “bear the burdens” of one another (Gal. 6:2).
5) God’s family is the greatest organization on earth.
6) The people we meet and enjoy here last beyond this life.
7) Are we in it?
