Scriptures used to look at: Getting to grips with being the church Jesus Wants.

In launching our new series on getting to grips with the church on Sunday I used the following headings and bible passages. As there were so many I promised to publish them with this weeks House Group Questions

 

• A CHRIST CENTRED CHURCH.
• A CONVINCING CHURCH.
• A CLEANSED CHURCH.
• A CONTENT CHURCH

JESUS WANTS A CHRIST CENTRED CHURCH

Acts 2:41- 47

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. ⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— ⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them and walk among them.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
¹⁷ Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
¹⁸ And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.”

Colossians 3:16- "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts."

JESUS WANTS A CONVINCING CHURCH

Ephesians 3:10-11

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." And

1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth."

Acts 5:42- " And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah."

Acts 8:4- “the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went."

JESUS WANTS A CLEANSED CHURCH

Romans 16:17- “dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them."

Galatians 1:6-7 " I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News ⁷ but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ."

Ephesians 4:14-15 “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. "

2 John 10-11 "¹⁰ If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. ¹¹ Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work."

Acts 17:11- “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth."

1 Thessalonians 5:21- "Test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good."

1 Peter 4:11- "Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you."

JESUS WANTS A CONTENT CHURCH

1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people."

Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace."

1 Thessalonians 5:13 ends with the command “live peacefully with each other..."

Romans 14:19 "So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up."

James 3:18 "those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of

Matthew 5:9- “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”

Proverbs 12:20- “Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!"