First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
We Believe: The Church Lives their Faith Pt 2 - Gathering as God's Family
- We are called to be togetherThink of every description of the church:We are The Bride of Christ, united with JesusWe are a family, adopted into God’s familyWe are a body, diverse and gifted for His glory!I came across a story in a book this week and I want to read it to you:Mr. Nose and Mr. HandNo where is the Christian experience heralded as a personal religion that does not need others. Instead, we will see today, that we don’t just need each other but we are commanded to be with each other.In our modern culture, many will be tempted and have been tempted to develop their own version of “christianity”.I meet with God my own way.I don’t like the church, they are too . . .. . . slow. . . old. . . hypocritical. . . opinionated. . . narrow-minded. . . you name it.With this trend on the rise, we want to declare as a church that we are going to be a biblical church. We are going to be united in Christ, as members of His church, living in relationship with other followers of Christ, and giving grace, mercy, and strength to all who need it.This is what we declare:We believe Jesus has instructed his church and equipped them to help people know God, honor Him, and proclaim His name.As the church we remember and participate in the death and resurrection of Christ through baptism and the Lord’s Supper.We obey the command to gather with other believers by committing ourselves to a local church.We submit to the elders and deacons of the church who are appointed by Christ and affirmed by the body.As a family, we use our gifts to help each other grow and to accomplish the work of the kingdom.We maintain the holiness of the church by rejecting sin, holding each other accountable with grace and mercy, and encouraging one another to godliness.We obey the command to gather with other believers by committing ourselves to a local church.
Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.Our involvement in the local Church is the logical and necessary environment for us to fulfill the commands given to the church.Stir each other up!Hebrews 10:24 ESV 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,Stir up one another. How do we do that if we aren’t together?Gather to encourage each other!Hebrews 10:25 ESV 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.Meeting together. If we had to wait for the entire universal church to gather for our meeting, we’d be waiting a long time. just imagine the parking.Encourage one another. How do we do that if we aren’t in each others lives?Bear with each other!Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.In the end, Jesus commands us to gather.What are threats to this kind of unity?Grumbling and ComplainingPhilippians 2:14 ESV 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,Attacking one anotherGalatians 5:13–15 ESV 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.In the end, we gather as the body of Christ because he has commanded us to. We do not disregard anyone. Every member of the body is essential. We must go out of our way to prevent division from entering the church.We aren’t old and newWe aren’t young and oldWe aren’t male and femaleWe aren’t rich and poorWe aren’t privileged and oppressedWE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST!We submit to the elders and deacons of the church who are appointed by Christ and affirmed by the body.Jesus gave the church leaders:Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,The church is called to submit to it’s leaders:Hebrews 13:17 ESV 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.As a family, we use our gifts to help each other grow and to accomplish the work of the kingdom.1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.Romans 12:3–8 ESV 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.The church is unity with diversity!We are not unity by conformity.We are all being conformed to the image of Christ and He has made us each unique as various parts of the expression of himself to the world.Remember his words to his disciples:John 13:35 ESV 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”How do we succeed at this difficult task?I think the apostle Paul expressed it best as he penned this scripture:1 Corinthians 13:1–13 ESV 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.For us to be the church of Jesus Christ, we must love one another as He has loved us.What is required for love to be genuine?Authentic RelationshipSelfless ServiceOngoing EncouragementHonest AccountabilityUnwavering ForgivenessEnduring Respect Hebrews 10:24–25ESV
Hebrews 10:24ESV
Hebrews 10:25ESV
Ephesians 4:1–3ESV
Philippians 2:14ESV
Galatians 5:13–15ESV
Ephesians 4:11–12ESV
Hebrews 13:17ESV
1 Corinthians 12:7ESV
Romans 12:3–8ESV
John 13:35ESV
1 Corinthians 13:1–13ESV
First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
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