What Is A Strong Church?
Introduction:
What is a strong church? Many people would answer the
question by responding that it is one with large numbers
of members, a large budget, a beautiful building,
influential people and such like. But how would God
answer the question? That’s what is truly important.
Body:
I.
Love for God
·
First commandment (Mark
12:28-34)
“. . . ‘Which is the first commandment of all?’. . .
‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with
all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. .
.”
NKJV
·
Is seen in obedience (John
14:15, 21-24)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
21
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who
loves Me. . . .”
NKJV
·
Leads to service (II
Corinthians 5:14-15)
“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge
thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He
died for all, that those who live should live no longer
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose
again.”
NKJV
II.
Love for Each Other
·
Second commandment (Matthew
22:37-39)
“39And
the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.”
NKJV
·
This love should be of such a nature that it is noticed
by non-Christians. (John
13:34-35)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. By this all will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.”
NKJV
Love is a distinguishing mark of Christ’s followers.
III.
A Strong Bible Emphasis
·
The Word must be taught and preached without compromise.
(II
Timothy 4:1-4)
“2Preach
the word! Be ready in season and out of season.
Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and
teaching.
3-4For
the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine, but according to their own desires, because
they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves
teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the
truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
NKJV
This is a very solemn charge because it is done before
God Himself ! Woe to all who compromise the truth.
(I
Timothy 5:20-21)
“Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all,
that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God
and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you
observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing
with partiality.”
NKJV
·
It is the pure Word of God which builds Christians up.
(Acts
20:32)
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word
of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you
an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
NKJV
·
Each Christian is to rightly divide the Word of truth.
(II
Timothy 2:15)
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.”
NKJV
IV.
Each Member Is to Live A Holy Life
·
We should not be living like the world. (Romans
12:1-2)
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable
service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may
prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God.”
NKJV
Our speech and behavior are not to be like an ungodly
society. It involves the total person.
·
A holy life means turning away from certain actions and
toward others. (Titus
2:11-12)
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared
to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly in the present age,”
NKJV
·
Christians are to exercise caution in how they live.
(Ephesians
5:15-16)
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but
as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are
evil.”
NKJV
V.
Willing to Work
·
Be “zealous for good works.” (Titus
2:14)
“who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from
every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own
special people, zealous for good works.”
NKJV
·
Note also (Titus
3:8)
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you
to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in
God should be careful to maintain good works. These
things are good and profitable to men.”
NKJV
·
Behaving like a Christian means being diligent in our
service. (Romans
12:11-13)
“not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving
the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the
needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”
NKJV
·
This work also includes soul-winning. (Acts
5:42) “And daily in the temple, and in every house,
they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the
Christ.”
NKJV
(Acts
8:4)
“Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere
preaching the word.”
NKJV
Conclusion:
Notice that none of these qualities of a strong church
depend upon having a large attendance or budget, a
beautiful new building or lots of influential members.
Sometimes these can keep a church from being strong.
Bobby Stafford
June 21, 2015
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