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June 23, 2024
45m 13s

What Is the Church?

by Johnson Bowie
From the beginning, the Church has been a movement built around the message that Jesus died and rose again as the Savior for all sinners. He proved that He was exactly who He said He was—King and Lord over the earth. Today, we gather to worship Jesus, be together in community, learn to walk in His ways, and go out to share the gospel with the world. Tune in to learn three lessons from the early Church that apply to our overall mission even now!
Sermon Notes

The Church is a MOVEMENT of people who are on MISSION around a MESSAGE.

Acts 16:6-9 NIV
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Lessons From the Church

  1. The Church Is for ALL People

Acts 16:14 NIV
The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

Leviticus 20:6 NIV
“’I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.’”

Acts 16:29-31 NIV
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Acts 16:40, 17:1
After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left. When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica

Lessons From the Church

  • The Church Is Proof That Small Isn’t Insignificant

Acts 17:5-7 ESV
But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 1:8 NIV
The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.

Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Do not despise these small beginnings…

Lessons From The Church

  • The Church Is Where Friends Become Family

Acts 18:2-4 NIV
There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Romans 16:3-5 NIV
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.

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