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Video Talk
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
When I was a child we learned this little poem with hand motions which went something like this, “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door and see all the people.” So, what message does that give us about church? It tells us the church is a building called “church,” and some of them do have steeples, and inside this building called “church” are people. And so this is the image of “church” which has been passed down from generation to generation.
But the church is not a building, it is not an institution of men, it is not a church denomination, it is not incorporated under the state, and it is not run like any other human-based business. It is us, the people of God who are believing in Jesus with God-given faith and who are walking in obedience to his commands and no longer in sin. We are not inside the church. We are the church. So, if you want to show a physical picture of the church, show the people of God.
And the purpose of the church is not to gather together to entertain the people of the world and to draw in large crowds of people from the world into our gatherings, and thus to alter our gatherings around the desires of the world. We don’t win the world to Jesus through ungodly methods and means. We win the world to Jesus through telling them the truth of the gospel, which it appears not many of these institutional churches are doing anymore.
Anyway, the purpose of the gatherings of the church, the body of Christ, is so that we, as the body, with each part doing its work, might encourage one another in our walks of faith. It is so that we might stir one another up to love and to good deeds (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14) which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And it is so we might exhort one another so that we are not hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. And we are to be doing this every day with our fellow Christians.
Now, if we can meet together in person for this purpose, that is great. But that is not possible for everyone. And in my experience this is happening so much more on the internet than it is happening in any physical gatherings of what is called church in person. So we can gather together on the internet, or via a phone conversation or a text message or at a restaurant or wherever we can get together with other believers for the stated purpose in these opening Scriptures. But be doing this daily. We all need it!!
Body of Christ, Life and Ministry
[Ac 2:42-47; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Rom 12:1-8; 1 Co 3:9,16-17; 1 Co 6:19-20; 1 Co. 12:1-31; 2 Co 5:1; 2 Co 6:14-16; Eph 1:4,22; Eph 2:19-22; Eph 4:1-32; Eph 5:17-30; Col 1:18-24; Col 2:19; Col 3:12-16; 2 Tim 1:9; 2 Tim 2:21; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 1 Pet 2:4-9; Titus 2:11-14; Heb 3:13; Lu 9:23-26; Matt 7:21-23; Jude 1:20-21; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
Pray, Pray, Pray
An Original Work / September 6, 2012
Based off Various Scriptures
Pray that eyes may enlightened be,
So they may know Christ.
Pray that they may Him better know,
Strengthened by His pow’r.
Pray that they may grasp
How wide and long
And high and deep
Is Christ’s love.
Pray that they may be filled
To the fullness of God’s love.
Pray with thanksgiving.
Pray for an open door for me,
So I may share Christ.
Pray when the gospel is proclaimed –
Shared with clarity.
Pray words are given me so
I declare the gospel fearlessly.
I pray for you to be active
Sharing your faith, too.
Pray continually.
We oft not know for what to pray,
So we ask for help.
The Spirit intercedes for us –
Words cannot express.
Just keep on praying for the saints
With all kinds of requests to God.
Pray they may have faith to
Please their God in ev’ry way.
Pray with joyfulness.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.”
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).
When I was a child we learned this little poem with hand motions which went something like this, “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door and see all the people.” So, what message does that give us about church? It tells us the church is a building called “church,” and some of them do have steeples, and inside this building called “church” are people. And so this is the image of “church” which has been passed down from generation to generation.
But the church is not a building, it is not an institution of men, it is not a church denomination, it is not incorporated under the state, and it is not run like any other human-based business. It is us, the people of God who are believing in Jesus with God-given faith and who are walking in obedience to his commands and no longer in sin. We are not inside the church. We are the church. So, if you want to show a physical picture of the church, show the people of God.
And the purpose of the church is not to gather together to entertain the people of the world and to draw in large crowds of people from the world into our gatherings, and thus to alter our gatherings around the desires of the world. We don’t win the world to Jesus through ungodly methods and means. We win the world to Jesus through telling them the truth of the gospel, which it appears not many of these institutional churches are doing anymore.
Anyway, the purpose of the gatherings of the church, the body of Christ, is so that we, as the body, with each part doing its work, might encourage one another in our walks of faith. It is so that we might stir one another up to love and to good deeds (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14) which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And it is so we might exhort one another so that we are not hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. And we are to be doing this every day with our fellow Christians.
Now, if we can meet together in person for this purpose, that is great. But that is not possible for everyone. And in my experience this is happening so much more on the internet than it is happening in any physical gatherings of what is called church in person. So we can gather together on the internet, or via a phone conversation or a text message or at a restaurant or wherever we can get together with other believers for the stated purpose in these opening Scriptures. But be doing this daily. We all need it!!
Body of Christ, Life and Ministry
[Ac 2:42-47; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Rom 12:1-8; 1 Co 3:9,16-17; 1 Co 6:19-20; 1 Co. 12:1-31; 2 Co 5:1; 2 Co 6:14-16; Eph 1:4,22; Eph 2:19-22; Eph 4:1-32; Eph 5:17-30; Col 1:18-24; Col 2:19; Col 3:12-16; 2 Tim 1:9; 2 Tim 2:21; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 1 Pet 2:4-9; Titus 2:11-14; Heb 3:13; Lu 9:23-26; Matt 7:21-23; Jude 1:20-21; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
Pray, Pray, Pray
An Original Work / September 6, 2012
Based off Various Scriptures
Pray that eyes may enlightened be,
So they may know Christ.
Pray that they may Him better know,
Strengthened by His pow’r.
Pray that they may grasp
How wide and long
And high and deep
Is Christ’s love.
Pray that they may be filled
To the fullness of God’s love.
Pray with thanksgiving.
Pray for an open door for me,
So I may share Christ.
Pray when the gospel is proclaimed –
Shared with clarity.
Pray words are given me so
I declare the gospel fearlessly.
I pray for you to be active
Sharing your faith, too.
Pray continually.
We oft not know for what to pray,
So we ask for help.
The Spirit intercedes for us –
Words cannot express.
Just keep on praying for the saints
With all kinds of requests to God.
Pray they may have faith to
Please their God in ev’ry way.
Pray with joyfulness.
