WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.540 If you will, stand with me as you take your Bible. 00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:05.919 Take your Bible and stand with me. I'd like you 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:12.240 to turn over to the book of... Here we go, okay. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:15.439 I need some young, strong whippersnappers. And 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:17.339 to move this, this will be a blessing. Take your 00:00:17.339 --> 00:00:20.120 Bible, turn over with me to Matthew chapter number 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:23.839 16, if you will. Matthew chapter number 16. And 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:27.100 we're going to start by reading a verse in the 00:00:27.100 --> 00:00:33.549 Bible. And Matthew chapter number 16. Oh, wonderful, 00:00:33.869 --> 00:00:39.979 wonderful, wonderful. And church, wow. the children 00:00:39.979 --> 00:00:42.560 of the church, learning the word of God, it is 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:44.219 a blessing. I want to just say thank you parents 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:47.359 very much for your investment in time and bringing 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:49.520 them faithfully and then allowing them to do 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:52.060 the devotions and being a part of that. It's 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:56.000 memories and your sowing seeds that will pay 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:58.259 dividends for the rest of their lives. Here in 00:00:58.259 --> 00:01:01.119 Matthew chapter number 16, Jesus came to Caesarea 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.819 Philippi in verse number 13 and he began to ask 00:01:04.819 --> 00:01:07.299 his disciples, whom do men say that I the son 00:01:07.299 --> 00:01:09.540 of man am? And if you look at me before we read 00:01:09.540 --> 00:01:13.859 this, Caesarea Philippi, been there, there is 00:01:13.859 --> 00:01:18.560 actually in the side of a mountain was just a 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:22.760 sheer rock that they began to carve little pedestals, 00:01:23.140 --> 00:01:25.819 and they would put their idols up there on those 00:01:25.819 --> 00:01:28.500 pedestals. And he's sort of looking at Caesarea 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:31.739 Philippi, looking at that place of idols, place 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:36.530 of idols, and he begins to say to them, Whom 00:01:36.530 --> 00:01:39.390 do men say that I, the son of men, am? And it's 00:01:39.390 --> 00:01:41.969 amazing, if you look at verse number 14, and 00:01:41.969 --> 00:01:44.890 they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, 00:01:44.989 --> 00:01:47.329 some Elias, and others Jeremiah, or one of the 00:01:47.329 --> 00:01:50.209 prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye 00:01:50.209 --> 00:01:53.390 that I am? Read verse 16 with me. And Simon Peter 00:01:53.390 --> 00:01:56.969 answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son 00:01:56.969 --> 00:02:01.349 of the living God. Wow. Look at verse 17, and 00:02:01.349 --> 00:02:04.060 Jesus answered and said, unto him, blessed art 00:02:04.060 --> 00:02:07.159 thou, Saruman Bar -Jona, for flesh and blood 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.719 hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:12.580 which is in heaven. What he's saying is, you're 00:02:12.580 --> 00:02:15.659 the Christ, you're the Messiah, you're the Lamb 00:02:15.659 --> 00:02:17.500 of God which taketh away the sin of the world. 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:21.020 That's not the answer up there, but Jesus, you 00:02:21.020 --> 00:02:23.639 are the answer. By the way, that's important. 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:27.360 Those idols. They have no power, no strength, 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:31.400 no ability, but Jesus, remember that Jesus was 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:33.919 prophesied being Emmanuel, which being interpreted 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:37.020 as God with us. You're Jesus, you're God in the 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:39.139 flesh. You're that lamb of God which take away 00:02:39.139 --> 00:02:41.840 the sin of the world. Now look with me at verse 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:46.379 number 18. And I say also unto thee, that thou 00:02:46.379 --> 00:02:49.780 art Peter, and upon this rock, what is this next 00:02:49.780 --> 00:02:53.939 phrase says? I will build my church in the gates 00:02:53.939 --> 00:02:57.500 of hell. shall not prevail against it. I will 00:02:57.500 --> 00:03:00.460 build my church. Say that phrase with me, I will 00:03:00.460 --> 00:03:03.180 build my church. Now that's interesting, I will 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:07.979 build, what's a church? And it's very interesting, 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:13.580 Sister Michelle Clark, she talked about one of 00:03:13.580 --> 00:03:18.020 her sons asking, why do we go to church? And 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:20.759 she was sort of shocked that a young child would 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:22.780 ask that, why do we go to church? And she said, 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:25.419 well, if you think about it, if we built something 00:03:25.419 --> 00:03:28.819 on sand by the ocean, it would come by and it'd 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:31.159 sweep away what we built. Well, we want to build 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.300 something on a rock, our lives on a foundation 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:37.780 that will last. And trying to explain what a 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:39.300 church is, and that's really a good question. 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:45.800 Why do we go to church? Jesus mentions the church. 00:03:46.110 --> 00:03:47.849 But why do we go to the church? Before we go 00:03:47.849 --> 00:03:49.009 any further, let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:03:49.090 --> 00:03:51.949 Dear Father in heaven, we love you. And Lord, 00:03:51.990 --> 00:03:55.129 it's been a good night. My heart rejoiced in 00:03:55.129 --> 00:03:56.969 seeing the children, Lord, and they're growing 00:03:56.969 --> 00:04:00.210 up, memorizing scriptures, Lord, trying to live 00:04:00.210 --> 00:04:02.569 for you. Thank you, Lord, for the children of 00:04:02.569 --> 00:04:05.050 our church. But God, I pray that you help us 00:04:05.050 --> 00:04:08.169 to answer that question tonight. Why do we go 00:04:08.169 --> 00:04:10.530 to church? What is a church? And I pray that 00:04:10.530 --> 00:04:12.830 you give us clarity of mind and help us. In Jesus' 00:04:13.050 --> 00:04:18.759 name. Amen. You may be seated. Oh, why do we 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:22.220 go to church? That's really an important thought. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:25.300 If you begin to turn the Bible over with me to 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:27.259 Acts chapter two, while you turn to Acts chapter 00:04:27.259 --> 00:04:31.589 two, Jesus ascended up into heaven. and as Jesus 00:04:31.589 --> 00:04:35.430 ascended up into heaven, the disciples were there 00:04:35.430 --> 00:04:38.829 in Jerusalem, and it was the day of Pentecost. 00:04:39.050 --> 00:04:41.589 It had fully come. It was 50 days after the Passover. 00:04:42.029 --> 00:04:45.009 There's Jews from all over the world, and Peter 00:04:45.009 --> 00:04:48.730 gets up in this crowd of people and begins to 00:04:48.730 --> 00:04:51.810 preach and preach the mighty sermon. And if you 00:04:51.810 --> 00:04:55.470 read Acts chapter two, a phenomenal sermon, and 00:04:55.470 --> 00:04:59.569 it's a sermon that pointed people to Jesus. the 00:04:59.569 --> 00:05:03.970 rock, Jesus, the one who started the church, 00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:06.910 the founder of the church, and then he gets to 00:05:06.910 --> 00:05:10.250 the verse number 42, after 3 ,000 people got 00:05:10.250 --> 00:05:13.129 saved and baptized. In verse 42, it says this, 00:05:13.290 --> 00:05:16.649 and they continued, do you see this? Steadfastly, 00:05:16.750 --> 00:05:19.069 this is verse 42, Acts chapter two, verse 42, 00:05:19.350 --> 00:05:21.970 and they continued steadfastly, and the apostles 00:05:21.970 --> 00:05:25.939 what? Doctrine and fellowship. and in breaking 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:30.660 of bread and in prayers. And the disciples, they 00:05:30.660 --> 00:05:33.639 didn't just get saved or lead those people to 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:35.839 salvation. People did get saved, they did get 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.139 baptized, but the Bible says they continued. 00:05:38.220 --> 00:05:40.920 They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.259 and fellowship and in breaking bread and in prayers. 00:05:43.459 --> 00:05:46.560 Look at verse 47. It says this, praising God 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.920 and having favor with all the people and the 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:54.769 Lord added to the. church daily such as should 00:05:54.769 --> 00:05:58.509 be saved. A church is not a building. A church 00:05:58.509 --> 00:06:02.810 is God's people gathered together. Churches is 00:06:02.810 --> 00:06:06.360 a group of saved baptized believers who gather 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:09.199 to worship God. They gather to hear the word 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.819 of God preach. They gather to pray together. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:14.980 They gather to encourage one another. And they 00:06:14.980 --> 00:06:17.480 want to reach other people with the gospel. And 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:19.939 the church is God's people meeting together, 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.899 you might say, for God's purpose. And church 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:25.379 is God's idea. But really, if you could think 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:29.279 about it in a simplistic way, the church is simply 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.939 God's people gathered together. It's good to 00:06:31.939 --> 00:06:34.129 be a part of the family of God. and it's good 00:06:34.129 --> 00:06:37.290 for God's people to gather together, and praise 00:06:37.290 --> 00:06:39.790 the Lord. I got gloriously saved on a Saturday, 00:06:39.870 --> 00:06:42.629 and I went to church on a Sunday. I was baptized 00:06:42.629 --> 00:06:45.269 in that church, and then all of a sudden I realized, 00:06:45.410 --> 00:06:47.930 wow, this is, a lot of people, this is a great 00:06:47.930 --> 00:06:50.089 place to be. First of all, I get to be around 00:06:50.089 --> 00:06:52.269 other believers, and it's sort of like a little 00:06:52.269 --> 00:06:55.250 bit of heaven on Earth, and I lived in a, we 00:06:55.250 --> 00:06:58.050 live in a sin -sick world, and I was in the Navy 00:06:58.050 --> 00:07:00.850 at that particular time going to electronic school, 00:07:01.230 --> 00:07:04.110 and sin was very, common with the people around, 00:07:04.350 --> 00:07:06.250 the foul language was very common, but you go 00:07:06.250 --> 00:07:09.470 to church and people are interested in God, people 00:07:09.470 --> 00:07:11.750 are interested in the Word of God, people are 00:07:11.750 --> 00:07:13.670 interested in the things of God, and it just 00:07:13.670 --> 00:07:16.529 was exciting being around people who are interested 00:07:16.529 --> 00:07:20.449 in the great God that we have. So church is God's 00:07:20.449 --> 00:07:24.810 people gathered together. Church is God's people 00:07:24.810 --> 00:07:28.850 gathered together. Church is God's people gathered 00:07:28.850 --> 00:07:31.990 together. It's good for God's people to gather 00:07:31.990 --> 00:07:35.170 together. It's good to be able to gather together. 00:07:35.230 --> 00:07:37.930 It's good to have a building, but church is God's 00:07:37.930 --> 00:07:39.990 people gathered together. Now look at this if 00:07:39.990 --> 00:07:42.149 you will. Look at this in Ephesians chapter number 00:07:42.149 --> 00:07:43.990 five. You turn over to Ephesians chapter number 00:07:43.990 --> 00:07:47.389 five. Oh yeah, Ephesians chapter number five. 00:07:50.310 --> 00:07:53.509 Churches, God's people gathered together. This 00:07:53.509 --> 00:07:56.670 is really, really, really interesting, and Ephesians 00:07:56.670 --> 00:08:01.269 chapter five is a chapter about the family, and 00:08:01.269 --> 00:08:05.810 it's about music, it's about living for the Lord. 00:08:05.870 --> 00:08:08.490 You go into chapter six, it talks about children 00:08:08.490 --> 00:08:11.370 obey your parents, but in the midst of this, 00:08:11.649 --> 00:08:14.670 in chapter number five, verse 25, it says, husbands, 00:08:14.910 --> 00:08:19.060 love your. wives, even as Christ also, Christ 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:23.680 also loved the, Christ also loved the church, 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:27.319 Christ also loved the church, and gave himself 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:30.379 for it, okay? Now, but it doesn't stop there. 00:08:30.740 --> 00:08:34.639 Christ loved the church. Love is giving yourself 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:38.620 for the good of someone else. So Christ loved 00:08:38.620 --> 00:08:42.879 the church. He was giving himself to help the 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:45.399 people. A church is God's people gathered together. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.080 but Jesus loved the church and gave him, verse 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:53.039 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, the 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:56.039 church, with a washing of water by the word. 00:08:56.580 --> 00:08:58.179 And so when you begin to think about it, the 00:08:58.179 --> 00:09:01.460 Lord's giving himself, loving the church, and 00:09:01.460 --> 00:09:05.080 he's helping sanctify and clean the church. not 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:08.399 clean the actual building, Sister Hancock, but 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:11.419 cleaning our lives up. And in church is a place 00:09:11.419 --> 00:09:14.440 where God loves the church and he begins to work 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.580 in the lives of God's people and he begins to 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:19.899 clean your lives, he begins to mold you, he begins 00:09:19.899 --> 00:09:22.100 to form you, he begins to fashion you. We're 00:09:22.100 --> 00:09:24.980 not to be conformed to this world, we're to be 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:27.080 transformed by the renewing of your mind, but 00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:29.399 church is a place, then look at this, verse 27, 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:33.470 that he might present to it, the church, It's 00:09:33.470 --> 00:09:37.090 a glorious church, a glorious church, a glorious 00:09:37.090 --> 00:09:40.490 church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such 00:09:40.490 --> 00:09:42.690 thing, but that it should be holy and without 00:09:42.690 --> 00:09:46.309 blemish right here. The Lord loves the church, 00:09:46.590 --> 00:09:49.049 and then it speaks about a glorious church right 00:09:49.049 --> 00:09:51.490 there. Church is not mainly about us, it's about 00:09:51.490 --> 00:09:55.129 the Lord. And we go to church, we go to church, 00:09:55.529 --> 00:09:57.889 and Jesus loved the church, and we love Jesus. 00:09:58.070 --> 00:10:01.009 And this is sort of a thought process. Jesus 00:10:01.009 --> 00:10:04.269 loves the church, which is us. Okay. It's hard 00:10:04.269 --> 00:10:07.789 to go after Patch the Pirate Club, okay? We gathered 00:10:07.789 --> 00:10:10.929 together as a church. A church is God's people 00:10:10.929 --> 00:10:14.110 gathered together. God loved the church. God 00:10:14.110 --> 00:10:17.250 loves us. And coming to church, it's a way to 00:10:17.250 --> 00:10:20.470 express our love for Him. You think about it, 00:10:20.690 --> 00:10:26.210 we sing songs, singing songs, songs, singing 00:10:26.210 --> 00:10:28.669 Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing 00:10:28.669 --> 00:10:32.370 and making melody for our entertainment. No, 00:10:32.629 --> 00:10:35.139 singing your heart. to the Lord. So when you 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:38.539 come to church in a way, we're saying, God, we 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:41.379 love you. Jesus, we love you. We're singing to 00:10:41.379 --> 00:10:44.360 you. We want to learn about you. We want to be 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:46.960 molded closer. We want to be that glorious church 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:49.740 where you're sanctifying us and molding us and 00:10:49.740 --> 00:10:52.960 transforming us and building us up. And it's 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.580 so interesting. A church gathers together. God's 00:10:55.580 --> 00:10:58.480 people gather together. God loves us. And he 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:00.740 has a plan for each and every one of us. Now, 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:03.350 think about that. God has a plan for you. God 00:11:03.350 --> 00:11:05.629 has a desire for you. How many of you ever struggle 00:11:05.629 --> 00:11:08.830 with your own plans? Okay, we all do. But if 00:11:08.830 --> 00:11:11.690 we, church, when you go to church and we hear 00:11:11.690 --> 00:11:13.809 the preaching of God's word, remember that God 00:11:13.809 --> 00:11:16.769 loves us, God's got a plan for us, he's trying 00:11:16.769 --> 00:11:18.529 to point us in a certain direction, he's trying 00:11:18.529 --> 00:11:21.730 to sanctify us, and boy, if we remember, church 00:11:21.730 --> 00:11:24.889 is about us not only receiving God's love, but 00:11:24.889 --> 00:11:27.720 it's about us loving him back. Okay, I want you 00:11:27.720 --> 00:11:30.179 to go to this next one, if you will, and go to 00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:32.080 First Timothy, or Second Timothy chapter number 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:36.600 three, Second Timothy chapter number three. Oh, 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:40.159 why do we go to church? Well, we go to church. 00:11:40.460 --> 00:11:42.980 Church is God's people gathered together. We 00:11:42.980 --> 00:11:45.879 go to church and remind ourselves Jesus loved 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:48.840 the church and we love Jesus. And then in Second 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:52.259 Timothy chapter three, verse 16, and look at 00:11:52.259 --> 00:11:54.039 this, read verse 16 with me if you're there. 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:58.059 All scripture is given by inspiration of God 00:11:58.059 --> 00:12:01.240 and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:03.860 for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:07.320 that the man of God may be perfect, throughly 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:10.740 furnished unto all good works. We go to church 00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:15.960 to hear from God. And you know, we are a Bible 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:19.860 -believing church. And what hopefully you should 00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:22.840 expect every time you come to church is to hear 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.440 from God. not Matt and Etta's sign, but here, 00:12:25.740 --> 00:12:28.120 thus saith the Lord, the word of God. We open 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.279 up the Bible, what does the Bible say? And the 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:35.580 Bible is an absolute amazing book. And we go 00:12:35.580 --> 00:12:38.860 to church to hear the Bible or hear from God. 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:42.299 And I remember going to church and I'd just gotten 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:46.240 saved and the preacher got up and man alive began 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:49.840 to say, thus saith the Lord. And at first I said, 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:52.419 does the Bible really say that? Or is he making 00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:55.019 these things up? And then it challenged me to 00:12:55.019 --> 00:12:56.399 read the Bible. And then all of a sudden I said, 00:12:56.460 --> 00:12:59.480 wow, I never knew that was in the Bible. I never 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:02.360 knew God wanted me to do this. I never understood 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:04.940 that. And then I began to all of a sudden see 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:07.759 life clearly. I saw where I was at. I began to 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:10.879 see where I was going. And the Bible is an absolute, 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:13.200 and somebody say amen to that. Bible's an amazing 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.759 book. We oughta read the Bible, study the Bible. 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:18.080 We oughta come faithfully to hear the preaching 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.919 of God's word. And God uses his word to teach. 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:23.779 to correct us, to strengthen us. We go to church 00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:25.799 so the Bible can shape our hearts and our lives. 00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:29.080 Have you ever been around somebody who watches 00:13:29.080 --> 00:13:32.220 maybe the news too much? or somebody who watch 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:34.460 reads too many things on the internet right there, 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.179 and sometimes they're there, but they're not 00:13:37.179 --> 00:13:39.980 quite there, and you as a Christian, a Bible 00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:42.539 -leaving Christian, when you saturate your heart 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:45.259 and your mind in the word of God, all of a sudden 00:13:45.259 --> 00:13:48.120 it begins to change your thinking. Let this mind 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.779 be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, and 00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:54.000 you see the world differently. You see the future 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.179 differently. You see your family differently. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:59.899 You see life differently. The Bible is a glorious 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:02.179 book. It's a wonderful book. We go to church 00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:04.360 to hear the Bible. So as we go through this, 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:07.580 church is God's people gathered together. We 00:14:07.580 --> 00:14:10.100 go to church and remember Jesus loved the church 00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:12.379 and we love Jesus. We go to church to hear the 00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:14.379 Bible. Go to Hebrews chapter 10. Go to Hebrews 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:19.100 chapter 10. A very famous scripture right here 00:14:19.100 --> 00:14:22.220 and I want to speak about this a little bit and 00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:25.039 talk about this a little bit and notice this 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.259 a little bit. And Hebrews chapter number 10. 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:42.320 All right, I'm gonna switch over this man Here 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.740 we go let us consider one another Here we read 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:49.259 it with me and let us consider one another to 00:14:49.259 --> 00:14:52.259 provoke unto love and to good works Okay, stop 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:55.500 again verse 24 and let us what consider one another. 00:14:55.539 --> 00:14:58.539 What does consider one another? Think about one 00:14:58.539 --> 00:15:03.090 another notice one another, set our hearts and 00:15:03.090 --> 00:15:06.169 our minds on one another. And so when we begin 00:15:06.169 --> 00:15:09.049 to think about church, church is a place to hear 00:15:09.049 --> 00:15:11.850 the Bible, but church is a place to encourage 00:15:11.850 --> 00:15:15.370 one another. Look at verse 25. Not forsaking 00:15:15.370 --> 00:15:18.990 the assembling of ourselves together as the manner 00:15:18.990 --> 00:15:22.950 of some is, but what? Exhorting one another. 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:26.840 and so much the more as ye see the day approaching, 00:15:27.299 --> 00:15:29.460 exhorting one. When you consider one another, 00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:32.679 the Bible then says that we are to exhort one 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:35.259 another. Okay, first of all, you consider one 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:37.860 another. You think about somebody else. Church 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:41.419 is a place where we're to think about other people. 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:44.259 Now, very important, we go to church. Church 00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:47.320 is God's people gathering together. The Lord 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:49.620 loves us, has a plan for us. We go to church 00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:52.559 to love him back right there. We sing songs to 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.659 him. We listen to the word of God. But then church 00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:59.360 is a place where we consider one another. We 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:02.039 think about one another. We consider. And then 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:07.899 it mentions the word exhort. What does the word 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:11.559 exhort mean? Okay, what does the word exhort 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.409 mean? The word exhort means more than just saying 00:16:15.409 --> 00:16:17.909 nice things. We consider one another, but it's 00:16:17.909 --> 00:16:20.509 more than just saying something nice to somebody. 00:16:20.929 --> 00:16:25.049 It means that we are to encourage, we're to sometimes 00:16:25.049 --> 00:16:28.889 urge, we're sometimes warned, we're to strengthen, 00:16:29.070 --> 00:16:31.870 we're to stir, we're to help people keep following 00:16:31.870 --> 00:16:35.240 the Lord. We are to consider one another, to 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:38.220 provoke one another, to encourage one another, 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:42.100 to urge one another to help each other on the 00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:46.220 journey to live for God. Church, I need help. 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:50.169 You need help. And when we come to... together 00:16:50.169 --> 00:16:52.110 with church, church is God's people gathered 00:16:52.110 --> 00:16:54.789 together, and we take time out and realize, man, 00:16:54.789 --> 00:16:56.990 I'm gonna consider one another. I'm gonna think 00:16:56.990 --> 00:16:59.570 about other people around me. And boy, I wanna, 00:16:59.789 --> 00:17:03.049 you know, when you come in and I see you back 00:17:03.049 --> 00:17:06.069 there, Brother Scott, Grinnells, and Miss Rhonda, 00:17:06.529 --> 00:17:08.750 I know the battles you go to with your health. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.759 and you get here and boy, I shook your hand and 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.960 it made me smile seeing that you were here. Brother 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:16.400 Jeff, brother Jeff back there. Raise your hand, 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:19.240 brother Jeff, you there? He's in the hospital 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:22.819 last week. Do you realize he had a stroke? And 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:24.119 all of a sudden he's here, he's going through 00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:26.640 a battle. And right there, I went back there 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:29.140 and I gave him a big hug and he started tears 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:32.019 in his eyes. But just being here in church tonight, 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:34.619 it's a miracle Jeff's here. And I'm thankful 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:37.160 for that. I needed that hug, but he needed that 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:39.480 hug too. Brother Thomas Ashton, you're here, 00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:42.539 man alive. But what a blessing to have you back. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:45.500 What a blessing to have you back. And one of 00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:47.720 the things when we come in here, we should think 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:50.839 about one another, notice one another. And then 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:54.019 we ought to try to basically provoke, as you 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:56.599 think about it, it's exhort one another. We ought 00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:59.920 to try our best to help people. Brother Ricardo, 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:02.420 you brought your friend back again. And I'm so 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:04.180 glad he's here again. And it's a blessing to 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:06.500 have you. And so, but this church is a place 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:09.240 where you belong and we want you. But when you 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:11.619 come to church, you ought to not be pushed down 00:18:11.619 --> 00:18:14.930 your lifted up and strengthened and encouraged 00:18:14.930 --> 00:18:17.789 and that's what we're here for. We're here to 00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:19.970 help one another, exhort one another, encourage 00:18:19.970 --> 00:18:22.609 one another. It's one of the greatest parts of 00:18:22.609 --> 00:18:25.849 church. Exhorting one another means lovingly 00:18:25.849 --> 00:18:28.930 helping other believers stay close to the Lord 00:18:28.930 --> 00:18:32.470 and help them to do right. All right, 1 Corinthians 00:18:32.470 --> 00:18:34.329 chapter number one. 1 Corinthians chapter number 00:18:34.329 --> 00:18:44.380 one. 1 Corinthians chapter number one. Did I 00:18:44.380 --> 00:18:47.200 say first Corinthians chapter number one? Okay. 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:51.660 Look at verse number 17. Oh, one of my absolute 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:53.519 favorite verses in the Bible. If you're there, 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:57.299 read it with me. For Christ sent me not to baptize, 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.839 but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:03.180 words, lest the cross of Christ should be made 00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:08.200 of none effect. We go to church, but part of 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:11.700 church is reaching people with the gospel. Part 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:13.960 of church is trying to reach people with the 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.660 gospel. And the preaching of the cross is to 00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:19.319 them that perish foolishness, but unto us. That's 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:21.720 the church, that's the body of believers, that's 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:24.240 the gathering together. We have an opportunity 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:27.359 to reach people with the gospel, reach people 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:30.539 with the gospel. I remember Brother Bob Beeman, 00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:34.000 and Bob and Barbara Beeman, they came, they got 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.680 saved at a revival many years ago, and baptized 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:40.500 the both of them, and then Brother Bob Beeman, 00:19:40.819 --> 00:19:42.880 you know, they were in their 60s at that time, 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:44.880 but Brother Bob Beeman came and he says, hey 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:47.180 pastor, I like this soul saving church thing. 00:19:47.450 --> 00:19:49.849 And he always called about soul saving. He never, 00:19:49.990 --> 00:19:52.089 he was like, soul saving. This soul saving is 00:19:52.089 --> 00:19:54.690 great. And he would smile with that twinkle in 00:19:54.690 --> 00:19:57.609 his eye, soul saving. Souls being saved is great. 00:19:58.849 --> 00:20:02.109 I wanna say a soul being saved from dying and 00:20:02.109 --> 00:20:04.890 going to hell and going to heaven for all of 00:20:04.890 --> 00:20:10.990 eternity is great. It's great. It is great. You 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:13.329 know, when we think about people getting saved, 00:20:13.589 --> 00:20:16.190 people getting saved from hell, and they get 00:20:16.190 --> 00:20:18.630 to go to heaven when we die, there is nothing, 00:20:18.750 --> 00:20:21.930 that's why it's the power of God. It's life -changing, 00:20:22.029 --> 00:20:24.490 it makes a difference for all of eternity. You 00:20:24.490 --> 00:20:27.990 think about Sunday, people at Saturday, we had 00:20:27.990 --> 00:20:31.430 close to 100 people go out, soul -winning, soul 00:20:31.430 --> 00:20:34.890 -saving on Saturday. We had visitors on church 00:20:34.890 --> 00:20:38.750 on Sunday, and God worked in a great way, great 00:20:38.750 --> 00:20:42.140 way. Brother Geron, we spent some time together, 00:20:42.339 --> 00:20:45.880 you and Michelle yesterday, my family, and I've 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:49.180 forgotten. Miss Michelle came here and Miss Michelle 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:52.359 Clark got saved here at our church. And then 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:53.700 you know how it is, something that she'll never 00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:56.019 forget, we forgot to put the heater on in the 00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:58.819 baptistery, she got baptized in freezing cold 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:00.759 water. Those are the ones that stick. I think 00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:04.059 we oughta just turn it off right there. But Miss 00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:08.039 Michelle, you got gloriously saved. And we think 00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:11.119 about that. Boy, people get gloriously saved. 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:13.920 And one of the great things we do, great things 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:19.339 we do, is tell people about Jesus. I read this 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:21.539 every once in a while and I wanted to read it 00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:25.440 tonight. The life -saving station. On a dangerous 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:28.440 sea coast where shipwrecks often occur, there 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:31.099 was once a crude life -saving station. The building 00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:34.059 was just a hut and there was only one boat. but 00:21:34.059 --> 00:21:36.539 the few devoted members kept a constant watch 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:38.759 over the sea with no thought for themselves. 00:21:39.140 --> 00:21:42.039 They went out day or night tirelessly searching 00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:45.019 for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful 00:21:45.019 --> 00:21:47.640 little life -saving station so that it became 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:50.059 famous. Some of those who were saved and various 00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:52.539 others in the surrounding area wanted to associate 00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:55.019 and give their time and money so new boats were 00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:57.390 bought in new crews were trained, the little 00:21:57.390 --> 00:22:00.210 life -saving station grew. Some of the new members 00:22:00.210 --> 00:22:03.210 of the life -saving station were unhappy that 00:22:03.210 --> 00:22:05.930 the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. 00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:08.920 They felt that it should be a more comfortable 00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:11.460 place, should be provided as a first refuge for 00:22:11.460 --> 00:22:13.960 those saved from the sea. So they replaced the 00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:16.599 emergency cots with beds and put better furniture 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.160 in an enlarged building. Now the life -saving 00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:21.660 station became a popular gathering place for 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:24.480 its members, and they redecorated it beautifully 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:27.579 and furnished it exquisitely. Fewer members were 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:30.460 now interested in going on life -saving missions. 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:33.970 So... They hired lifeboat crews. The life -saving 00:22:33.970 --> 00:22:36.269 motive still prevailed in the club decoration, 00:22:36.329 --> 00:22:38.509 and there was a liturgical life -saving boat 00:22:38.509 --> 00:22:40.809 in the meeting room. About this time, a large 00:22:40.809 --> 00:22:42.789 ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired 00:22:42.789 --> 00:22:45.390 crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, and 00:22:45.390 --> 00:22:47.690 half -drowned people. They were dirty and sick, 00:22:47.750 --> 00:22:50.289 and some of them had yellow skin. The beautiful 00:22:50.289 --> 00:22:53.430 new club was considerably messed up, so the property 00:22:53.430 --> 00:22:56.250 committee immediately had a shower built, a house 00:22:56.250 --> 00:22:58.490 built outside the club where victims of shipwreck 00:22:58.490 --> 00:23:01.500 could be cleaned up before coming inside. At 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:05.660 the next meeting, there was a split in the club 00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:08.039 membership. Most of the members wanted to stop 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:10.980 the club's life -saving activities as being unpleasant 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:13.519 and an hindrance to normal social life of the 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:16.359 club. Some members insisted upon life -saving 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:19.119 as the primary purpose and pointed out that they 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.009 were still called a life -saving station. But 00:23:22.009 --> 00:23:24.230 they were finally voted down and told that if 00:23:24.230 --> 00:23:26.089 they wanted to save lives of all the various 00:23:26.089 --> 00:23:27.950 kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those 00:23:27.950 --> 00:23:30.309 waters, they could begin their own life -saving 00:23:30.309 --> 00:23:33.250 station down the coast. They did. As the years 00:23:33.250 --> 00:23:35.609 went by, the new station experienced the same 00:23:35.609 --> 00:23:38.049 changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved 00:23:38.049 --> 00:23:40.750 into a club, and yet another life -saving station 00:23:40.750 --> 00:23:43.609 was founded. History continued to repeat itself, 00:23:43.609 --> 00:23:46.529 and today you will find a number of exclusive 00:23:46.529 --> 00:23:49.170 clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still 00:23:49.170 --> 00:23:53.279 frequent in those waters. but most people drown. 00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:56.960 Boy, we as a church were to reach people with 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.960 the gospel. And so, go over this, I'm not trying 00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:04.980 to park there too much, but a church is God's 00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:07.599 people gathered together. God loved the church. 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:10.299 He's a plan for each and every one of us as individuals. 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:12.599 We're to love him back. We're to grow through 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:15.579 his word. Boy, as a church, the people gathered 00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:18.259 together. We're to be Bible believers. We're 00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:21.559 to study the word, look at the word. Then we're 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:24.000 supposed to reach people with the gospel. And 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:26.460 then this is the next one in 1 Corinthians chapter 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:28.000 12. If you want to turn there, I'll just begin 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:31.279 to read it. For the body is not one member, but 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.019 many. This is 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 00:24:33.019 --> 00:24:36.789 14. For the body is not one member, but many. 00:24:37.190 --> 00:24:40.170 If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, 00:24:40.289 --> 00:24:43.849 I am not of the body, is it therefore not of 00:24:43.849 --> 00:24:46.430 the body? And if the ear shall say, because I 00:24:46.430 --> 00:24:49.769 am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore 00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:52.450 not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, 00:24:52.869 --> 00:24:55.049 where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, 00:24:55.509 --> 00:24:58.529 where were the smelling? But now hath God set 00:24:58.529 --> 00:25:01.450 the members, every one of them, in the body as 00:25:01.450 --> 00:25:04.880 it hath pleased him. And this is interesting. 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:07.740 This is speaking of the different types of church 00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:09.900 member. Everybody in our church has different 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:12.880 gifts. Every one of our church has different 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:16.119 abilities. Not everybody's an ear. Not everybody's 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:19.160 a nose. Not everybody's an eyeball. Not everybody's 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:23.079 hair. Amen. And we begin to think about that. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:26.440 God created us all differently and everybody 00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:30.480 here is needed. God's got a plan for every one 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:33.920 of us. of us in 1 Peter chapter four, as every 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:37.119 man hath received the gift, and this I think 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:39.500 is the problem, and write this verse down, 1 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:42.240 Peter chapter four verse 10, as every man hath 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.099 received the gift, every man has received a gift, 00:25:45.380 --> 00:25:48.119 everybody has a gift, everybody has an ability. 00:25:48.430 --> 00:25:50.849 And we go back to not forsaking the assembly 00:25:50.849 --> 00:25:53.250 of ourselves together. We go to serve. We consider 00:25:53.250 --> 00:25:55.150 one another. We think about one another. We're 00:25:55.150 --> 00:25:57.490 to exhort. We're to strengthen. We're to encourage. 00:25:57.650 --> 00:26:00.589 We're to help one another when we go to church, 00:26:00.589 --> 00:26:03.390 the body right there. But it says, as every man 00:26:03.390 --> 00:26:06.849 hath received the gift, even so, minister the 00:26:06.849 --> 00:26:10.329 same one to another. In other words, sometimes 00:26:10.329 --> 00:26:13.029 we don't get busy with what God has given us 00:26:13.029 --> 00:26:17.019 and use that gift to help people. And it's saying, 00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:20.119 hey, don't worry. If you're not an eye, don't 00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:21.599 worry about it. If God made you a nose, be a 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:24.400 nose. If God made you a hand, be a hand. If God 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:27.500 made you a foot, be a foot. But be a foot, if 00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:30.220 you're a foot, be a foot that use that gift to 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:32.759 help somebody. If you're that hand, be a hand 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:34.579 that helps somebody. If you're that eye, be an 00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:37.519 eye that helps somebody take whatever. God has 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:40.700 given you and be a blessing to somebody right 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:44.059 there. We go to church to serve the Lord together. 00:26:44.339 --> 00:26:47.599 God gives every believer something to do. And 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:49.460 I tell you what, inside this church, there's 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:51.519 something to do. There's always things to do. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:54.200 There's so many things that we can do and we 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:57.240 need to do. And I wanna say, volunteer, say, 00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:00.519 Pastor, do you have a job for me? And I'll say, 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:03.160 absolutely, got a job for you. And we'll find 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:06.130 that job. And by the way, this is an intro. Hello, 00:27:06.190 --> 00:27:10.970 everybody over there. Wow, this is good. Hi, 00:27:11.009 --> 00:27:13.470 Ms. Ducky, good to see you over there. Praise 00:27:13.470 --> 00:27:16.289 the Lord. Everybody has a gift. I was gonna say 00:27:16.289 --> 00:27:20.089 that sometimes here's the problem is everybody 00:27:20.089 --> 00:27:24.329 has a gift, but we're sometimes, and if I use, 00:27:24.509 --> 00:27:25.950 that's a negative way to say it, but sometimes 00:27:25.950 --> 00:27:29.640 we're too lazy or selfish to use our gift. to 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:32.319 help others. And so I wanna encourage you, don't 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:35.460 be lazy and don't be selfish. Use that gift for 00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:37.579 the Lord. We're at the very end, so why do we 00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:40.119 go to church? Church is a great place, God's 00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:42.799 invention, and the church is God's people gathered 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.480 together. We go to church, and church is a place 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:47.880 where Jesus loved the church and we love Jesus 00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:50.200 back. We wanna learn the Bible. We wanna learn 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:52.299 the Bible. We hear the word of God. We go to 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:54.480 church to encourage one another. We consider 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.759 one another. We help one another. We go to church 00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:58.680 to gather together and make a rally and cry. 00:27:58.700 --> 00:28:01.640 to reach the gospel or reach the world with the 00:28:01.640 --> 00:28:03.880 gospel, planting a church, Brother Barry, is 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:06.819 exciting. And then we go to church to serve the 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:10.740 Lord together. Church is a wonderful place. Let's 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:13.519 pray. Dear Father in heaven, we love you. It's 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:18.880 been a good night. Simple reminder about church, 00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:22.059 Lord, and I love church. I love coming to church 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:24.720 on Wednesday night. I love coming to church on 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.339 Sunday mornings and I love coming back on Sunday 00:28:27.339 --> 00:28:30.480 night. And Lord, this church is filled with faithful 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.480 families, faithful children, Lord. And Lord, 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:35.740 thank you for that. Thank you for loving us. 00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:37.920 Thank you for giving us the gift of a church. 00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:41.420 Thank you for a place that we can go where there's 00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:44.779 so many people that consider one another. And 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:46.880 Lord, I know so many people consider me and my 00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:49.579 family and they encourage me and my family. Thank 00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:51.599 you, Lord, for that encouragement. I need it, 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:53.839 Lord. And Lord, I pray that you help us as a 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:56.920 church to never forget giving the gospel out. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.859 Help us to somehow, some way, remember that we 00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:02.400 live in a world that needs you desperately. Help 00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:05.680 us to, on purpose, tell people about you. Lord, 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:07.619 I pray that you help even tonight some people 00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:11.299 with some gifts really step up and find a way 00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:13.980 to be used of you in a great way. We sure do.