2. “MEMBERS OF THE BODY (Part 1) – A Gathering Worth Dying For” (Various Texts)

3. What is the ‘church’?  “CHURCH” = “Ekklesia” (Assembly, Gathering – literally “to call out”)  The church is a Gathering of a particular group of people – those called by God into faith. (Mt 16:18 / 1 Cor 1:2 / Acts 7:39 / Heb 2:12 / 1 Pt 2:9-10)  The church is “Universal” in that the it includes believers of every age from every place (Heb 12:23 / Eph 5:25)  The church is “Local” in that the Bible speaks of local “assemblies” or churches (1 Cor 1:2 / Romans 16:15 etc)  The church is “Visible” in that you see those who profess to be a part of it around you this morning, and “Invisible” because “The Lord knows who are His” (2 Tim 2:19).  THUS the church is not “this building”…and this building is not a temple or “God’s House”. It is only a venue for the ekklesia to meet.  2 Corinthians 6:16 – “We are the temple of the living God” {see also the metaphors of Vine (Jn 15:5) / Body (1 Co 12) / Bride (Eph 5 / Rev 19) }

4. How does Christ ‘feel’ about the Church?  “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph 5:25)  “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (acts 20:28)  See also Ephesians 3:14-19 – spoken in the first place to the plurality, not the individual Christian.  Do you love what Christ loves? Value what Christ values? Seek the good of that which Christ has sought and died for?  If we enter into the same affections that Jesus bears His people (the church), THEN we are truly becoming Christ-like. Else we are nothing like Him at all.  To want nothing to do with the church is to want nothing to do with Jesus Christ, and calls into question the salvation of the one who so despises what God purchased with His own blood.  The Spirit of Christ within people ought to unite Christians, even of different cultures, into “The Church”, with the overarching goal of the glory of God.

5. How does Christ ‘feel’ about the LOCAL Church?  The common objection is “I’m part of the church for which Christ died, but I’m not going to a church because: 1) I can worship God at home, 2) I don’t like the people, 3) I had a bad experience, 4) I’m doing just fine by myself, 5) etc….”  Note: this is a selfish attitude, also seen in the way people choose which church to attend – c.f. “What can they offer me?”  Matthew 18:15-18 (context of Church Discipline)  Jesus expected there to be a local church (with Christians in it)  Jesus taught that not to be a part of it was a spiritual catastrophe  Jesus invested local churches with power and authority  See also THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT  How can anyone brazenly proclaim that it “does not matter” if they are a part of a local church?  You are not “doing okay”. You are not “fine”. You are disobedient.  Remember: “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her”