Edward Christian Church
17 June - 8 July 2014

“The Church” 
(Acrostic/Acronym)
 -Romans 15:1-16
 
The Church is Not the Building made up of Boards and Bricks nor a Lifeless Organization
but a Living Organism Made Up of People who have been Born Again by the Blood of the Lamb.

We are to Represent our Savior while here on this Earth…within the Church and Without- That’s Why Jesus calls  us Salt and Light….
This Scripture Describe the Church…
Romans 15:1-4 (KJV)
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope.

Comforting, Humble, United,  Rejoicing, Concerned Harvesters

“C”
Comforters
 Comforters
 (1-4)  We are to Lift Up the Fallen and Encourage the Weak. During the week we   
 get Beat Up by the Devil and the World so we Need the Comfort of our Fellow Christians.
  • Strong- powerful or capable-have ability
  • Ought- be under obligation (ought, must, should); 
  • Bear- to lift, (endure, declare, sustain, receive, etc.) :- bear, carry, take up.
  • Infirmities- to be feeble -diseased, impotent- sick, (be, be made) weak.
  • Weak- unable, i.e. weak could not do, impossible, impotent, not possible, weak.

We are to Remember by our Savior’s Example “It’s Not About Us!”

   Galatians 6:1-3 (KJV)
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

“H”
Humble		 Humble
(3) Humility and Pride Do Not Go Together. You Can Have One or the Other but Not Both.

 

2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, /pray, and seek my face, and turn
  their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Humility = Position – Doesn’t Seek Position but Accepts it

  • Sit at Feet of Jesus= Teachable Attitude “I don’t know it all”
  • Stand Beside the Weak= Helping Attitude “Somebody needs my help”
  • See Myself in the Eyes of Others= Vunerable Attitude ... “I can’t help (anyone),  if I feel I’m above them”


“U”
Unity		 Unity (5-7)
 -When Christians disagree they are supposed to share the same position. 
1. Jesus taught us to be one. John 17:20-23  - Jesus prayed for us (20)
“R”
Rejoicers		 Rejoicers (9-13)
 -Christians have more reason to rejoice than anyone!
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

James 1:2, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; How can I be joyful during times of trial? by
giving thanks to GOD.

“C”
Concerned		  Concerned (14-16)
 -We need a genuine concern for the lost. Paul had a concern for the lost. Jesus all through His ministry was
full of concern. Matthew 9:35-38
“H”
Harvesters		 Harvesters
- Matthew 9:37 – The harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few.




  


If God is going to work we can’t be split we must be like-minded.
Do you think that God is interested in building big churches? (Souls saved)

The one thing they had in mind was wanting the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

If you want Power you need the Holy Spirit Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

We need the Power of the Holy Spirit to be what God wants the church to be

We need the Anointing of the Holy Spirit to be the church they were in the book of Acts. The only way to obtain that is through prayer.

James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.]

We say we believe the Bible we need to act like it?

If you study any of the spiritual awakenings we have seen in the past…

Is Satan attacking your church? Is God stronger than Satan? We sometimes thing of God and Satan dukeing it out and that is just
not the case. The devil has already been defeated. Even the devils believe and tremble.

Satan is merely Gods messenger boy! (read about Job and Saul)

 


Romans 15:
 5.  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
 6.  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 7.  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
 8.  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
 9.  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
 10.  And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
 11.  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
 12.  And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
 13.  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
 14.  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
 15.  Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
 16.  That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
John 17:
 20.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
 21.  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
 22.  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
 23.  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Matthew 9:
 35.  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
 36.  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
 37.  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
 38.  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into His harvest.


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