Building God’s Church Pt 2 of 2

1 PETER 2: 3-5

Who are you? What are you doing here?

1 Peter 2:4–5 (ESV) 4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

A living stone is meant to be kitted out to be in a building.

We are to come first to Jesus, the cornerstone from which the whole building is built

Our religion is so personal and private that it has forgotten the imperative of collectivism as the Body of Christ

What are you doing here?

The Godhead is a community in love among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

To become Christ-like means we must also be able to relate to one another in love.

The Christian is transformed within the church by the help of the Holy Spirit

God is community and relational

If you desire a transformed life, you have to be transformed within the church. If you desire to be changed people, you must change the church. If you would find your life, you must lose it within the redeemed and redemptive community that together lives the manner of abundant and exceptional life that God has intended for us.

G C Berkouwer(Theologian)

The importance of the church

Mark 2:17 (ESV)

17And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

No church is perfect

God puts order in the church by using elders (pastors) c.f. Paul installed godly elders in churches planted by him in any new city

God has the 5-fold offices to EQUIP the saints

In Eph 4:1211 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Godly order in the church

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV) 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

How to find my place in the body

Passion that stirs you up e.g. working with children, elderly, healing, helping others, pastoral, creative, prophesy, evangelise

Spiritual gifts

Experience

Natural giftings and personality

Every one being a member of the Body of Christ

Leadership should be aiming to equip and release members to serve in the works of ministry

Permission granting rather than permission withholding; Release rather than control

However, with delegated authority comes accountability (which means to be answerable for the actions taken and the outcome)

DELEGATED AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY