Sure investments: Invest in your church family

Topics: Jesus, church

I. The church is built on Jesus!

* The Church is built on the foundation of Who Jesus is!

1. Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven (Mt. 16:13-17).

2. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything(Colossians 1:16-18).

II. The church is built by Jesus!

* The Church (ekklesia) are those called out for God's purpose!

1. "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18).
2. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:25-27).

III. The church is built for Jesus!

* The Church seeks to develop all believers into Christ-likeness!

1. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19; see Galatians 6:9, 10).
2. And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins August 14th,2022.