A Church Centered on God

The Kind of Church God Builds
A Church Centered on God

I. Introduction

A. The life is !

B. The kind of church God builds is a church that is centered on !

C. “The Kingdom of God” is the of God’s will in this world.

D. Our church is committed to being a church that fulfills the will of in this world!

E. The kind of church God builds is a church that reaches kinds of !

1. Churches who hold to the message of the Kingdom of God are not going to between evangelism and discipleship—or evangelism and justice!

2. I believe the kind of church God builds is the church that is committed to doing the Bible tells the church to do!

F. John 17:1-5 (NLT) ¹After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. ²For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. ³And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. ⁴I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.”

G. John 17:24 (NLT) “Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!”

H. Matthew 17:1-2 (NLT) ¹Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. ²As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

I. Revelation 1:16b (NLT) And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

1. Part of the purpose of the —Jesus taking on human flesh—is to offer human beings the ability to see the glory of God without going blind!

J. John 1:14 (NAS) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

K. The purpose of the Church is to exchange the “ center” around which people organize their lives, for a “ center” in God!

1. When we organize our lives around the wrong “” we go through spiritual disaster!

L. The most common organizing principle for most people is to organize their lives around .

M. If our life is going to work correctly, then we need to our life on !

1. It’s totally appropriate to look to church to meet your and needs!

2. I have a call from God to this church—and to be the main teacher and of this church.

3. We can’t build a church centered on if we’re also trying to build a church centered on !

N. That’s one of the reasons why is so important to us! Worship gets our hearts centered on !

O. Psalm 95:6-7 (NLT) ⁶Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, ⁷for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.

P. Psalm 96:9 (NLT) Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.

Q. Psalm 99:5 (NLT) Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

R. Psalm 100:2, 4 (NLT) ²Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. ⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

S. It means that we need to make a commitment to on a regular basis!

T. The starting point for building that kind of church is with individuals in our church learning to be – worshippers!

1. Homework: Whenever you’re feeling pressured this week, make a choice to lift up in your mind! Think of God.

II. Conclusion