Which church do you belong to?

 

The church means “the called out ones”

‘ekklesia’ – a calling out

Are you one who has been ‘called out of the world to follow Jesus’?

 

Who does the ‘church’ belong to?

Jesus said “I will build My church”

Matt.16:18

The church belongs to Jesus!

 

The church is the body of Christ

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” 1Cor.12:27

 

As believers in Jesus we belong

to His body.

 

Christ is the head of the church, which is His body

“Christ is head of the church, and He is the Saviour of the body” Eph.5:23

“And He is the head of the body, the church…” Col.1:18

There is only one Head of the church

 

The church is the house of God

“Christ a Son over His own house, whose house we are.” Heb.3:6

 

He has set foundations for His  church

“Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” Eph.2:20

 

Apostles & Prophets are the God ordained foundation of His church

 

God has set an order in His church

“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles then gifts of healings …”

1 Cor.12:28

 

The church of Jesus Christ is a many membered body

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.”

1 Cor.12:12

Christ the Head + many members

= the church

 

Each member has been placed in the body by God

“Now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” 1 Cor.12:18

 

We are placed in the body by God!

 

Every member of the body needs to function

We are to “grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Eph.4:16

 

When each member of the body is functioning & rightly related to the head, the church will come to maturity

 

The five-fold ministry recognised and functioning

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” Eph.4:11

 

All the five gifts release grace to the body

These gifts are to do the work of the ministry to enable the body to grow to maturity

“For the equipping of the saints” & “For the building up of the body of Christ.” Eph.4:12

“Until”  the church comes to the

“unity of the faith, unto a perfect man” v.13

 

The church is built of living stones

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Pet.2:5

We are a spiritual house, offering up spiritual sacrifices – praise, worship, prayer, intercession

 

The church is to be a dwelling place for God

“The whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Eph.2:21-22

 

We are to be fitted together in the Lord, so He can indwell us

 

This is a victorious church!

Seated with Christ far above all principalities and powers – the enemy under our feet!

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Eph.1:20-23

 

This is the Church which we belong to!