Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Philippians 1:27-2:4

Theme: A church is most like the church when it’s a family

Notes:

“If you want to travel fast, go alone.
If you want to ravel far, go together.” –African Proverb

Why We Should View the Church as Family

1. The Bible refers to believers as ‘family’ over 200 times
2. The command to love like family
3. God refers to His people as a household
4. The images the Bible uses
   • a body
5. The Bible describes our ‘sonship’ as part of a larger family group
   • Hebrews 2:11-12
   • Romans 8:29
   • Galatians 4:5
   • There are no ‘only children’ in God’s plan
   • “The more disconnected we are from a local church the more confused we will be about who we are and what God created us to be. We find our true individual selves in relationship to others.”  –John Piper
   • “Whereas independence is an important value to … interdependence is the way of most societies of the world.” –Duane Elmer
6. Paul’s pastoral instruction to Timothy
   • 1 Timothy 5:1-2
   • Philemon 1
7. Jesus’s teaching on his followers being family
   • Matthew 12:46-50
8. Genuine, active love is a proof of real faith
   • 1 John 2:9-11
   • 1 John 3:14
9. The early church functioned like a family
   • James 2:14-17
   • 1 Timothy 5:3-9
10. The command for unity
    • Philippians 1:27-2:$
    • John 17
    • Ephesians 4
    • “In America, we celebrate independence in a myriad of ways…In its extreme form, society encourages individuals to cast off tradition, church and even family in pursuit of self-expression. ”–Amy Medina
11. The command to “bear with one another”
    • Colossians 3:1-17
    • aka, putting up with one another’s faults and frailties
    • It teaches the world something–and it teaches us something as well
    • “I will not room with that person”
      • Realize that you are that  person for someone else
12. Pastoral qualifications to lead their home
    • 1 Timothy 3
13. The leadership of elders
    • 1 Peter 5
    • 1 Corinthians 4:14-21
14. The command for pastors to shepherd and oversee
    • Acts 20:28-31
    • 1 Peter 5:1-4
15. The command to discipline
    • Matthew 18:15-18
    • How did the apostles understand this commandment, and how did they apply it?
      • 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
      • 2 Thessalonians 3
      • Galatians 6:1-2

How Can We Live This Out?

1. We should devote ourselves to one particular church family
2. We should love our family with actions, not just words
3. We need to work hard for family unity
4. We have to be “in this together”
5. We have to be willing to do the hard things
6. We should absolutely care about believers outside our fellowship

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 2

Theme: We Are Family

Notes:

• Colossians 1:10
• Philippians 1:27
• Ephesians 4:1-3

15 Reasons Why We Should View the Church as a Family

1. The Bible refers to believers as family over 200 times
   • 1 Peter 3:8
   • Hebrews 13:1
   • 1 Thessalonians 4:9
2. The command to love like family
   • Romans 12:10-13
     • philadelphia = brotherly love
     • philastorgas = familial love
3. God refers to his people as a household
   • 1 Peter 1:22
   • Galatians 6:10
   • 1 Timothy 3:14-15
4. The images the Bible uses
   • 1 Corinthians 12:20
   • 1 Peter 2:9
   • Universal church or local church?
     • The pattern of the apostles was to plant local churches, establish membership and leadership

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Caleb Ogle

Text: Psalm 42:1-11

Theme: Hope In God

Notes:

Why do we know that we can have hope in God?

1. Salvation
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10
   • 1 Peter 1:3-5
   • Titus 1:1-3
2. Available Victory
   • John 16:33
   • 1 Corinthians 10:12-14
   • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
   • Ephesians 6:10-20
3. God cares
   • Psalm 55:22
   • 1 Peter 5:7-10
   • Rom 8:38-39
   • Psalm 8:4-5
4. Eternity
   • Rev 21:4
   • John 14:1-6
5. His Word
   • Psalm 119:49, 81, 114, 116

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Ephesians 6:10-24

Theme: Christ’s work for us and in us
will help us to walk in victory against
the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Notes:

1. Resist the Enemy, 6:10-12
   • World
     • 1 John 2:15
   • Flesh
     • Ephesians 2
     • James 1:12-15
   • Devil
     • 1 Peter 5:8
     • John 10:10
2. Remember your Equipment, 6:13-17
   • All theology is meant to be applied theology
   • We don’t fight for victory–we fight from victory
   • Isaiah 49:2, 52:7, 59:16-17
   • We fight as an army, not individuals
   • “All of the equipment, all of the time”
   • Belt of Truth – trust in God’s character, how He has revealed Himself in Scripture
   • Breastplate of Righteousness – Christ’s righteousness
     • Imputed to us
     • Imparted to us
   • Shoes of Peace –
   • Shield of Faith – absolute confidence in God in all things
   • Helmet of Salvation – trust in God’s saving work in my life
   • Sword of the Spirit – only offensive part of the armor
     • our application of truth to every issue of everyday life
3. Rely on His Energy, 6:18-20
   • Continual, persistent, hopeful, Spirit-filled communion with God through prayer
4. Rest in His Encouragement, 6:21-24
   • If Paul needs prayer, you do too
   • “I’m not chained to them–they’re chained to me.”
   • The Apostle Paul was no Lone Ranger
   • God gives His Spirit, His Word, and His People
   • Churches get along because they choose peace
   • Rehearse what you know, not how you feel
   • Grace: God’s favor toward you because of Christ

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Ephesians 5:21-6:9

Theme: Christ’s work for us and in us will help us to walk in harmony in our earthly relationships.

Notes:

Submission is the key to harmony.

• Ephesians 5:21, “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ”
• Romans 12:10, “Love one another with brotherly affection. wOutdo one another in showing honor.”
• Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from kselfish ambition or lconceit, but in mhumility count others more significant than yourselves”

Submission is how God grows us

• Sin wrecks God’s harmonious design for the family unit
• The Apostle Paul describes how Christ’s sacrifice empowers Christians to live out a new life together

Submission for wives

• The wife is to respect her husband
• Caveat: some men abuse the teaching of Ephesians 5

Submission for husbands

• The husband is to love his wife like Christ loves the church
• He is to love sacrificially
• Colossians 3:19, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them”
• He is to protect and provide for her spiritual health
• He is to nourish and cherish her: emotionally, physically, and spiritually
• He is to model Christ to her
• If a husband is harsh, unkind, insensitive he make impediments that keep his wife from having an accurate picture of Christ

Husbands and wives ought to pursue Christ together through word and prayer in order to live intentionally.

Submission for children

• Obey your parents
• Honor your parents
• Obedience expires as the child grows up to adulthood
• Honoring does not

Submission for parents

• Not provoking your children to anger
• Training your children with discipline and instruction
• Note: God is training you even as you are training your children
• You are not ultimately to be praised nor blamed for your children’s successes or failures
• Be far more encouraging for your children’s successes / obediences

Submission for workers

• Obey your supervisors as if you were working for Christ
• Respect your supervisors
• Work hard sincerely–not just when you are being watched

Submission for supervisors

• Treating your workers well
• Respecting your workers
• Not attempting to bully or intimidate your workers
• Being just and fair
  • Colossians 4:1

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Ephesians 4

Theme: Christ’s work for us and in us will produce unity.

Notes:

“The imperatives of Scripture rest on the indicatives of Scripture.” — Bryan Chappell

• Titus 2:11-12
• 1 John 2:6
• 1 Thessalonians 1:11-12
• Colossians 1

Humility, Gentleness, Patience

• “What is best for the body,” instead of, “What is best for me?”
• Philippians 2:1-4
• Colossians 3:12-15

A person/organization that is always looking for reasons to separate is not living out the heart of the gospel.

The ordinance of baptism does not save from sin, nor does it contribute toward saving from sin.

Jude 1:3-4

The practice of unity involves:
each member
selflessly investing
their spiritual gifts
for the good of the body.

People who don’t serve others don’t realize how difficult it is to serve others.

• 1 Peter 4:10-11
• 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
• Romans 12:3-8

The end product of unity is a healthy, stable, and mature church.

Unity is conformance to Christ,
all who are conformed to Christ will be united on the most important things,
despite diversity in other areas.

See Richard Baxter’s prayer re: theological controversy.

“…may my zeal be more for faith, charity, and unity than for my opinions.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download