Built for This // Built to Belong // Jason King // January 21, 2024

Faith

Built For This – Built to Belong

Romans 10:9 (ESV)
“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

1. Belonging to our local Church is how we express that we are apart of the family of God.

Galatians 6:10 (NIV)
“as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
“...I will build my church...”

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)
“God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

“it is simply not possible to live a God center, Christ Center, spirit, lead life unless my life is also Church center,” - Sinclair Ferguson

Matthew 12:47-50 (NIV)
“Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

2. We belong to a family that is directed and sustained by God’s word.

1 Timothy 4:6,7.11-17 (ESV)
“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Acts 2:42 (ESV)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching...”

James 3:1 (ESV)
“...my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Acts 20:28 (ESV)
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

3. Belonging to the family of Faith Church is a commitment to be devoted to one another.

Romans 12:10 (NIV)
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Galatians 5:13 (NIV)
"...serve one another humbly in love.”

James 4:11 (NIV)
“do not slander one another...”

1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)
“...clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

“it is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters”
- Dietrich Bon Hoffer from his book "life together Says

4. Belonging to the family of Faith Church means you are cared for by the pastors God has set in place.

1 Peter 5:2-4 (ESV)
“ shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)
“Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”