"How Many Choose A Church" - 3/25/07
In today's society you can find a consultant for just about anything. Believe it or not you can even hire a consultant to help you find the right church to attend. The consultant will ask what you're looking for and guide you towards that particular "church". Is the type of landscaping around the building the most important thing to you? Or, do you need just the right child care program for your children? A Colorado church consultant also lists such things as restrooms, choral presentations, social juice ministry, parking surface, entranceway to buildings and of course the Christmas, Easter and Lenten sevices. A "church consultant" will make sure there's a good fit.
What's conspicuously absent from the list is TRUTH. Far from us are the words of Solomon: "Buy the truth and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding."(Proverbs 23: 23) What is the real problem?
1) Who Are Many People Trying To Please?
a. This is a generation that emphasizes what others can do for us and that is being past on to the next.
b. One consultant said "If everything's printed, the worship is quiet and reverent, there's no clapping
and everyone wears suits and ties it's irrelevant to the average 20 year old"
c. So when does the opinion of the 20 year old replace what God wants? (or 40, 60 or 80)
d. People need to realize what they need is salvation, not the right wood interior Romans 1: 16 - 17
2) One Problem Is Many Think About The "Self"
a. Many are not concerned with what God wants
1. He wants obedience - Matthew 7:21 - 23; Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4: 17
2. His will should be our first thought
b. Many are not concerned with others
1. We are to care and pray for each other 1 Corinthians 12: 26; James 5: 16
2. We are to teach, admonish and serve each other Colossians 3: 16; Galatians 5: 13
3. We are to be hospitable and restore each other 1 Peter 4: 9; James 5: 19 - 20
c. What does the kingdom consist of ? Mark 12: 28 - 34
d. Other virtues
1. Ephesians 4: 2 - 3 the opposite of a "self" attitude
2. Philippians 2: 3 - 4
3) Many Don't Think About Sin
a. It exists in their lives Romans 3: 23
b. Unchecked it has only one outcome Romans 6: 23
c. Only the blood of Christ can deal with sin, not a choral presentation or a better parking surface
Romans 6: 4 - 7
d. This generation would be better served looking for a church concerned with the Word
and not wood
e. We need to understand the effects of sin, the battle we are in both inside and outside and
then we can understand what Paul wrote - Romans 7: 24- 25
4) The Proper Response To The Realization of Sin
a Acts 2-Peter's Sermon
b. Simon the Sorcerer- Acts 8
c. Repentance - preaching of John and Jesus Matthew 3: 1 - 2; 4: 17; Mark 1: 15
d. Requires following the gospel plan for man's salvation
A brother by the name of Rusty Miller wrote: I believe very strongly in taking great care in choosing
a church. But that care should be guided by a desire to hear what is true and needed, whether I like it
or not. God and His Word should be the standard which serves as our "church growth consultant". It
is hard to imagine a growth spurt greater than that of the first century church, and the message there
was "you murdered the Messiah!" It is doubtful any of those in Peter's audience on Pentecost were
concrned with his gardening skills.
(thanks to Rusty for this sermon idea)