I Love My Church
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Intro: Today is I Love My Church Sunday. I have looked forward to this day for several weeks! I just want to publicly say I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
A. The Expression of Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
It was no secret that Jesus loved His church!!
Look at our text – Jesus said it over and over – I love you!
- John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
- John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
B. The Example of Jesus Christ
- John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,
I thought of something yesterday that I have never really thought about.
As I contemplated the example of Christ in this area demonstrating His love for His church…
Do you realize that when Jesus called his 12 disciples, he never left them for 3 ½ years!?
He lived with them; slept with them, ate every meal with them, preached every message with them, taught them, travelled with them, he was involved in their life 100% from day one until the day He died.
He demonstrated His love for His church by His:
- Presence
- Participation
- Pouring out of Himself in preparing others to lead in His place
- Passion for ministry and people
- Putting aside His own reputation and taking upon Himself the form of a servant
C. The Expectation of Jesus Christ
- John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
- John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Jesus was not only very quick to tell his church He loved them, but He expects us to do so as well.
Multiple times He used His example as our motivation.
- John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
As Christians, Jesus expects us to love and to demonstrate our love for the house of God!
I Love My Church because…
I. The Father that is Exalted Here
I love my church because we do our best to honor and glorify our Heavenly Father.
I love my church because here we do not elevate man or man’s achievements, but rather we lift up and magnify the precious name of Jesus Christ.
- Romans 15:5, 6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II. The Faith that is Established Here
I love my church because my faith gets weak sometimes, but I know where it can be strengthened.
There is nothing that will build me up spiritually like a trip down to my church.
There’s nothing that will remind me of God’s wonder working power like a service down at my church.
There’s no place I’d rather be on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night than at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
The God of Heaven comes down and meets with me at my church.
The Holy Spirit encourages my old discouraged heart down at my church.
The Word of God feeds my spiritual man at my church.
My flesh gets what’s coming to it at my church.
My family gets the instruction they need at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
My compass gets recalibrated at my church.
My sin-grieved soul gets a reprieve at my church.
My love for Jesus gets rekindled at my church.
My burden for lost souls gets rejuvenated at my church.
My involvement in the ministry gets reemphasized at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
My understanding of God’s Word becomes more solid at my church.
My faith in God gets stronger at my church.
My admiration for Jesus Christ grows at my church.
My awareness of Satan’s devices becomes more clear at my church.
My participation in the Great Commission becomes more passionate at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
III. The Focus that is Emphasized Here
A. The Focus on Salvation
Hey – if you don’t believe that Jesus died for the sins of every man, you won’t like my church.
If you don’t believe that the blood that was shed on Calvary has the power to save every man, you won’t like my church.
If you believe only some were elected to be saved, and others cannot be save, you’ll hate it at my church.
If the “whosoever will Gospel” bothers you, you will be very bothered at my church.
If hearing that Jesus died for not our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world, you’ll not like it at our church.
BUT – if you like altar calls and invitations to receive Christ at every, single service, you’ll love my church.
If seeing personal workers leading people to Christ in their pews and in the altar blesses you, you’ll love my church.
If seeing people saved gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside, you can get that feeling at my church.
If you love to hear the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me, and you love to hear preaching on the old rugged cross, and if you enjoy hearing the story of Jesus and want the preacher to write on your heart every word, you’ll want to come to my church!
If you want to be a member of a church where the lost are uncomfortable until they get saved, you’ll love my church.
If seeing dope-heads and drunks saved and their lives changed brings you joy, you can get that at my church.
If you want to be in a place where the Great Commission is our greatest concern, come to my church.
The gospel message is preached clearly, and biblically and powerfully and frequently at my church.
Bus kids and first time visitors learn that Jesus loves them and died for them at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
B. The Focus on Service
Whether you believe it or not, God has big plans for you.
There are no big “I’s” and little “U’s”
You have a vital role to play in this church, and in the kingdom of God.
You are kings and priests.
- Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
One of the most awesome things about Calvary Baptist Church is there is room for everyone to get involved!
Whether it is serving on staff in the Christian School, or helping knock doors, pass out tracts, serve in the nursing home, rescue missions, teens ministries, children’s ministries, choirs, nursery, grounds, maintenance, senior citizens ministries, hospital visitation, prayer breakfasts, missions – you name it – we have every possible ministry opportunity that you could ever imagine.
I LOVE THAT ABOUT MY CHURCH!!
If you want to use your talents for the honor and glory of God, you can do that at my church.
If you feel the urge to get involved in something that will yield lifelong fruit, you can do that at my church.
If you want to invest in things of eternal value, you can do that at my church.
If someone wants to let God use them to make a difference, they can do that at my church.
You will be constantly reminded of your opportunity to help change lives at my church.
If you love loving God and loving people, and want to do it anytime, you can do that at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
C. The Focus on Sanctification
One of the distinct command to the house of God is to teach people the difference between the holy and the profane.
- Ezekiel 44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
If you like having one foot in the muck and mire and one foot in the choir, you won’t like my church.
But if you like to learn what God says about sin and the filthiness of the flesh, you’ll like my church.
If preaching that names sin and points out sin plainly and pointedly bothers you, you won’t like my church.
But if you’re striving to get closer to the Lord, and you want to learn what might be hindering that, you’ll love my church.
If preaching on your sinful habits, ungodly activities and unhealthy relationships bother you, you won’t like my church.
If you like to be reminded from time to time of just how much God hates sin, you’ll want to come to my church.
If you enjoy seeing young people prepared for the challenges of life, come to my church.
If being taught what it means to live a separated, holy life is important to you, you’ll want to come to my church.
Sin and worldliness is condemned and holiness and godliness is exalted at our church.
If being equipped for the work of the ministry means something to you, come to my church.
Backslid church members are revived and refreshed at my church.
Carnal Christians are rebuked and restored at my church.
Wayward believers are put back on the right track at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
My responsibilities as a daddy and as a husband become more vivid at my church.
My wife gets instruction in how to love her husband at my church.
My children learn how to obey and honor their parents at my church.
I LOVE MY CHURCH!!
Conclusion: Jesus loved and still loves the church. How is your love for the church this morning?