Are you following Jesus? #30

Acts 9:31

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.



If I asked you where is your church, what would you say? Most would give me a physical location but that is not what the biblical definition of the church is. The biblical picture we see is this:



Church: a body of brothers and sisters in Christ who have died to themselves and are living for Jesus. We are joined together by these things: Jesus death, The Holy Spirit, the gospel, and the Word.



The church is where people share in the life of Jesus with each other daily!



We had diluted the church down to a place of a building, programs, and meetings. While these things can be good, it is not the definition of the church! Did you know in the new testament the church is not mention once as a physical building? That is something to think about!



So what is the church (God's people) pictured as in the bible? Here are some traits as described in the bible:



* care for one another

* love one another

* host one another

* receive one another

* honor one another

* serve one another

* instruct one another

* forgive one another

* motivate one another

* build up one another

* encourage one another

* comfort one another

* pray for one another

* confess sin to one another

* esteem one another

* edify one another

* teach one another

* show kindness to one another

* give to one another

* rejoice with one another

* weep with one another

* hurt with one another

* restore one another



These are what God's people do...look at the list! Don't do a percentage look where you can say I do 75% of these...strive for 100%!!!! The church is where followers of Jesus lay down their lives for one another....no place for selfishness!



The church is where we long for Jesus, we long for fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we grow together, and we work together to bring others to Jesus and into our family!



This is the church not a building but followers of Jesus....I hope you now have a true definition and that your church are doing the things of Jesus!



Tom