SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Hospital Chapel, National Hospital,
Central Business District,
Abuja, Nigeria
15th February, 2015
SERMON
* Topic: Faithfulness to the Local Church
* Speaker: Pastor Bunmi Ladipo
* The Common connotation people use for 'Church' is: "a group of Christians" or an association of believers in Jesus Christ
* The term 'Christian' was first mentioned in the Bible in Acts 11:26
☆ NOTE: Jesus himself never used the term "Christian" during his earthly Ministry to refer to His followers or disciples
* The original plan of God was for the believers in Jesus to live as a "community of light" in the dark world. He never intended for them to become 'religions' individuals fragmented into various isolated denominations
→ The Church is the gate of Heaven!
→ The Church is the place where men get access to the power of God
* The "Universal Church" is the community of ALL BELIEVERS in Jesus Christ, regardless of denominational affiliations, doctrinal beliefs or modes of worship
→ Jesus is the rallying point (of the Universal Church). He is the center of reference. He unites everything and everyone that belongs to "the Church"!
* The "Universal Church" transcends the common (mis)understanding of the Church as a building reserved for the religious worship of Christians
* One of the distinguishing characteristics of the "Universal Church" is that it is INVISIBLE. It cannot be seen with physical eyes
★ 2nd Timothy 2:19 → "However, God’s solid foundation still stands. It has this inscription on it: “The Lord knows those who belong to him,” and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”
* The members of the "Universal Church" are known only to God.
* Many (religious) Christians will be surprised on the judgment day when they see those whom God accepts as His own, while many of them are rejected and turned away
* The 9 (nine) Characteristics of the "Universal Church" are listed in Hebrews 12:22-24
→ Christians must always learn to settle their differences & internal disputes without hurting the unity of the Church, thereby undermining the potency of the blood of Jesus
* Note: In the two instances the term "Church" was used in the Bible by Jesus, He gaves it authority to operate with supernatural power
* The minimum number (of persons) that can "form a Church" is two (2).
* You must belong to a local Church before you can access the power that was promised by Jesus to the Church
* NOTE: the authority of Heaven (and earth) lies with the Church
* You cannot isolate yourself for any reason (as a believer) and still claim to be part of the community of believers (the Church)
* God's plan is for the local Church to be "territorial", and not "denominational". Thus, we find references to phrases is the Bible such as:
→ "the Church which was in Jerusalem" (Acts 4:22)
→ "the Church that was at Antioch" (Acts 13:1)
→ etc.
* The purpose of God is that wherever the believers gather, they should take charge of that territory spiritually
→ Anyone who controls the spiritual realm also controls the physical territory!
* The Church is a community of different people with different backgrounds, beliefs, personalities, expectations and outlook:
⇒ We can be divided on opinions and doctrines, but as long as Jesus Christ is concerned, we MUST be united
* If the Church is united and in charge spiritually, it cannot be contradicted or undermined by any person, authority or power!
* Over time, the Church has lost its potency, and evil in our society has become entrenched, defying "the Church"
* Today, the Church has become divided along doctrinal lines and has become carnal and ineffective in meeting up with God's expectations
* The Church is meant to take charge of territories for Jesus, and not to be isolated/divided
* Christians are meant to always live together in unity and operate in the power of Jesus wherever they are found
* Satan knows that if he succeeds in dividing the Church, he can make it lose its power and place of authority
* The more fragmented, the Church is, the less potent and efficient it becomes
* Today, the Church and its Ministers have lost the respect of "the world" and have become an object of ridicule and political manipulation
* The major characteristic of the local Church is relationship (among believers)
☆ Marks of the Local Church:
1. "Ecclesia" → This is a Greek term which means "the assembly" of called out ones.
→ The fellowship in a local assembly is a fellowship with Jesus Christ Himself
→ In other words, members of the Universal Church do not glorify any building, thing, doctrine or person above Jesus Christ!
2. "Koinonia" → This Greek term means "comminuion & joint participation."
→ It identifies the idealized state of relationship, fellowship and unity that should exist within the body of Christ (the Church).
* As we share together (as believers in Jesus), His blood becomes potent and that potency liberates us from the shackles of sin and the dark powers of Satan
☆ What the Church stands for:
→ The Church grows together as one body in Jesus
* The Local Church is a place where every one is FUNCTIONAL - we are inter-dependent
→ As a believer in Jesus, you have a role to perform in advancing the Kingdom of God on earth, through the Church
* Note: in the human body, no part/ organ is inferior or less useful.
→ Similarly, Every believer is important and should be functional in the Church
* You have the responsibility to maintain the bond of peace (as a believer in Jesus)
* Things that must never be found in the Church:
→ envy, malice, fights, offences, backbiting, jealousy, gossip, sectionalism, unhealthy competition, grudges, etc
* It is unfortunate that many 'Christians' are ignorant of the mode of operation of Satan, and they offer themselves willingly to be used to undermine the unity of the body of Christ and disstabilise it for their own selfish purposes
* The Church of God does not operate by partiality or favoritism
→ The Church is the pillar of truth
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★ Quotes & Bits During the Service:
" When you serve God faithfully, He will take you to heights that you never imagined."
→ Dr. Jaff Momoh,
Chief Medical Director (CMD), National Hospital Abuja
