“Why Church”

September 18, 2011

                              A five week series on “Why Church” or “What is the Purpose of Church” This is based in part on Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Church.” We will use the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as we look at different aspects of being the church. We will consider “5 Ms”: Membership, Magnify, Maturity, Ministry, and Mission.

“Ministry”

 Matthew 4:1-11 “The Temptations of Jesus

Matthew 25:31-40 “The Sheep”

 Ministry – Examples – Testing

 The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40)

 Love God & Love your neighbor

 The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)

 Go & Make Disciples, Baptizing, Teaching

 *Ministry:  (Latin ministerium)

Ministry: (a) ________             Minister: (b) ________

Clergy: Ministers                     Laity: (c) _________

All (d) __________ of the UMC are (e) _________

 **Examples:  (Matthew 25:31-40)

 Ø  Feeding the Hungry: “I am the (f) _________ of life…”                 (John 6:35)

Ø  Give drink to the thirst: “will never be (g) _________”            (See John 4:14)

Ø  Clothe the naked: “clothe yourselves with (h) _______”   (See Galatians 3:27)

Ø  Welcome strangers: “same have entertained (I )_____”    (See Hebrews 13:2)

Ø  Care for the sick: “learn what this means, ‘I desire  (j) ______, not sacrifice…’”                                                                    (See Matthew 9:10-13)

Ø  Visit the imprisoned:

 ***Testing vs. Temptations:  (Matthew 4:1-11)

Who                            What                           Why

                                                          God                             Tests                        (k) _____

                                                         Satan                         Tempts                      (l) _____

 Oops! Back to imprisonment

The help that we give (William Barclay)

Ø  Help in simple things

Ø  Help which is uncalculating

Ø  Help given is given to Jesus

Memory Verse: “(God) who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Closing: SETI@home                     Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Jesus doesn’t use multiple computers

            He uses multiple people

 What are your gifts Jesus wants you to use for God?

 


Note: All scripture quotes are from the NRSV unless otherwise noted.

 (a) service, (b) servant, (c) Ministers, (d) members,   

     (e) ministers, (f) bread, (g) thirsty, (h) Christ, (I )angels, (j) mercy, (k) Grow, (l) Sin