This morning, Pastor Alex started a two-week series titled, The Dearest Place on Earth. This quote, from Charles Spurgeon, is a thought provoking statement in today’s society. Today Pastor Alex focused on the vertical relationship, and next week we will look at the horizontal relationships and what we are supposed to “do”. We are NOT an organization, but we are an organism.

The “standard” definition of the church is a body that preaches the orthodox Scripture and observes baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

The CHURCH

1. Our birthday was the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
2. God is in control – Jesus said He will build His church
3. Jesus loves the church
4. Jesus is coming back for us! (Revelation 22)

The CHURCH is LIKE

1. A family (1 Timothy 5:1-2) We have the same Holy Spirit in us.
2. A bride (Ephesians 5:25) The goal of marriage is not to make us happy, but to make us holy. A marriage is a picture of the gospel.
3. A body (Ephesians 5:32) Jesus is the head and we are the body.

The one constant in all of this is JESUS. The church is about Christ. We cannot make church about cultural issues. We simply must worship. There is a wiring in our souls that longs to worship something…money, sports, people, God…

When we come together at Carmel, we can let go of the stress of life. We can see our finiteness and smallness and be encouraged that He is great and worthy of our worship. As CS Lewis states, “As long as you notice, and have to count, the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe is a shoe you don’t notice. Good reading becomes possible when you need not consciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling. The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.”

1. We were designed to worship something. Who or what gets in the way of focusing your worship on Jesus? How does that happen?

2. What cultural issues get in the way of worship at Carmel?

3. Read Colossians 1:15-24. Does your worship give Jesus the honor that He is due? Why or why not?

Prayer

Holy Father, thank you for your love for me. It is unbelievable to me that I get to have an intimate relationship with you. You deserve my undivided heart, and I confess that too often, I let ____________________ get in the way of worshipping you alone. Holy Spirit, please convict my heart and mind when I get too focused on things that take my attention away from Jesus. Father, I ask that your would protect your bride at Carmel. Help us to be unified in our hearts for You and You alone.