sábado, 19 de março de 2011

Sermão anterior em inglês - We "Are" Church

We “Are” Church
2Co 6:18 / Gal 4:6 / Rom 8:16,17

           
From now on, officially and formally, this community that gathers here is now known as an autonomous church, with all rights and responsibilities inherent to this situation. Starting today also formally as a result of this condition, the entire organization and all internal organizations come into existence and act autonomously on behalf of this community.
           
But I daresay that it`s not a date that marks the beginning of a church, much less its internal organization. The internal organization tells little or nothing about anything.
           
Consider a simple and basic example, water. Everyone knows the formula for water: H2O. Two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Hydrogen is a highly flammable gas. The dangerous and deadly H-bomb has this name because of this gas. And oxygen is the gas needed for any kind of burn. Well, join an explosive gas and a gas needed for burning and what you get? Water. The internal organization says nothing about anything.
           
Its not because from now on this community is replaced by an organization it becomes a church. It’s not the formalities that will miraculously give it this condition.
           
But then, what is needed for a community to become a church? What are the conditions that make a community of people can identify and recognize itself as a church?


1) The consciousness of BEING the church. (I Co.12: 27)
a) "You are" very well explains this relationship. From the moment that the Holy Spirit transformed our lives, we BEcome the church and our body becomes a temple.
b) Any reference to the church must be done before, in front of the mirror.

2) Unity. (Ephesians 4:13)
a) "Till we all come ..." A long way, its not magic nor immediate. Coexistence in the church requires communion.
b) "... the unity of faith ..." There is 'one faith' and is our duty to search it, pursue to understand it, practice it and announce it.

3) Goals.
a) To witness, making disciples. (Matt. 28:19)
b) To teach, feeding the body. (Matt. 28:20)
c) To celebrate, glorifying God. (Ephesians 1:12)
d) To serve, showing the highest calling. (Lc.10: 36.37)

Commitment. (Luke 9:62)
a) With Christ (personal level).
b) With the Kingdom (relationship level).
c) With the Service (task, not only worship) (vocational level).

           
A man phoned the office of a pastor in a church one day to learn how to become a member of this church. He said he would not be able to get involved in anything, but felt it was important to have some religious affiliation. The pastor then told that man that the church he pastored was perhaps not the most suitable place for him, but he knew a place where it would fit very well. The pastor gave him an address and then said goodbye. On Sunday morning the man followed the instructions and reached an abandoned building in ruins. The roof was falling, the doors were jammed, and the plants have already entered through the broken windows. Promptly he called the pastor and said that address was wrong. The pastor said, "No, the address is not wrong, this is the place. This place housed a church that had a membership roster full of people who never committed to anything, never been involved in the work ... "
This is what happens to a church whose members do not agree and not get involved.
In order to this community to be really a church, every one of its members must to be aware of he/she is an individual church of Christ, to seek unity at any cost in the Spirit, establish common goals and develop a commitment to reach all levels of life
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