INTRO:

One business has a statement, "We do it all for you!" Don’t we expect that from them?

What do we expect when we go to a place of business? Service! Right?

What do we expect when we go to a gas station? Gas! Good gas! Cheap Gas!!!!

What do we expect when we go to a bakery? Good smells. Fresh breads, pastry, etc.

What do we expect when we go to an hospital? Help, rescue, care, advice, etc.

What do we expect when we open a refrigerator?

-- ILL. - Share the refrigerator left behind
 

So what about when we go to church? What do we expect? What do most people expect when they enter our doors? What do they get? Is it like the refrigerator ? What do they get when they open the door to our lives? Goodness? Righteousness? Rottenness??? What does God want or demand from us?
 
 

To begin with let us ask...
What is a church?

1. Building?
2. Meeting Place?
3. Group of people?
4. It is a group of redeemed believers that meet to share a common goal in serving God? It meets to worship the Lord and fellowship that they might grow closer to the Lord, reaching out to others that do not have the Gracious Love of Christ in their lives.

Also, let us consider…
Can a "Church" be perfect?

1. Are its members perfect?
2. Is the singing perfect?
3. Is the teaching perfect?
4. Is the preaching 100% perfect?
5. Do we make mistakes?
6. Do we mishandle things?
7. Do we sin?
8. Do we fail to do the right things? (Omission)
9. Do we do the wrong things? (Commission)

Matt. 21

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
 

Should we seek perfection, or expect more of it?

1. Should we get used to failure? Accept it as a norm?
2. Should we seek to do better?
3. Should we ever be totally satisfied with our service?
4. Should we compare ourselves to others? Then who/what? (Jesus is the mark on the wall)

It should be...

1. A place of worship (adoration of God)
2. A place of teaching (faith)
3. A place of direction (guidance/modeling)
4. A place of challenge to our lifestyle (are you walking the life you should?)
5. A place of expectation (hope)
6. A place of forgiveness

22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

1. A place of sanctuary (haven from the pressures of this world)
2. A place of healing (God’s touch)
3. A place of caring (charity)
4. A place of warmth (Genuine feeling of closeness)
5. A place of friendship (best friends?)
6. A place of concern (other's problems should be ours in prayer and action)
7. A place of renewal (refueling service after service)
8. A place of urgency (do we seek the lost?)

A place made up of (imperfect) God fearing, God worshipping, God loving, God serving, God controlled, Holy Spirit filled, Born Again Believers! They are in turn, People loving, People Serving, selfless beams of light to all that are around them a channel of the loving power of Christ that lives in them.
 
 

If you are anything else - YOU NEED TO BE ON THIS ALTAR THIS DAY!
 

Gary Marcum - East 38th St. FWB - 5-16-99AM