Reasons That Show We Care About Our Church
Gal. 5:13; 2 Cor. 11:24-28; 2 Tim. 4:6-8

INTRO.: Do you care about your church? Do you care about God's Church? I want to read some scripture about Paul and share some things that went on in his life. Did he quit? Did he care?

Gal. 5: 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

2 Cor. 11: 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

2 Tim. 4: 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

How can we really care about our church, unless we care about Him, and I want you to know, …
We care about Him

• His Word
• His Truth
• His Sacrifice
• His People
• His Work (in General)
• His Work at East 38th Street
• His Return

When we talk about our church, we talk of more than the building, when it comes to our fellowship, …
We care about each other

1 Cor. 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

• Even with differences
• We are there when there is a need - relate hosp./Lisa's boy
• Care about our loved ones
• Care about our problems

• Care about successes too
• Care about each other's ministries

We also must take time and look at another indicator and see…
We care about our ministries

• We care about worship
• We care about Sunday School
• We care about Young People
• We care about children
• We care about seniors
• We care about those away from God

It becomes obvious also when we see…
We care about working for the Lord by serving each other

• We volunteer to work
• We are glad to do something for Him
• We want to do our best
• We see that the job gets done
• We support the work even if we are not involved directly
• We sometimes work too many "jobs"

We should also recognize the importance of our history and see…
We care about memories and the past

• We are aware of the heritage, sacrifices and work that has brought us here
• We realize God has and can bless us
• We build on our successes
• We learn from our short-comings and failures

The real key here is that…
We care about our future

• We are planning for God to bless us
• We are planning for better ways to encourage our workers
• We are planning to move forward
• We are planning to get more people involved
• We are planning to learn better ways to do God's work
• We are planning on training others to take our places
• We are planning on doing our best
• We are planning to be ready for His return