"Love For the Local Church!" (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Let me begin this teaching with a radical statement: Most Christ followers have misguided or inadequate views about the local church. Why is that so? First of all, most Christ followers think in terms of attending church, not being the church! For them, church is a nice thing to attend on Sunday if there's nothing else to do and if you were not out too late the evening before! Now, please don't shout me down because I'm telling the truth! So, they attend church much as they'd attend the theater. They hope that the program will be enjoyable and make them feel really good. Maybe they greet some of the other attendees and then rush to get home because they don't want to miss the game or some other event. But, in the meantime, they have no concept of being built together with others of like precious faith in the household of God, the place where He dwells in human hearts! Another reason for making such a radical statement about most Christ followers having misguided or inadequate views concerning the church is: they choose their place of worship like spiritual consumers, not in terms of being edified (built up) and receiving sound, nourishing doctrine! In other words, they shop around for a place that best meets their felt needs, much as they decide whether to shop at Sears or Wal-Mart! If they enjoy the services offered and they get a good feeling when they attend, they'll give the church their business for a while. But, when they get bored or decide it no longer meets their needs, they simply shop around or cease shopping altogether! They don't know to evaluate a place of worship on the basis of whether there's sound teaching in the house. For these people, church is about making them feel good! Let's face it, if you're looking for the perfect place to worship, stop searching, because it doesn't exist. As Christ followers, you should love the church! I'm an incurable lover of the church! I'm thrilled beyond expression to serve the church! Instead of dating the church, you should marry it! If you've been involved with the local church for any length of time, you'll experience hurts, pains, frustrations, and disappointments. But I would venture to say that if you have been married for very long, you've gone through the same things! But I hope you are still married! Commitment is what will keep you going in a marriage, to work at making it better. In like manner, you need to commit yourself to a local place of worship and work at making it better! Marry the church, and stay married to it! After all, Christ loved the church as His bride and gave Himself for her. If you desire to be like Jesus, then you need to love the church and give yourself for her! Your move. Be encouraged!

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