The Church Jesus Would Attend Part 1-Part A

You know that God has a very unique plan and purpose that only you can accomplish like a phone, printer, fingerprint or snowflake. It's very individual and it's something that God has for you to do that only you can adequately accomplish and it can't really get done quite without your involvement and I say find out what that is and do it with all of your heart. So what you look for when looking for a church to its some common considerations are at the core of the general ambience of the church music. They play which I may have services that sort of teaching style they have, how long the service is less than what sort of small group activities they offer.

How easy it is to get in and out of the parking lot in with their core beliefs and the list goes on and on that. Here is another consideration. To add to the list. What sort of church would Jesus attend skillful exam of the answer to that question in today's broadcast of connect was gigabytes a weekend edition.

But before we get started today.

We got a great new resource from Joel Rosenberg that are correctly Skip resource at the beating heart of Bible prophecy is the land of Israel and the Middle East.

Joel Rosenberg has his finger on the pulse of the world shaking changes happening right now and he unveils them in his new nonfiction book enemies and allies. It states inside loft inside the house is in his think about making his US enemies and allies from multiple New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg takes you on an unforgettable journey inside the turbulent Middle East behind closed doors to hear from the very kings and crown princes, presidents and prime ministers who are leading the charge. Enemies and allies includes exclusive never before published quotes insight and analysis from the authors conversations with some of the world's most controversial leaders your hardcover copy enemies and allies is our thanks for your generous gift of $35 or more today to get call 800-962-1888.com today were in John chapter 17, so mark your Bibles with joy Skip seizures of insights about church church can become a place where participation is animal where perceptions are on and were worship is invisible again church can become a place where participation is minimal perceptions are unreasonable and worship is invisible. Now Marie this little thing it's job descriptions of five people on a church staff or perceived job descriptions by some of people including pastor assistant pastor music music minister, youth pastor and church secretary. This pastor able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a locomotive faster than a speeding bullet walks on water gives counsel to God.

Assist assistant pastor, able to leap short buildings in a single bound. As powerful as a switch engine just as fast as a speeding bullet walks on water. When the sea is calm talks with God minister of music leads short buildings with a running start. Almost as powerful as a switch engine faster than a speeding baby is occasionally addressed by God walks on water if he knows where the tree stumps are you faster runs into small buildings recognizes locomotives two out of three times uses a squirt gun knows how to use a water fountain, mumbles to himself, church secretary lifts buildings to walk under them kicks locomotives off the track catches speeding bullets in her teeth and freezes water with a single glance. When God speaks, she says, may I ask who's calling.

They see what I mean church can become a place where participation is minimal perceptions unreasonable and worship is invisible. Now this is not that kind of a church that I know. But because of that can become the issue, people are asking this question church. What good is it.

First study in this series we sought to briefly answer that by saying everyone needs it.

It's a place for God's people gather so were accountable.

It's the place where God's principles are given so we can grow.

It's a place where God's purpose for our life is uncovered and it's a place where God's presence is found in a very unique way.

I received a letter from someone not long ago who doesn't go to church anywhere used to go to church but for the last three years. He said I got any church. I'm just at home and I read my Bible. It is come to certain conclusions about himself and churches and God and life and so there's no accountability is not answerable to any person. He is basically turned a personal relationship with Christ into a private relationship with Christ and he it's the Elijah complex, you know, I'm the only prophet, and there's no one else out there who knows anything but me. We all need each other. The second week we looked at Matthew 16 and Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. So Jesus said I'm starting this thing. I get to name it. That's the church I built it I own it and I will keep this morning. The question before us is what in Jesus own mind, should that look like see if it's his church. What is that church in his mind and from his thinking.

His idea is supposed to be like what times I'll read literature that church organizations put out are all here.

Certain leaders from organizations or denominations talk about going back to the New Testament were a New Testament church. We want to be like the church in the book of acts that's fine that's good is not far enough back because Corinth was a New Testament church. Remember that you don't want to be like them know. Let's go back further past the book of acts to the very one who founded the church Jesus himself. What is he had to say about a lot and it's in a prayer in John 17. The longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the New Testament where he is praying for his followers and those who will believe in him through the testimony of his followers.

So he's praying for the church. So the question I want to ask an attempt to answer this week and next week is what kind of church would Jesus attend and my answer will be founded firmly in the text itself. So that is not based upon opinion, but upon exactly what Jesus said what kind of church would Jesus attend and there's four main characteristics that are found in John 17, number one, the church that Jesus would attend is one that radiates the glory of God over to church that Jesus would attend is one that reveals the truth of God number three the church that Jesus would attend is one that rescues the enemies of God and number for a church that Jesus would attend is one that rallies over the love of God was of the four legs that we will build this prayer. Upon as we uncovered this week and next week that's sick. At the first this morning church that Jesus would attend is one that radiates the glory of God. Look at verse one John 17 Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said father, the hour has come.

Glorify your son that your son may also glorify you down to verse four. I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do now all father glorify me together with yourself, with the glory that I had with you before the world was put under verse nine. I pray for them then being his disciples. I do not pray for the world. But for those whom you have given me, for they are yours and all mine are yours and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them done. Verse 22 and the glory which you gave me.

I have given them. They may be one, just as we are one verse 24. Father, I desire that they also, whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world eight times in this prayer. Eight times that were glorify or glorified or glory appears what is that mean because it's it it sounds like a very churchy sounding word.

It's important to know exactly what it means. For this reason, it is the glory of the father that motivated Jesus entire life. It's what motivated him every day on his life on this earth well to glory or to glorify or glorified means two things and both of these senses are found in the text. Number one God's glory is the visible expression of God. The visible expression of God. It's the unfiltered turned up to 10 not decaffeinated's full strength expression of the presence of God. It's the outward that brings the word woe. If anybody comes in contact with. It's what Isaiah said he saw the Lord lifted up Isaiah 6 I saw the Lord in a vision, high and lifted up in the train of his robe filled the temple and the angel said, holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of his glory and Isaiah said hello is me. Woe is me, the outward brings in word woe. It's what Moses wanted right when he said this is an enough Lord, I want to see your glory.

I want the outward. Wow, God had to say. Now Moses wall will hold up here. You can't see my glory.

No man can see my face and live so there's one aspect of the glory of God.

That is the visible expression of God that we will all one day see. But second, and really more for our purpose this morning. It's the valued attention toward God attention toward God. The word docs odd so means to focus on two point attention to to have a good opinion of or to make renown silica verse four.

I have glorified you on the earth. Look at verse six. I have manifested your name. I pointed to you father on every occasion, I might put you father on center stage and I pointed the spotlight at you and maybe you renown that's awarded do us not only what Jesus did. But Jesus gives that goal to his followers.

So what is to be the primary goal of the church is to glorify God to point to God to honor God to make God renown to make him famous, so that people's opinions about God are made better because of our lifestyle.

That's what it means to glorify God people's opinions about God are made better because of our lifestyle. You say how do we do that to ways that Jesus points to two ways to glorify number one by declaration by declaration by verbally making him renown. Jesus always did this. I've been amazed as I read through the gospel of John in particular how many times Jesus would say now what I'm telling you isn't something I made up.

It's what the father told me to tell you and he said I always honor him. I always do those things that please him. He was always giving verbal declaration to people about the will of the father.

So let's do that. Let's make Jesus famous in this town. Let's make the Lord renown by our witness by our declaration by what we tell people and and and let's move it for second from out there to write here, not just our witness before the world, but our worship as we gather together the verbal declarations enter into that tip there's one thing we probably should never do and we gather together for worship service ready.

Visit to law. This is God were dealing with. We make a declaration that he is worthy and righteous and to be honored. That's part of glorifying God in detail when we worship. This is why worship, one of the reasons it's so cool. Worship is the one exercise that is completely if it's done right self less because all the attention all the focus is off of us and on to him. If I got to say this, if it's true worship. If it's not true worship than the focuses us and and it comes out like like this.

I didn't like that song or I don't like guitars or I do like a tars or I don't like drums or are I do like bronzer. I don't like acquire or I do want to acquire who cares. It's about him.

It's for him. The issue is and how it made you feel are I feel how to make him feel I've always loved the story about Pres. Lyndon Johnson who had an aide, especially in the White House and the specialist was invited to the White House for supper and Bill, I forget his last name. Bill was asked to pray for the food so he did not his head quietly was thanking God as he was praying Pres. Lyndon Johnson and the other under the table couldn't hear him adequately. He interrupted his prayer saying speak up Bill and Bill without even looking upset.

I was not addressing you, Mr. Pres. Hey that's pretty cool to say that to the present.

Now I wouldn't talking to you Susan about you right now this is in a press gathering. I'm talking the God we remember that when we worship about him. What did the Lord think of my worship. Our worship today as I declared him back in 1928.

Evelyn Underhill wrote this to the Church of England share one sentence we are drifting toward a religion which keeps its eye on humanity rather than on deity. I was 19, 28 were drifting toward a religion. In 1928, the focus is on humanity rather than deity. Can I just say we've arrived so we glorify God by declarations what we say about him to the world what we say about him when we gather together. Second, we glorify him by demonstration by what we do by what we do in life. Look at verse four. I want you to see this from Jesus own words. I have glorified you on the earth. How we finish the sentence. I have finished the work which you have given me to do so. How do you glorify God by finishing the work he gave you to do you know that God has a very unique plan and purpose that only you can accomplish like a thumbprint or fingerprint or snowflake. It's very individual and it's something that God has for you to do that only you can adequately accomplish and it can't really get done quite without your involvement and I say find out what that is and do it with all of your heart.

I want you to understand that God's plan and purpose for you isn't just heaven is not just lime safe. I'm going to have so so what you needed to get there. What's the ride going to be like you know if heaven was the only goal for your life.

You know what would happen.

The very moment you receive Christ as your Savior. Yeah, you just keel over dead. You come forward. We pray with you, the undertakers would drag you out and you go to heaven immediately right do not pass go, do not collect $200 go directly to heaven. But that's not God's only goal before you get there. He has some plan and some purpose and I say discover it with all your might find out why God put me on this or so.

That's priority number one. Church should radiate the glory of God, the church, Jesus would attend is a group of people makes it all about him but turns the me generation into that key generation, so to speak.

Second, number two, it's one that reveals the truth of God. Look at verse six. I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world they were yours. You gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now now because they have kept your word.

Now they have known that all things which you have given me are from you, for I have given to them the words which you have given me and they have received them and they have known Shirley that I keep that I came forth from you and have believed that you sent me. Please don't don't not understand this.

Please see the flow of this, Jesus saying you father gave me words of truth that I passed on to them. My followers they receive those words and they have not only Them but they pass them down. You know it's easy to get distracted with what we think makes for a good church should not consider what Jesus's opinion of the matter might be at the very core of the church should be Jesus plan and purpose for the church will continue to explore what that is. At our next study here and connect with Skip weekend division right now. Skip wants to connect you with Joel Rosenberg.

I traveled with Joel to middle cities to meet with Kings Crown Prince. We sat together on the east lawn of the White House for the signing of the historic Abraham accordance and I previewed his new book enemies and allies. I can tell you it contains never before published quotes behind closed door meetings with some of the most powerful and mysterious leaders in the Middle East. You will want to read enemies and allies by Joel Rosenberg includes insights and analysis. The authors conversation is what is needed meters meet's howls, first person language means income to meet the most consequential pursuit leaders enemies and allies Joel Rosenberg insights and analysis from the authors conversations with some of the most controversial leaders in the world will send you a hardcover copy of enemies and allies. Thanks for your gift of $35 or more to give. Visit connectwithskip.com or call 819 to 1888, and for a copy of today's teaching the church Jesus would attend part one. Just call 1-800-922-1888 order online@connectwithskip.com.

Each copy is just four dollars for shipping.

We should look forward to hearing from you next time we'll talk more about the church, Jesus would attend with the church would look like and how our church might better reflect Jesus purpose for the church. That's next I'm hearing connect was to weekend division.

The presentation of connection communication so connecting you to God's ever-changing true and ever-changing time