Introduction:   A New Vision of the Church.

"Though often falling short in its human expression, the Church, far from a dead enterprise, is the most truly living entity on earth."

"In that day--"Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the LORD, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it." Isaiah 27:2-3

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Matthew 16:18

1. Discovering God's Light and Life for the Church.
   
   1. The Church is God's BRIDE....the bride of Christ.
      
      "As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." Isaiah 62:5(b) (cf. Psalm 45:10-17)
      
      "I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." Hosea 2:19
      
      "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:31-32
      
      "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." Revelation 19:7 (c.f. Matt 22:2-14; 25:1-13)
      
      1. As the bride of Christ, the Church incorporates my destiny.
         
      2. As the bride of Christ, the Church is to be loved, cherished, protected, towards the beauty she holds.
         
   2. The Church is God's FAMILY....family through Christ.
      
      Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God's very own family, citizens of God's country, and you belong in God's household with every other Christian. Ephesians 2:19 LB  (cf. Hebrews 3:6, 1 Timothy 3:15.)
      
      1. As a family through Christ, the Church provides the ultimate place of belonging; the light of truth and grace by which I can be known.
         
      2. As a family, the Church provides the encouragement I need  to grow.
         
         "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:22-25
         
   3. The Church is a LIVING BODY....the Body of Christ.
      
      "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,"...."He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."...."Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it."...."It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
      
      Ephesians 1:22; 2:17-22; 4:3-7; 11-16
      
      "There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord."...."The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
      
      17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:5; 12-27
      
      1. As the Living body of Christ, the church is the source of God's grace and gifts in various forms through which I am to receive the ministry of God's Spirit.
         
      2. As the living body of Christ, I have been given a significant part in God's ministry to others.
         
         "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10
         
         "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
         
         1 Peter 2:5
         
         "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." 1 Peter 4:10 LB
         
2. My Personal Growth in God's Family.
   
   1. CONNECT - With whom can I cultivate relationships that will encourage my walk with the Lord?....that will relate both "grace and truth" in my life? (i.e., Home Church, support group, etc.)
      
   2. BUILD - How can  I share in the responsibility of building my  church?
      
      1. By praying for her
         
         "To the church....we always thank God for you and pray for you constantly."  I Thess. 1:2 (LB)
         
      2. By inviting the unchurched to attend
         
         "Well, then,' said his master, 'go out into the country lanes and out behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full." Luke 14:23 (LB)
         
      3. By warmly welcoming those who visit
         
         "So warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified." Romans 15:7 (LB)
         
      4. By giving regularly
         
         "On every Lord's Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn. Don't wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once." 1 Corinthians 16:2 (LB)
         
      5. By serving.