LET’S NOT PLAY CHURCH; LET’S HAVE CHURCH!
LET’S NOT PLAY CHURCH; LET’S HAVE CHURCH!
By Michael D. O’Neal ……Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church……Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Rev. 3:1-6
Text: Rev. 3:1
Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Introduction: When we were little children, we played a lot of imagination games. One of them was to “play church.” One child was a make-believe preacher, and another child was the entire make-believe congregation. I am afraid some of our church organizations and services aren’t a great deal better. A lot of ADULTS today just play church. They’re not real. They’re just playing a game. The game is made up of three types of players
1. Church Attenders – people who come to the services, including non-members and non-Christians. Are you a church attender? Sure you are! I hope you are MORE than that, though.
2. Church Members – people who have been added to the church role, including non-Christians. Are you a church member? Every saved person should be a member of a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church!
3. Church Pretenders – people who attend church and may even be on the church roll, who have never been truly saved. They have changed the name, but remained the same.
I. LET’S PROCLAIM A CLEAR MESSAGE
1 Corinthians 14:8-9 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
A. It needs to be a clear message of doom
1. 1. What part of “NO HOPE” don’t you understand?
B. It needs to be a clear message of deliverance
1. The redemption story – 1 Cor. 15:1-4
2. The response needed – Acts 16:29-31
C. It needs to be a clear message of devotion
1. Once a person is saved by Eph. 2:8-9, preach Eph. 2:10 to him.
Preach obedience
Preach faithfulness
Preach sacrifice
II. LET’S POSSESS A COMPASSIONATE HEART
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
A. Toward the bound – by sin and Satan
B. Toward the broken – in health and heart
C. Toward the backslidden – defeated and defiled
III. LET’S PRACTICE A CONSISTENT WALK
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
A. A consistent walk is a pure walk
B. A consistent walk is a persistent walk
C. A consistent walk is a progressive walk – growing
IV. LET’S PRESERVE A CLOSE FELLOWSHIP
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
A. Don’t lose fellowship with the Father
B. Don’t lose fellowship with our family
C. Don’t lose fellowship with the family of God