Gospel Worthy Church

A Gospel Worthy Church

Yesterday we learned what living for Christ looks like in a local church.   For Paul living and a dying were all about Jesus.  If he wasn’t worshipping Jesus in  heaven, Paul was about worshipping Jesus in the context of serving His church.

For the first time in the letter to the Philippians, Paul issues a command (Philippians 1:27-30).  For Paul, a church lives for its Savior by living a life that is in line with their Savior’s message – the gospel.

Paul not only issues the command, but clearly portrays what that kind of church looks like.   It looks like the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It stands firms in the defense of the gospel (27).  Nothing will distract this church from the truth that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16).  No gimmicks, no programs, no marketing schemes, no watered down version will detract from this church’s passion for the gospel.  The winds of this world will blow against this truth, but a gospel worthy church does not backpedal or waiver in their conviction that the gospel is the power of God.

Well, I’m not going to preach the sermon again, but  you can listen to it online at http://gracechurchlebanon.weebly.com/philippians.html

The final point I want to make is that a gospel worthy church is one that makes their worship about Jesus and the good news about his death, burial and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-7).   The church is the most beautiful when it accurately portrays Jesus.  

Photobombing is the act of accidentally or purposely putting oneself into the view of a photograph. 

It is rather common occurrence today in churches as we have made church a lot more about us than the object of our worship.

In a gospel worthy church no photobombing is allowed.