082813: Welcome to the TAB #6 -- Being Part of Each Other

Message: Being Part of the Each Other

I.                    Introduction

a.       Game: Building Blocks ( 2 tables team up and build a tower, members build a tower together, one person can knock it down)

II.                 Body:

a.       What is fellowship?

                                                             a.      Hanging Out in order to Build Each Other Up

                                                            b.      Ephesians 2:19-22 – “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

                                                             c.      We are all buildings, spiritual buildings.  Our foundation is the Bible (apostles and prophets), with Jesus as the very center and beginning point to our faith.  Through the various things we experience and the things we do, we grow our building, with God’s help, until it is something majestic.

                                                                                 i.      At least that is the goal.

                                                            d.      But, the Bible makes it even more complicated (remember the church is us, we are the church and we are meant to do this all together) by saying we are all being built together. 

                                                             e.      So, not only am I building my own faith and growing closer to God, but by doing so I am also building up your faith and growing you closer to God.  And you are doing the same for me, and for him, and for her.

                                                              f.      This is fellowship: Meeting together in order to build each other up!

                                                             g.      We like you all hanging out and having fun, but when we talk about wanting you to be part of each other, what we are saying is regardless if it is fun, regardless if it as at an all night event or a beach retreat or a cinco de mayo fiesta or a Wednesday night or a SPA day or a gift exchange, regardless we want you to not just hangout and have fun but to be built up in your faith and to build up others in their faith while doing those things.

                                                             h.      It is one of the main reasons we do youth group, and should be one of the main reasons why you come.

                                                               i.      It gives you a lot of responsibility each time we meet though, doesn’t it?

b.      Questions

                                                             a.      Transition

                                                                                 i.      Remember our game before…there is always going to be at least one  in the group that isn’t growing their own faith building, but not being content with that, are also destroying or trying to destroy your faith building.

                                                            b.      How do we tear each other down?

                                                                                 i.      Drawing each other to sin

                                                                               ii.      Distraction

                                                                              iii.      Other?

                                                             c.      How can we build each other up?

                                                                                 i.      Encourage

                                                                               ii.      Pray for

                                                                              iii.      Show faith, worship, lifestyle for others to follow

                                                                             iv.      Other?

III.               Conclusion

a.       So let us end tonight with a prayer, maybe this is for you, and if it is and you want to pray it with me (aloud or in your heart) you can.

b.      Pray (God Help me to not tear down, but to build up…etc…)

082113: Welcome to the TAB #5: Being Part of the Church

Message: Being Part of the Church

I.                   Introduction

a.       Illus: Tie everyone together

b.      We are continuing our welcome to the TAB series by looking at another reason that we meet together.  So far we talked about Being part of God (reading our Bible, worshiping, and praying).  Tonight I want to talk about Being Part of the Church.

II.                Body:

a.       What is the Church?

                                                              i.      The Bible uses different terms to describe the church.

                                                            ii.      One of those words used is Ekklesia.  It is a greek word that meant a group of citizens that were called out by the leader of the group to meet together in order to work together on a common purpose. 

                                                          iii.      It isn’t the building but the people that is being talked about.  If you are a Christian you are the church.

b.      What does it mean to be part of the church?

                                                              i.      Called out

                                                                                i.      We are called by God to be separated from our current path of following our own way and instead following him.

                                                                              ii.      He calls us, He sends others to call us, saying, “Believe in Jesus, make Him your Lord and Savior.”

                                                                            iii.      Everyone is given this call but not everyone accepts the invitation

                                                            ii.      Called to meet together

                                                                                i.      Hebrews 10:25 – “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing…”

                                                                              ii.      We aren’t in this alone, nor were we meant to be.  The best and only way the church can be successful is to meet together regularly.

                                                                            iii.      When we do we bind ourselves together.

                                                          iii.      Called to work together

                                                                                i.      1^st Corinthians 12:12 – “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.

                                                                              ii.      We are made to be a unit that works together, not separately.  If we work together we will be able to accomplish what we set out to do, but if we try to do our faith alone, we will be as useless as a bag of body parts.

                                                                            iii.      But that means that we are all called to do something when we are part of the church, not just attend, but to actually do something.  There are way too many who think being part of the church means just coming to church, but it means doing something as part of the church.

                                                          iv.      Called to accomplish a common purpose

                                                                                i.      We are supposed to gather, we are supposed to do something, but what do we do?  What is our purpose as the church?

                                                                              ii.      Love God

a.       Worship, Pray, Study, Grow, Follow

                                                                            iii.      Love Others

a.       Evangelize, Help with Needs, Give Hope

III.             Conclusion

a.       We need you to be part of the church. 

b.      That means to be saved, come to church, do something while you are here

c.       So, first I wanted to invite any of you that are unsaved to become part of the called out ones.  (Do salvation call)

d.      Next I want to give you an chance to take a challenge (do the egg challenge)