We would like to welcome you to the Tanner Church of Christ. Some have been saved this week and according to the scriptures have
been added to the church (Acts 2:47). I’m constantly amazed at the misconceptions of what the church is when I talk to various people.
What is the church?
The church is described in the New Testament in a lot of ways, but perhaps the best known is the family of God. We all long to be a part
of a healthy family, to have people that love us, care for us, and help us in times of need. We are the children of God (1 Jhn 3:2). Christians
are born of God (1 Jhn 5:1). We are begotten of God (1 Pet 1:3). As Christians we have been born again into the family of God (Jhn
3:4-5), and therefore we are called children of God (1 Jhn 3:1). We are brothers and sisters in Christ “whoever does the will of my Father
in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50).
What should one experience in God’s family? I will mention only a few:
Love
- “In sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Pet 1:22).
- “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jhn 13:35).
- “By this we know love, because He laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jhn 3:16).
Compassion
- “The members should have the same care for one another….if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor 12:25-26).
Kindness
- “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted” (Eph 4:32).
- Every Christian is to have brotherly kindness (2 Pet 1:7).
Patience
- We are to be bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:2-3).
Forgiveness (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13).
Help and support (1 Jhn 3:17; Gal 6:10).
This list could obviously be much longer, but just based on the six things I have listed, I think we could all agree that any family who
shares these traits is going to be a happy family. When the Lord’s church is what it ought to be, it is a wonderful family. Some may not
have always experienced these traits in a church, but all we can do is make sure we’re being what we should be. The church can always
be made better as you and I make our lives better by becoming what God would have us to be. Thank you for being here today. You
being here is an encouragement to us and we hope that we can encourage you as well.