Today's Sermon Devotional.

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Here is the sermon devotional from my father's message today:

The Church is not something that exists separate from us and we go to it. We are the Church, the Body of Christ. We the people make up the Church and it is what we, with the power of God, make it to be. Jesus has chosen to work through us to build the Kingdom of God here and now.

The Church, the Body of Jesus, is a many faceted living Body. The Church is made of many different individuals that have different functions, but are still one Body. Individuals must work together, submitted to each other, to make the Body strong and Christ like. Each member of the Body is dependent upon the other members for growth and care.

The Church is the alternative to the kingdom in the world. The Church is in direct opposition to the kingdom of darkness ruled by satan. It is the fort we enter to be secure from satan and at the same time it is the army we join to battle satan and his army in the world.

The Church is a caring community in which we find hope and help to overcome the world. The Church is where we find help to meet our needs, physical as well as Spiritual. The Church is the family of God composed of only brothers and sisters. It is where each member receives what is necessary for strength and growth from God through the other members. EPH 4:16, "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 4
JOHN 15
I CORINTHIANS 12
ROMANS 12
I CORINTHIANS 14
I PETER 4
PHILIPPIANS 2
MATTHEW 25

May you recognize the blessing of Christ in your life today. - Hal