Here is another sermon synopsis, minus, as always, illustrations, transitions, introduction, conclusion, applications, and more.
Sunday I preached a sermon entitled, "Whenever the Doors Are Open." It addressed the common conception that a person can separate their relationship with the Lord from a relationship with His Church. This notion is prevalent as people today separate "spirituality" from "organized religion," an idea that may young Christians buy into. I argued that one cannot do this for four reasons.
1. True spirituality obeys God's commands. God commands that we assemble for worship and edification (Hebrews 10:24-25) and we see the assembling of believers in Scripture as an assumed norm for Christian life (Acts 2, I Cor. 12, 14). The point I made here is that if God requires us to assemble for worship and edification and we do not, then we are living in disobedience, and that puts us out of fellowship with God. Spirituality has the legs cut out from under it if disobedience is the norm.
2. True spirituality employs spiritual gifts. God gives spiritual gifts to be used (1 Cor. 12, 14). They are given to a believer for that believer to minister with. To do this best, assembly with other believers is necessary. When I skip church for no good reason, I rob other believers of the benefit of my God-given spiritual gifts. Also when I skip, I rob other believers of the opportunity to exercise their gifts for my benefit. In the end, skipping can be a violation of the love command, not merely a sin of omission in regard to using gifts as God intends. Spirituality that refuses to employ gifts in community and thus be accountable to a community of believers is not biblical spirituality at all.
3. True spirituality fosters a longing for corporate worship (Psalm 84, Acts 2:48). The Bible holds up as spiritual models people who love to be among God's people in worship. There is a craving for God's presence as especially experienced among the assembly of believers and a true recognition that one's spiritual life is dependent upon, to a great degree, relationships with other believers. If that desire to be in the assembly is not there, neither is biblical spirituality. True believers long for the courts of the Lord and love to be among his people.
4. True spirituality persuades the world (John 13:35). True spirituality persuades the world that we belong to Jesus. Jesus said that the love the disciples were to have for one another (modeled for them as Jesus washed their feet) would be the chief identifying mark of a disciple of Jesus. Wow. That tells me that if I am reluctant to be a faithful part of a church community, I am bereft of a key marker of belonging to Jesus. Unbelievers will be far more persuaded of my belonging to Jesus if I am in relationship with other believers and demonstrate love to those other believers. So disconnecting my spirituality from church involvement undercuts my identity with Christ and lessens my impact on unbelievers.



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