The Awful Church and the Awe-Filled Church

The biblical church will be full of awe in Christ. However, far too many people have settled for an awful version of the church and Christianity. In this week’s message, the aim is to renew our sense of awe in the glory of God and in all He intends the church to be.


SERMON GUIDE

Five Points for Communion

  1. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper at the Last Supper.
  2. Participation in the Lord’s Supper if for the gathering of believers.
  3. The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to focus our minds on Jesus.
  4. The result of partaking in the Lord’s Supper is the edification of our faith.
  5. We are to partake in the Lord’s Supper seriously.

Three Points for the Awe-Filled Church

  1. The leader of the church is Jesus.
  2. The life of the church is awe-filled.
  3. The mission of the church is to declare the glory of God.

Key Takeaways

  • Churches without awe are disconnected from Jesus Christ, the head of the Church.

  • The “awful” church comes in many forms:
    1. The Moral Church – Concerned with what people do and don’t do, but Christ remains an afterthought.
    2. The Country Club Church – Shallow relationships, everyone puts on their Sunday’s best, networking > life change.
    3. The Entertainment Church – A full menu of activities and fun, but lacks full devotion to Christ, consumerism > service and mission.
    4. The Joyless Church – Strict and stoic, fun and laughter in any setting is viewed as sin.
    5. The Complacent Church – We don’t work hard or play hard, the leadership and membership agree to never ask too much of each other.
    6. The “Not for Real Men” Church – Church is for women and children, while men are free to handle their preferred affairs and hobbies.
    7. The Safe and Sanitary Church – Lack of love and service, no greater calling beyond the Sunday service.

  • From Acts 2:42-47, we see the awe-filled church devotes daily to Christ and one another, is committed to deep communion and connection, prizes prayer and the Word of God, remain united in faith and practice, has a common Savior and mission, sees one another’s needs and meets one another’s needs, possesses right attitudes accompanied by right actions, lives to praise God and give Him all the glory, gains the attention of a watching world, and remains zealous for seeing dead men brought to life in Christ.

  • The awe-filled church is the people of God living out the mission of God for the glory of God.

  • We were not rescued to live a life of comfort. We were rescued to be rescuers. We were chosen by God for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  • God calls us to not merely attend church, but to be the church. We are not confined to 1 hour of worship on a Sunday morning, but called to a life of worship and witness.

  • Application:
    • Simply start and start simply.
    • Equip yourself.
    • Not responsible for the results.
    • To His glory.

Discussion Questions / Application

Personal Reflection:

  • Is Christ the King of your life? What is keeping you from more fully living out your place and purpose in the awe-filled church?
  • Refer to Tyler’s SENT acronym. What are your next steps for getting further connected, equipped, and deployed?

Discuss with your community group:

  • What forms of the “awful” church have you experienced in the past?
  • How can you as a group more fully embrace the attitudes and actions of the awe-filled church from Acts 2:37-47?

Passages Referenced

Galatians 2:19-21, Galatians 1:3-5, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:20-34, Colossians 1:13-18, Acts 2:37-47, 1 Peter 2:9, Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20.