What’s Keeping Us From Loving The Church?

Eagle's Landing Sermons

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…” — Ephesians 5:25–26 What’s Keeping Us From Loving The Church? 1. We’re disappointed. Our spiritual letdowns lead to our spiritual meltdowns. If you’ve been hurt by the church: - “Let it go!” - Re-envision how valuable the church is to God. The church is called the people of God. “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” — 2 Corinthians 6:16 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people…” — 1 Peter 2:9–10 The church is called the body of Christ. “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” — 1 Corinthians 12:27 “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” — Ephesians 5:23 “And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’” — Acts 9:4 The church is called the bride of Christ. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” — Revelation 19:7 The church is called the temple of the Holy Spirit. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” — 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” — Acts 20:28 2. We’re distracted. 3. We’re disconnected. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” — Hebrews 10:23-25 4. We’re discouraged. “And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you…And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…” — Matthew 16:17-18 The biggest threat to hell is a church that wakes up. “…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” — Ephesians 3:10 “Nothing grows a Christian like a serious commitment to a single church week in and week out for years and years. Not conferences. Not social media. Not even personal devotions. The local church is where mature Christians are slowly forged in the fires of mundane faithfulness.” – H.B. Charles Jr.