Back to Church Sunday: Church Is Essential!

I. The Church is essential because Christ promised to build it. (Matthew 16:13-19)
A. The Church is essential because it belongs to Christ, not to us. (Acts 20:28)
B. The Church is essential because it is built on the right understanding of the person of Jesus Christ. (Psalm 2, 22, 110; Isaiah 53; Daniel 7; Matthew 7:25; 21:42; 1 Peter 2:4-8)
C. The Church is essential because it has the authority to proclaim God’s only way of salvation to this world that is under His judgment. (Acts 2, 8, 10; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)
D. The Church is essential because Christ is coming back for it, and it alone will remain after this present evil world comes under judgment. (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 11:15)

II. The Church is essential because Christ loves her and gave His life for her. (Ephesians 5:25; 28-30)

III. The Church is essential because it reveals Christ and His glory to the lost world. (Ephesians 3:8-11)
A. To reveal Christ and His glory, we must proclaim and uphold God’s Word of truth in this relativistic world. (1 Timothy 3:14-16; John 17:17)
B. To reveal Christ and His glory, we must be growing in Christlike character and relationships. (Ephesians 5:26-27; John 13:34-35)