The Church is an essential part of living the Christ Centered Life. It is the body of Christ living together for Christ helping one another to live each one's life for Christ. We can't do it alone. If Christ loved his church and gave his life for it, shouldn't we as followers love what Christ loved?

1. The Christ Centered Life: Church
Part 1

2. Every area of my life
should be Christ Centered
Christ
Family
Work
Church
Community
Education
Recreation

3. But Especially in the Church
Christ
Family
Work
Church
Community
Education
Recreation

4. We are not talking about:
• The Christ Centered Church.
– A person can attend a Christ Centered Church yet
not have a Christ Centered life.
• A Church will be Christ Centered if it’s people
are Christ Centered.
– A person can attend a church that isn’t Christ
Centered, yet have a Christ Centered life.

5. Before we discuss what it is to have a
Christ Centered Life in the Church let
us define
CHURCH

6. Church defined
• Secular word for church (NT – ekklasia):
– Ek – means “out”
– Klasia – to call or summon
– Thus, ekklasia mean “to call out” or form an
assembly.
• Acts 19:32 (ESV) Now some cried out one thing, some
another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of
them did not know why they had come together.
• Acts 19:41 And when he had said these things, he
dismissed the assembly.

7. Agree Mob or Peaceful Rally

8. Defining Church
• When applied to the New Testament Ekklesia
often applies to the local assembly of all those
who profess faith and allegiance to Christ.
– The local church..
– 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and
peace.

10. Defining Church
• When applied to the New Testament Ekklesia
also designated the universal church.
– In this sense the church is not the local assembly,
but rather the spiritual unity of all believers.
– Ephesians 1:22–23 22 And he put all things under
his feet and gave him as head over all things to the
church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him
who fills all in all.

11. One Church-One body
• Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV) 4 There is one body and
one Spirit—just as you were called to the one
hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord,
one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father
of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
• There is not many churches – there is one
church
• There is not many denominations – there is
one church

12. The New Testament Church
• Does not refer to a local church building
• Nor a denomination
• Though “Catholic” is Greek (καθολικός ) for
Universal, the Roman Catholic Church is not the
universal church.
– There is no human organizational structure for the
church universal.
– The unity is that of the Spirit in the body of Christ.
– There are people in the Catholic church that are part
of the universal church, but the Catholic Church is not
the universal church.

13. So, What is the relationship of the
“Christ Centered Life to the
Church?”

14. We are not talking about:
• The Christ Centered Church.
– A person can attend a Christ Centered Church yet
not have a Christ Centered life.
– A person can attend a church that isn’t Christ
Centered, yet have a Christ centered life.

15. We are not talking about:
• The Church Centered Life.
– One can have a church centered life and not have
a Christ Centered life. People go to church for:
• Social interaction
• Networking
• Self-worth
• Social causes
• Morally guidance, or out of conscious
• Protective place for the kids

16. Try to Find a Christ Centered
assembly, but:
• A person can attend a local body that isn’t Christ
Centered, yet have a Christ centered life.
• The local body may be program centered
• The local body may be socially centered
• The local body may be self-centered
• The local body may be like a country club
– Though the local body may not be Christ Centered, it
doesn’t mean some believers in the local body are
not Christ Center.
• Remain Christ Centered
• Help the Church become Christ Centered

17. True believers make up the real Chruch
• To the ekklasia in Ephesus: Rev. 2:4 But I have
this against you, that you have abandoned the
love you had at first.
• Letter to the ekklasia in Sardis:
– Rev. 3:1 …“ ‘I know your works. You have the
reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
– Rev. 3:4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis,
people who have not soiled their garments, and
they will walk with me in white, for they are
worthy.

18. What are we talking about?
• A Christ Centered Life has a special relationship
with the church (local and universal). A person
with a Christ Centered Life understands the
implications of being a part of:
– “Body of Christ”.
– “Bride of Christ”.
• If we truly love Christ, we will take care of the
health of his body, and be a faithful, committed
bride.

19. The Church is the Body of Christ

20. The Church is the body of Christ
• Eph. 1:22–23 22 And he put all things under his
feet and gave him as head over all things to
the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of
him who fills all in all.
• Eph. 4:11–12 11 And he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and
teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

21. The Church is the body of Christ
• The church is described as an organism with
Christ at the head and the church as the body.
– It’s bigger than any local Church
– But it finds it’s application in the local church

22. We take care of the body
• Every believer is a member of the body.
Therefore, every believer should:
– Care about the fitness of every part of the body
(local and universal)
– Have a role in the growth and operation of the
body (local and universal)
– Respond to the instructions of the head in caring
for the body (local and universal)

23. The Body of Christ is also
The Bride of Christ

24. The Body of Christ is also
The Bride of Christ
Ephesians 5:25–30 (ESV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church
and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the
word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in
splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that
she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same
way husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one
ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,
just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are
members of his body.

25. As the Bride of Christ
• While the groom is gone
– The bride should remain faithful to the groom
– The bride, as the grooms body must keep the
body in good health
– The bride must keep herself pure
– The bride must always be ready for the grooms
return.

26. The Bride Should be excited
about his coming
Revelation 19:7–9 (ESV)
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for
the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride
has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to
clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for
the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are
those who are invited to the marriage supper of the
Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true
words of God.”

27. Many of you are soldiers.
You know the excitement of coming
home to family.

28. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkGzqpGx
1KU

29. Jesus is a husband and a soldier
coming home for his bride.
Be Ready.

30. Until Then
Hebrews 10:23–25
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for he who promised is
faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, 25 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.