Building The Church

Enter the construction zone... The church building program. The church is PEOPLE. People building people.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Let’s build up other people around us. If there’s something wrong with the church then be a “Bob the builder” – can we fix it? Can we build it? – Yes, we can! It’s up to you to build up the others around about you. If we, the church, need building up, we need to build it up together.

One of the essential tools for building the church is love…

BUILDING WITH LOVE
1 Corinthians 8:1 …Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

GOD places an emphasis on Love. Love is the cement that glues us together and strengthens us. Love is the hallmark of a Christian. Love shows God’s working in us.

Love edifies...
• Love builds others up.
• Love is seen in action.
• Love is evident.

Give of your time. Build relationships in the church.

This is not a pretended love, a sham… But real. 1 Peter 1:22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Another essential tool for building the church is Grace…

BUILDING WITH GRACE. Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

As saved people we have the Word of God’s Grace. The saving news of the Gospel. God’s precious kindness and mercy - extended towards us in Christ.

Will we be a church that is filled with grace?
• That preaches grace
• That lives grace
• That talks grace
• That walks grace

His glorious grace accepts the weak and sinful.

Will we be a church of God’s great grace? (Acts 4:33)

Give grace to people. Like God does. Grace transforms us so much that we learn to speak a new language.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Keep sweet. Keep praising. Keep that gentle spirit. Speak Grace.

Are our words gracious words?

Let all things be done unto edifying.

Another essential tool for building is: Encouragement.

BUILDING WITH ENCOURAGEMENT.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The word comfort here has the meaning of encourage. Edifying and encouraging are mentioned together.

Encouragement counteracts discouragement.

The devil is a discourager. There was a time David was discouraged. 1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Their city was burnt. Homes had been destroyed. Wives and children were gone. All hope was gone. He was in danger from his enemies and his friends. What did David do? But David chose to encourage himself in the Lord.

He strengthened himself by his encouraging outlook. And David also gave encouragement to a whole load of others.

Encouragement is powerful. As Moses urged the people: Deuteronomy 1:21 Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

Be not DIS-couraged. Fear not. Be EN-couraged.

When someone’s down, help to pick them up. Be encouraged. And BE an encourager. Be a source of encouragement. A channel of blessing.

Be a Barnabas – he was known as an encourager. Take on the ministry of encouragement.

Your words have power. Are you building – or tearing down? Are you criticising and complaining? Or constructing and comforting?

“Encouragement is oxygen to the soul.”

Be a “construction-worker”; building up the kingdom of God.

The Lord wants His church to be edified.

“In order to grow, the Body needs me. In order to grow, I need the Body.” Find edifying and supportive words to say.

Are you building up - or tearing down?

We are “Christians under construction”. I’m just another brick like you. We are all under construction. Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Build with Love. Charity edifies.

Build with Grace. And speak it, minister it.

Build with Encouragement.

Be a helper of another’s joy. 2 Cor. 1:24. Bring some sunshine into someone else’s life.

What words will we choose? Our words can edify. Let’s refuse unwholesome, unhelpful words. Let’s rather speak wholesome words –
Speak words that edify – that build up – helpful words.

Let us be hungry for more of the Lord Jesus. To know Him. Let us action what is our own personal responsibility before the Lord. Obey what He says. This is one thing we definitely can and ought to do: Edify one another!