1 We are living in an age that has seen the rise of license and the decline of responsibility.

2 Today many seem to be desperately looking for some strange type of Utopia in which there is happiness without responsibility.

1) Many children expect their parents to support them and rebel at the idea of putting forth any effort to honor their parents or improve and maintain the atmosphere of the home in which they live.

2) Some teenagers expect allowances and cars, the latest fad clothing and yet, refuse to Submit to their parents in love.

3) Young men and women want the satisfaction of a meaningful relationship with each other but refuse to marry. Many are cohabitating instead.

4) Many of those who do marry want the security of marriage but decide that the responsibility of making it work is too much: the answer, divorce.

5) Many who do marry decide they want children and then decide they don't want tied down with the responsibility. Then comes abortion.

3 In the spiritual realm, this attitude has fostered contradictory activity.

1) Sales of religious publications, books and music are skyrocketing at the same time church attendance is slumping.

4 This attitude has fostered contradictory talk

1) I’m not into organized religion.

2) My home is my church.

3) Jesus, yes! The Church, no!

A. If we love Christ, we will obey his commands

(1 John 2:3-6 NKJV) Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. {4} He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. {5} But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. {6} He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

(1 John 5:2-3 NKJV) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. {3} For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

(John 8:28-32 NKJV) Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. {29} "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." {30} As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. {31} Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. {32} "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

B. Those who obey him are baptized into one body. I Cor. 12:13; Gal 3:27

1. Not just the body of believers, for even the demons believe. Js. 2: 19;

C. We become members of his body Eph. 5: 30

D. His body is the Church Eph. 1: 22, 23; Col 1: 18

E. Jesus is the head of the Body (Church) Col 1: 18; Eph. 1: 22, 23; 5: 23

F. He is the Savior of the body Eph. 5: 23

G. Purchased the Church with his own blood Acts 20: 28

H. Thus to speak of the Church is to speak of Christ.

A. When Paul persecuted the church, he was persecuting Christ Acts 22: 7

B. To speak contemptuously of the Church is to speak contemptuously of the Body of Christ Col. 1: 18-24

C. We can't reverence Christ and hold his body in contempt.

D. Imagine proposing to a woman whose face you adored and whose body you abhorred!

A. We should love the church because we love the builder Mt. 16: 18

B. We should love it because of the price Jeusus paid for it Acts 20: 28

C. We should love the Church because Christ loves it Eph. 5: 25

D. We should love it because Christ loved it and died for it Eph. 5: 25

E. We should love the church because of what it does for us Heb. 10:24-25.

1. Consider how you feel when you have missed a week with God’s people because of sickness.

F. We should love the church because it is the bride of Christ)

IV. We should learn to see the Church As Jesus sees it – as his beloved bride.

A. There is presently a cottage industry arising among us of speakers who are making their names and fortunes speaking and writing derisive things about the Church.

B. Some look at the church and they see the humanity of its members instead of souls cleansed and covered by the blood of Christ.

C. If you were to place a pile of pearls and a pile of garbage before a pig, which pile would look good to the pig?

D. When we look at the church do we see what the world sees or what Jesus sees – a precious bride without spot or wrinkle?

E. Read Ephesians 5:27 ff. and point out the modifiers that show how special and beautiful the church is the Christ.

F. What would you think of someone who ridiculed your mate?

G. God’s word says of Saul that he persecuted the church (Acts 8:3).

H. When Jesus confronted Saul he said why are you persecuting ME (Acts 9:4)

I. I say this in love, when you say I have been unfaithful to the church but I have stayed close to the Lord – the statement is false.

J. Jesus says that how you treat the church is how you are treating him.

K. You can’t love the head and hate the body.

L. If you ridicule, criticize and denigrate the church you are ridiculing, criticizing and denigrating Christ.

1 Tonight we will discuss how to love each other as this beautiful body the church.

2 Next Sunday morning we are going discuss the subject "What Can I Do To Help?"