The
church is the community of faith that Jesus established in the new covenant
based on His blood.
In
the Book of Acts there are five functions of the church.
The
five functions are:
Worship
Discipleship
Ministry
Evangelism
Fellowship
The
church fulfills these functions so that they can do what Jesus commanded in
Mathew 28:19 - to make disciples.
The
church is also to operate based on God’s Kingdom principles and not as the
world operates.
Matthew
5:43-46
You
have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate do your
enemy.” But I say to you, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. He makes His sun
rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For
if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax
collectors do the same?”
The
church loves our enemies.
The
church prays for those who persecute us.
The
world system says love people who are nice to them and who love them, and hate
and hurt those who are not nice to them or do not love them.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving and praying for those who don’t love
us and even try to harm us.
Acts
5:34-35
There
was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands and
houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the
apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
The
church gave sacrificially to meet the needs of all needy people.
The
church is commissioned by Jesus to serve the powerless and marginalized people
of the world.
Jesus
welcomed children and raised the widow’s son from the dead.
James
tells us to look out for widows and orphans.
Peter
reminds us to minister to the poor.
The
church is to not show partiality to certain types of people but to welcome all
who come seeking Jesus.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is giving sacrificially to meet the needs of
others.
Matthew
20:25-28
But
Jesus called them to Him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles
lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall
not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
and whoever would be first among you must ve your slave, even as the Son of Man
came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
The
church is to serve.
The
church is not to demand that the culture honors and serves us but that we, as
the Body of Christ, serve the people of the world.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is humbling ourselves and serving the people
around us.
Amos
5:21-24
I
hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not
accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look
upon them. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your
harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
The
church is to be a people who are righteous and practice justice.
We
live in a broken and fallen world. In the world there is injustice and wickedness.
The church is to show the world the kingdom of God and manifest justice and
righteousness.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is living as God’s righteous people and
showing forth real justice.
As
God’s People Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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