The Church:  Christ's Assembly

Col. 1:18

Eph. 4:11-16

"Church" Means "Assembly"

• Acts 7:38 -There was a congregation in the wilderness.  Church or gathering =ekklesia in Greek. 
• Acts 19:32, 39, 41 -These are references that use the Greek word, ekklesia, or a gathering of people. 

Gathered to God

• Exodus 19:4-6 -These people were assembled for and before God.
• Matt. 16:18-19 - Jesus says that this is his church. The church is built on the fact that Jesus is the son of God.  The church is not the building, it is the people.

• Acts 2:39, 47 -God calls people to himself.  The church is people who are before God.

God Gathers into One Body

• John 10:16- God is calling all people into his flock.  There is one flock and one shepherd.
• Eph. 2:19-22 - Christ is the cornerstone of the church.  The assembly is one building. 
• Eph. 4:11-16 - The body must be built up.   Every part must be connected.  All parts are connected to the head, Jesus.

Christ Gathers from Heaven

• Acts 2:33 - Peter credits Jesus with all these miracles.
• Eph. 2:6 - In the spiritual realm we are always with Jesus.
• Phil. 3:20-21 -Our citizenship is in heaven.   We are always connected spiritually to Jesus.

• Heb. 9:24 - Christ is appearing before God for us.  He is active on our part.
• Heb. 12:18-24 - We are spiritually connected to the heavenly assembly.
• Rev. 7:9-10, 14:1 - This is a description of the assembly in heaven.  God is at the center of his church.

—Robert Lee, 6-29-08, p.m.