How to Behave In Church
1 Timothy 3
· 14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
· 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Intro: The Apostle Paul was interested in people knowing how to behave in the house of God, so it must be important.
A. The Perception – that thou mayest know
(some people just don’t know!)
B. The Propriety - how thou oughtest to behave thyself;
PROPRIETY: the quality or state of being proper or suitable; appropriate
C. The Place – in the house of God, which is the church
D. The Priority – the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth
Teach your children to act appropriate in church.
Say it to them often – this is the house of God! You’re in church!!
I. Be Thankful
· Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Be thankful for your God.
Be thankful for your salvation.
Be thankful for your church.
Be thankful for your Bible.
Be thankful for your church family.
Be thankful for the opportunity to give.
Be thankful for the singing.
Be thankful for the preaching.
II. Be Unified
· Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
The church is the last place on earth where there should be strife and discord.
God hates THE PERSON that sows discord among the brethren.
· Proverbs 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
DISCORD: strife, contention
· Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
III. Be Humble
· 2 Chronicles 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.
1 Peter 5
· 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
· 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Illustrations of those that were NOT humble in the House of God:
· The Sons of Eli – Manifested by a sense of Entitlement.
READ 1 Samuel 2:12-17
· Diotrophes – Manifested by a desire for Preeminence
3 John 1
· 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
· 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
NOTE: There is a biblical way to deal with people, but one individual does not run the church.
QUOTE: I’m not here to run the church; I’m just here to make sure you don’t! – (one of my old pastors)
IV. Be Reverent
2 Chronicles 7
· 1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
· 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.
· 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
New Testament - 1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Walking in late. Getting up and leaving early.
Slamming doors; making noise; cell-phones; food/drink; men wearing ballcaps/hats inside the church
Kids running in the church/up on the platform.
Talking in church - distractions; disruptions
Forgetting your Bible.
Never going to the altar. Turning in your songbook and singing.
Turning in your Bible and following the message.
Getting up and going out during the preaching.
(We have multiple opportunities for you to slip in and out without distraction)
V. Be Discerning
1 Corinthians 2
· 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
· 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
· 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
DISCERN: examine or judge; to investigate, examine, enquire into, scrutinize, sift, question
Try to come to church with the mind of Christ.
What is God trying to do?
What is on God’s agenda for this service?
If Jesus were here, what would He do?
How would He conduct Himself?
Would He go sit in the corner and be a spectator?
Discern the burden of the pastor.
Discern the need of the visitors.
Discern the needs of your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Discern the spiritual state of your children.
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