Can We Have Church at Your House?

Brother Rodger Castle brought the message.

Romans 16: ¹I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: ²That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. ³Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: ⁴Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Philemon 1: ¹Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, ²And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

These people sold out enough to have church in their house.  We can’t get people to come to the house of God three times a week.  What I’m talking about here is the church, a group of born again believers ready to go to heaven.  We should be ready and able to have church at our house.  Are you?  What if the government shut down this church?  Lots would say “oh, well” and go to the lake or play ball.  We should all be strong enough to have church in our house.  To do it, some things must be present.

You must know Jesus as Savior.  You must know who Jesus is. Matthew 13 says ¹³When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  ¹⁴And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  ¹⁵He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  ¹⁶And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Do you really know that Jesus is the Christ?  It’s not about being a member of this church or about who is who in your family.  Do you know your sins are under the blood?  We should serve him and no other.  We’ll forsake the world and be what we should be when we really realize who Jesus is.  Do your kids ask you on Sunday morning if the family is going to church?  That should never be a question.  It’s a parent’s responsibility to guide and show a child how to be a Christian.  Don’t play church.  Your child may point a finger at you one day.

To have church at your house, you must have a servant’s heart.  Are you willing to put yourself on the line?  Luke 14 says ²⁴For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. ²⁵And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, ²⁶If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  ²⁷And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. This is not hate in the sense we think of hate.  Don’t put others above Jesus.  When we put someone or something before Jesus, we cannot be his disciple.  We have to count the cost.  Luke goes on to say ²⁸For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? ²⁹Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, ³⁰Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. ³¹Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Some surrender at the beginning of the battle.  Statistics tell us that less than half of church members in a church are Christians.  I hope that’s not true of this church.

To have church at your house, you must be willing to sacrifice.  Priscilla and Aquila were willing to be inconvenienced and have church in their home.  Are you willing to get up early so you can pray and read your Bible?  It will make a difference in your day.  Are you willing to sacrifice this week and come early for prayer room?  Are you willing to come ready to worship?

Can we have church in your house?  Would you welcome us in?  Would the Holy Spirit have free reign to see anything you say or do?  He does see it, and he keeps a good record.  Do you need to pray about church in your house?