The reality is that when you choose your friends, you choose your future.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

Church is a place to find wise friends to walk through life with.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

When iron sharpens iron, sparks fly. The right friends can help smooth off the rough edges of your life by encouraging and challenging you. For iron to sharpen iron, it requires time and proximity.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24–25

When logs are together, they burn brightly. When one log is taken out of the fire by itself, it goes out. We all need regular encouragement to stay motivated in our walk with Jesus.

What you do occasionally doesn’t change your life. If you work out only once a month you, won’t see any results and you will be sore. But if you go to the gym regularly, you will start seeing a difference over time.

The Mission -  To Invite People to Find and Follow Jesus.
The church is all about Jesus and He’s the one building it.

I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

A gate is used for defense; this means the church is on offense. We should be storming the gates of hell to set spiritual captives free and push back the darkness! As the head of the church, Jesus leads the charge.

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:15–16

A healthy body responds to whatever its brain tells it. A healthy church follows Jesus as He fits each part together to play its unique part in inviting people to find and follow Jesus.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:18–20

Jesus commands the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. In the next lesson, we will focus on how each of us can play our part in this mission.

The Goal - God’s Glory
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:21

The primary purpose for the church and for everything in the world is the glory of God. So, our preaching, singing, fellowship, service, outreach and everything we do as a church is meant to give God the glory He deserves.

The Motive - Love for God and Others
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:36–40

Love for God is the motivation for everything we do. As we love him wholeheartedly, He fills us with His love. That love overflows onto others, giving us the ability to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

The church is built by Jesus, led by Jesus, for the love and glory of Jesus and given the mission to invite everyone to find and follow Jesus. It’s all about Jesus!

Learning from the First Church
Read this description of the first church and discuss how we can learn from its example.

The Heart Attitudes are seven biblical principles that provide a solid foundation for how a healthy church should love one another:

1. Put the goals and interests of others above my own.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3–4

Selfish ambition always asks, “What’s in it for me?”. Vain conceit is having a big head. Selfish, arrogant people put themselves over others, but a humble person who loves like Jesus has an “Others Over Me” attitude.

Jesus modeled this for us through His death on the cross and we are called to sacrifice what we want for the sake of others. What are some practical ways you can start putting others over yourself?

2. Live an honest, open life before others.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25

Vulnerability is the key to intimacy. If you put on a mask, people won’t know the real you. Only by getting real with God and others will you experience community as it’s meant to be experienced.

This doesn’t mean you tell everything to everyone. Be honest with everyone and open with those you trust. There’s a difference between deception and discretion. Is there something you’ve been hiding you need to share with a trusted person?

3. Give and receive Scriptural correction.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Sin is sneaky. We all have spiritual blind spots and we need people who can lovingly help us realize where we are going wrong and get back on the right track. This value means that each member of the church gets a whistle and can call fouls on one another when appropriate and in love.

4. Clear up relationships.
If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23–24

Clearing up relationships takes priority over worship. Jesus cares more about your relationships than any ritual, including church. If you’re not right with others, you’re not right with God.

If you are offended or you’ve offended someone, it’s your job to go to that person and make it right. The goal is restoring the relationship, not necessarily resolving every part of the issue.

5. Participate in the ministry.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

God has given each believer spiritual gifts. Your gift is not for yourself; it’s for others. We each must steward whatever God has given us to dispense God’s grace in its various forms.

6. Support the work financially.
Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 1 Corinthians 9:13–14

In the Old Testament, God set it up so that the Israelites gave 10% of everything they earned to support those who worked in the tabernacle. Just as the priests were supported by those who worshiped then, leaders in the church now are to be supported by those who benefit from their ministry. Not only does the mission move forward when we give, God gives us joy and grows us as we are generous.

7. Follow spiritual leadership within Scriptural limits.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17

God has placed the leaders in the church with the task of watching over your soul. When you follow leadership, it makes it easy for leaders to lead and the mission to move forward. A football team that doesn’t listen to the coach will not win any games. Also, realize that there are limits to this leadership. Spiritual leaders are to lead in areas of the church but not control your lives. Only follow leaders in the areas that they are following Christ and within biblical limits.