Do Believers Need the Church?
VBC Albuquerque · Aug 1, 2025
This sermon explores the necessity of the Church in believers' lives through Jesus' command to love one another. The Church is built on the foundation of Christ and is His body, where all believers are reconciled and united together. The sermon emphasizes mutual acts of love such as serving, forgiving, exhorting, and praying as essential expressions of belonging to the Church.
The sermon begins with the central question: Do believers need the Church? Through this inquiry, the pastor establishes the importance of the Church by citing Jesus' command in John 13:34-35, where He teaches that believers must love one another as Christ has loved them. The clearest sign to the world that they are Jesus' disciples is precisely this mutual love. This command is reiterated in John 15:12 and 15:17, showing that loving one another is not optional but a core commandment.
Second, the sermon presents the theology of the Church through the lens of reconciliation and unity in Christ. Ephesians 2:14-16 is used to demonstrate that the Savior has broken down the wall of hostility between nations, creating one new people. Ephesians 2:19-22 describes the Church as a building erected on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the cornerstone, and you as living stones built into God's household. Matthew 16:18 affirms that Christ will build His Church and the gates of hell cannot overcome it, showing the permanence and divine purpose of the Church.
Third, the sermon provides a detailed list of "one another" commands drawn from Scripture. These actions include loving one another (John 13:35), serving one another (Galatians 5:13), accepting one another (Romans 15:7), forgiving one another (Colossians 3:13), bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), exhorting one another (Romans 15:14), encouraging one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and praying for one another (James 5:16). These commands cannot be fulfilled in isolation but only within the context of a local church where believers gather together.
Fourth, the sermon emphasizes that the Church has both a practical and spiritual purpose. Acts 20:28 teaches that the Church was purchased with God's own blood, and leaders are called to shepherd the flock. Ephesians 5:22-26 uses the marriage analogy to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church, showing that He loves the Church and gave Himself for it. This demonstrates that the Church is not merely a human organization but a living body sustained by the Holy Spirit, and you need to participate in it to grow spiritually and fulfill your calling.
Finally, the sermon concludes that believers truly need the Church because it is the place where God's love is expressed through mutual relationships within the community of faith. Simple acts such as accepting one another, forgiving each other, encouraging one another, and interceding for one another are the ways believers imitate Christ and become a living witness to the Gospel. The Church provides the opportunity for believers to grow spiritually, be grounded in God's Word, and become useful citizens of God's kingdom.