New Year Message: We as the Church (Part 1): Now that we are about to enter a new year, I would like us to review what we are as a church. And I want us to understand that we have to stay that way because our standard is set by the Word of God. The word "church" used in the New Testament is derived from the Greek word ekklēsia. It is a noun derived from the verb group kalēo meaning "to call". So the church means "the called out" or "those who are called together". As Romans 8b 28a says, "...were called according to the will of God." We are called. It is written in Ephesians 4b 1a "Therefore I who am a prisoner in the Lord beg you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." You are called because you have a calling. And the church is a called people. We are a community of called people. The word church was a common and very simple Greek word. It can be any group of called people who are called together for any work. In Christianity, this word has many meanings. We are a special group of people specially called by God for His purposes. We are not a human organization founded by a few good people, or people with good intentions. We are not a human organization based on traditions, but we are a group of special people who have been specially called together by God for His purposes. So we can say, the church is a group of people called by God. We are a community of people who have been called by God. This means that the real identity of the church is its divine purpose. God is calling us. God has created us through His divine calling. Therefore, the church is a group of people called by God. Our paths and our destination are determined by God. Our members are God's chosen people. Our purposes are designed by God. Our services are designed by God. We are a community of God's called people gathered together for God's purposes. For this reason, this congregation is often identified as a church. And you need to know and understand the word "church" as "a congregation of called people." And as I mentioned in Ephesians 4b 1a we are called because we have a calling. In verse 4 he speaks again of our calling. Numerous passages in the New Testament confirm that we are called and gathered by God. You have been called and gathered together by God, it is written in Romans 1b 6a "of whom you also were called to be Christ Jesus. The names of all who are beloved of God in Rome and called to be holy." " You can also read about it in these references. Also in 1-Corinthians, 1-Thessalonians, 1-Peter and 2-Peter, 1-Timothy, 1-John and many more references. Even Hebrews 3b 1a is related to our heavenly calling. Heaven is actually used as a synonym for God. We are called by God. So we need to understand that we have been created by God. We are a community of people who have been brought together by divine commandments. We are God's handiwork dedicated to His purposes. The church is not the invention of some religious intellectual, nor is it the manifestation of his efforts. The church is not the result of a man's persuasive speech. This is not the result of effective and dynamic leadership. This is not the result of countless programs. It is not the result of any kind of intelligence. The church is God's work. Such a church has never been led by men, but men have only served it. The guardians are not his guides but are his servants. The guidance of the church has always been done by God in the lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit plays the role of mediator among those who serve the church, whether they are men or women. This is not our church and it is not my church. This is not a church of elders. I want to tell you that this is not your church either. This is the church of Christ. Christ ordained it, built it, and guides it. We have only been called to be included in Him, and God is the one who gives the call. And it explains that all the goodness, all the blessings, all the success, all the power and all the things that we have seen through spiritual abundance all come from God. Our weakness in fellowship and our failures in the church are actually signs of our humanity. Where you see our weaknesses and failures, the cause will always be the interference of men and women. We fail because of ourselves and not because of him. And we succeed because of Him and not because of ourselves. The church has only one great purpose, and that is to let God do his work and to maintain its identity as a church. We will not allow society to tell us what to do. We will become what God wants us to be, no less and no more. We are the church.I find it difficult to consider organizations as churches that are not part of God's purpose of building the church. New Year's Message: We as the Church (Part Two): Now we will consider Ephesians 1b to understand the church in terms of praise. In the original Greek text, Ephesians 1b:3a-14 is one long sentence, although English and other language translators have punctuated the long sentence here and there. Actually, from verse 3 in the Greek, it begins like a long sentence and runs until the end of verse 14, describing the true definition of the church, sentence by sentence. We will look at verses 3-14 and see what is meant by the church here and what this passage says about us as the church. Now it is very important that you remember in your mind the word "church" as "called out". We are called by God. We are ordained by God. We are a community of people that God has brought together through a redemptive work of divine supernatural power. Now we will try to understand the church from different points of this passage. Choose: In 3a it is written: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly places in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Because he chose us in him before the creation of the world, that we should be holy in his close love." And I am blameless." We are already called. This group of called people was chosen by God before the creation of the world. It is obvious that the original call came at its appointed time, but the plan for this call had been made in the past eternity. It is written in verse 5, "And according to the good will of his will, he predestined us to be adopted sons through Jesus Christ." He had already decided it. He had already decided it for us. Indeed, this verse informs us about the great teaching of election. It was already decided. We were called to God's purposes before the creation of the world. That call did not come until we were born and grew up and we heard the message of the gospel and we believed in it when the Holy Spirit moved us and thus we were included in the church. But in God's plan our calling was predestined from the creation of the world. In verse 4 it says that He chose us and set us apart for Himself. God chose His church in eternity past. This is the first reason for our existence. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Redemption or Redemption: It is written in verse 7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, that is, forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." We have been called out. This is sincerity. We have been called out of darkness. We have been called out of sin. We have been called out of death and hell. We are a church that is now a new creation. We are a truly independent church. Our redemption is through His blood. We have received forgiveness of our sins by His grace. That is why we are the true church. Sanctification or Sanctification: In verse 4 it is written, "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, that we might be pure and blameless in His love." We have been redeemed from sin and called to holiness. The operative word here is "pure and blameless." We are called to turn away from sin. The Bible explains that we are called by the power of the Spirit to live a blameless life in this world. We have been chosen and called out of the darkness of sin. We have been called out of impurity. So we have to show this purity with our life. Our attitude of not compromising with sin leads people to holiness. And since we are a called people who have been called out of darkness, called out of sin, it is imperative that we never compromise with the sins of the world around us. So you exalt God on the one hand and reject the worldly way on the other. Identity of the Church: It is written in verse 4, "For He chose us in Him before He made the world." 5 This is what she describes: "...He predestined us for Himself according to the good will of His will, that we should be adopted sons by means of Jesus Christ." Once again we see that we, in Jesus Christ, have been adopted as adopted sons. In verse 6, it is written "...who freed us in that precious one." This is a great sentence. Here we find our identity in Christ. We are in Christ. God has made us his adopted sons in Christ. And we have been favored, because according to 6a "we are in the beloved". So what do we learn here? There is a lot to learn here. First, we have a powerful identity in God because we are sons of God. It is a deep relationship. We are God's children, His sons, and for this reason we have to behave and behave like God's children. It is written in Ephesians 5b 1a "Therefore, as dear children, be imitators of God." If you are a child of God, then keep your behavior in accordance with Him. We are children of God; hI find it difficult to consider those organizations as churches that do not allow God to build the church according to his purpose. New Year Message: We as the Church (Part Two): Now we will consider Ephesians 1b to understand the church in terms of praise. In the original Greek text, Ephesians 1b:3a-14 is one long sentence, although English and other language translators have punctuated the long sentence here and there. Actually, from verse 3 in the Greek, it begins like a long sentence and runs until the end of verse 14, describing the true definition of the church, sentence by sentence. We will look at verses 3-14 and see what is meant by the church here and what this passage says about us as the church. Now it is very important that you remember in your mind the word "church" as "called out". We are called by God. We are ordained by God. We are a community of people that God has brought together through a redemptive work of divine supernatural power. Now we will try to understand the church from different points of this passage. Choose: In 3a it is written: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly places in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Because he chose us in him before the creation of the world, that we should be holy in his close love." And I am blameless." We are already called. This group of called people was chosen by God before the creation of the world. It is obvious that the original call came at its appointed time, but the plan for this call had been made in the past eternity. It is written in verse 5, "And according to the good will of his will, he predestined us to be adopted sons through Jesus Christ." He had already decided it. He had already decided it for us. Indeed, this verse informs us about the great teaching of election. It was already decided. We were called to God's purposes before the creation of the world. That call did not come until we were born and grew up and we heard the message of the gospel and we believed in it when the Holy Spirit moved us and thus we were included in the church. But in God's plan our calling was predestined from the creation of the world. In verse 4 it says that He chose us and set us apart for Himself. God chose His church in eternity past. This is the first reason for our existence. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Redemption or Redemption: It is written in verse 7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, that is, forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." We have been called out. This is sincerity. We have been called out of darkness. We have been called out of sin. We have been called out of death and hell. We are a church that is now a new creation. We are a truly independent church. Our redemption is through His blood. We have received forgiveness of our sins by His grace. That is why we are the true church. Sanctification or Sanctification: In verse 4 it is written, "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, that we might be pure and blameless in His love." We have been redeemed from sin and called to holiness. The operative word here is "pure and blameless." We are called to turn away from sin. The Bible explains that we are called by the power of the Spirit to live a blameless life in this world. We have been chosen and called out of the darkness of sin. We have been called out of impurity. So we have to show this purity with our life. Our attitude of not compromising with sin leads people to holiness. And since we are a called people who have been called out of darkness, called out of sin, it is imperative that we never compromise with the sins of the world around us. So you exalt God on the one hand and reject the worldly way on the other. Identity of the Church: It is written in verse 4, "For He chose us in Him before He made the world." 5 This is what she describes: "...He predestined us for Himself according to the good will of His will, that we should be adopted sons by means of Jesus Christ." Once again we see that we, in Jesus Christ, have been adopted as adopted sons. In verse 6, it is written "...who freed us in that precious one." This is a great sentence. Here we find our identity in Christ. We are in Christ. God has made us his adopted sons in Christ. And we have been favored, because according to 6a "we are in the beloved". So what do we learn here? There is a lot to learn here. First, we have a powerful identity in God because we are sons of God. It is a deep relationship. We are God's children, His sons, and for this reason we have to behave and behave like God's children. It is written in Ephesians 5b 1a "Therefore, as dear children, be imitators of God." If you are a child of God, then keep your behavior in accordance with Him. I find it difficult to consider those organizations as churches that do not allow God to build the church according to his purpose. New Year Message: We as the Church (Part Two): Now we will consider Ephesians 1b to understand the church in terms of praise. In the original Greek text, Ephesians 1b:3a-14 is one long sentence, although English and other language translators have punctuated the long sentence here and there. Actually, from verse 3 in the Greek, it begins like a long sentence and runs until the end of verse 14, describing the true definition of the church, sentence by sentence. We will look at verses 3-14 and see what is meant by the church here and what this passage says about us as the church. Now it is very important that you remember in your mind the word "church" as "called out". We are called by God. We are ordained by God. We are a community of people that God has brought together through a redemptive work of divine supernatural power. Now we will try to understand the church from different points of this passage. Choose: In 3a it is written: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly places in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Because he chose us in him before the creation of the world, that we should be holy in his close love." And I am blameless." We are already called. This group of called people was chosen by God before the creation of the world. It is obvious that the original call came at its appointed time, but the plan for this call had been made in the past eternity. It is written in verse 5, "And according to the good will of his will, he predestined us to be adopted sons through Jesus Christ." He had already decided it. He had already decided it for us. Indeed, this verse informs us about the great teaching of election. It was already decided. We were called to God's purposes before the creation of the world. That call did not come until we were born and grew up and we heard the message of the gospel and we believed in it when the Holy Spirit moved us and thus we were included in the church. But in God's plan our calling was predestined from the creation of the world. In verse 4 it says that He chose us and set us apart for Himself. God chose His church in eternity past. This is the first reason for our existence. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Redemption or Redemption: It is written in verse 7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, that is, forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." We have been called out. This is sincerity. We have been called out of darkness. We have been called out of sin. We have been called out of death and hell. We are a church that is now a new creation. We are a truly independent church. Our redemption is through His blood. We have received forgiveness of our sins by His grace. That is why we are the true church. Sanctification or Sanctification: In verse 4 it is written, "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, that we might be pure and blameless in His love." We have been redeemed from sin and called to holiness. The operative word here is "pure and blameless." We are called to turn away from sin. The Bible explains that we are called by the power of the Spirit to live a blameless life in this world. We have been chosen and called out of the darkness of sin. We have been called out of impurity. So we have to show this purity with our life. Our attitude of not compromising with sin leads people to holiness. And since we are a called people who have been called out of darkness, called out of sin, it is imperative that we never compromise with the sins of the world around us. So you exalt God on the one hand and reject the worldly way on the other. Identity of the Church: It is written in verse 4, "For He chose us in Him before He made the world." 5 This is what she describes: "...He predestined us for Himself according to the good will of His will, that we should be adopted sons by means of Jesus Christ." Once again we see that we, in Jesus Christ, have been adopted as adopted sons. In verse 6, it is written "...who freed us in that precious one." This is a great sentence. Here we find our identity in Christ. We are in Christ. God has made us his adopted sons in Christ. And we have been favored, because according to 6a "we are in the beloved". So what do we learn here? There is a lot to learn here. First, we have a powerful identity in God because we are sons of God. It is a deep relationship. We are God's children, His sons, and for this reason we have to behave and behave like God's children. It is written in Ephesians 5b 1a "Therefore, as dear children, be imitators of God." If you are a child of God, then keep your behavior in accordance with Him.