I Peter 2:1-12 Living stones
Matthew 16:13-21 Peter on this rock
I Thessalonians 1
The Great Ends of the church are foundational principles for us to be the church. They are a bit vague, and a bit open to interpretation. There are other principles on which the church works as well. “Don’t spend more than you have.” “Don’t annoy So-and- so.” “Wear your shoes.” There are Scriptural commandments for us to be Christian, as well, which often speak more to the individual than to the corporate.
These then, these 6, serve as the principles that are to guide us as the church. Are they a firm foundation? Are they made of stone? (Matthew 7:27 – build a house upon the rock) Are these the ends you think we should have? We’ll spend a bunch of time interpreting them over the summer, and we already live them out, some better than others.
Now, imagine how difficult this is. I had to pick just a few passages to go along with what it is the church is supposed to be about. There are tons of passages about that. These principles are similar. How do we pick what it is we are to be about? We have a mission statement – can you hear these great ends in it? Also, what does it mean to be about the great ends of the church, and not just
the survival and the grind of the church?
