The Way of A Church Member
Introduction: Jerry is always quoting Scripture and preaching at work. He talks about the end times and return of Christ. He leads a small prayer group on Thursday AM and he is basically the Chaplin for the company. When people have questions about the bible people ask Jerry, when they need prayer they go to Jerry. One day as everyone sitting at the table at lunch time someone asked Jerry if his church had an programs for kids and what time do they start. Jerry began to stutter and hem haw around until everyone finally realized that Jerry did not go to church. He explained that one did not really need to be part of a church family in order to saved or serve God. This pleased most of the people at the lunch table since they had other plans for Sunday besides going to Worship God.
Jeremiah 6:16
16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
We have stood the crossroads and examined the role of a child..
We have stood at the crossroads and looked at the role of a mother.
And now we must stand at the crossroads and look at the role or way of a father.
The first three focused on our commitment to the family, this final one will focus on a crossroad we should think about in our commitment to the Lord’s Church.
THE FOUR ROADS TO CHOOSE!
1. Ignore the church –I have no time or use for a organized religion. Some the same people that say they are against organized religion will allow themselves to be humiliated in order to get into a fraternity.
2. Attend Church – Just go for a number of reason.
3. Join the global church (Make a decision to follow Christ) and attend one or more groups of believers.
4. Join the global church and a local group of believers.
THE CHURCH BOTH GLOBAL AND LOCAL
Yes –Believers in the Early Church belonged to both the global church which is the mystical body of Christ, but they were also members of individual local congregations.
GLOBAL BODY---An example in Ephesians 4:25 -put away lying because we are members of one another.
LOCAL BODY---An example of local membership is found in 1 Corinthians 12
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Other examples---To the Church at Ephesus, at Galatian, in Rome, at Smyrna, at Ladoica, God’s Holy people at such and such plan.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOUND IN THE BIBLE?
The Top Ten Reasons People Pick a Specific Church to Join- Barna Research. (Neil notes: I found similar survey results in almost the same order done by Gallup, and other church organizations.)
1. The theological beliefs and doctrine of church.
2. The people seem to care about each other.
3. The quality of the sermons that are preached.
4. How friendly the people are to visitors.
5. How involved the church is in helping poor and disadvantaged people.
6. The quality of the programs and classes for children.
7. How much you like the pastor.
8. The denomination the church is affiliated with.
9. The quality of the adult Sunday School classes.
10. The convenience of the times of their weekend.
JOINING THE CHURCH IS ABOUT MAKING A COMMITMENT!
A COMMITMENT TO JESUS AND TO OTHER BELIEVERS!
Consistently in the gospels, Jesus Christ calls you to a commitment to Himself and to His will for your life. Followers of Christ are marked by their commitment to Christ.
Luke 9:23: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. A willingness to identify yourself as a believer and follower of Jesus.
The idea of commitment swims against the Cultural Current! The culture in which you live opposes the idea of commitment. The tension that we face is that our culture calls for convenience (only do what you happen to “feel” like at the moment). Consumerism (which leads to a selfish focus—“what’s in it for me?” instead of a serving focus—“what can I do?”).
THE WAY OF A CHURCH MEMBER IS TO COMMIT TO A FAMILY OF BELIVERS TO TRUE SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMES WHEN WE LEARN TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER
TRUE SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMES WHEN WE WATCH THE COMMITMENT OF OTHERS.
Ill: Long term marriages at the Tuesday AM the day before Wednesday Bible study.
They will know we are Christians by our love. We learn to forgive one another.
----How Dick Baker met Charlotte in the seventh grade.
The WAY of a Church MEMBER is the way of the WAY OF THE COMMITTED!
Ill: Those who are truly committed to their family will buy a wedding ring and get married!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
1. ---A commitment to PULL TOGETHER TO HELP EACH OTHER IN THIS WORLD! TO support them during life’s many hard times.
Paul helped start the church at Philippi on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:11-40). Almost ten years later, when Paul was a prisoner in Rome for preaching the Gospel, the church sent one of their members, Epaphroditus, to visit him and give him a gift. Paul wrote this letter to thank the believers for helping him in his time of need, and to tell them why he could be so full of joy despite his imprisonment and coming trial.
When we make a commitment to each other we
-----I was trying to help a guy find a place to live last week.
----One of the guys who came to our marriage retreat hired another guy who needed work.
----Someone gave another member a vehicle to drive…
----Someone paid to help another person kid go to camp
-----Someone sponsored a scholarship to help a lady got the ladies retreat
-----People gave and helped when one of our members had to have a heart transplant
-----Someone gave my wife a plane ticket when her grandmother died
-----Someone helped our Chairmen of our Elders when he first move to Brownsville
-----Someone called on my sick grandmother when my parents were in Africa
----A member and deacon of my last church has picked up my parents every spring and fall so they could fly to Brownsville.
---Some men came and built the church a new office
---People came and brought all kinds of food for Peggy Copenhaven’s service
2. A COMMITMENT TO PULL MY RESOURCES IN ORDER TO Evangelize the World and ALIVATE HUMAN SUFFERING
The benefit of being a member of a local church is not primarily inward, but outward. Christians attend a local church so they might have opportunities to serve others and thus to serve God.
GET ON BOARD WITH WHAT GOD IS ALREADY DOING RATHER THAN STARTING YOUR OWN NEW WORK!
Ill: Watching fire ants! You can drown a fire ant, but you can drown a colony of ants.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ...
John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Ill: When I was in College I had a friend who took a small weekend ministry near the college. The church was running about 12 people when they were able to convince a struggling Luther Church and another church that was having problems to come together. Soon they were running well over 200 each Sunday and they had many vibrant programs and ministries.
In my first ministry I suggested that the members sale their property and attend a growing church closer to town and combine their resources.
We have too many men and women that cannot worship somewhere unless they are running the show!
More half full bldgs.-- On this road among protestant churches we have 6 church buildings, including the new Catholic church.
Missionary work continued to expand and spread, and today over 50,000 LDS missionaries serve in the nearly 400 missions that the Church operates throughout the world. Males between the ages of 19 and 26 who are physically, emotionally, and religiously qualified are expected to serve as full-time proselytizing missionaries for a period of two years. Women may serve as missionaries for a period of 18 months after they reach 21 years of age. Although Mormonism is a relatively young religious tradition, nearly two centuries of vigorous missionanearly two centuries of vigorous missionary work has resulted in the rapid spread of Mormonism throughout the world. The Church claims approximately 14 million members worldwide, with more than half of those living outside of the United States and Canada.
Christians working together. If we are to reach this world with the gospel message of Jesus Christ, we must share our efforts with other believers. Jesus prayed for workers to go out into his harvest fields! The workers are few! Pray to the Lord of the harvest.
3. Joining a church is A COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD THE TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE AND TO Expose False Gospels
Paul’s last words to the Church of Ephesus were directed to the Elders
“ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.”
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Every predator knows the key to attacking and killing is to target the lonely!
-----Look for the one cut off from the rest!
PAUL ASKED THE GALATIANS WHO CUT IN ON YOU! But then they were distracted, tripped and so hindered from running this race. Paul asks them, Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
Painful, LONELY times open the door to false teachings: Lonely, hurting desperate people are vulnerable for anyone and anything that can bring them comfort! Desperately wanting talk to a dead loved one and not willing to wait upon the Lord for His grace.
You the support of a church family to help you through those times.
You need the truth of unchanging word to keep you on course.
PAUL Called the church “the pillar and ground of the truth” ---ILL: On Sept 15, 2011 a barge crashed in the bringing down a portion of the span and killing eight people.
LIKE THE PILLAR THAT HELD UP THE BRIDGE THE CHURCH MUST HOLD UP THE BRIDGE OF TRUTH WHICH LEADS PEOPLE TO GOD AND IF IT IS KNOCKED OUT PEOPLE WILL FALL IN TO A VOID OR DARK, COLD DEATH!
4. A COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL ACCOUNTIBILITY AND TO UPHOLD THE NAME OF CHRIST!
Joining a church will help Christians counter their sinful individualism and teach them the importance of seeking to serve and edify others. Every Christian should be eager to serve within the church and to edify others through teaching, serving, and exercising the spiritual gifts.
THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS ABOUT PERSONAL AND CORPORATE ACCOUNTIBLITY!
---------1st Personal accountability----- One of the biggest problems that we have in our society today is a lack of personal accountability. Nobody is ever wrong, and when they do make mistakes, there is ALWAYS an excuse. The danger that I see in this mindset is that if there is one thing the Bible teaches, if there is one thing that God will demand of each one of us, it is PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
I find it comical that in the recent exposure of corporate fraud, CEOs who were paid hundreds of millions of dollars to oversee major corporations that they now seem to know little about.
--------Accountable to one another. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we read that Christians are all part of the same body - the body of Christ - and each member needs or belongs to the other. This Scripture suggests the importance of strong accountability between Believers. It is important for every Believer to have at least one other person in which to confide, pray with, listen to, and encourage.
Galatians 6:1-2 gives a helpful principle, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
5. A COMMITMENT TO CORPORATE WORSHIP
We can bring God glory through the way we worship.
WHEN YOU COME TO WORSHIP YOU ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO ENCOURAGE AND EDIFY MY FAMILY!
WHEN YOU HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY YOU WANT TO SEE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE –SHOW UP!
Conclusion: Will you make a commitment?
