What's In It For Me?

What’s in it For Me?

Scripture: Acts 2: 36-47 Date: 7 February 2010

Purpose: To invite people to see the importance of church membership.

In our text for this morning we read of Peter who stood before the people of Jerusalem and proclaimed boldly that they needed Jesus as their Savior and Lord! Would you please stand with me as I read the Word of God this morning?

36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

REALEASE CHILDREN

You know being a member of the church is important. I know most of you are already members. Some of you joined long ago. But what you did is important!

The church has its problems. You know those as well as I do. And I have not found a perfect church yet. You have heard me say many times, that when you find that perfect church, don’t join it, cause you will ruin it. Well it may have its problems but I want you to know that Jesus is committed to the church! In Ephesians 5:25 we read: “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;”

This morning whether you are contemplating membership or have already committed to it, Church membership is important and let me tell you why.

First of all,

I. Church membership is important because everyone needs a Savior.

A. In our text for this morning we read of Peter who stood before the people of Jerusalem and proclaimed boldly that they needed Jesus as their Savior and Lord!

1. Church is not the only place you can find Jesus, but it is the only place that exists for that purpose alone!

2. We read in God’s Word that sin has separated us from His love. We feel this and know this in ourselves. You don’t have to be seminary graduate to understand that you need God!

3. You could say the Church is the depository of God’s grace. As the bank holds your deposit of money for you to draw on to pay your bills etc, so too the church is the depository of God’s love and forgiveness. Only our commitment and our participation in it limit the amount of times that you and I can draw from it.

4. The church of Jesus Christ stands before the world and announces not gloom and doom, not destruction and death. It proclaims another way, the only way to peace and happiness, to purpose and fulfillment, and His name is Jesus and every human being needs Him.

Illustration: Isn’t it amazing that we can never get too far from God for His love to reach us and to save us? Sometime ago, I read of someone who gave her life to Jesus not long ago. A very famous person. Someone who had tried to find peace with herself in every way but God’s way. I even remember her standing before the American public during the Vietnam War pledging support for the North Vietnamese who were killing and imprisoning American soldiers. Jane Fonda according to the article I read has given her life to Jesus and joined His church.

Illustration: I have a thing for super heroes. I have always been intrigued by them. I especially love Superman. The entire story of Superman mirrors the story of Jesus and of how God sent His Son to earth in order to save us. I think that is why I am drawn to the Superman stories more so than the other well-known superheroes.