Chapter 5: Is Joining Actually Necessary?
Notes
Transcript
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
INTRO—
INTRO—
“A card-carrying member of…” [FOTZ (Friends of the Zoo); PF (Planet Fitness)…]
…so, what does it mean to join, be a member of, a local church?
MEMBERSHIP CONNECTION
MEMBERSHIP CONNECTION
IS ‘MEMBERSHIP’ BIBLICAL?
Short answer = YES [but not like we think of country club, etc., memberships]
Acts 6:2–5 “The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.” [U = vv. 2a, 5a]
2 Corinthians 6:14–18 “Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” [U = v. 16]
WHAT ABOUT JUST UNIVERSAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP?
Well, sure…
Ephesians 2.11-22…
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:16 “He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.”
[[Ephesians 2:19–20 “So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.”]]
BUT…
Question: “Who is the overseeing pastor of that church?” [and don’t say, ‘Jesus’…because the Bible doesn’t.]
We are called to participate in each others’ growth in faith/faithfulness—
Colossians 3:10–12 “and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,”
It’s like this… [diagram from Leeman p.77, Box]
Universal Church Membership (Faith) —> creates —>
Local Church Membership (Deeds) —> proves/demonstrates —>
Universal Church Membership…
Membership means intentionality. It means more than constant, consistent attending…though that level of commitment is surely needed (especially among those whose names are on the rolls!). In our day and time—and in our culture—we place value on public, intentional action to display our connection and commitment to a church family.
MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY
MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY
A CHURCH’S ‘AUTHORITY’
Authority = “The Keys” & “Whatever you Bind/Loose”
Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
To oversee (maintain, ‘pillar & ground of truth [1 Timothy 3.15]; P. 72)…
[P. 74, Box] “The authority of the keys = the right to declare on Jesus’ behalf the what and the who of the gospel (impact, response): What is a right confession? Who is a true confessor?”
A Right CONFESSION of the Truth (Gospel) [True Words]
Matthew 16:15–19 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
A True CONFESSOR of the Truth (Gospel) [True Lives]
Matthew 18:15–17 ““If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church. If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you.” [Context of ‘binding/loosing’ = discipline]
[[Matthew 18:18–20 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.””]]
A helpful way to think about this authority…I believe we find some similarity in our practice of ordination for serving as a deacon or overseeing pastor in our church. We examine (test and observe) the life of one being considered to serve in these ways. We examine the consistency of that person’s beliefs (theology) to be sure they are consistent with biblical revelation and application. … We are all called to look out for, correct, and encourage each other in a similar way.
THE ORDINANCES (‘Passports’) [Obedience, Personal Discipline, Encouragement]
Baptism (Initial Identification)
Matthew 28:19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Romans 6:2–4 “Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”
Lord’s Supper (Continuing Consistency)
Matthew 26:26–28 “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
CONCL—
CONCL—
“A SERIOUS UNDERTAKING”
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
[P. 82, bottom box}
Our kingly job as members is—to make disciples and enlarge God’s kingdom.
Our priestly job as members is—to maintain our holiness by guarding the what and who of the gospel, protecting the kingdom.
INVITATION
Salvation
Join the Church
Lord’s Supper Preparation
1 Corinthians 11:28–29 “Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
THE LORD’S SUPPER
BREAD/BODY
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.””
CUP/BLOOD
1 Corinthians 11:25 “In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.””
And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.
