I Am A Church Member Session 3

So session 3 is about very simply. I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires over the course of over 30 years. I've had the opportunity to consult our coach well over 500 churches not to mention several hundred church leaders at almost every time almost every time there is some type of issue that there's some type of blockage that there is something that is going on unhealthy in the church almost every time we can trace it to this issue. The issue is there are members in the church who are more concerned about me myself and I then the greater good of the church that you've heard me talk about 1st Corinthians 12. You heard me talk about how bad is the passage dealing with the body of Christ and how there are individual members there are and how when all of these members come together functioning the way they should You have a healthy body of Christ. Now the premise behind 1st Corinthians 12 is simply this all the parts of the body must be functioning for the greater good of the body. Let me say that one more time all the parts of the body must be functioning for the greater good of the body and other words the body and this case the body of Christ does not function as it should if anyone part is saying I want this for me. I want this preference. I want this worship Style. I want this color. I want this link sermon and the list goes on and on and on when you talk about a church member a church member in the healthiest sense of the word a church member who is truly functioning within the body of Christ he or she is that member who puts the greater good of others body before himself are Herself, so what we need to do first of all this we need to understand the servant and service you when you decide that you want to connect with a local Body of Christ. You are making this decision. If you're making a double decision, the biblical decision is this I will be a serpent though. The Greek word for that is dual. I sit means and many times slave. I will submit myself to the greater good of others into the body of Christ. I will serve and other words. I'm not there to see what I can get out of church membership. I am there to see what I can give as a responsible church member you have to understand the servant and the server issues. You have to understand that many times. That is the the key that really makes the body of Christ the body of Christ in the healthiest sense of the word understand the servant issue. And the service you I will not let the church be about my preferences my desires. I will let the church be about what I can do for the greater good of the body. Now. What is it that many church members want? Well, we we stated it pretty clearly. They won't find themselves. They want their own way. They want their own desires. They want their own preferences and you know what happens when church members begin to collectively say that the church is no longer. The church is becoming spiritual Country Club and you are paying your dues if you will and you're getting your benefits and return many church members won't let the church can do for them. And I understand Administration take place in the church understand that there will be needs of the members, but you understand exactly what I'm talking about here when I say many times to church membership is what have you done for me lately. How can I get my way? How can I get my preferences and my desires met what many church members want is simply that Let the church be about me instead of letting me be about the greater good of the church. Now, let's go to the essence of Philippians 2:5 through 11. It is a passage that we have dealt with in the passage the passage the I think you as you go through I am a church member need to hear again. And again it begins with this phrase. I. Know what does that mean take on it means to literally clothe yourself with this. What are we to adopt? What do we do take on we're to adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus. No hear that clearly we are to take on we're to clothe ourselves with the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus who existing in the form of God did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. He is God he has every right to demand that people serve him. But what did he do for 7 instead instead of saying I demand he Christ emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant taking on the lightness of humanity and when he had to come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross what we have here folks is the classic example of servanthood a servant who walks to the point of death and even today For the greater good of others course Christ did that as our substitute? He did that to make us at 1 the atonement with God. He did that suffering because he loved us he did this because he wanted the cross for us and Obedience of the father and listen to what happens for this reason God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name so that the name of Jesus every knee will bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That I've often said somewhat humorously, what would it be? Like if we had Church business meetings were 1st Corinthians 13 was Paramount love chapter. And by the way, just a reminder First Corinthians 13 follows 1st Corinthians, 12 verse Corinthians, 12 verse about the functioning parts of the body of Christ 1st Corinthians, 13 means we put others Loved Before so many times we've heard 1st Corinthians 13 red weddings are a lot of type of occasions anniversaries. That's fine. But the primary purpose of 1st Corinthians 13 wise to emphasize that love is to be Paramount within the body of Christ. Above all there is Love Now, what if we take 1st Corinthians 13 and bring in Philippians 2 and other words 1st Corinthians 13 says that love is going to be our guiding motive Philippians 2 says that Christ is going to be our guiding action you put those together and what you have ladies and gentleman is a church that is ready to make a difference for the kingdom. Not a church. That is so inwardly focused. It is a spiritual navel gazer, but it sure has its own fire to do the will of God and the make a difference in the community where God has placed them. I am a church member. I will not let Church be about my preferences and my desires and look over these questions. If we begin to wrap this up find some key passages in the Bible that talk about Christians being servants. How would you describe a servant as it applies to being a member of a church take some time and get together and answer that question number 2, why do many churches have worship Wars in your church? Were you arguing over the style of worship of the length of worship are the order of worship are the songs and worship. Have you ever had those worship Wars? Why do they have them? What does this have to do with the wrong attitude or right attitude about church membership how to worship Wars reflect that reality. Number 3 bus to apply to exercise describe someone in your church that best fits the description of having the mind of Christ and a servant attitude who did mention in your church or just like that and number for let's go through. Once again Philippians 4 5 through 11 explain how the attitude of Christ in each verse becomes a pattern for us as a church member. I am a church member not the kind of church member this like a country club or Civic organization. Not that kind of membership. I am a church member because God has called me to this local Body of Christ. Not to be served but to serve not to say what have you done for me lately, but the saying Price Power, how can I serve you imagine what would happen if every church across the globe said I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires that ladies and gentlemen is what it means to be a church member I am a church member now. The question we will ask is simply this. Are you a Biblical church member?