I Am A Church Member session 6

little book I am a church member. As of right now about a million and a half copies guide of use this book and churches and individual lies across the world. I'm grateful. But more than just a quantitative sales of this book. I have been so grateful for the number of people who have written me email me commented on blogs podcast giving me social media types of communication and said this book Revolution ask me now, that's not logging myself for talking about her. What a great book. I wrote it is more about talking about what a great church. Is giving us so many times that we want to focus on the flaws in the and the endless in the centers in the church and quite frankly the messy church that is made up of people just like me and you But I had two thousand years done to work in the church. We need to just rest this church membership is a gift and the last commitment is this I will treasure church membership as a gift. Remember how to give begins it begins to Salvation. We look in Ephesians 2 + vs 8 and 9 and I'll says these words to the church at Ephesus for your saved by grace through faith. And this is not from yourself. It is God's Gift not from work, so that no one can most. Okay, so we start off with the premise the doctor on trees that salvation is a gift. It's nothing that we can earn and then what happens as we have been given that gift that brings us back to 1st Corinthians 12, and we could read many different passages to this but one of the things that happens when we become a Overpriced we are thin part of the body of Christ manifest and our communities is local churches and Apostle. Paul says now you are the body of Christ an individual members of it and then it goes on to explain what those individual members are so we're given the gift of salvation. And then that gift of Salvation includes the fact that we are members of the body of Christ were members of what is often called The Universal Church, which are all believers, but we're also to be committed to the local church as well. Paul made it very clear as God inspired him to write to what local churches these were churches that knew you were a part of the church that knew who were participating who knew that that he knew what they were doing or not doing church as a car at than an emphasis in churches in galatia in the church at Philippi and the church at thessalonica and so on. These are churches that were local that you were part of membership as a gift. Salvation is a gift God when he gives us the gift of Salvation makes us members of the body of Christ. We begin to demonstrate Obedience of that membership by being affected members within a local church, then you put this all together and we go to Matthew 20 and we begin to see how God manifests as gift again and again, not only the gift of salvation but the gift of membership as well. Writing these words in the in the gospel of Matthew we here in verse 25 chapter 20 these words. Then the mother of zebedee's sons approached him with her saying she knelt down and asking for something. What do you want? He asked her, She said to him that these two sons a man makes it one of your ride in the other one you left in your kingdom Jesus answered. You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink we're able they said to him. He told him yes, indeed Drake my cup. I just sit at my right hand and left at mine to give incentives for those to whom it has been prepared for the father when the 10 disciples heard this they became indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called over them and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them and he's in a position to act as Terrance about them. It must not be like that among you on the contrary. Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant do ever wants to be first among you must be your slave. Just as a son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. We wrap this up by reminder that even though the mother of zebedee's sons got it wrong. It is not about what is given to you is it's about how you serve Jesus reminded them that you can't you just think you can drink this cup which is across but he reminded them. I came to be a servant. I came to be sacrificial. I came to give and that is what you should do as well church membership is an absolute gift salvation is an absolute gift. What do you do if your truly appreciative of a gift your Express gratitude and you treasure it you should look at the church at your part on that, but that's just as flaws and struggles and Missy people just like you you should look at your church as a gift that God is giving you where you can be a part. Of a revolution where you can make an incredible difference throughout the book. I have gone through I pledge that is to be made that again. The pledge is up to you. Your clients again is is whether or not you really want to be this revolutionary church member. I have not gone through each component of it because I just want to wrap it up and you can see the pledge of the end of the book we divided part time at the end of each each each of these chapters, but let's just wrap it up by looking at the pledge. I am a church member follow along with me in the book or just listen. I am a church member. I like the metaphor of membership is that membership is a Civic organization or Country Club Scout of membership given list in 1st Corinthians 12. Now, you are a body of Christ and individual members of it because I am the body of Christ. I must be a functioning member whether I'm an eye or ear or hand as a functioning member. I will give I will I will Minister I will evangelize I will steady I will seek to be a blessing to others. I'll remember that if one member suffers all the members suffer with it if my one members are all the men members Rejoice with it. I am a church member I will see to be a source of unity in the church. I know that there are no perfect Pastor staff are other church members could neither am I I will not be a source of Gossip our dissension. One of the greatest contributions I can do is all. All I can do in God's power to help the church in unity for the sake of the Gospel. I am a church member. I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires that is self-serving. I'm in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. My savior went to a cross for me I can deal with any kind of inconveniences in matters that are just not my preference or Style. I am a church member. I'll pray for my pastor everyday to work is never ending days are filled with constant demand for time with the need to prepare sermon with those who rejoice and birth with those were traveling to the Valley of the shadow of death with critics with a hurts and helps of others and with the need to be a husband and father my pastor cannot serve our church and its own power. I will pray for God's strength for him and his family every day. I'm at church member. I will leave my family to be good members of this church as well. We will pray together for our church. We will worship together in our church. We will serve together in our church and we will ask Christ help us fall deeper in love with his church because he gave his life for her. I am a church member this membership is a gift when I receive the free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. I became a part of the body of Christ as soon thereafter identified with a local body was baptized and now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church pray that I will never take membership for granted, but see it is a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person remember I am a church member and I thank God that I am. More than enjoying a book. I hope you've seen the biblical truths that we tried to eliminate this book more than go through a steady. I hope that you have heard the encouragement even admonition to be a part of a revolution. God has worked in churches for 2,000 years plus and he will continue to work and our churches till he comes again. It is my prayer that you put aside all the pettiness all the distractions and focus on what God can do through you to be a revolutionary church member and maybe I should have gone through this study and you've looked at the passages of scripture that we have highlighted you see it to I am a church member and I thank God that I am a pairs with you as you take a next step toward commitment as you taking next step 2 Revolution 2D and the church member died has called you to be