Church Matters
Pastor Chad A. Miller
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 31:18
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· 41 viewsLocal Church Membership is not a formality, it is a means by which we have publicly committed to a specific group of believers, a vow to be a part of God’s family in a local area, an agreement to accountability, a pledge to be directly involved in God’s work of the Great Commission! We’ll focus on membership & service in and through the church.
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REFLECTION: 1 Peter 4:7-11
SERMON: Ephesians 5:15-21
BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 9:8
This is a critical hour for humanity.
It is either the day of salvation or the day of judgement based on what men and women and boys and girls are doing with JESUS during this hour of worship across our great city, state, nation…for the gathered church around the world.
For approximately 155,000, today will be the day of glorification or condemnation as they enter eternity having drawn their last breath here on earth.
This is a pivotal moment for the CHURCH of the LORD Jesus Christ. I’m speaking of the big “C” church now - that means EVERYONE who has been washed in the blood of our precious LORD Jesus Christ.
“Being a Christian is more fundamental to your identity than your family, your ethnicity, your profession, your nationality, your sexuality, your personality — or any other way this world defines identity. And so the unity you share with every Christian supersedes every other bond. That means that wherever gospel people exist, diversity should as well. Diversity grows naturally from the gospel.”
-Dunlop (Compelling Community, pp69-70)
THIS IS THE HOUR FOR US TO BE ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS -
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
And for those of us who are in CHRIST - there is great encouragement from God’s Word - we are not alone!
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
God has placed us into the global church…yes! But our “one anothers” don’t happen there - they happen at the local church level.
God has placed us into the global church…yes! But our “one anothers” don’t happen there - they happen at the local church level.
The Bible uses “one another” language in the New Testament to describe the local, gathered, covenant group of believers.
We Are Family!
We Are Family!
It’s a family - there is a lot of “familial” language in the New Testament
18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
1 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
We are a family - not a cultural institution!
2. We are a BODY!
2. We are a BODY!
The body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
We are a body - not a business.
3. We are a FELLOWSHIP
3. We are a FELLOWSHIP
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
A Fellowship - not a club.
4. We are a FLOCK
4. We are a FLOCK
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
We are a flock; cared for and led by shepherds…all submitting to the Good Shepherd.
When the LORD Jesus Christ radically saved you, transformed your life, and transferred you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His marvelous life…he brought you OUT of the WORLD and INTO the CHURCH.
There are some clear “next-steps” for those who profess to know the LORD as Savior.
as you’re submitting to His way, you will make it public by baptism. Have you done that?
you aren’t baptized by the UNIVERSAL CHURCH (Big “C”), but by a local church - one that is shepherding you on your discipleship pathway. YOU BECOME AN ACTIVE ENGAGED COVENANT MEMBER OF A LOCAL CHURCH.
A FAMILY that loves and cares about you
A BODY that multiplies your joys and helps divide your sorrows
A FELLOWSHIP that longs for one another to succeed as disciple-making disciples for the glory of God
Isn’t just like our loving, merciful, gracious Heavenly Father to set it up so that we are not alone.
With the original creation - when God created Adam - he said it is not good for man to be alone.
Jesus didn’t call 1 person to walk with Him, he called a myriad of disciples. 12 stayed close. 500 saw him after the resurrection.
When the New Testament, Post-Resurrection Church was taking shape in Jersualem - people were added to ONE ANOTHER daily!
When the LORD said, He will never ever leave us nor forsake us - part of His wonderful means of grace to that end is this glorious IMperfect local church. Grace Covenant Church is a part of God’s will for your sanctification:
you that are seated in this place right now.
you that are watching right now online...
what a GOOD, LOVING, GRACIOUS gift from the LORD this place is.
BUT CHURCH IS NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING.
Church is not just CONTENT TO CONSUME. It isn’t a PRODUCT TO EVALUATE.
IT IS A COMMUNITY TO
ENGAGE WITH…
TO PARTICIPATE IN
TO SERVE ALONGSIDE
Membership / Formalizing a Covenant with a local body is all throughout the New Testament as I’ve already indicated with a handful of verses.
Local Church Membership is not merely a formality,
it is a means by which we have publicly committed to a specific group of believers,
a vow to be a part of God’s family in a local area, an agreement to accountability,
a pledge to be directly involved in God’s work of the Great Commission!
When we look back at our text we see that we are:
LOOKING OUT FOR HOW WE’RE WALKING TOGETHER (v15)
ENDEAVOR TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER - WISELY (v16)
WE STRIVE TO REJECT THE FOOLISH WORLDVIEWS OF POLITICS AND CULTURE AND AMERICAN SYNCRETISM AND FOLK THEOLOGY - THAT WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WILL OF THE LORD IS.
WE STAY SOBER AND FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS SO THAT WE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (V17) So that when we come together we can
(V19) SPEAK LIFE TO AND THE WORD OF GOD TO ONE ANOTHER
SINGING
WITH A SONG IN OUR HEARTS!
(V20) GIVING THANKS TO THE FATHER AS WE GATHER
LIFTING UP THE NAME OF JESUS
(21) SUBMITTING TO ONE ANOTHER…BECAUSE WE HONOR CHRIST AS HOLY!
IN COVENANT TOGETHER MEANS THERE IS UNITY. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER…ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS TOGETHER.
LOCAL CHURCH UNITY IS NOT...
Not business-place unity around a mission statement.
Not uniformity.
Not consensus on ALL MATTERS.
LOCAL CHURCH UNITY IS...
a people absolutely agree on the essentials
ESSENTIALS:
About God - His supremacy, the trinity
About Jesus - God’s son / equal with God the Father.
About the Holy Spirit - his role to convict and control
About the Bible - God’s Word…infallible, inerrant, inspired, indispensable
About Human Beings - made in God’s image, human dignity
About Salvation - a necessity for all mankind to glorify God on His terms
and bring him pleasure.
About Our Security in Christ - sealed until the day of redemption
About Eternity - Heaven and Hell are real, eternal places
AFTER WE UNDERSTAND THE ESSENTIAL BELIEFS THAT DEFINE US AND THE DISTINCTIVES THAT UNITE US...
WE COMMIT TO MATURE TOGETHER…That’s what our covenant is:
We make personal, relational, and missional commitments to one another when we UNITE in membership.
PERSONAL
To love and to pray for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ;
To engage regularly in personal Bible reading and prayer, and to establish family devotions where possible;
To bring up such children as may be entrusted to our care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;
To walk circumspectly in the world, to provide things honest in the sight of all men, to be faithful in engagements, exemplary in conduct, denying ungodliness and worldly lust;
To walk circumspectly in the world, to provide things honest in the sight of all men, to be faithful in engagements, exemplary in conduct, denying ungodliness and worldly lust;
To endeavor by example by work, and by prayer, to win others to an acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord;
To purpose that when we remove ourselves from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with some other church, where we can carry out the spirit of this Covenant and the principles of God's word.
RELATIONAL
To walk together in Christian love;
To pray with and for one another, sharing our burdens, sorrows, and joys;
To be thoughtful and courteous to one another, to be slow to take offense, and to be quick to forgive and to seek forgiveness;
To guard the spiritual and Scriptural purity, peace, prosperity of the Church, and to promote its usefulness as a witness to the saving grace of God and Christ Jesus;
MISSIONAL
To assist, through the gifts of the Spirit, in the work of the Church and to promote its usefulness as a witness to the saving grace of God and Christ Jesus;
To contribute, as the Lord directs, to the financial support of the Church, the relief of the needy, and evangelism of all people;
So what is your next step?
SALVATION
Some of us need to make a step toward Jesus. We need to stop saying NO to GOD by running our own lives our way as if we were King and submit to His rule and way. Is that you?
- Pray right now - talk to God and like we teach our children - you can say SORRY - THANK YOU - and PLEASE
BAPTISM
I mentioned that too. If you are following the Lord Jesus Christ now, follow Him in baptism if you haven’t since you have been saved - confessed Him as Lord and Savior. Got questions? We’ve got answers…let’s talk.
(ONLINE - YOU CAN START WITH OUR BAPTISM PAGE)
MEMBERSHIP
If you’re a regular attender that hasn’t yet crossed the line into a covenant membership - let’s do it! We’re getting together a class to help you explore church membership and discover Grace Covenant. That’s coming in February.
RESPONSIBILITIES / OPPORTUNITIES
As we look over our Covenant, all of us…you’ll find these are reasonable expectations - of Biblical Christianity.
take time to pray through them
ask the LORD to help you in areas of discipline personally, relationally, missionally where you lack (we all have areas that need grace and discipline).
For our takeaway this morning related to BEING ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS...
LET ME TOUCH THE OBVIOUS - THEN I’LL GIVE YOU SOME POINTS TO ENGAGE
It is very difficult to say that you’re “all in”…and that church is more than just content to consume, or a place for you to shine - if you’re not faithful in your financial support .
I THANK THE LORD for so many of you who have remained so faithful for so many years.
There are some of you in this room who have been attending for years - and recently begun giving financially. Thank you!
There are still some in the room who simply are not faithful in their giving. Why not start today? Why not on the 15th…start with something?
Biblical giving is faithful, generous, and at times sacrificial - the amounts may look differently for each income-earner in this room or watching online - but the behavior of the faithful Christian in impoverished nations and wealthy nations alike is a posture of generous, faithful, and at times, sacrificial giving.
THAT’S NOT THE ONLY AREA OF SERVICE…Look at the other way that we Serve! WE use our gifts, our talents, our passions, our “elbow grease” to serve IN and THROUGH the Church.
(We’ll talk about reaching outside the church in the next 2 weeks: About Our Father’s Business in our Community AND in the WORLD)
A unified church…one honoring the Lord and submitting to one another is one where the members are VISIBLY ENGAGED IN SERVING one another, too!
WE engage in serving IN WAYS THAT FOSTER Unity and GROWTH
humility, gentleness
patience, putting up with one another in love
(AND THOSE REQUIRE)
sacrificing
giving
forgiving
“Unity is a given, but staying unified takes work.”
I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO REMAIN FOR JUST A FEW MOMENTS AFTER THE SERVICE...
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND YOU IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS.
OUR NURSERY TEAM (That cares for some of our most precious assets as a family.)
OUR WELCOME TEAM
Parking Lot
More Greeters to Welcome our Guests and Members
OUR MISSIONS TEAM
OUR BUILDING & GROUNDS TEAM
YARD MAINTENANCE
PROJECT GUIDANCE TEAM
A/V TEAM
AUDIO / IMAG
STREAMING
HOSTS TO MONITOR THE CHAT AND ENGAGE OUR GUESTS
PRODUCERS (THAT WILL OPERATE OUR THE SYSTEM AND “DIRECT” THE STREAM)
WORSHIP TEAM
Instrumentalists, Vocalist
IT’S ONE THING TO KNOW YOU NEED TO TAKE A STEP OF FAITH…IT’S ANOTHER THING ENTIRELY TO PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
WILL YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP TODAY TO BE ABOUT OUT FATHER’S BUSINESS?
let’s pray
let’s pray