Understanding Your Church

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I’d like to talk to you about a disease called “Morbus Sabbaticus.” Morbus Sabbaticus is rarely discussed in the major newspapers or on the Cable news networks but it is a disease that has reached far beyond epidemic proportions. It is because of it’s lack of symptoms at first, it just comes. It can be spread through a multiple number of avenues, in the air, close contact, it can even be acquired in the bathroom. Not to mention, hospitals, schools, all over. “Morbus Sabbaticus” is better known as “Sunday Sickness.” Here are it’s symptoms.

- It never lasts more than 10 hours, but usually clears up by noon or 1:00pm when the game starts

- It does not interfere with one’s appetite.

- It never affects the eyes. The Sunday newspaper can still be read with this disease

- No physician is ever called

- After a few attacks at weekly intervals, it may become chronic…even terminal.

- No symptoms are felt on Saturday, even into the wee hours of the night.

o But it hits like a ton of bricks about 8:30 or 9:00 am was one starts to get ready for church

o And usually after he has his breakfast as well.

- Usually after a hearty lunch, the patient is much better, as a matter of fact he usually has a renewed spirit and vigor and can sit and watch to 3 hour football games right and row and tackle is buddies all commercials.

- Now if there are Sunday evening services though, he will have another short relapse, but not tow worry, in only last about and hour to an hour and a half.

I say all this just to break the ice a little bit to help us to realize that often times we are not what God needs us to be, especially in this area of church membership and attendance.

Now it is true, you can’t take it or leave what I’m going to talk about this today, you can say that is not for me, but if you are honest, you are going to look at the verses that I will show, you will consider them, and I believe that you will come to the same conclusion that I have on this subject, and that generations of Christians have concurred with as well.

It is also a subject that makes people quit church all together, but they don’t want anyone telling them what to do, they don’t want to be tied down, or accountable at all.

The subject I want to talk about is Simply “Church Membership.”

I. What the Church is Not

People define church in many ways.

A. A Building

Some people think it is a building (a cathedral, or some place of worship).

Others think of a church as a denomination (a human organization) and speak of the “Catholic Church,” the “Presbyterian Church,” the “Baptist Church,” etc.

B. Universal

Some Christians conceive the “Church” as consisting of all born again believers in the world, a kind of “invisible, universal” church.

C. Perfect

Its not a Perfect Church,

I think that I shall never see

A Church that’s all it ought to be:

A Church whose members never stray

Beyond the Strait and Narrow Way

A Church that has no empty pews,

Whose Pastor never has the blues,

A Church whose Deacons always deak,

And none are proud and all are meek:

Where gossips never peddle lies,

Or make complaints or criticize;

Where all are always sweet and kind,

And all to other’s faults are blind.

Such perfect Churches there may be,

But none of them are known to me.

But still, we’ll work, and pray and plan,

To make our own the best we can.

II. What the Church Is

A. It is an institution that was established by God

Matthew 16:18 AV

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

1. It is an independent institution

2. It is a commissioned organization

B. The Church is an assembly

The word “church” (or “churches”) is found 114 times in the New Testament, and is translated from the Greek word “EKKLESIA.”

This word “ekklesia” means – “a company of people called out for a specific purpose.” It has its roots in the democracies of the Greek city-states, when the town crier would call out the citizens to a meeting to conduct business.

In Matthew 16:18, the Lord Jesus did not change the meaning of ekklesia, but He distinguished it from other assemblies of the day - in what way did he distinguish it?

Matthew 16:18 AV

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

with the personal pronoun “MY.” Thus, a New Testament church is the “Lord’s Assembly.”

Definition of a Church: A New Testament church is an organized assembly of baptized believers who band together for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission.

C. The Church is a living organism

It is always growing, changing – adjusting, adapting, but always faithful.

D. The Church is to be conducted in an orderly fashion

1. It has officers

Philippians 1:1 AV

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

The Bishops are synonymous with elders and pastors. We Baptist have taken a likening and continued with the title Pastor.

An elder is a person that is senior and wise.

A bishop is an overseer or has oversight.

A pastor is the undershepherd of the church - feeds, guides, and protects the sheep.

Acts 20:28 AV

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The other is the deacon which is a transliterated word from the Greek, which basically means a servant, and he is an official officer of the church that helps oversee the physical needs of the church and its members.

2. It has ordinances

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, those are for another study

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3. It makes decisions

Acts 6:1-5

Matthew 18:17–18 AV

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

4. It is to be financed

III. What are we to do?

A. Join it

Acts 2:47 AV

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1 Corinthians 12:18 AV

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Is it possible to be a Christian without joining a church:

- Yes, it is possible, but It is something like:

o A student who will not go to school

o A soldier who will not join the army

o A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote

o A salesman with no customers

o An explorer with no base camp’

o A seaman on a ship without a crew

o A businessman on a deserted island

o An author without readers

o A tuba player without a family

o A football player without a team

o A politician who is a hermit

o A scientist who does not share his findings

o A bee without a hive.

It is interesting to me that people often make the argument that no one ever joined the church in the Bible.

Do you know what Jews did as they traveled and moved in those days, they would find the local synagogue and register there, they would become members of that local synagogue, they made themselves accountable that place, they could have gone and floundered on their own, but they knew it was important.

There are none of us that are not citizens of a country. Why are we citizens, for protection, for self-preservation, to keep our culture, to seek the welfare of others within our country. What does it say of a person when they will not be a citizen of a country they are born into. They say it has but little value to me, to sacrifice for and pay my taxes to. I rather have a go of it on my own.

When Christians will not join a church, they are saying much the same thing. They are saying I don’t need it, I don’t care about it, I want to go and get what I can get out of it, but I’m not investing myself into it. That is not the attitude we ought to have.

B. Be Faithful to it

1 Corinthians 4:2 AV

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

C. Love it

Ephesians 5:25 AV

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

A question to ask yourself

If everyone in the church (from pastor down) was as committed to the church as I am, would it continue to thrive? Would as much ministry get done? Would as many people receive Christ? Would attendance on Sunday and Thursday nights increase or decrease? Would the church be as financially prepared to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth?

The fact is the church should be better with you in it. There is a place for you in the church. You can serve the Lord, but you must join, say count me in, and go forward for the Lord.

I don’t care if you have a 3 months left, six months left, a year left, or 10 years, you should join and identify yourself with a local body of believers and then get involved.