1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:03,500 And this morning we are excited. Pastor Jake, and I are excited 2 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:06,300 to begin a new series. Pastor J can and are actually 3 00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:08,800 away this weekend for a marriage or cheat. 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,500 They, they they were able to get away for the weekend and so 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,400 we're glad that they were able to get away and have a weekend 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,700 of relaxation, but we were very excited to begin a new six-part 7 00:00:17,700 --> 00:00:21,000 series on what it means to be a church member. 8 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,700 And so we are going to dive into what it truly means to be a part 9 00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:28,800 of the body of Christ. And we will be following an 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,900 outline of a book written. In by Tom S Rainer called. 11 00:00:32,900 --> 00:00:37,800 I am a church member discovering the attitude, that makes the 12 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,000 difference. And as we begin this morning and 13 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:47,300 we think about membership, I thought this week of my hometown 14 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:49,900 Sterling Alberta, this is where I grew up. 15 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:53,400 It was actually a village, a village of Stirling Alberta 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:54,700 there. Was so few people that it 17 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:56,700 actually was a village. It's actually the largest 18 00:00:56,700 --> 00:01:00,100 population Village by population in the province of Alberta. 19 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,000 And this is a picture of the place. 20 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,500 I love to go. The most the, the community 21 00:01:06,500 --> 00:01:09,300 pool. We did not have a lot in our 22 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:13,400 town, one convenience store, One Church, which was a Mormon 23 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:18,700 church and one school and one post office, if we didn't have a 24 00:01:18,700 --> 00:01:22,800 lot, but we had a pool and it was only open for about two 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,000 months of the year, but we enjoyed that pool. 26 00:01:26,900 --> 00:01:30,000 And for $1, you could get into this pool. 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,700 And that would give you access to everything that the pool had 28 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:34,400 to offer. You could go in there were 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,900 change rooms, there was a hot tub. 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,700 There was a pool that had a shallow end, it had a deep end, 31 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:43,700 you could enjoy the to the toys and and all the things that they 32 00:01:43,700 --> 00:01:46,600 had the life jackets and the diving board. 33 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,600 And, and you could even take swimming lessons there, for an 34 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,400 extra cost. All for a dollar, you could get 35 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,300 in and it was close enough to our home that we could walk or 36 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:56,900 bike. And so we went there often in 37 00:01:56,900 --> 00:01:59,400 the summer time and I enjoyed going there with my family, and 38 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,000 with my friends, And it was a highlight of my summer but all I 39 00:02:04,008 --> 00:02:08,100 had to do was give the Looney and it gave me access to 40 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:09,699 everything the pool had to offer. 41 00:02:10,100 --> 00:02:11,800 I didn't have to do anything else. 42 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,900 I didn't have to clean the floors, I didn't have to repaint 43 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:17,000 the walls. I didn't have to organize the 44 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,800 calendar of events. I didn't have to be a lifeguard. 45 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,500 I didn't have to clean up all the toys. 46 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:25,200 When I left, I didn't have to check the pH levels of the pool, 47 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:26,800 to make sure everything was safe. 48 00:02:27,300 --> 00:02:30,100 I just give my dollar and I enjoy. 49 00:02:32,100 --> 00:02:36,500 Sadly, this is how many people view membership in the church 50 00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:40,400 today. You pay your dues and you get 51 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,900 the perks you get to decide. Hey, I don't like this is how I 52 00:02:44,908 --> 00:02:47,100 want you to preach. This is the sort of music. 53 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:49,100 I want you to sing. These are the sorts of the 54 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:50,200 things. I want you to teach in the 55 00:02:50,208 --> 00:02:52,100 classes. I want you to offer, we get to 56 00:02:52,108 --> 00:02:55,500 decide what sorts of things the church does because I'm a paying 57 00:02:55,500 --> 00:02:58,300 member. And this makes sense to us 58 00:02:58,300 --> 00:03:00,000 because we do almost everything in life. 59 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,300 Like this, we pay membership fees and we pay membership dues 60 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:07,000 to different organizations. We pay subscription fees and we 61 00:03:07,100 --> 00:03:10,100 give money in exchange for goods and services. 62 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:13,000 And if I don't get the quality of the product that I liked, and 63 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,100 I give it back or I get my money back. 64 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,100 And sadly this sort of mentality Finds Its way into the church. 65 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:23,700 And what we're actually going to see is that the church is quite 66 00:03:23,700 --> 00:03:28,600 different from this. In his book, Tom Rainer, says, 67 00:03:28,700 --> 00:03:31,300 for these sorts of people who think of church this way for 68 00:03:31,300 --> 00:03:34,800 them, membership is about receiving instead of giving 69 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,700 being served instead of serving rights instead of 70 00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:41,400 responsibilities and entitlements. 71 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,700 Instead of sacrifices as we are going to see over the course of 72 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:50,700 this six part Series, this is not biblical membership as God, 73 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:55,200 designed for the church. But before we dive in, we must 74 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,700 ask the question. What is church membership? 75 00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:01,600 What does it mean to be a part of a church? 76 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Jonathan Lehman Explains It. Well, church membership is a 77 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,000 formal relationship between a local church and a Christian 78 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,900 characterized by the church's affirmation and oversight of a 79 00:04:13,908 --> 00:04:18,300 Christians discipleship and the Christian submission, to living 80 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:21,300 out his, or her discipleship, in the care of the church. 81 00:04:22,300 --> 00:04:24,900 The church body. As to the individual, we 82 00:04:24,900 --> 00:04:29,300 recognize your profession of Faith, baptism and discipleship 83 00:04:29,300 --> 00:04:33,600 to Christ as valid. Therefore we publicly affirm and 84 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,800 acknowledge you before the nation's as belonging to Christ 85 00:04:36,900 --> 00:04:40,700 and we extend the oversight of our fellowship. 86 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:46,400 Principally the individual says to the church body insofar as I 87 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,100 recognized you as Faith a faithful gospel. 88 00:04:49,100 --> 00:04:53,800 Declaring church I submit my presence and my I will ship to 89 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:58,500 your love and oversight. What we see here is that church 90 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:03,600 membership is a mutual relationship between the church 91 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:05,700 and its members. Mm. 92 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:09,700 You a mutual relationship of surrender and submission. 93 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:12,800 This is not some sort of contract or obligation. 94 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,400 I was reading this week of of an article where someone was 95 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,700 talking about reasons, you shouldn't sign a church 96 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:21,800 covenant, you should never sign your your rights and your 97 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,600 responsibilities away. In this sense that the church is 98 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,100 now a dictate over. You in any authoritative sense, 99 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:31,300 when you give your membership to a church, you do so voluntarily 100 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:35,300 and then you have the right to remove your membership. 101 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:38,500 At any time. You choose likewise the church 102 00:05:38,500 --> 00:05:42,900 accept you as a member but should you become unrepentant in 103 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:45,300 your sin at any point? The church then exercises the 104 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:49,100 right of discipline and has the right to revoke your membership 105 00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:52,700 at some point if you are not adhering to their guidelines and 106 00:05:52,700 --> 00:05:56,400 principles but it is a mutual relationship where two people. 107 00:05:56,500 --> 00:06:00,800 People are agreeing together. The second question, we need to 108 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,900 ask ourselves that is what church membership is is church 109 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:09,300 membership biblical. Membership is never explicitly 110 00:06:09,300 --> 00:06:11,900 commanded in scripture. So we're never told you must 111 00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:15,300 become a member of a church and so we were right to question 112 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:17,000 whether this is a Biblical model. 113 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,300 And it is true. The Bible never never explicitly 114 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:24,400 commands it yet. As we look at the overarching 115 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,700 theme of the Bible, it is a Biblical concept. 116 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:31,200 I'll have a few reasons that I want to just shed forth before 117 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,300 we really dive into this whole topic. 118 00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:37,300 The first reason that that membership is biblical is if we 119 00:06:37,308 --> 00:06:40,900 go back to the Old Testament, God sets forth, his rules for 120 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:43,800 his people. And when he instituted the 121 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,400 rules, for the Passover, for instance, and many other rules, 122 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,800 but in Exodus chapter 12, Of God, institute's the rules for 123 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,800 Passover and he says, no Foreigner shall eat of it. 124 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:57,300 He says, in chapter 12, verse 48, if a stranger shall sojourn 125 00:06:57,300 --> 00:07:00,100 with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all 126 00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,500 his mails be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep 127 00:07:03,500 --> 00:07:07,200 it, he shall be as a native of the land, but no Arc 128 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,300 uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 129 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:14,100 There's a distinction between God's people in the world. 130 00:07:15,100 --> 00:07:18,000 That makes sense in the context of some sort of membership. 131 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,300 There's something you have to do to become a committed member of 132 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:24,600 this community. So we see, we see that 133 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,000 membership is a practical example. 134 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,800 In that, instance, in the Old Testament, a second reason is in 135 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,300 Acts chapter 2, we find the Believers gathering together in 136 00:07:33,300 --> 00:07:36,300 one place, and after the coming of the spirit and Peter's 137 00:07:36,500 --> 00:07:41,700 sermon, we read in Acts 2:41. So those who received his word 138 00:07:41,700 --> 00:07:44,400 were baptized, and there were added that day. 139 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:49,400 About three thousand souls and in verse 47 and the Lord added 140 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,900 to their number day by day. Those who were being saved. 141 00:07:52,900 --> 00:07:56,100 What do we see here? We see a record being kept of 142 00:07:56,100 --> 00:07:58,800 those who are baptized and those who are becoming members of the 143 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,000 church. We see the biblical foundation 144 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,800 in principle of membership. They would have needed to know, 145 00:08:05,900 --> 00:08:07,500 what is your profession of Faith. 146 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,000 Your baptism. And then you are now received 147 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,600 into the, the member of the church. 148 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,400 They are keeping records of the people that are becoming members 149 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,300 A third reason, that we the bib membership is a Biblical concept 150 00:08:19,300 --> 00:08:22,000 is in the book of 1st Corinthians, Paul writing to the 151 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,800 Corinthians as addressing sin in a young man or a man who's 152 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:30,200 sexually immoral. And in chapter 5 verse 20, Paul 153 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,900 says to them, let him, who has done this be removed from among 154 00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:38,799 you, well, in order to remove him, he had to have been a part 155 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:40,799 of the community of Believers at some point. 156 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:42,799 And so this is laying the ground. 157 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:45,400 The foundation for us of biblical membership, he was a 158 00:08:45,500 --> 00:08:49,500 Part of the community and he now was being pushed out. 159 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:55,200 A fourth reason that membership is a Biblical concept is when we 160 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,400 think of when we consider all the teaching of the New 161 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,000 Testament, it only makes sense in the context of a group of 162 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:07,100 people who are committed to one another, in a formal Union, when 163 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:09,600 Paul would go to these different cities, he would preach the 164 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,000 gospel. People would come to know Christ 165 00:09:11,008 --> 00:09:15,200 and he would form a church in, in that church, he would set up 166 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,200 leaders and Leadership structures. 167 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,900 And then he would command the people love one. 168 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:23,400 Another. Another rebuke, one another be 169 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,600 patient with one another don't forsake gathering together. 170 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:30,600 All of these commands, only make sense in the context of a group 171 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,900 of people that are committed and covenanted together and those 172 00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:38,400 leaders can only exercise oversight over the people that 173 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,300 they know these are people of my flock, these are the people of 174 00:09:42,300 --> 00:09:45,700 my church and I need to exercise oversight over them. 175 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:49,900 So you needed to know. Well again, I was as we consider 176 00:09:49,900 --> 00:09:52,700 these cities that Paul was I knew there was a lot of idolatry 177 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:55,800 and false worship, right? And so there needed to be a 178 00:09:55,808 --> 00:09:58,200 distinction between, you are separating yourself from that 179 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,400 former life, and now you are adhering to our beliefs and our 180 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,300 being welcomed into this community. 181 00:10:04,500 --> 00:10:07,500 So, while biblical meant bought while the Bible doesn't 182 00:10:07,500 --> 00:10:10,700 explicitly, say You must become a member of a church, we see the 183 00:10:10,700 --> 00:10:14,200 principal over and over and over again in all of scripture, that 184 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,500 membership is a Biblical concept. 185 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,100 And besides all that we think about, we think about the 186 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:24,100 historical church church membership has been practiced 187 00:10:24,100 --> 00:10:26,100 practiced, all through the history of the church. 188 00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:30,300 And so, for all these reasons, we can be sure that membership 189 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:34,300 is a Biblical concept. When we become members of a 190 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:39,200 church, we are committing to a body of Believers for our own 191 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,200 personal, spiritual growth for the personal, spiritual growth 192 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:47,000 of others to bring glory to God as we become equipped to go out 193 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,500 and share the Message of Salvation with the world. 194 00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:54,400 So now that we've seen a basic definition of church membership 195 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,000 and we've seen that, it is a Biblical concept. 196 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,000 We are now going to learn and start to dive into what it means 197 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:05,200 to be a Biblical member. The first title of Tom Reiner's 198 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:11,100 book is called, I will be a functioning church member the 199 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:14,900 main focus of this chapter and this sermon is going to be that. 200 00:11:14,900 --> 00:11:19,300 True biblical membership means we are actively involved in 201 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:22,200 order to see this, please turn with me in your Bibles to First 202 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,000 Corinthians chapter, 12, and will be reading from verse 12. 203 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:31,300 All the way through 31 First Corinthians chapter 12, Verses 204 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:37,600 12 through 31. For just as the body is one, and 205 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,100 has many members and all the members of the body though, many 206 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:46,200 are one body so it is with Christ for in one Spirit. 207 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:50,900 We were all baptized into one, body Jews or Greeks slaves, or 208 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:55,400 free and all were made to drink of one spirit for the body. 209 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,200 Does not consist of one member, but of many, if the foot should 210 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,300 say because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body that 211 00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:04,400 would not make it any less. A Of the body. 212 00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:07,200 And if the ear should say because I am not an eye, I do 213 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,300 not belong to the body that would not make it any less a 214 00:12:10,300 --> 00:12:14,100 part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, 215 00:12:14,100 --> 00:12:15,700 where would the sense of hearing? 216 00:12:16,100 --> 00:12:18,500 If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of? 217 00:12:18,700 --> 00:12:20,200 Where would be the sense of smell? 218 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:25,900 But as it is, God has arranged the members in the body. 219 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,800 Each one of them, is he chose if all were a single-member where 220 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:34,000 would the body be as it is? There are many parts yet one 221 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,100 body, The eye cannot say to the hand. 222 00:12:37,100 --> 00:12:39,800 I have no need of you nor again the head to the feet. 223 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,900 I have no need of you. On the contrary the parts of the 224 00:12:42,900 --> 00:12:46,700 body that seem to be weaker are indispensable in on those parts 225 00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:50,000 of the body that we think less honorable we bespoke bestow the 226 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,300 greater honor and our unpresentable parts are treated 227 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:59,200 with greater modesty. Which are more presentable 228 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:00,800 parts. Do not require. 229 00:13:01,900 --> 00:13:05,100 But God is so composed, the body giving greater honor to the part 230 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:08,200 that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but 231 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,000 that the members may have the same care for one another. 232 00:13:11,300 --> 00:13:15,500 If one member suffers all suffer together, if one member is 233 00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:20,200 honored all Rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ 234 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,300 and individually members of it and God has appointed in the 235 00:13:23,300 --> 00:13:27,800 church first apostles, second prophets third teachers, then 236 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,800 Miracles, then Gifts of healing helping. 237 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:36,700 And various kinds of tongues are all Apostles, are all prophets 238 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:39,300 are all teachers. Do all work miracles. 239 00:13:39,300 --> 00:13:43,200 Do all possess Gifts of healing. Do all speak with tongues do all 240 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:47,400 interpret. But earnestly desire, the higher 241 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,400 gifts. The first thing that we need to 242 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:55,500 understand about membership. Is that membership means we are 243 00:13:55,500 --> 00:14:00,600 all necessary parts of the whole In this passage, Paul is 244 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,800 explaining how the church is like a body in verse 12 through 245 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,100 13. He says, for just as the body is 246 00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:09,800 one and has many members and all the members of the body though, 247 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:15,100 many are one body so it is with Christ for in one Spirit. 248 00:14:15,100 --> 00:14:18,800 We were all baptized into one, body Jews or Greeks, slaves are 249 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,000 free and all were made to drink of one. 250 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,200 Spirit the unity that we have in the spirit brings us together as 251 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,500 one body in the same way that each every one of you is 252 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:30,700 composed of One body, but many parts. 253 00:14:30,900 --> 00:14:34,700 So as a church we are one body but many parts. 254 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaking about this. Tom Rainer says, do you get the 255 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,200 difference members of a church comprise? 256 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,100 The whole and are essential parts of it. 257 00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:48,800 The Apostle Paul would carry the body metaphor further and 258 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,400 explain that members are individual parts of the body. 259 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:55,900 Some, our eyes others are ears. Some our feet still others are 260 00:14:55,908 --> 00:14:58,600 hands. That is why he concludes for 261 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,100 just as the body is one, and has many members and all the members 262 00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:05,800 of the body though, many are one body so it is with great. 263 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,300 Christ. As a part of the body of Christ, 264 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:15,200 each one of you is necessary. And if you don't think you are, 265 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,200 Paul goes on to say in verses 15 and 16. 266 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,200 If the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I do not belong 267 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:24,500 to the body that would not make it any less a part of the body. 268 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:26,600 And if the ear should say because I am not an eye, I do 269 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,900 not belong to the body that would not make it any less, a 270 00:15:28,908 --> 00:15:32,800 part of the body, if you are in Christ, what Paul is saying, is, 271 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,300 if you're in Christ, it doesn't matter. 272 00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:36,800 Whether you think you're a part of the body or not, you are a 273 00:15:36,808 --> 00:15:41,100 part of the body. And even if someone else doesn't 274 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,100 think you're a part of the body that doesn't make you any less 275 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:46,000 part of the body either. He says, in verse 21, the eye 276 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,100 cannot say to the hand. I have no need of you nor again, 277 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:51,200 the head to the feet. I have no need of you. 278 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:56,000 Our bodies cannot reject one another and say, I don't need 279 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,700 you and likewise. It is in the church. 280 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,800 We need each other and you don't get to say. 281 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,700 I don't have a need for you. I don't need anybody else in my 282 00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:04,200 life. I can do this on my own. 283 00:16:04,300 --> 00:16:07,400 No, you can. We need each other. 284 00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:11,800 We are all necessary. If we have placed our faith in 285 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,500 Jesus Christ, we are one of his children. 286 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:18,400 We are one of his people. We are a part of the body of 287 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,400 Christ. We are members of his church and 288 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,700 as such each, each and everyone of us is a necessary part of the 289 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:29,100 whole The second thing that we need to understand about 290 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:32,000 membership, is that membership means we are different but we 291 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,000 still work together. When we think of a body, there 292 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,000 are many different parts but they all work together for the 293 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,400 good of the body and even the most insignificant tasks can 294 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,500 prove this. Let's just imagine that I'm 295 00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:48,100 working on a hot day. I know some of you are laughing 296 00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:48,800 as you. Like, you don't work. 297 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:52,500 You just sit in an office. One day, one day I used to work 298 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:56,100 and I used to be a roofer and it got real hot and what happens on 299 00:16:56,100 --> 00:16:59,200 a hot day is that our bodies realize they need water. 300 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,400 We need water to survive, so think of what your body then 301 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,599 starts to do my brain. There's Alarm Bell in my brain 302 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:09,599 that says Joe, you need water and my brain begins to think, 303 00:17:10,099 --> 00:17:13,200 where do I find water? Where do I get water? 304 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,500 And then it communicates to my muscles and my and my and my 305 00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:19,099 legs, and my ligaments, and all of my body functions together 306 00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:21,099 and says, oh, here's a bottle of water. 307 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:24,300 I will take a drink from this bottle of water and then all of 308 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:27,800 my body parts have to function together to twist the cap, to 309 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,600 open the lid, to put it to my mouth, to drink it. 310 00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:34,100 And then, when it goes in my body, my body begins to use it. 311 00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:37,300 Tributing the nerd, the nutrients and the oxygen to all 312 00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:41,600 the different parts of my body. And it regulates my body 313 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,600 temperature. It lubricates my joints, and all 314 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,800 these things are just scratching the surface of how complicated 315 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,800 and intricate your body is with something as simple as taking a 316 00:17:51,808 --> 00:17:57,500 drink of water. So it is with the church. 317 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,200 We are all specifically given functions and gifts, and talents 318 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:07,100 and abilities to use for the good of God's Church. 319 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,100 We work together to build one another up. 320 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,600 All of these parts in your body working together for the good of 321 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:19,300 your body. And we're all different for a 322 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:21,500 very specific reason, think of all the different parts of your 323 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:24,400 body. They all have a specific 324 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,100 function and so, it is with the body. 325 00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:28,800 Paul says, if the whole body were an eye, where would be the 326 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,600 sense of hearing, if the whole body were an ear, where would be 327 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,700 the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the 328 00:18:34,700 --> 00:18:39,000 members in the body, each one of them, as he chose, if all were a 329 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,800 single-member where would the body be? 330 00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:43,100 And as it is, there are many parts. 331 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:48,000 Yet one body all the different parts of your body function 332 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,600 together for your good and in the church, each one of us has a 333 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:55,000 specific function and a specific role for the good, and the up 334 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,000 building and the building up of the church, the church as a 335 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:03,000 whole And we don't all have the same function, we have different 336 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,400 abilities. So what does this mean? 337 00:19:05,500 --> 00:19:08,500 This means if you're not serving the church then the body is 338 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:11,200 suffering. As we think back to the 339 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,000 illustration of me, getting a drink of water, imagine that any 340 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,200 part of my body refuses to now, help me get a drink of water. 341 00:19:17,300 --> 00:19:20,300 My arm says, no, I'm not, I'm not helping you, or maybe my leg 342 00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:23,400 is broken or maybe my stomach can't keep liquids down, or 343 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,900 maybe my body doesn't take take that water and regulate my body 344 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:28,300 temperature of any part of my body. 345 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:31,500 Then says, I am not going to Look too good for together, for 346 00:19:31,500 --> 00:19:33,700 the good of this body, then I'm in trouble. 347 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:40,000 And so it is in the church because you have, because you're 348 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,400 necessary because you're different, but you still need to 349 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,100 work together for the good of the whole. 350 00:19:45,300 --> 00:19:49,500 If you're not functioning, the church is suffering, the church 351 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:51,500 is missing something that it needs. 352 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,900 Rainer says with a country club membership. 353 00:19:56,900 --> 00:19:59,100 You pay others to do the work for you. 354 00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:03,000 With church membership everyone has a role or function that is 355 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,100 why some are hands feet eyes or ears. 356 00:20:06,100 --> 00:20:10,300 We are all different but we are necessary parts of the whole. 357 00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:16,300 We build one another up. We also support one another, we 358 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:20,000 share in life's experiences, disappointments, failures and 359 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,200 successes First Corinthians. 12 verse 26 says, if one member 360 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:29,200 suffers all suffer together, if one member is honored all 361 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,400 Rejoice together, as we think about our body, this makes 362 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,100 sense, right? If I hurt my arm, or if I get a 363 00:20:35,108 --> 00:20:38,500 cut, or if I sprained my ankle, my whole body, then begins to 364 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:40,700 work together to remedy the situation. 365 00:20:41,700 --> 00:20:45,100 But if I hurt my arm, my other arm comes over and holds it. 366 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:48,200 And I winced and I feel the pain in my body and then my brain 367 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,400 immediately goes, I need to find a Band-Aid. 368 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:51,700 I need to find someone to help me. 369 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,400 I need to drive to the Hospital. I need to find a way to fix 370 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,400 this. And then, even your internal 371 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,900 organs, your cells begin to work together and your cells clot the 372 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,600 clot, the blood. So that you don't bleed out in 373 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,400 all of the follow, all the parts of your body working together to 374 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,100 heal. This is how it needs to be in 375 00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:11,000 the church. When one member suffers. 376 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,800 When one member is struggling, we all need to help them. 377 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,200 We all need to work together for their good. 378 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,600 Why? Because if they're not at their 379 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:25,400 best, then neither are we, if they're suffering, then they're 380 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,600 they're not able to give the body what it needs. 381 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,200 And so we need to tend to them so that they can help others. 382 00:21:31,700 --> 00:21:34,700 We work together for the good of the whole body. 383 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,400 So far we've seen that membership means we are all 384 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,300 necessary parts of the whole. We are all different but we 385 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:49,200 still work together for the good of the whole body. 386 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,900 And next we see that membership means that everything we say and 387 00:21:52,900 --> 00:21:57,800 do is based on a Biblical foundation for love the local 388 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,600 Foundation of love. Most of us will be familiar with 389 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,100 the love chapter. First, Corinthians 13. 390 00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:08,600 And it's commonly used at Weddings, But as Rainer says, 391 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:11,400 while there's nothing wrong with using the love chapter. 392 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,700 In these contexts, its original meeting was to demonstrate how 393 00:22:15,700 --> 00:22:20,100 church members relate to one another in First Corinthians 394 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:22,900 chapter 12. Paul says, here's what spiritual 395 00:22:22,900 --> 00:22:25,500 gifts you guys have. You guys need to use them in 396 00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:28,100 service to one another in the body of Christ. 397 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,600 And then he goes on to say, in Chapter 13, this This is the 398 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,200 motivation you ought to have the reason you do this is because of 399 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:39,700 love. The reason we exercise our gifts 400 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:45,300 is because of love. First Corinthians 13, verse 18 401 00:22:45,300 --> 00:22:47,800 says, 8 through 10 says, love never ends. 402 00:22:48,500 --> 00:22:50,300 As for prophecies. They will pass away. 403 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:53,200 As for tongues, they will cease. As for knowledge. 404 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,900 It will pass away for we know in part and we prophesy in part, 405 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,600 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 406 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,300 What Paul is saying is here in this life here in this earth, 407 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,100 our spiritual gifts are necessary because we don't know 408 00:23:06,100 --> 00:23:09,400 everything we need help, we need to encourage and strengthen one 409 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,000 another, but once we're in heaven, we're not going to need 410 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,100 that anymore because Going to know everything. 411 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:15,900 We're going to know everything that we need to know. 412 00:23:15,900 --> 00:23:18,000 We're not going to have a reason to teach one another. 413 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:24,700 So what's left to do in heaven, love To love one another to love 414 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:27,800 Christ, to have relationship with one. 415 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,400 Another Love, Never Ends. Therefore our greatest 416 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:35,300 motivation in serving. One another should be loved. 417 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,800 In First Corinthians 14, Paul talks to the Corinthians, about 418 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,900 how they'd mess this up. They began focusing on the 419 00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:45,900 gifts. They began elevating themselves, 420 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:48,700 and I'm using my gift to show you how great I am. 421 00:23:48,700 --> 00:23:51,100 And they were, they were exulting certain people that had 422 00:23:51,100 --> 00:23:54,200 certain gifts and they just totally mess this thing up. 423 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,400 And it became about the use of your gift and how good you were 424 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,100 at it. Instead of serving one another 425 00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:05,600 for the good of others. Paul says that if we serve the 426 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,900 church with our gifts, but do it without love. 427 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:11,600 It's totally meaningless first, one through three, if I speak in 428 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,200 the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love. 429 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:18,000 I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal if I have prophetic 430 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,700 powers and understand all Mysteries and all knowledge. 431 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:24,400 And if I have all Faith, so as to remove mountains, but have 432 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,000 not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have and if 433 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:32,800 I deliver up my body to be burned but have not love, I gain 434 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:38,400 nothing. If we use our gifts without 435 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:44,400 love, they are meaningless. But when we do it out of love, 436 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,400 our desire is to see someone else grow. 437 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,500 This is an attitude of the heart, which often makes its way 438 00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:57,900 out in our attitudes, in our emotions in our actions, Paul 439 00:24:57,900 --> 00:24:59,800 talks about this attitude of heart. 440 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:01,600 What does it mean? What is love? 441 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:07,000 Love is patient and kind love does not envy or boast. 442 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:10,700 It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own 443 00:25:10,700 --> 00:25:12,800 way. It is not irritable or 444 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,400 resentful. It does not rejoice at 445 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:23,000 wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth, Love has this attitude 446 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,900 towards one another. Now more than likely, we're all 447 00:25:26,900 --> 00:25:29,900 familiar with these verses but if we actually lived by these 448 00:25:29,900 --> 00:25:31,600 verses it would be life-changing. 449 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:33,800 It would be transforming in our churches. 450 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,600 Raynor says church membership is founded on love. 451 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:45,400 Authentic biblical unconditional love. 452 00:25:46,100 --> 00:25:50,800 When we truly love one another, we desire to use our gifts our 453 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:56,800 skills, our abilities, for the good of the body, as a whole, So 454 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,200 each member of the body is necessary, each member is 455 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,300 different and unique working together with the other members 456 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:07,400 for the good of the whole each member is to be motivated by 457 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,100 love. And lastly, we see that each 458 00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:14,300 membership church membership is functioning membership. 459 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,400 If we want to remain a part of a country club or if we want to 460 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,500 continue getting the benefits of certain subscriptions and 461 00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:26,100 programs and in my case of the the pool that I love going to in 462 00:26:26,100 --> 00:26:28,600 my hometown. If I wanted to continue going to 463 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,700 the pool, I just had to keep giving that dollar every time I 464 00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:35,200 showed up, right. But to remain a Biblical member 465 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,300 of a church. That's not the bottle. 466 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:40,100 It's not merely just giving money. 467 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:45,800 We must give and serve the key word being a Biblical. 468 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,600 If you want to be a Biblical member of a church, you cannot 469 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,300 just simply give of your money. Oh sure. 470 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:55,700 You can remain a member of a church without doing anything, 471 00:26:55,900 --> 00:26:59,900 giving nothing and serving nowhere, but as rain or says, 472 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:04,000 But please understand that type of membership is not biblical 473 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,300 membership that approach to membership is man-made, man 474 00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:11,300 centered and man maintained it is. 475 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,300 Contrary to what the Bible teaches. 476 00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:19,100 It has no place in our churches. We've already read how Paul 477 00:27:19,100 --> 00:27:22,000 instructed, the Corinthians about the various parts of the 478 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,700 body. Each of these parts is supposed 479 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:28,400 to function when they do, they bring benefit to the body and 480 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:34,200 when they don't the body suffers as a result, One of the ongoing 481 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,900 questions Rainer, says, you should ask yourself and God In 482 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:41,000 Prayer. Is how can I best serve my 483 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,400 church? You should never ask yourself if 484 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,400 you should be serving your church. 485 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,300 Again, as we think about our physical bodies, we understand 486 00:27:51,300 --> 00:27:53,700 this. We don't wake up in the morning. 487 00:27:53,700 --> 00:27:56,400 No, part of our body gets to say, you know what, I'm taking 488 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,700 the day off. Or I don't think I need to serve 489 00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:00,700 or I don't think I'm any benefits of the body. 490 00:28:00,700 --> 00:28:02,400 I don't need to do anything today. 491 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:08,500 Our body parts don't do that. Sometimes they do actually don't 492 00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:11,700 they sometimes certain parts of our body do refuse to work but 493 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:14,400 that just further illustrates the point because as soon as one 494 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,400 part of our body says starts to break down and starts to not 495 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,200 work, then the whole body immediately recognizes it 496 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,900 doesn't it? And now my foot hurts and all of 497 00:28:22,900 --> 00:28:24,400 a sudden, I don't think I can go to work today. 498 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,900 Now, this affects everything that I do, write my entire focus 499 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,600 is now fixing that foot so that I can continue to continue to do 500 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:33,300 the things in my life that I need to do. 501 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,900 And so it is with the church. You cannot wake up one day and 502 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:40,000 say I don't have to do anything here. 503 00:28:40,300 --> 00:28:42,800 Biblical membership means serving the body. 504 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,400 If you are a part of the body for you not to serve as the the 505 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:52,700 church the body to suffer. We need one another. 506 00:28:56,300 --> 00:29:00,600 It is common for churches to keep a role of their members. 507 00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:05,000 A role is a running list of people that that the church 508 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,100 believes calls this church home and maybe have formally received 509 00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:11,500 membership and Tom Rainer. In this book estimates that 510 00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:14,600 church roles are overinflated by three times. 511 00:29:15,500 --> 00:29:19,300 He says, what that means is if your church has 300 members on 512 00:29:19,300 --> 00:29:24,400 its rolls, it probably only has 100 real Biblical members. 513 00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:27,900 Only one-third are functioning members. 514 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,400 Only one out of three gives abundantly and serves without 515 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,800 hesitation. Our Hope in this sermon series 516 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,400 is that you would understand the benefit that you receive out of 517 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,900 being connected to the body of Christ. 518 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,400 Our Hope is also that you would see the benefit that you bring 519 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,000 to the body of Christ in serving it. 520 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:57,600 If you are a member of Lem see, than we hope that you have felt 521 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,300 that benefit of being connected to this church body. 522 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:06,100 We also want you to know that if you are not functioning in this 523 00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:09,800 body, then you are missing out on something that you need. 524 00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:16,500 Our desire as Leaders is for this body to flourish. 525 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,400 And so we want to encourage you to prayerfully consider how it 526 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,500 is that God wants you to serve this body, your body. 527 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,000 If you are not a member of Lem, see, we understand that there 528 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,200 are many different reasons. That may be holding someone back 529 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,600 from membership. And those may be very good 530 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:38,500 reasons. And so we just, we just want to 531 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,400 prompt you. We just want you to know the 532 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,800 benefit of being connected. We want to challenge you to 533 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,400 understand that if you are not connected to a body, then you 534 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,700 are lacking something that you need and the church is lacking 535 00:30:50,700 --> 00:30:55,800 something that you can give. Will you pledge to be a Biblical 536 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:03,400 member the way God designed it? You all have a paper on honor 537 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:07,100 around you somewhere and we wanted to through the throat. 538 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:09,700 This series, we wanted you to take something home with you. 539 00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:12,600 Something that you could have that you could read over and on 540 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,500 the back page there's a pledge there that's at the End of This 541 00:31:15,500 --> 00:31:19,300 Book and this is not something. We're asking you to sign and 542 00:31:19,300 --> 00:31:20,800 bring back. This is for you. 543 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,200 This is for you to go over there some discussion questions that 544 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,900 you can go over at home and try to remember the truth that 545 00:31:28,900 --> 00:31:31,300 you've learned. This morning, we wanted you guys 546 00:31:31,300 --> 00:31:35,400 to go home with something but I do want to read that pledge at 547 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,600 the back. It says I am a church member 548 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:39,700 each week that we're going to go through has one of these 549 00:31:39,700 --> 00:31:43,000 pledges. I like the metaphor of 550 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,900 membership, it's not membership, is in a Civic organization or a 551 00:31:46,900 --> 00:31:49,200 country club. It's the kind of membership 552 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,700 given to us in 1st Corinthians 12. 553 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:55,600 Now you are the body of Christ and individual members of it 554 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,900 because I am a member of the body of Christ, I must be a 555 00:31:59,900 --> 00:32:05,200 functioning member whether I am an eye in ear or a hand as a 556 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:09,300 functioning member, I will give I will serve. 557 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,700 I will Minister, I will Angel eyes, I will study. 558 00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:16,400 I will seek to be a blessing to others. 559 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,200 I will remember that if one member suffers all the members 560 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:24,600 suffer with it, if one member is honored all the members Rejoice 561 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:30,700 with it, and when we are willing to do this, the church as the 562 00:32:30,700 --> 00:32:34,700 body benefits. And the reason we are willing to 563 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:37,900 do this is because we look to our Savior, Jesus Christ. 564 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:39,400 We've sung about it this morning. 565 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,400 We've read about it this morning, that Jesus Christ is 566 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,900 our example. We give back to his body, the 567 00:32:45,900 --> 00:32:49,400 church and we serve his kingdom because of all that. 568 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:54,100 He's done for us. In His Amazing Grace Jesus 569 00:32:54,100 --> 00:32:56,400 Christ took our place on the cross. 570 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,800 And so we give ourselves for him and his church. 571 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:05,300 Let's pray. Father we thank you that Jesus 572 00:33:05,300 --> 00:33:10,200 Christ died in our place. It says it's a it's in his name 573 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,300 that we come before you. We were able to stand before you 574 00:33:13,308 --> 00:33:16,900 because of his perfect righteousness, his spotlessness, 575 00:33:16,900 --> 00:33:21,000 his Holiness and we Rejoice together in all that he has done 576 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,500 for us and in your infinite, wisdom you established the 577 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:28,400 church to be the method through which you would bring your glory 578 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:32,300 to this earth. Lauren each and every one of us 579 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:36,300 who has placed our faith in Jesus Christ are individually 580 00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:39,000 members of this body. E, we make up the body of 581 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:41,600 Christ. Where would you stir our hearts? 582 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,000 That we would willingly give ourselves to the strengthening 583 00:33:45,100 --> 00:33:48,700 of your body. That you may be glorified that 584 00:33:48,700 --> 00:33:51,700 we may be benefited That Others May benefit be benefited that 585 00:33:51,700 --> 00:33:56,700 the body of Christ grows and strengthens and is built up into 586 00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:00,300 the full measure of godliness. We thank you in Jesus name and 587 00:34:00,300 --> 00:34:04,000 we asked for the power of your Holy Spirit to do that, which 588 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:06,500 sometimes we really struggle to desire to do. 589 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:11,000 Or would you give us boldness and confidence as we love and 590 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,199 serve and minister at one another so that our lives and 591 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:16,300 our testimony? As a church is an example to 592 00:34:16,300 --> 00:34:19,000 this world. We ask all this in Jesus name, 593 00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:19,500 amen.