WEBVTT

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 Well, good morning. God to be here with you guys today. As Jonathan said, my name is Josh Mata. I'm one of the pastors over at First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant.

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 And my family and I have been here in the area for about a year. So we're still kind of getting adjusted and finding our way.

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 But it's been really great. We've enjoyed being here and very thankful to get to be here with you all today.

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 It's been a privilege to get to know Jonathan over the past several months.

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 And it's encouraging to see the work that the Lord is doing here at Seaweed Bay.

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 So, again, thank you for allowing me to be here with you all.

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 Would you please stand as we read God's word together?

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 This is 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12 through 14.

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 The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth, and he says,

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 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

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 For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one spirit.

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 For the body does not consist of one member, but of many.

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 And this is the word of the Lord.

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 You may be seated.

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 Join your hearts with me for a moment as we ask God for his help.

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 God, we thank you for your word.

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 Thank you for this time together that we get to open it and look at what you say to us.

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 We pray that by your spirit you would draw near and cause us to be strengthened and encouraged,

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 cause us to be convicted,

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 and I pray that each one here would see Christ clearly.

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 We pray these in his name and by your spirit.

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 Amen.

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 Well, most Americans are hyper-individualistic.

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 I'm sure you would all agree.

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 I know I am.

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 I am an individualistic person.

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 It's the culture we live in.

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 It's the waters that we all swim in.

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 It's the air we breathe.

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 It's the air we breathe in America.

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 And individualism is not always a bad thing.

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 It often promotes hard work.

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 It promotes building something from the ground up.

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 As individuals, God's given us all specific gifts that we can use for his glory

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 to create art and create music and systems and structures in order to shape our culture

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 and to use our specific gifts for God's glory and for the good of one another as individuals.

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 So individualism can be a good thing.

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 But at the same time, there's great danger in a hyper-individualistic culture.

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 We often can become too independent.

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 We can become too self-made, too self-reliant, too self-focused.

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 And so because this is the culture we live in, there's great danger for the church as well.

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 For decades now, throughout churches in America, we often say things that promote this idea of individualism.

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 We say things like, oh, you just have to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior.

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 And that's true.

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 But we say that at the expense of the communal gathering of the body of Christ.

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 We prioritize our own personal spiritual growth over corporate church growth and holiness.

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 We treat church membership often as if it's just an optional add-on for kind of the more mature Christians

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 or it's really the next step you take if you're going to grow in your Christian life.

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 Or often, if we do become members of local churches, we treat the church as if it's just something else we do, right?

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 We have our families and we have our kids and their sports and their school and we have our jobs.

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 And then we kind of have church on the side as well, you know, if we're not doing anything else on the weekend.

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 So, unfortunately, in addition, many professing Christians in America today view their relationship with church kind of in a consumeristic mindset.

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 Like we come to church on Sunday as a consumer.

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 It's where we go to get our spiritual gas tanks filled up.

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 And when they're filled up, then we go off for the rest of our week and we don't give much thought to the Lord and to his word and to his people.

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 People.

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 Often, Americans choose churches because there's a certain thing they like about it.

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 We like the music at this church, so we're going to go there.

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 Or we like the preaching at this church, so we're going to go there.

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 Or, oh, we like the children's program or the youth program over here, so we're going to go here or here so that our children can have the best youth experience in town.

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 We often treat the church like consumers.

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 What can I get out of this?

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 And what's the problem with viewing the church this way?

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 The problem is it's nowhere to be found in Scripture.

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 God has a lot to say in his word about the church.

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 And so we want to look to his word to hear what he has to say about his church and how we are to live our lives together in local churches.

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 And so this is what I want to communicate this morning with you all as we look to God's word.

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 I want us to compare the way we think about church with the way God's word tells us to think about church and see where we need to rely in our thinking and our actions.

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 And so the title of today's sermon is, what is a church member?

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 Jonathan asked me if I would preach on church membership this morning.

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 And so if you don't like this, you know, this idea, you can yell at Jonathan, not me.

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 It was his idea.

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 So, but if Jonathan's been doing a good job, which I think he has in his membership classes and in leading you all well, I think a lot of this might be review for many of you.

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 And so let's think biblically together about what is a church member.

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 Number one, for you note takers, number one, a church member is someone who is born again and baptized.

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 A church member is someone who is born again and baptized.

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 It's pretty self-explanatory, right?

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 The church, Christ's church is made up of Christians.

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 It's made up of Christians.

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 And what is a Christian?

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 A Christian is someone who's responded to the gospel.

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 A Christian is someone who's repented of their sin, turned away from it, and trusted in Christ for salvation.

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 That's what, that's who a Christian is.

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 Christ came to call sinners to repentance.

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 Christ came and died on the cross, was buried.

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 Three days later, rose again, came back to life, conquering sin and death.

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 And his call is for all of us to repent of our sin and trust in him for salvation in order to reconcile us to God.

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 So if you've never done that, if you've never turned from your sin, repented of it, and trusted in Christ for salvation, I urge you this morning, do so.

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 If you don't know how to do that or what that means to be saved, to give your life to Christ, talk to Jonathan, talk to Treg, talk to me, talk to a Christian friend who knows you.

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 We'd love to help you understand what it means to follow Christ.

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 And so that's the first step in being a church member.

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 It's being a Christian, following Christ, giving him your allegiance.

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 Next, a church member is someone who is baptized.

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 So born again, becomes a Christian, and then is baptized.

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 When the early church was forming in Acts 2, shortly after Christ had ascended into heaven, the apostle Peter is preaching to people in Jerusalem, and he tells his hearers, repent and be baptized.

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 Be baptized.

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 So baptism, we could say, is like the front door into the church.

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 If the church is a building or if the church is like a house, to get into the house, you've got to go through the front door, right?

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 And so baptism is like the front door into the church family.

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 And baptism is how a new Christian identifies with Christ and his church.

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 And so when we're saved, when God saves us, he reconciles us to him, right?

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 But he also reconciles us to one another.

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 And so when we're baptized, we're reconciled, we're identifying with Christ, and we're identifying with Christ's family, the church.

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 And so baptism is sort of like how a person says, I'm on that team.

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 I'm on Christ's team.

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 I'm with him and with the church.

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 It's like you're putting on the team jersey.

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 You're saying Christ is my Lord and his people are my people.

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 And when baptism happens, there's actually two parties speaking.

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 It's the individual saying, I'm trusting Christ.

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 And it's the church saying, we see it.

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 We agree.

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 Yes, you are trusting Christ.

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 Therefore, we are giving you the ordinance of baptism.

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 And so it's essential that we, to the best of our ability, make sure that those who are joining the church, those who we are welcoming into membership, are actually converted by God.

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 It might sound crazy.

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 It might sound simple.

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 But unfortunately, again, churches all over the West have not done a great job of this.

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 And therefore, we've seen a lot of bad fruit in churches.

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 And so that's why here at Seaweed Bay and at the church I'm serving at, at First Baptist, we do what we call membership interviews, where we want to hear from those who are wanting to join the church.

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 We want to hear a clear understanding of the gospel.

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 It doesn't have to be, you know, like a, you know, a presentation that maybe a seminary professor would give.

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 Just a simple understanding of the gospel.

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 Who is Jesus?

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 What did he do?

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 How are we saved?

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 And then a credible profession of faith.

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 We want to hear that you actually are trusting in Christ, that he has actually saved you.

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 Because unfortunately, I'm sure you all know, and I know I do, and we know many people, friends and family members who are confessing to be Christians, yet their lives don't look anything like the life of a Christian should look.

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 I have family members that live that way.

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 They say they're Christians, yet they don't seem to care about God.

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 They don't seem to want to grow in his word.

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 They don't want to obey him.

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 They don't gather regularly with the church.

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 And this is really a trend all over our country.

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 Their lives don't match their professions.

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 Yet they think they're Christians.

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 And many of them think they're Christians because churches along the way have unfortunately taught them that to be a Christian, all you have to do is pray a prayer.

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 All you have to do is walk down the aisle and sign a card and say, yep, I'm a Christian, and then you're good.

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 Get baptized maybe, and then go on and live your life however you want to live.

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 It doesn't really matter if you're fighting sin.

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 It doesn't really matter if you join yourself to a local church.

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 You just got to pray this prayer, and presto, you're a Christian.

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 This dangerous idea has been identified by pastors and theologians as easy-believe-ism.

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 I don't know if you've heard that term before, easy-believe-ism.

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 It's easy.

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 Just pray this prayer, and you're a Christian.

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 And like I said, this has produced a lot of bad fruit in churches around America.

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 So this is, in part, one reason why it's so important that we take church membership seriously.

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 It's because people's souls are at stake.

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 We don't have time to play around with the souls of men and women.

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 And so, a church member is someone first who's truly born again, baptized,

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 but then remember, a believer, a Christian, is not someone who's just baptized

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 and then left alone to kind of be over here on the side

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 and figure out this Christian life by themselves.

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 No, a new Christian is baptized into a family.

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 There's no orphans in the family of God.

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 You're baptized into a family.

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 You're added to a body, and that body is called the church.

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 And so, number two, number two, a church member is part of a local body.

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 A church member is part of a local body.

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 Look with me at Acts chapter 2.

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 If you have your Bibles, turn there.

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 We're going to go.

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 We were in 1 Corinthians, and we're going to come back to 1 Corinthians,

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 but go to Acts 2, and we're going to read this together.

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 This is as the early church was forming.

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 The apostle Peter is preaching in Jerusalem.

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 Acts 2, verse 37 is where we're going to be,

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 and I'll read 37 and 38, and then we'll jump ahead a little bit.

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 So, Acts 2, 37.

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 Peter, again, he's preaching to these people.

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 Now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,

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 Brothers, what shall we do?

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 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you,

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 in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,

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 and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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 And then down to verse 41.

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 So those who received his word were baptized,

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 and there were added that day about 3,000 souls,

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 and they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship

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 and to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

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 And so these new Christians, they hear the gospel,

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 they repent and believe, and then they're baptized,

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 and then notice what they don't do.

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 They don't all just go home and have a quiet time in their own bedrooms

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 and close the door and just,

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 Okay, I'm a Christian now.

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 It's just me and Jesus.

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 That's not what they do.

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 What do these early Christians do?

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 It says they were baptized,

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 and then they were added to the number that day.

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 So they were added to a group that must have been established,

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 a group where these people knew,

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 here's the group of Christians.

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 Everyone else is not in this group.

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 Here's this group.

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 These new Christians are added to this group,

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 and then they do something.

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 They devote themselves to the preaching, the teaching, and the fellowship.

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 Sounds like church membership to me.

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 And so we see this idea of church membership here in the early church in Acts 2.

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 They were added to a group of people in this local church.

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 Imagine you're driving down Highway 17 after you leave here,

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 and you're driving along,

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 and you look kind of further down the road,

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 and you see something that looks kind of gross.

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 You're like, Oh, man, what is that?

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 Is that roadkill?

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 I can't tell.

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 You get closer and closer,

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 and you come upon it,

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 and you notice it's actually a severed human leg on the ground.

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 What do you do?

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 Do you just keep driving?

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 Oh, whatever.

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 It's nothing.

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 We're in Allendah.

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 Anything goes out here.

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 Human leg on the ground.

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 No.

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 Nobody would do that.

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 You'd be crazy to do that.

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 What do you do if you see a severed leg on the ground?

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 You pull over.

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 You stop.

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 You look around.

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 Where's the body?

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 This leg has to be attached to a body.

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 This is not okay.

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 You're calling the police.

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 You're calling your husband or your wife.

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 There's a human leg on the side of the road.

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 This is not okay.

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 Brothers and sisters,

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 when we see someone claiming to be a Christian,

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 yet not joining themselves to a local church,

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 we should have the same reaction.

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 The Bible has no category for a lone ranger Christian.

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 On the contrary, all over the New Testament,

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 there's biblical illustrations for what the church is,

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 and every illustration is a singularity making up a group.

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 Scripture talks about church as stones in a temple.

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 Scripture talks about the church as members of a family,

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 sheep in a flock,

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 members of a body,

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 single entities making up one larger structure.

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 And so to be a Christian is to be a member of the body of Christ.

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:11.099
 And to be a member of the body of Christ,

00:18:11.199 --> 00:18:12.619
 the way Scripture talks about it,

00:18:12.639 --> 00:18:16.419
 is to be a meaningful member of a healthy local church.

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:21.759
 And so back to where we were in 1 Corinthians 12.

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:23.500
 I'm going back there.

00:18:24.339 --> 00:18:29.219
 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12 through 14.

00:18:29.339 --> 00:18:30.539
 This is what we read at the beginning.

00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:31.379
 I'm going to read it again.

00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:34.819
 This is the Apostle Paul writing to a church in Corinth,

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:38.180
 and he's talking about unity in the body of Christ.

00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:38.879
 And he says,

00:18:39.619 --> 00:18:42.039
 Just as the body is one and has many members,

00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.019
 and all the members of the body,

00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:45.539
 though many are one body,

00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:47.099
 so it is with Christ.

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:50.319
 For in one spirit we are all baptized into one body,

00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:52.599
 Jews or Greeks, slaves or free,

00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:55.039
 and all were made to drink of one spirit.

00:18:55.399 --> 00:18:57.539
 For the body does not consist of one member,

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.539
 but of many.

00:18:58.539 --> 00:19:02.480
 And so Paul here is arguing that the local church

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.240
 is the body of Christ here on earth.

00:19:05.899 --> 00:19:07.899
 Now, some people read passages like this,

00:19:07.940 --> 00:19:08.279
 and they say,

00:19:08.379 --> 00:19:11.220
 Oh, well, he's just referring to the universal church,

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:13.779
 to the church throughout all time in history,

00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:17.299
 so I don't really have to join a local church.

00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:19.639
 But if you keep reading,

00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:21.799
 it actually becomes quite clear.

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:23.680
 He, the Apostle Paul here,

00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:25.299
 is talking about the local church,

00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:27.240
 because in verse 28 he says,

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:30.019
 God has appointed in the church,

00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.200
 that word church just means gathering,

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:33.980
 so in the church gathering,

00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:36.399
 he's appointed apostles, prophets, teachers,

00:19:36.639 --> 00:19:39.059
 and he goes on and on about all these different roles

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:40.659
 within local churches.

00:19:40.660 --> 00:19:45.740
 And so he's pointing out to a particular body of believers.

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:49.019
 And so if you,

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:51.799
 if you are a Christian who has been baptized,

00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:54.579
 then you are part of the body of Christ.

00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:57.920
 How do you live out your membership in the body of Christ?

00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:59.980
 You live it out by joining,

00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.920
 committing yourself to a local church body.

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.320
 It's not enough to just say,

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:06.980
 I'm a Christian,

00:20:07.100 --> 00:20:08.539
 I'm part of the universal church.

00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:10.400
 Because you can't,

00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.140
 you can't see the universal church.

00:20:12.860 --> 00:20:16.480
 The universal church is made visible in local churches.

00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:20.500
 And so the local church right now on this earth

00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:25.259
 embodies what we will experience in all eternity

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:27.200
 with the universal church.

00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:30.539
 So your membership now in a local church

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:33.440
 represents your membership in the universal church in eternity.

00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:36.580
 You know, people often say,

00:20:36.620 --> 00:20:38.200
 I'm sure you've heard it again,

00:20:38.340 --> 00:20:39.900
 this goes back to our individualism.

00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:41.060
 People often say,

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:41.880
 man, I don't,

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.539
 I don't need the church.

00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:43.980
 I just,

00:20:44.120 --> 00:20:44.900
 it's all about Jesus.

00:20:45.580 --> 00:20:46.620
 I don't need the church.

00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:48.420
 I just want to live a Christ-centered life.

00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:51.279
 Friends,

00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:53.160
 the Christ-centered life

00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:55.680
 is the church-centered life.

00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:57.519
 Because the church

00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:00.060
 is the body of Christ on this earth.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.800
 And so God,

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.400
 in his infinite wisdom,

00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.140
 has chosen for the body of Christ

00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:09.779
 on this earth right now

00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:13.080
 to be for you and for me,

00:21:13.360 --> 00:21:14.320
 to grow in godliness,

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:15.539
 to worship him.

00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:17.980
 Not just in individual Christians

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:19.560
 having their own personal quiet time

00:21:19.560 --> 00:21:20.500
 in their prayer closet,

00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.660
 though you should do that.

00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:22.840
 I'm not saying don't do that.

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:23.380
 Do that.

00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:26.540
 But in the local church gathered

00:21:26.540 --> 00:21:29.600
 is where Christ is honored and glorified

00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:33.140
 and we are raised up

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:35.720
 as followers of Christ

00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:37.700
 and grow in our love for him

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.400
 and for one another.

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:40.220
 And so,

00:21:40.560 --> 00:21:42.920
 the reality is,

00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:45.120
 is that all 43,

00:21:45.560 --> 00:21:47.320
 all 43 covenant members

00:21:47.320 --> 00:21:48.759
 of Seaweed Bay Baptist Church

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:51.860
 make up this particular local body of Christ.

00:21:52.060 --> 00:21:52.800
 Right here,

00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:55.480
 gathered at 6194 Highway 17,

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.640
 Allendal, South Carolina.

00:21:56.980 --> 00:22:00.000
 All 43 members of this particular body

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.940
 need one another.

00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:04.600
 You all need one another.

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:07.019
 If you're a member of this church,

00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:09.120
 God has ordained in his infinite wisdom

00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:12.039
 that the other 42 members of this church

00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:14.140
 would be here right now

00:22:14.140 --> 00:22:16.519
 to help you on your way to heaven.

00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:20.680
 Our relationship with God is personal,

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:22.600
 but it's never private.

00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:25.219
 It is personal,

00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:27.480
 but it's never meant to be private.

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.079
 You are,

00:22:30.179 --> 00:22:31.159
 as the Apostle Paul states,

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:33.099
 members of the body of Christ.

00:22:35.639 --> 00:22:36.079
 So,

00:22:36.219 --> 00:22:37.399
 since we've established

00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:38.399
 that a Christian

00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:40.199
 should be a member of a local church,

00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:41.759
 let's then now think together,

00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:42.439
 well,

00:22:42.439 --> 00:22:42.919
 what do you do?

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.539
 What are you to do

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:46.519
 as a member of a local church?

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.859
 What's your responsibility?

00:22:48.899 --> 00:22:49.119
 And so,

00:22:49.179 --> 00:22:50.219
 I want us in our remaining time

00:22:50.219 --> 00:22:51.219
 to think biblically about

00:22:51.219 --> 00:22:52.240
 what do we do?

00:22:52.939 --> 00:22:54.099
 What are the roles

00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:54.879
 and responsibilities

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:56.859
 of a church member?

00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:58.439
 Number three,

00:22:59.159 --> 00:22:59.740
 number three,

00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:02.500
 and there's four points total,

00:23:02.639 --> 00:23:03.439
 so we're on number three.

00:23:04.179 --> 00:23:04.819
 Church membership

00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:06.500
 is an office

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.819
 and a job.

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.679
 Church membership

00:23:09.679 --> 00:23:10.740
 is an office

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:12.699
 and a job.

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:14.459
 What do I mean by that?

00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:15.459
 First,

00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:16.240
 church membership

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.099
 is an office

00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:18.319
 in that

00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.139
 it's an elected position.

00:23:20.140 --> 00:23:23.100
 it's an elected position.

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:25.000
 Just like the president

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.940
 of the United States

00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:27.080
 cannot make himself

00:23:27.080 --> 00:23:28.080
 be the president

00:23:28.080 --> 00:23:29.240
 of the United States,

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:30.960
 so you and I

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:32.640
 cannot just make ourselves

00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.280
 members of the church.

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:36.860
 Church membership

00:23:36.860 --> 00:23:38.460
 is saying,

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.520
 I'm a Christian!

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:39.599
 Christian!

00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:41.519
 And then it's the rest

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.079
 of the church

00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:42.519
 saying,

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.619
 we agree!

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.139
 We've heard

00:23:45.139 --> 00:23:45.680
 your profession

00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:46.200
 of faith,

00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:46.980
 we've heard

00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:48.079
 your understanding

00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:48.799
 of the gospel,

00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:51.059
 and so your life

00:23:51.059 --> 00:23:51.759
 seems to match

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.559
 your profession

00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:53.180
 and so then

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:54.779
 we affirm you

00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:55.579
 and welcome you

00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:56.180
 into the membership

00:23:56.180 --> 00:23:57.559
 of this church.

00:23:58.379 --> 00:23:59.720
 And why do we need that?

00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:00.779
 Why do we need this

00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:02.019
 affirmation from one another?

00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:02.379
 Well,

00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.759
 if you're like me,

00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:06.399
 we're often

00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:07.220
 self-deceived,

00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:07.619
 aren't we?

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.639
 I'm often self-deceived

00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.879
 in lots of ways.

00:24:12.299 --> 00:24:13.440
 I think I look good,

00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.000
 you know,

00:24:14.059 --> 00:24:15.139
 my wife is like,

00:24:15.339 --> 00:24:15.599
 hey,

00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:16.519
 fix this,

00:24:16.619 --> 00:24:17.259
 fix your collar,

00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:18.559
 fix your hair,

00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.179
 you got some

00:24:19.179 --> 00:24:19.839
 little dandruff

00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:20.359
 back here,

00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:21.059
 wipe that off,

00:24:21.099 --> 00:24:21.619
 it looks bad,

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:21.859
 you know,

00:24:21.919 --> 00:24:23.240
 I think I look good

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.000
 and I need someone else

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.579
 to point out

00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:24.879
 and say,

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.200
 Josh,

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.099
 you don't look good,

00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.000
 fix yourself,

00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:27.599
 right?

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:29.879
 I'm often self-deceived

00:24:29.879 --> 00:24:31.099
 and so if I'm self-deceived

00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:32.259
 in these little ways,

00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:33.440
 man,

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:35.279
 I can be self-deceived

00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:37.179
 in my spiritual life

00:24:37.179 --> 00:24:37.539
 as well.

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:38.980
 I can think

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.819
 I'm doing good,

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.759
 I can think

00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.720
 I'm thinking rightly,

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:43.220
 I can think

00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:44.599
 I'm obeying God's word,

00:24:45.539 --> 00:24:46.139
 but then when I

00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:47.379
 maybe tell somebody

00:24:47.379 --> 00:24:48.139
 my plans

00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:49.320
 or when I speak

00:24:49.320 --> 00:24:50.200
 this way or that way,

00:24:50.280 --> 00:24:51.160
 I have brothers and sisters

00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:51.840
 come to me and say,

00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:52.080
 hey,

00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:52.460
 Josh,

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:54.340
 that's not right,

00:24:54.540 --> 00:24:55.380
 that's not the way

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:56.040
 a Christian lives,

00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:56.640
 that's not,

00:24:56.800 --> 00:24:57.560
 that's sinful,

00:24:58.360 --> 00:24:58.580
 right?

00:24:58.640 --> 00:24:59.700
 I need other people

00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:01.240
 to speak into my life

00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:03.200
 and judge whether or not

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.420
 I'm actually

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:06.540
 confessing the true gospel.

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.580
 Am I believing

00:25:07.580 --> 00:25:08.180
 the true gospel?

00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:08.900
 I need other Christians

00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:10.020
 to look at my confession

00:25:10.020 --> 00:25:10.780
 of faith and say,

00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:11.320
 yes,

00:25:11.320 --> 00:25:12.220
 that's the true gospel,

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:13.160
 biblically.

00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:15.820
 Or if I'm living

00:25:15.820 --> 00:25:16.519
 the way

00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:18.060
 a gospel professor

00:25:18.060 --> 00:25:18.800
 should live.

00:25:19.080 --> 00:25:19.519
 Josh,

00:25:19.600 --> 00:25:19.759
 hey,

00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:20.880
 you're not living

00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:21.440
 like a Christian,

00:25:21.560 --> 00:25:22.120
 you need to stop

00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:22.640
 doing that,

00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:23.140
 you need to stop

00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:23.900
 thinking that.

00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:26.880
 And the reality is,

00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:28.779
 and this is where

00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:29.560
 I think a lot of churches

00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:30.000
 miss it,

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:31.340
 Jesus gave

00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:32.640
 the local church

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:33.840
 the authority

00:25:33.840 --> 00:25:35.540
 to affirm

00:25:35.540 --> 00:25:37.400
 and to disaffirm

00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:39.040
 people's professions

00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:40.159
 of faith.

00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:42.639
 We don't have time

00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:43.599
 to go into it right now,

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:45.200
 but when Jesus

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.180
 gives Peter

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:47.599
 the keys of the kingdom

00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:48.579
 in Matthew 16

00:25:48.579 --> 00:25:50.720
 and then in Matthew 18

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.899
 he gives the whole church

00:25:51.899 --> 00:25:52.779
 these same keys

00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:53.319
 to the kingdom,

00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:54.720
 he is saying

00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.599
 to the church,

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:56.519
 to local churches

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.799
 that you church

00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.619
 have the authority

00:25:58.619 --> 00:25:59.740
 to affirm

00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:01.059
 someone's true

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.000
 or false

00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:02.599
 profession

00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:04.079
 of faith.

00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:06.559
 And so church membership

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.799
 is an office.

00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:10.220
 you also

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:11.799
 have a job to do.

00:26:12.399 --> 00:26:12.839
 Church membership

00:26:12.839 --> 00:26:13.799
 is also a job.

00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:16.079
 It's more than just

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:16.859
 voting on a budget,

00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:17.859
 it's more than just

00:26:17.859 --> 00:26:18.759
 voting on a building,

00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:20.680
 it's voting on

00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:22.480
 welcoming

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.220
 and sending out

00:26:24.220 --> 00:26:25.639
 members of the church.

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.339
 That's the most

00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:27.379
 important job you have

00:26:27.379 --> 00:26:28.139
 as a church member.

00:26:28.299 --> 00:26:28.539
 And so,

00:26:28.639 --> 00:26:29.700
 how do we talk about this?

00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:30.240
 So,

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:32.559
 church members are,

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:33.779
 your job as a church member

00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:35.440
 is to guard the what

00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:35.960
 and the who

00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:36.539
 of the gospel.

00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:38.700
 your job as a church member

00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.279
 is to guard the what

00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:41.480
 and the who

00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:42.599
 of the gospel.

00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:42.859
 So,

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.680
 what do I mean by that?

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:43.980
 Well,

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:44.579
 first,

00:26:45.159 --> 00:26:45.960
 you are to guard

00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:47.000
 the what of the gospel.

00:26:48.159 --> 00:26:49.059
 God cares about

00:26:49.059 --> 00:26:50.079
 the purity of his church,

00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.159
 therefore,

00:26:51.159 --> 00:26:52.259
 it's the job of you,

00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:52.899
 church members,

00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:54.220
 to make sure

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.759
 the true gospel

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.500
 is being preached

00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:57.220
 from this pulpit.

00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:59.100
 So,

00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.120
 if Jonathan gets up here

00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:00.980
 and he starts preaching

00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:01.720
 a false gospel,

00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:03.299
 he starts denying

00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:03.819
 the Trinity,

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.480
 fire him.

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:08.980
 And he just amened,

00:27:09.100 --> 00:27:09.360
 so,

00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.460
 don't forget it.

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.339
 If the gospel

00:27:14.339 --> 00:27:15.059
 is not preached,

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.400
 the true biblical gospel

00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:17.500
 is not preached,

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:19.100
 it is the job of the church

00:27:19.100 --> 00:27:19.940
 to point that out,

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:21.059
 to make sure

00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:21.559
 good,

00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:22.480
 true doctrine

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.140
 is being taught

00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:23.940
 in classrooms.

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.519
 Where am I getting this?

00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:26.980
 Galatians 1,

00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:27.740
 6,

00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:28.779
 the Apostle Paul,

00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:29.740
 he's writing to the church

00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.279
 in Galatia,

00:27:30.360 --> 00:27:30.980
 and he says,

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:32.820
 I am astonished

00:27:32.820 --> 00:27:33.580
 that you,

00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:35.019
 and that you there

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:35.420
 is plural,

00:27:35.820 --> 00:27:36.539
 I am astonished

00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:37.400
 that you all,

00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:38.980
 church in Galatia,

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.420
 I'm astonished

00:27:40.420 --> 00:27:40.920
 that you all

00:27:40.920 --> 00:27:42.059
 are deserting him

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.680
 who called you

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.920
 in the grace of Christ

00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:44.460
 and are turning

00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:45.620
 to a different gospel.

00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:46.840
 Not that there

00:27:46.840 --> 00:27:47.799
 is another one,

00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:49.019
 but there are some

00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:49.920
 who would trouble you

00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.279
 and who want to

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:52.600
 distort the gospel

00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:53.519
 of Christ.

00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:53.879
 And so,

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.279
 there was a false gospel

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:56.000
 being preached

00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.740
 in this church

00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:57.339
 in Galatia

00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:58.139
 and the Apostle Paul

00:27:58.139 --> 00:27:58.700
 goes to them

00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:59.180
 and he says,

00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.019
 he doesn't,

00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:01.000
 notice what he doesn't do,

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:02.400
 he doesn't go to the pastors

00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:03.139
 of that church

00:28:03.139 --> 00:28:04.039
 or the leaders

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.639
 in that church,

00:28:04.639 --> 00:28:06.079
 he goes to the whole church

00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:06.579
 and he says,

00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:07.940
 whole church,

00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:09.299
 stop believing

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:10.139
 a false gospel,

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:11.619
 it's your job

00:28:11.619 --> 00:28:12.500
 to make sure

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.400
 the true gospel

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:15.160
 is preached here.

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.119
 And so,

00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:17.779
 he calls out

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:18.940
 the entire church

00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:20.019
 for abandoning

00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:21.319
 the true gospel.

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.839
 He holds the entire church

00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:23.759
 accountable

00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:25.539
 because it's the job

00:28:25.539 --> 00:28:26.480
 of the whole church

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.139
 to protect

00:28:27.139 --> 00:28:27.720
 the what

00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:28.579
 of the gospel,

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.639
 to make sure

00:28:29.639 --> 00:28:30.259
 the true gospel

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.039
 is being preached

00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.579
 and proclaimed

00:28:31.579 --> 00:28:32.240
 and taught

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.359
 and believed.

00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:34.919
 And so,

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.419
 it's the job

00:28:35.419 --> 00:28:36.019
 of church members

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:36.480
 to guard

00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:36.939
 the what

00:28:36.939 --> 00:28:37.559
 of the gospel,

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:38.480
 it's one of the most

00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:38.939
 important things

00:28:38.939 --> 00:28:39.240
 you'll do.

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.439
 Second,

00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:41.740
 other most important

00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:42.639
 thing you will do

00:28:42.639 --> 00:28:43.299
 if you're a member

00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:43.779
 of this church

00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:44.439
 is to guard

00:28:44.439 --> 00:28:45.059
 the who

00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:46.259
 of the gospel.

00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:48.359
 Guard the who

00:28:48.359 --> 00:28:49.919
 of the gospel.

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.719
 By that,

00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:51.179
 I mean,

00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:51.779
 you're guarding

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:53.379
 who are true

00:28:53.379 --> 00:28:54.639
 gospel professors.

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:57.000
 You see,

00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:57.479
 in the church

00:28:57.479 --> 00:28:58.379
 in Corinth,

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.979
 there was a church

00:28:59.979 --> 00:29:00.379
 member

00:29:00.379 --> 00:29:01.779
 who was living

00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:02.719
 in serious,

00:29:03.639 --> 00:29:03.959
 outward,

00:29:04.719 --> 00:29:06.039
 and unrepentant sin.

00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:07.699
 We see this

00:29:07.699 --> 00:29:08.539
 from 1 Corinthians

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.259
 chapter 5,

00:29:10.199 --> 00:29:11.559
 verses 1 and 2.

00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:13.219
 The apostle Paul

00:29:13.219 --> 00:29:14.199
 says to this church,

00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:16.660
 it's actually reported

00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:17.620
 that there is

00:29:17.620 --> 00:29:18.460
 sexual immorality

00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:18.980
 among you

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.279
 and of a kind

00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.720
 that is not tolerated

00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:22.759
 even among the pagans

00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.720
 for a man

00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:24.960
 has his father's wife

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:26.559
 and you're arrogant.

00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:27.240
 Wants you not

00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:28.200
 rather to mourn?

00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:29.960
 Let him

00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:30.940
 who has done this

00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:32.440
 be removed

00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:34.000
 from among you.

00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:35.600
 So again,

00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:36.900
 there's this member

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.539
 of this church,

00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:38.240
 he's living in

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.080
 great sin,

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:40.299
 serious sin,

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:41.019
 outward sin,

00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:41.960
 unrepentant sin,

00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:42.740
 he's not repenting

00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:43.019
 of it.

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:45.019
 And Paul does not

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.500
 just call out

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:45.920
 the pastors

00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:46.340
 and the elders.

00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:49.120
 He calls the entire church

00:29:49.120 --> 00:29:50.779
 and all the members

00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.420
 of the church.

00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:53.620
 Calls them out

00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:54.860
 for allowing this man

00:29:54.860 --> 00:29:55.580
 to remain

00:29:55.580 --> 00:29:56.960
 a member of their church.

00:29:57.360 --> 00:29:57.880
 And what does he

00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.779
 tell them to do about it?

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.559
 He tells them

00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:00.799
 to remove this man

00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:01.460
 from among them.

00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:03.259
 We keep reading

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.080
 in that same passage,

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:04.900
 1 Corinthians 5,

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.160
 he says to the church,

00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:07.860
 when you are assembled

00:30:07.860 --> 00:30:08.960
 in the name

00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:09.620
 of the Lord Jesus

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.700
 and my spirit is present

00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:11.600
 with the power

00:30:11.600 --> 00:30:12.240
 of the Lord Jesus,

00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:13.460
 you are church,

00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.980
 you are to deliver

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.960
 this man to Satan

00:30:15.960 --> 00:30:17.240
 for the destruction

00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:17.920
 of the flesh

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:19.299
 so that his spirit

00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:20.299
 may be saved

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:20.920
 in the day

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:21.759
 of the Lord.

00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:23.000
 And so,

00:30:23.100 --> 00:30:23.840
 what he's saying is

00:30:23.840 --> 00:30:24.980
 the whole church,

00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:25.900
 when the whole church

00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:26.360
 is gathered,

00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:27.120
 they have a job

00:30:27.120 --> 00:30:27.559
 to do

00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:28.440
 and that is

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.500
 to remove

00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:30.559
 this man

00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:32.120
 from their membership.

00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:34.920
 This is what we know

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:36.460
 as excommunication

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:38.480
 or church discipline.

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:39.840
 Remove him

00:30:39.840 --> 00:30:41.039
 from your membership.

00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.639
 don't consider him

00:30:42.639 --> 00:30:44.180
 a brother in Christ.

00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:44.960
 It doesn't mean

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:45.399
 he can't come

00:30:45.399 --> 00:30:45.879
 into the building,

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.740
 it means he can't

00:30:46.740 --> 00:30:47.480
 be a member

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:48.460
 of the church.

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:49.159
 Why?

00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:49.839
 What's the point?

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.759
 Is this to embarrass

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.399
 this man?

00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.619
 Is this to,

00:30:54.619 --> 00:30:56.819
 for us to be

00:30:56.819 --> 00:30:57.839
 holier than thou?

00:30:58.379 --> 00:31:00.079
 Is this exclusivity

00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.859
 just for the sake

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.980
 of being exclusive

00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:03.319
 and pushing him out

00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:03.819
 because he's not

00:31:03.819 --> 00:31:04.559
 godly enough?

00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:06.159
 No.

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.680
 Verse 5,

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.960
 they are to remove

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:09.560
 this man

00:31:09.560 --> 00:31:11.360
 so that his spirit

00:31:11.360 --> 00:31:12.180
 might be saved

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:13.180
 in the day of the Lord.

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:15.100
 So the apostle Paul

00:31:15.100 --> 00:31:15.640
 is commanding

00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:16.519
 this church at Corinth

00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:18.039
 to remove this man

00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:18.580
 from membership,

00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:19.880
 to excommunicate him

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:20.900
 so that he doesn't

00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:21.480
 go to hell.

00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:23.799
 So that he realizes,

00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:24.460
 oh wow,

00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:27.420
 I used to be a part

00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:28.460
 of this group of people

00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:29.200
 called the church.

00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:30.519
 They used to be affirming

00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:32.400
 my profession of faith

00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:32.860
 to be true,

00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:33.860
 but because of the way

00:31:33.860 --> 00:31:34.220
 I'm living,

00:31:34.320 --> 00:31:35.000
 it doesn't look like

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:35.720
 I'm really a Christian

00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.720
 and so they've put me

00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:37.560
 out of their group.

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.560
 I'm not part

00:31:38.560 --> 00:31:39.320
 of the church anymore.

00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:40.539
 And what's the point?

00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.799
 The point is that man

00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:42.840
 is supposed to realize

00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:45.759
 this is a weighty thing.

00:31:46.120 --> 00:31:47.259
 This is a big deal.

00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:49.500
 Being a part of the church

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:50.500
 was better than being

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:51.740
 part of the world.

00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:53.380
 It's so that this man

00:31:53.380 --> 00:31:54.680
 would feel the weight

00:31:54.680 --> 00:31:55.560
 of his sin.

00:31:57.100 --> 00:31:58.400
 He would recognize

00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:00.600
 the weight of his sin

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.920
 and that it's infinitely better

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.240
 to be in Christ

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:04.120
 and in the church

00:32:04.120 --> 00:32:05.120
 than cast out

00:32:05.120 --> 00:32:06.000
 into the world.

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:07.460
 And the goal

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:08.140
 is repentance.

00:32:08.140 --> 00:32:09.680
 The goal is restoration

00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:11.740
 so that his soul

00:32:11.740 --> 00:32:12.599
 would be saved,

00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:13.700
 the scripture says.

00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:15.619
 And so,

00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:17.019
 biblical,

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.220
 restorative,

00:32:18.380 --> 00:32:19.640
 church discipline

00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:21.960
 protects the reputation

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:22.839
 of Christ

00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:24.779
 because you don't have

00:32:24.779 --> 00:32:26.059
 people in the church

00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.539
 who are claiming

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:27.180
 to be Christians

00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:28.240
 yet living like

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.019
 the rest of the world.

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.779
 so it protects

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.359
 the reputation

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.039
 of Christ

00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:32.879
 and it protects

00:32:32.879 --> 00:32:34.379
 the souls of people

00:32:34.379 --> 00:32:35.759
 because you're no longer

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.819
 allowing them

00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:37.339
 to be a member

00:32:37.339 --> 00:32:37.900
 of your church

00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:38.500
 if they're living

00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.299
 in serious,

00:32:39.420 --> 00:32:39.759
 outward,

00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:41.859
 unrepentant sin.

00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:43.160
 Notice I say

00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:44.000
 unrepentant.

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:45.180
 The church

00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:46.720
 is not a place

00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.839
 for non-sinners,

00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:48.500
 right?

00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:49.879
 Because none of us

00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.319
 would be here.

00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:51.700
 The church is a place

00:32:51.700 --> 00:32:53.379
 for repenting sinners.

00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:53.540
 sinners.

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:55.700
 And so,

00:32:55.860 --> 00:32:56.340
 this keeps,

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:57.620
 this excommunication

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:58.800
 keeps from,

00:32:59.000 --> 00:32:59.400
 a church

00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.720
 from giving false assurance

00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.360
 of salvation

00:33:01.360 --> 00:33:01.920
 to someone

00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:03.720
 who's not truly born again.

00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:06.520
 On the positive side

00:33:06.520 --> 00:33:07.080
 of this coin,

00:33:07.380 --> 00:33:07.580
 right,

00:33:07.620 --> 00:33:07.900
 it's hard,

00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:08.780
 we don't like to think

00:33:08.780 --> 00:33:09.720
 about excommunication,

00:33:09.900 --> 00:33:10.420
 church discipline,

00:33:10.820 --> 00:33:12.100
 but on the positive side

00:33:12.100 --> 00:33:13.140
 of this same coin,

00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:13.880
 brothers and sisters,

00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:15.500
 biblical church membership

00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:16.940
 should be of great

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.520
 encouragement to you

00:33:18.520 --> 00:33:19.980
 if you're a Christian.

00:33:21.340 --> 00:33:22.480
 Because if you think about it,

00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.660
 to be a member of a church

00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.759
 is to say

00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:25.759
 that the other,

00:33:25.860 --> 00:33:26.700
 all the other members

00:33:26.700 --> 00:33:27.319
 of that church

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:29.460
 are welcoming you

00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:30.120
 into their membership.

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:32.160
 They're agreeing that,

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:32.900
 yes,

00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.960
 Josh really does seem

00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.539
 like a Christian.

00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:36.779
 He really is repenting

00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.180
 and believing.

00:33:37.299 --> 00:33:38.299
 He really is following

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:39.039
 the true gospel.

00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:40.380
 So we're welcoming him

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:41.720
 into our membership.

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:42.519
 Brothers and sisters,

00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:43.420
 this should give you

00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:44.319
 great assurance

00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:45.160
 of salvation.

00:33:45.940 --> 00:33:47.000
 When you have a group

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:47.900
 of people who are

00:33:47.900 --> 00:33:49.960
 allowing you at the table

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.079
 in communion,

00:33:51.079 --> 00:33:52.839
 allowing you to take

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.639
 the bread and the cup,

00:33:54.359 --> 00:33:55.879
 it should be of great

00:33:55.879 --> 00:33:56.839
 encouragement to you.

00:33:58.279 --> 00:33:59.319
 And so every member

00:33:59.319 --> 00:33:59.939
 of a local church

00:33:59.939 --> 00:34:00.799
 has a God-given

00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:01.899
 biblical responsibility

00:34:01.899 --> 00:34:03.519
 to guard the what

00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:04.439
 and the who

00:34:04.439 --> 00:34:05.099
 of the gospel

00:34:05.099 --> 00:34:06.799
 by sending and receiving

00:34:06.799 --> 00:34:08.159
 church members.

00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:10.360
 And so all this,

00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:10.619
 then,

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:11.739
 do you know

00:34:11.739 --> 00:34:12.579
 what this means for us?

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:14.480
 It means,

00:34:14.779 --> 00:34:15.840
 in order to guard

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.340
 the what and the who

00:34:16.340 --> 00:34:16.779
 of the gospel,

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:17.920
 it means we must

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.980
 know the gospel

00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:20.539
 and know it well.

00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:22.679
 And it also means

00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:23.260
 we must know

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:24.619
 one another well,

00:34:25.300 --> 00:34:26.699
 know one another deeply.

00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:28.039
 So first,

00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:28.639
 we must know

00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:30.179
 the gospel well.

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:31.519
 We can't guard

00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:32.119
 this gospel

00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:32.920
 if we don't know

00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:33.559
 this gospel.

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.840
 We can't hold

00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:35.460
 one another

00:34:35.460 --> 00:34:36.440
 accountable to

00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:37.199
 sound doctrine

00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:38.119
 if we don't know

00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:39.500
 sound doctrine ourselves.

00:34:39.900 --> 00:34:40.699
 So my encouragement

00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:41.460
 to each one of you,

00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:42.240
 brothers and sisters,

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:43.619
 is to keep growing

00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:45.059
 in biblical literacy.

00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:45.719
 Keep growing

00:34:45.719 --> 00:34:46.960
 in your understanding

00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:47.539
 of the Bible

00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:48.880
 and of God

00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:49.599
 and his word.

00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:52.579
 Keep studying

00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.420
 scripture together.

00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:54.099
 Keep reading

00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:55.019
 good books together.

00:34:55.760 --> 00:34:56.460
 Keep coming here

00:34:56.460 --> 00:34:57.139
 on Sunday morning.

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:57.800
 Y'all are all

00:34:57.800 --> 00:34:58.480
 doing a great job

00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.079
 of that today.

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.820
 Keep listening

00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:01.760
 to the Bible

00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:02.519
 being preached

00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:03.420
 and taught

00:35:03.420 --> 00:35:04.420
 and discussed

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.579
 so that you can

00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.740
 sharpen one another.

00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:08.760
 So know the gospel well.

00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:09.159
 Second,

00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:10.260
 you must know

00:35:10.260 --> 00:35:11.000
 one another well.

00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:13.019
 Remember,

00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:14.539
 you are one body.

00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:16.280
 You need each other.

00:35:17.240 --> 00:35:18.000
 That passage

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:18.940
 in 1 Corinthians 12,

00:35:19.060 --> 00:35:19.620
 Paul goes on.

00:35:19.740 --> 00:35:19.960
 He says,

00:35:20.740 --> 00:35:21.580
 the eye can't say

00:35:21.580 --> 00:35:22.080
 to the hand,

00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:23.100
 I have no need of you,

00:35:23.220 --> 00:35:23.860
 nor the head

00:35:23.860 --> 00:35:24.320
 to the feet,

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.340
 I have no need of you.

00:35:26.060 --> 00:35:26.280
 No,

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.380
 God has so composed

00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:27.860
 the body,

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:28.800
 giving greater honor

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.220
 to the part

00:35:29.220 --> 00:35:29.920
 that lacked it,

00:35:30.120 --> 00:35:30.780
 that there may be

00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:31.460
 no division

00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:32.240
 in the body,

00:35:32.820 --> 00:35:33.760
 but that the members

00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:35.100
 may have the same care

00:35:35.100 --> 00:35:36.040
 for one another.

00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:37.780
 If one member suffers,

00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:38.920
 all suffer together.

00:35:39.080 --> 00:35:40.280
 If one member

00:35:40.280 --> 00:35:40.780
 is honored,

00:35:41.160 --> 00:35:42.240
 all rejoice together.

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.400
 And so God's word

00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:45.300
 here calls us

00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:45.980
 to be unified

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.080
 as a body,

00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:48.920
 to know one another well,

00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:50.340
 to love one another deeply.

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:52.760
 A great way

00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:53.600
 you can do this

00:35:53.600 --> 00:35:55.160
 is simply by practicing

00:35:55.160 --> 00:35:56.220
 the one another commandments

00:35:56.220 --> 00:35:56.740
 in scripture.

00:35:57.880 --> 00:35:59.580
 There's over 30

00:35:59.580 --> 00:36:02.180
 one another commandments

00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:03.060
 in the New Testament.

00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:04.880
 Over 30 of them.

00:36:05.660 --> 00:36:07.800
 And most of those examples,

00:36:08.220 --> 00:36:09.340
 the author is writing

00:36:09.340 --> 00:36:10.340
 to a local church

00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:11.640
 and he's telling them

00:36:11.640 --> 00:36:12.080
 how to live

00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:12.779
 their lives together.

00:36:13.779 --> 00:36:14.539
 Be at peace

00:36:14.539 --> 00:36:15.179
 with one another.

00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:16.960
 Honor one another.

00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:18.619
 Submit to one another.

00:36:18.819 --> 00:36:19.739
 Pray for one another.

00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.340
 Build up one another.

00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:22.579
 Confess your sins

00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:23.199
 to one another.

00:36:23.739 --> 00:36:24.460
 And the list goes on

00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:25.239
 and on and on and on

00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:25.539
 of these

00:36:25.539 --> 00:36:27.159
 one another commandments.

00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:27.639
 And so

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:29.539
 this one anothering

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:30.460
 should be happening

00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:31.159
 all the time

00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:32.559
 in our local churches

00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:33.199
 and that's a great

00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:33.920
 measuring stick

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:34.980
 for us in our own lives

00:36:34.980 --> 00:36:35.739
 to look at and say,

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:36.699
 man, how am I doing

00:36:36.699 --> 00:36:37.019
 at that?

00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:38.340
 How am I doing

00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:39.019
 at being at peace

00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:39.539
 with one another?

00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:41.099
 Am I pursuing peace

00:36:41.099 --> 00:36:42.300
 or am I sort of a divisive

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:44.300
 and gossipy type person?

00:36:45.259 --> 00:36:46.179
 Am I praying

00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:46.840
 for the other members

00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:47.380
 of my church

00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:48.119
 or do I really not

00:36:48.119 --> 00:36:48.659
 think about them

00:36:48.659 --> 00:36:49.460
 much throughout the week?

00:36:50.179 --> 00:36:50.880
 Am I confessing

00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:52.000
 my sins to each other

00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:54.059
 or do I want to just hide

00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:55.259
 and act like I have

00:36:55.259 --> 00:36:55.759
 it all together?

00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:57.059
 Guess what?

00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:57.779
 None of us have it

00:36:57.779 --> 00:36:58.159
 all together.

00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.440
 We all need to be

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.259
 confessing our sins

00:37:00.259 --> 00:37:00.759
 to one another.

00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:01.480
 I need people to

00:37:01.480 --> 00:37:02.380
 look at my life

00:37:02.380 --> 00:37:03.239
 and call me out

00:37:03.239 --> 00:37:03.840
 when I'm in sin.

00:37:06.279 --> 00:37:06.639
 So,

00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:08.619
 if we're saying

00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:09.279
 that church membership

00:37:09.279 --> 00:37:10.319
 is a job,

00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:11.059
 if we have a job

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:12.119
 to do as a church membership,

00:37:12.119 --> 00:37:12.859
 it would be nice

00:37:12.859 --> 00:37:13.859
 to have a job description,

00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:14.400
 wouldn't it?

00:37:15.059 --> 00:37:15.259
 Right?

00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.619
 Who would take a job

00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:17.139
 without having

00:37:17.139 --> 00:37:18.059
 a clear job description?

00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:19.299
 I don't think any of us would.

00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:20.519
 That'd be crazy.

00:37:21.359 --> 00:37:22.119
 So it'd be nice

00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.199
 to have a clear job description

00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:24.119
 if I'm going to sign up

00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:24.719
 for a job.

00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:26.079
 And this leads us

00:37:26.079 --> 00:37:26.579
 to our fourth

00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:27.299
 and final point.

00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:28.980
 The church member's

00:37:28.980 --> 00:37:29.619
 job description

00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:30.299
 is

00:37:30.299 --> 00:37:32.019
 your church covenant.

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:35.239
 Your church covenant

00:37:35.239 --> 00:37:37.119
 is your job description.

00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:38.239
 So in your church covenant,

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:39.179
 you'll find just about

00:37:39.179 --> 00:37:39.900
 everything that we've

00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:40.860
 talked about in this sermon

00:37:40.860 --> 00:37:41.840
 listed out.

00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:43.099
 And I actually have

00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:44.259
 your church covenant here,

00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:45.340
 Seaweed Bay Baptist Church.

00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:46.239
 I have it here in my hand.

00:37:46.940 --> 00:37:47.579
 And so I'm going to read

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:48.679
 a few of these points

00:37:48.679 --> 00:37:49.599
 of your church covenant,

00:37:49.820 --> 00:37:50.500
 the things that you

00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:51.079
 have promised

00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:52.199
 before God

00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:53.000
 and before one another,

00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:53.679
 the way you're going

00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:54.179
 to live out

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:55.780
 this thing called

00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:57.400
 church membership together.

00:37:58.460 --> 00:37:59.539
 From your church covenant,

00:37:59.759 --> 00:38:00.219
 it says,

00:38:00.219 --> 00:38:00.980
 we have,

00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:01.919
 by God's grace,

00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:03.219
 been led to repent

00:38:03.219 --> 00:38:03.919
 of our sins

00:38:03.919 --> 00:38:04.919
 and believe in the gospel

00:38:04.919 --> 00:38:05.699
 of Jesus Christ.

00:38:05.879 --> 00:38:06.659
 We've been baptized

00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:07.339
 as believers

00:38:07.339 --> 00:38:08.199
 in the name of the Father,

00:38:08.319 --> 00:38:09.079
 Son, and Holy Spirit

00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:10.459
 and have joined ourselves

00:38:10.459 --> 00:38:11.719
 to this body.

00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:12.879
 We now,

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.839
 in dependence on his spirit,

00:38:15.059 --> 00:38:16.699
 gladly and reverently

00:38:16.699 --> 00:38:19.339
 make this covenant together.

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:21.199
 So there was that first point

00:38:21.199 --> 00:38:21.739
 I made earlier.

00:38:21.839 --> 00:38:22.399
 A church member

00:38:22.399 --> 00:38:23.319
 is someone who's been

00:38:23.319 --> 00:38:24.859
 born again and baptized.

00:38:25.439 --> 00:38:26.299
 So there that is

00:38:26.299 --> 00:38:27.199
 in your church covenant.

00:38:27.399 --> 00:38:27.659
 Next,

00:38:28.439 --> 00:38:29.859
 you say in your covenant,

00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:30.480
 we will,

00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:32.140
 and I'm not reading

00:38:32.140 --> 00:38:32.700
 every word,

00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:33.320
 but you say,

00:38:33.700 --> 00:38:34.740
 we will pursue unity.

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:36.380
 We will walk together

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:37.220
 in Christian love

00:38:37.220 --> 00:38:38.160
 as we care for

00:38:38.160 --> 00:38:39.519
 and watch over one another.

00:38:40.240 --> 00:38:41.300
 Seeking one another's

00:38:41.300 --> 00:38:41.880
 spiritual good

00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:42.559
 at all times,

00:38:42.640 --> 00:38:43.440
 we'll pray for,

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:44.440
 encourage,

00:38:44.720 --> 00:38:45.160
 and warn,

00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:45.840
 and rebuke,

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:46.980
 and admonish one another

00:38:46.980 --> 00:38:48.039
 as the occasion

00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:49.260
 may acquire.

00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:51.280
 And so there it is again

00:38:51.280 --> 00:38:52.120
 in your church covenant.

00:38:52.260 --> 00:38:53.200
 You're covenanting

00:38:53.200 --> 00:38:55.360
 to pursue unity,

00:38:55.800 --> 00:38:56.620
 to watch over

00:38:56.620 --> 00:38:57.860
 each other's souls,

00:38:57.860 --> 00:38:58.880
 to encourage,

00:38:59.000 --> 00:38:59.400
 and rebuke,

00:38:59.440 --> 00:39:00.140
 and admonish

00:39:00.140 --> 00:39:01.559
 where it needs to happen.

00:39:02.519 --> 00:39:03.180
 And again,

00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:04.640
 in order for this to happen,

00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:05.360
 you must know

00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:06.720
 one another well.

00:39:07.220 --> 00:39:09.140
 You must be vulnerable

00:39:09.140 --> 00:39:10.240
 with one another.

00:39:10.380 --> 00:39:11.019
 You must be willing

00:39:11.019 --> 00:39:11.720
 to let people

00:39:11.720 --> 00:39:13.460
 into your lives.

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:15.320
 I heard a quote

00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:16.840
 last week

00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:17.480
 from a pastor

00:39:17.480 --> 00:39:19.200
 and I loved it.

00:39:19.220 --> 00:39:19.820
 I thought it was great.

00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:20.280
 He said,

00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:21.599
 church membership

00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:23.039
 is where

00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:24.120
 the phrase,

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:25.680
 it's none of your business

00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:27.159
 goes to die.

00:39:28.359 --> 00:39:29.139
 Church membership

00:39:29.139 --> 00:39:29.719
 is where

00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:30.859
 it's none of your business

00:39:30.859 --> 00:39:32.059
 goes to die.

00:39:32.759 --> 00:39:33.480
 I love that.

00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:34.919
 It's none of your business.

00:39:35.059 --> 00:39:35.279
 No,

00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:36.339
 it is your business

00:39:36.339 --> 00:39:37.500
 if you're living together

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.899
 in covenant unity

00:39:38.899 --> 00:39:40.219
 in a church.

00:39:41.899 --> 00:39:42.579
 And so,

00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:43.679
 back to your church covenant,

00:39:44.039 --> 00:39:44.759
 you say,

00:39:44.899 --> 00:39:46.259
 we will gather regularly.

00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:48.279
 We will share Christ.

00:39:48.399 --> 00:39:49.679
 We will put each other's needs

00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:50.739
 before our own.

00:39:50.859 --> 00:39:51.379
 We will commit

00:39:51.379 --> 00:39:52.319
 to holiness.

00:39:52.539 --> 00:39:53.359
 We will follow

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:54.160
 God's design

00:39:54.160 --> 00:39:54.880
 for his church,

00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.940
 supporting and upholding

00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:57.980
 the preaching of the Bible.

00:39:58.220 --> 00:39:58.780
 So there it is.

00:39:58.840 --> 00:39:59.200
 You're guarding

00:39:59.200 --> 00:39:59.940
 the what of the gospel.

00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.280
 You've covenanted,

00:40:01.640 --> 00:40:01.980
 church,

00:40:02.280 --> 00:40:02.700
 Siwi Bay,

00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:03.720
 you've covenanted

00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:04.620
 to guard the what

00:40:04.620 --> 00:40:05.200
 of the gospel

00:40:05.200 --> 00:40:06.120
 because you say,

00:40:06.240 --> 00:40:06.880
 we will uphold

00:40:06.880 --> 00:40:07.860
 the preaching of the Bible.

00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:10.500
 And then you say,

00:40:10.960 --> 00:40:11.720
 we will uphold

00:40:11.720 --> 00:40:12.880
 the right administration

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:14.200
 of believers' baptism

00:40:14.200 --> 00:40:15.059
 in the Lord's Supper

00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:16.420
 and when necessary,

00:40:16.700 --> 00:40:17.260
 the exercise

00:40:17.260 --> 00:40:18.039
 of church discipline.

00:40:18.160 --> 00:40:18.820
 So there it is.

00:40:19.140 --> 00:40:20.120
 Right there in your covenant,

00:40:20.280 --> 00:40:20.660
 you're guarding

00:40:20.660 --> 00:40:21.700
 the who of the gospel.

00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:23.399
 You're going to uphold

00:40:23.399 --> 00:40:24.779
 baptism,

00:40:24.919 --> 00:40:25.619
 the Lord's Supper,

00:40:26.119 --> 00:40:27.419
 and exercise

00:40:27.419 --> 00:40:28.079
 church discipline

00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:28.859
 where it needs

00:40:28.859 --> 00:40:29.980
 to happen.

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:32.139
 And so with all

00:40:32.139 --> 00:40:32.799
 of this in mind,

00:40:33.139 --> 00:40:34.199
 with all of these things

00:40:34.199 --> 00:40:34.939
 in mind that we've talked

00:40:34.939 --> 00:40:35.159
 about,

00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:35.960
 about church membership,

00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:38.299
 we come to a

00:40:38.299 --> 00:40:39.419
 biblically informed

00:40:39.419 --> 00:40:41.239
 definition of the church

00:40:41.239 --> 00:40:42.119
 and of church membership.

00:40:42.379 --> 00:40:42.799
 And that's,

00:40:42.879 --> 00:40:43.299
 it's simple.

00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:45.480
 It's that church membership

00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:46.679
 is all about

00:40:46.679 --> 00:40:48.039
 a church taking

00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:48.699
 spiritually,

00:40:49.059 --> 00:40:49.939
 spiritual responsibility

00:40:49.940 --> 00:40:51.960
 for you as the individual

00:40:51.960 --> 00:40:53.059
 and you,

00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:54.019
 individual Christian,

00:40:54.460 --> 00:40:55.940
 taking spiritual responsibility

00:40:55.940 --> 00:40:58.200
 for the rest of the church

00:40:58.200 --> 00:41:00.039
 that you are a member of.

00:41:00.099 --> 00:41:00.720
 That's what we mean

00:41:00.720 --> 00:41:01.440
 by church membership.

00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:04.039
 We mean taking responsibility

00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:05.900
 for one another.

00:41:07.700 --> 00:41:08.800
 And so brothers and sisters

00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:09.700
 in Christ,

00:41:09.960 --> 00:41:10.179
 this,

00:41:10.400 --> 00:41:11.320
 this,

00:41:11.480 --> 00:41:12.940
 this is biblical

00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:14.159
 church membership,

00:41:14.380 --> 00:41:15.380
 what we've talked about

00:41:15.380 --> 00:41:15.920
 this morning.

00:41:16.039 --> 00:41:16.280
 It's,

00:41:16.340 --> 00:41:17.280
 it's a living organism.

00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:17.720
 It's,

00:41:17.720 --> 00:41:19.580
 it's a particular family

00:41:19.580 --> 00:41:20.600
 of believers.

00:41:21.240 --> 00:41:21.700
 It's,

00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:22.960
 it's the body of Christ.

00:41:23.560 --> 00:41:24.700
 It's a group of people

00:41:24.700 --> 00:41:25.620
 who've been saved

00:41:25.620 --> 00:41:26.840
 by grace alone

00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:27.560
 through faith alone

00:41:27.560 --> 00:41:28.320
 and Christ alone

00:41:28.320 --> 00:41:28.480
 and,

00:41:28.600 --> 00:41:30.180
 and whom God has plucked

00:41:30.180 --> 00:41:31.460
 out of the world,

00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:33.080
 the kingdom of darkness

00:41:33.080 --> 00:41:34.620
 and placed into the kingdom

00:41:34.620 --> 00:41:35.480
 of light.

00:41:36.660 --> 00:41:37.300
 Church membership

00:41:37.300 --> 00:41:39.019
 is redeemed saints

00:41:39.019 --> 00:41:39.940
 from all different walks

00:41:39.940 --> 00:41:40.360
 of life,

00:41:40.460 --> 00:41:40.700
 rich,

00:41:40.820 --> 00:41:41.040
 poor,

00:41:41.180 --> 00:41:41.420
 young,

00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:41.820
 old,

00:41:42.120 --> 00:41:42.400
 black,

00:41:42.540 --> 00:41:42.760
 white,

00:41:42.840 --> 00:41:43.820
 and every color in between

00:41:43.820 --> 00:41:45.440
 submitting our lives

00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:46.840
 to Christ as our Lord

00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:48.320
 and to one another.

00:41:49.019 --> 00:41:50.280
 Not because we're naturally

00:41:50.280 --> 00:41:51.519
 drawn to one another,

00:41:51.639 --> 00:41:52.920
 but because we're members

00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:54.039
 of one body,

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:55.519
 the body of Christ.

00:41:56.159 --> 00:41:57.240
 It's a group of people

00:41:57.240 --> 00:41:58.400
 who've covenanted together

00:41:58.400 --> 00:41:59.760
 to protect the gospel

00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:01.820
 and to give gospel affirmation

00:42:01.820 --> 00:42:02.619
 to one another.

00:42:03.280 --> 00:42:04.280
 It's a group of people

00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:05.200
 who've promised to help

00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:05.579
 one another

00:42:05.579 --> 00:42:06.860
 as we sojourn together

00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:07.599
 on this earth,

00:42:08.059 --> 00:42:09.300
 rejoicing when things are good,

00:42:09.740 --> 00:42:11.260
 weeping when things are bad,

00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:12.900
 sharing one another's burdens,

00:42:13.300 --> 00:42:14.500
 and cheering for one another

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:15.500
 until we all cross

00:42:15.500 --> 00:42:16.219
 the finish line

00:42:16.219 --> 00:42:17.460
 when Christ returns.

00:42:18.380 --> 00:42:18.940
 And so Christian,

00:42:19.059 --> 00:42:20.760
 the journey through this life

00:42:20.760 --> 00:42:21.800
 is dangerous.

00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:24.300
 Sin seduces us

00:42:24.300 --> 00:42:25.460
 from the right and the left.

00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:27.699
 Satan tempts us

00:42:27.699 --> 00:42:28.400
 day and night,

00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:29.860
 our own minds and hearts

00:42:29.860 --> 00:42:31.880
 try to lead us astray.

00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:34.360
 The world convinces us

00:42:34.360 --> 00:42:35.599
 that true happiness

00:42:35.599 --> 00:42:36.260
 and flourishing

00:42:36.260 --> 00:42:37.760
 is found out there,

00:42:38.019 --> 00:42:39.679
 and you can't resist

00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:40.559
 these temptations.

00:42:41.099 --> 00:42:42.260
 I cannot resist

00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:43.099
 these temptations

00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:43.980
 on my own,

00:42:44.059 --> 00:42:46.039
 and God knows that.

00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:47.460
 God knows that,

00:42:47.500 --> 00:42:49.039
 and so in his infinite wisdom,

00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:51.579
 he's given us local churches

00:42:51.579 --> 00:42:53.319
 while we sojourn

00:42:53.319 --> 00:42:54.000
 through this life

00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:55.099
 to help one another

00:42:55.099 --> 00:42:56.719
 on our way to heaven.

00:42:57.559 --> 00:42:59.199
 So you need one another

00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:01.440
 as you look to Jesus,

00:43:01.779 --> 00:43:02.579
 the chief shepherd

00:43:02.579 --> 00:43:04.239
 who laid down his life

00:43:04.239 --> 00:43:05.360
 for us, the sheep.

00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:07.019
 Let's pray together.

00:43:07.019 --> 00:43:11.320
 God, we thank you for Christ.

00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:12.500
 We thank you for the gospel.

00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:13.800
 Thank you that Christ

00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:16.320
 saves sinners like us.

00:43:17.280 --> 00:43:19.280
 And God, we thank you

00:43:19.280 --> 00:43:20.480
 that in your wisdom

00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:21.440
 you have seen fit

00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:22.639
 to gather your people

00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:24.119
 into local churches.

00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:26.239
 Thank you

00:43:26.239 --> 00:43:28.800
 for this local church.

00:43:28.960 --> 00:43:30.000
 Thank you for Seawee Bay

00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:30.920
 Baptist Church.

00:43:31.159 --> 00:43:32.500
 Thank you for Jonathan

00:43:32.500 --> 00:43:33.420
 and Treg,

00:43:34.320 --> 00:43:35.400
 pastors of this church.

00:43:35.519 --> 00:43:35.900
 Thank you

00:43:35.900 --> 00:43:37.400
 for others who lead

00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:37.840
 and serve

00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:39.079
 in this church family.

00:43:39.219 --> 00:43:40.500
 Thank you for every member here.

00:43:40.619 --> 00:43:41.260
 We pray that

00:43:41.260 --> 00:43:42.400
 each one would

00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:44.000
 would see their

00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:45.960
 their job

00:43:45.960 --> 00:43:47.579
 of a church member,

00:43:47.940 --> 00:43:48.940
 the job they have

00:43:48.940 --> 00:43:50.619
 to encourage one another,

00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:51.639
 to love one another,

00:43:52.340 --> 00:43:53.960
 to point one another

00:43:53.960 --> 00:43:54.500
 to Christ.

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:56.559
 God, we pray

00:43:56.559 --> 00:43:57.079
 that you would

00:43:57.079 --> 00:43:58.340
 continue to bless

00:43:58.340 --> 00:44:00.079
 this local church family.

00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:02.000
 may they grow

00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:02.860
 in godliness.

00:44:03.500 --> 00:44:04.039
 May you continue

00:44:04.039 --> 00:44:05.099
 to shape them

00:44:05.099 --> 00:44:05.739
 into the image

00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:06.380
 of your son

00:44:06.380 --> 00:44:08.099
 until we all

00:44:08.099 --> 00:44:09.480
 see you

00:44:09.480 --> 00:44:10.759
 face to face.

00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:12.699
 We thank you

00:44:12.699 --> 00:44:13.360
 for these things.

00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:14.480
 We pray them

00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.219
 in the name of Christ

00:44:15.219 --> 00:44:16.139
 and by the power

00:44:16.139 --> 00:44:16.619
 of your spirit.

00:44:17.259 --> 00:44:17.460
 Amen.