I want to encourage you to open up your Bibles, if you would, to Acts chapter 2.
!
What does it look like?
So we've sought to answer that question.
Then we've moved to the next question, what is the purpose of the church?
So if God has put a church together, what is the objectives that he's put in front of them?
Why do they exist?
What is the goal of their gathering together?
We've spent the last several weeks working through the fourfold purpose of the church.
We'll be finishing that out this morning.
We're going to turn to one more question towards the end of our time together,
and that is, who is the church?
So once we understand what the church is, who makes up the church,
and what does it mean to be part of the church,
and we'll spend some time looking at that as we wrap up our series this morning.
The Lord has given us a picture, a picture through the Scripture on what a church looks like.
We see this interactive community of believers who are fellowshipping with one another,
and so we get this picture in full color as we've been reading through the last few verses of Acts 2,
verses 42 to 47.
Those of us who enjoy sports, I don't know if there's any baseball fans out there,
but I think the baseball season has just begun,
and I'm sure those of you who enjoy baseball are going bananas.
It's good to enjoy your favorite sport.
Well, those of you who know something about sports,
my family would once in a while go and enjoy a Cincinnati Reds game,
and that was an experience, just being able to go down to the park and to be in the stands
and to watch the game, to enjoy some conversation with friends and family who had gathered there together.
But you know how it works.
You know, there's the stands.
There's people who are sitting in the stands.
They may be wearing the same colors.
They may even be wearing the jersey.
They often know the stats.
They can identify the players.
They're excited about when their team wins the game.
But at the end of the day, they're just a fan.
They're not a player.
There's something quite distinct about a player and a person who's observing and watching the game.
Right?
The players belong to the team in a really formal way.
And so that when a victory happens,
it's not that the fans are patting themselves on the back,
look what we accomplished,
but it's the players who get to take credit for the victory that they've been able to achieve.
The difference between a fan and a player is the sense of belonging.
The sense of attachment.
The sense, not just that they're sharing the same space,
but there's an obligation, a commitment they have to one another.
And that's what we've been coming to observe in our passage this morning
and throughout the last several weeks as we've been working through Acts chapter 2.
We've seen this portrait.
This portrait of belonging.
This portrait of togetherness.
This portrait of connectivity that's taken place among these believers.
They're not loosely attached.
They're committed.
And they belong to one another.
There's two words that have stood out to us
as we've been kind of working our way through this passage.
And the first is found for us in verse 41.
It says, and they were added to one another.
They belong together.
There was a numbering, a specific grouping.
There was an addition that took place.
They were counted.
And the sum total of them was collectively emblematic
of their belonging to one another.
Then we find that they were devoted to the fellowship.
We saw that a little last week.
And the definite article that's used there
where they were devoted to the teaching and the fellowship.
This specific group, this identifiable group of individuals they belong to.
And so Acts chapter 2 is not just describing fans.
It's not just describing for us a group of people who are loosely attached.
It's describing a group of individuals who belong together
and have recognized that there's a commitment now that they have to one another
because of what Christ has accomplished for them.
They're a team.
They're a family.
And as we use the metaphor of the scripture,
they're a body.
They belong.
So we've been looking at this fourfold purpose.
We began a couple of weeks ago.
And the first purpose is worship.
We've called bow, to bow ourselves in worship to God.
And this is what we've said,
living with the spotlight on Jesus.
That Jesus is the center.
He's the objective.
He's the focal point.
He's the reason for our gathering.
And He's the one who helps to,
not only to inflame our worship,
but to motivate our worship,
our activity towards one another.
It spills out in a number of different ways.
Yes, worship is singing.
But worship is also praying.
It's teaching.
It's fellowshipping.
It's serving.
It's also working and playing and resting.
That we know that all of this is meant,
every sphere of life is meant to be punctuated
and saturated by worship.
It's the expression of our life.
Whether, therefore, you eat or drink
or whatever you do,
you do all to the glory of God.
And that is our worship
because we want Jesus,
His glory to be in the center.
We also have come to see
the importance of discipleship.
And this is the build category.
This is the constructive part of what we do.
The purpose of our being together
is to build one another up,
to equip one another in the work of the Lord.
We said that discipleship is leading
every person one step closer to Jesus.
It's not a formal program,
although it can be.
It's meant to be this informal,
life-on-life,
interactive kind of thing that we do together
so that in every interaction
that we have with one another,
the goal is how to stir one another
up to love and good deeds.
It's to actively and deliberately
seek to build up those
that God has put us in fellowship with.
That's the essence of discipleship.
It leads to growth.
It leads to the kind of maturing body
of believers
who are growing in their love for Jesus
and growing in love for one another.
The Apostle Paul puts it this way
in Colossians 1.28 when he says,
Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
That's the goal.
Forming Christ in others.
Seeking to develop and nurture them
so they look more like Jesus.
And as we can become more like Jesus,
the desire is to help stimulate
that kind of growth in others as well.
That leads us to fellowship.
Fellowship is the belonging part
of what we do.
And we have said this,
actively pursuing the health of the whole.
That fellowship isn't just eating meals together.
Fellowship isn't just sitting around
and shooting the breeze.
But true Christian fellowship has a goal.
The goal of true Christian fellowship
is what we find in Hebrews.
It says,
To stir one another up to love and good deeds.
It's to help them grow.
It's found out in all the one another commands
that we looked at last week.
The list of all the things
that we are meant to do for one another.
It flows out of this true Christian fellowship
that we have.
So the goal of the Christian life
is not autonomy.
It's not self-sufficiency.
It's stimulating and building relationships
to help us understand our togetherness.
That we belong together.
And that once we fellowship in the right way,
then it becomes a catalyst
for all of these other things
that God has called us to.
That Christian fellowship
is the foundation for discipleship.
Remember from Mark chapter 3 verse 14,
it says that Jesus,
he selected the 12
so that they might be with him
and they might send them out to preach.
It begins with fellowship.
It begins with their belonging with Christ
and seeing and enjoying his ministry
before he could ever send them out
to be representatives of his message.
They had to know him first.
It's also the catalyst for evangelism.
And we'll look at that more in just a moment.
But do you realize
if you want to be an effective evangelist,
you need to understand your commitment
to the body that God has placed you
in community with.
If you want to be a great evangelist,
if you want to share the gospel,
it often happens in relationships
that God has allowed you to enjoy.
So those are the three of the four purposes.
Let's turn our attention now to this final one.
What is evangelism?
We're going to see first of all
that evangelism is our way to bless the world.
It's our way to bless the world.
We see that right here at the outset
in verse 47.
Acts chapter 2 verse 47,
at the very end of the chapter,
it says this,
praising God and having favor
with all the people.
And notice what happens.
And the Lord added to their number day by day
those who were being saved.
Favor with all the people.
This word for favor
is the Greek word charis.
It's the word for grace.
And we get to see here,
here in Jerusalem,
the outflow of God's favor
on his people
is showing up.
And not just,
not just remaining with them,
but pouring out
and spilling out.
And so that all those
who are in Jerusalem
get to enjoy the benefits
of this favor of God
on the people of God
as they are interacting
and they are experiencing
and enjoying the benefits
of God's grace to them
and it's flowing out
in this expressive way
so that all of Jerusalem
gets to enjoy this measure
of God's favor.
They see it.
They experience it.
So we see,
we've seen this authentic community
of believers
and what are they doing?
Well, there's personal sacrifice involved.
There's selling possessions.
There's meeting needs.
There's attending temple.
There's sharing meal.
There's praising God.
There's glad and generous hearts.
There's a life change
that's taken place
among these people.
They are different.
There's something substantial.
There's something weighty
about what's taken place here.
Something different.
These believers in Jerusalem
were genuinely interested
in other people.
They are moved
from being those
who are self-serving
to being those
who are self-sacrificing.
And it's visible.
It's clear.
It's obvious.
They were blessed by God
and they became a blessing.
And that's a key point
I want to just draw out here.
That by experiencing
the favor of God,
now they become the conduits
of God's favor,
God's blessing
to a people
who they don't know God.
And that God then adds
to their number,
the number of the church,
day by day
those who are being saved.
Because as the grace of God
is resident in his people
and it's pouring out
on the city,
the city gets to see
the benefits
of that favor
and that blessing as well.
We see the foundations
of this in the next chapter,
Acts chapter 3.
We're going to get to
in just a couple of weeks.
And I want to just give us
a quick reminder
of what happens there
and just draw your attention
back to this,
the blessing of God.
You know the story.
Peter and John,
they'll go to Jerusalem
during the time of prayer.
And while they're there,
there's a man who's brought,
this lame man,
he's been lame since birth
and there he is,
he's laid at the temple.
And he's asking for money
but Peter and John,
they said,
hey, we're not going
to give you any money
but I got something
better for you.
Peter says,
he heals the man,
the man leaps up for joy
and as a result of this work,
this astonishing,
this astonishing work
creates this heart of joy
in the people
there in the temple.
And they're praising God.
Peter capitalizes
on the situation
and he now preaches
this message
but there in Acts chapter 3
verse 13,
notice where he starts.
He starts this way.
The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob,
the God of our fathers,
glorified his servant Jesus
whom you delivered over
to be and denied
in the presence of Pilate
when he decided
to release him.
He begins right back
in the promise
that was given to Abraham.
God has not forgotten
his people.
And what we begin to see
working its way out
here in Jerusalem
is the confirmation
that God has not forgotten
his promises to Abraham
and is actually
going to use those promises
and we're going to see them
worked out now
in the ministry
of Peter and John
in the salvation
of those who come to faith
in Christ there in Jerusalem.
Notice in verses 25 and 26
of chapter 3.
It says,
Do you notice what's happening?
Do you see what's taking place?
God promised Abraham,
going back to Genesis chapter 12,
verses 2 and 3,
He says,
I will make of you
a great nation.
I will bless you
and make your name great
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those
who bless you
and him who dishonors you
I will curse
and in you
all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.
That was the promise
that God made to Abraham
1,500 years
before Jesus came
and now in Jerusalem
that promise is happening.
It's happening right
before their eyes.
The blessing
that was promised to Abraham
is now extended
through his son,
Jesus Christ,
who now has come
to make a way
for those who come
to be saved
to now be a blessing,
to receive the blessing
and to be a blessing.
This promise to Abraham
confirmed and sealed
and now being fulfilled
through the ministry
of Christ
and his men,
Peter and John
and the rest of the apostles.
Christ blessed us
so that we would be a blessing.
And so that through us,
going back to this promise,
in you all the nations
will be blessed.
This promise worked out
through us
by receiving the gospel,
enjoying the benefits
of Christ's work
and now being a blessing
to the world around us.
And this is important
because when we often
think about evangelism,
I think we're prone
to think about conversion.
We're prone to think
about making converts,
maybe closing the deal,
maybe having the best arguments,
maybe presenting the best case,
making sure that people
not only understand,
but they come to faith
in Jesus Christ.
We want to win
these arguments.
We want to have
the best crafted apologetic.
We want to make sure
that we are doing
the closing the deal,
what all the words
that you want to say.
But the spirit
and the goal
of evangelism
is to bless.
It's simply
to be a blessing.
And then,
as a result,
allowing God
to do the work.
Because notice
in verse 47,
who adds
to the number
day by day
those who are being saved?
The Lord adds
to the number
day by day
those who are being saved.
Our goal then
is to be a blessing
regardless of the outcomes
and let God do
the work
that God
is going to do.
Trust Him
with that work.
And so we entrust
those results
to the Lord
because it's the Lord
who then brings
that work.
So we need to understand
the significance
of this goal.
The goal of God
doing this work
and having,
blessing
the world
as an objective
for our hearts.
Second,
I want you to understand
that evangelism
is our way
to love our neighbor.
It's our way
to love our neighbor.
You know,
we're all familiar
with the way
that Jesus
summarized
all the law
and the prophets,
right?
There's 600 plus
commands
that are given
to us
in the Old Testament.
Jesus narrowed it
down to two.
The first is
love the Lord
your God
with all your heart,
soul, mind,
and strength.
The second,
it says,
is like it
to love your neighbor
as yourself.
How do you know
that you love God?
Well,
you know that you love God
when it expresses itself
in real,
tangible,
physical,
obvious,
outworking of love
to the people
that God has put you
in community with,
relationship with.
So I can know
that I am loving God
when I'm growing in love
with the people
that God has put me
in community with.
So,
our evangelism
is meant
to be an outworking
of our love
for the world.
that it's not
contingent upon
their response
to us
or their kindness
to us
or their reception
to the gospel.
That regardless
of whether they
reject the gospel
or not,
that I still have
an obligation
to love them.
And so,
in loving them,
I'm investing in them
in seeking
to do a work
to welcome
and invite them
into a relationship
with Jesus
as well.
Of course,
the greatest blessing
that our world
could ever enjoy
is the blessing
of Christ.
And notice,
back in chapter 3,
verse 26,
what was Christ's goal?
God,
having raised up
his servant,
sent him to you first
to bless you
by turning every one
of you from your wickedness.
Even Jesus' goal
was a goal of blessing.
Blessing others
through the gospel,
turning them
from their wickedness
and turning them
to himself.
That was his goal.
So,
how do we do this?
How do we,
if the objective
and the goal
is to bless the world
and the outworking
of that strategy
is to love our neighbors,
how do we do that tangibly?
Well,
this word bless
is an acronym
and I want to just
introduce you
to it briefly.
And I want to encourage you,
this will just not only
make it memorable,
but for those of you
who feel very overwhelmed
about evangelism,
this isn't my spiritual gift,
I feel really awkward
about this,
I'm not sure
if I can do this,
you might feel intimidated,
this will make it easy
and this will help you
step into it
in a way
that should take
the edge off.
First is,
begin to pray.
Begin to pray.
That's the B.
See,
if anyone's
going to come to faith
in Christ,
it has to be
a work of the Lord.
The Lord added
day by day
those who are being saved
and so if it has to be
a work of the Lord,
we as God's people
need to pray
for the Lord
to do His work.
We need to ask
and invite the Lord
to stimulate hearts,
to give us opportunities,
to open up our eyes
so that we can see
the opportunities
that are there
and have courage
to step into
those opportunities.
The second here
is to listen to them.
That's the L.
To listen to them.
Take an active interest
in the people
that you either
work with
or the people
that you study with,
you're going to school with,
the people that you
enjoy activities with,
wherever you might be.
Pray for opportunities
to get to know
others better.
Be deliberate
about asking good questions.
Not just the kinds
of questions
that are surface.
How was your day?
How's your family?
Those kinds of things
which are appropriate
and good
but more meaningful questions.
That relationships
go deeper.
Not just how are you doing
but hey,
I noticed that
this is taking place
over here.
How is that going for you?
How can I encourage you?
I imagine that
you're struggling
because of this.
I noticed this
and I'd like to know more.
Digging below the surface,
asking deeper questions,
cultivating a relationship
that goes more
than just a surface level,
really taking an interest
in the people
that God has put you
in community with
so that you can come
to know them
and grow in compassion
for them
as the Lord
had compassion for us.
The E is
eat with them.
Eat with them.
There's something
about a good meal
that opens the door.
Opens the door
for relationship.
It kind of helps
to take away
any of the distractions.
It helps to remove
some of the pressure
of that interaction.
It helps to allow
those things
to be a little less formal.
God has designed it that way.
It's His design
and we need to press in
to this design
and learn the benefits
of fellowship
and hospitality
and eating good meals together
that stimulate
deeper conversations.
The first S
is to serve them.
That means we should
look for opportunities
to help
come alongside
and meet
actual physical needs
for our neighbors.
Depending upon the season
maybe that means
raking the leaves
or mowing a lawn
or shoveling the walk.
Maybe it's simple things
like making a meal
and going to
maybe watching a pet.
I don't know.
Fill in the blank.
You can find ways
to actually serve
your neighbors.
It follows the pattern
of the Lord Jesus
who came not to be served
but to serve
and to give His life
a ransom for many.
As we have the heart
of the Lord Jesus
in serving our neighbors
you will come to find
that that helps
also be a gateway
not only to meet
tangible needs
but to demonstrate
your concern
for your neighbors
so they want
to know you more.
And then finally
when all those pieces
are in place
you will find
this last component
will be very easy
for you
and that is
to share your story
of grace.
Share the gospel
with them.
It says in Acts 2.11
that we keep hearing
them tell us
in our own language
the mighty works
of God.
Well
that's the opportunity
that God will give
all of us.
Being able to tell
the mighty works
of God
because those doors
will become open.
God will create crisis
in some way
in their life
and when that happens
if you have developed
and nurtured
a friendship
who are they going
to ask for help?
Who are they going
to bring their questions
to?
They're going to bring
their questions
to you
and God will have
given you
a golden opportunity
to share
the mighty works
of God
that he's accomplished
in your life
and open the door
for a chance
to share the gospel.
One of the most
powerful ways
that we can do this
is through
our personal testimonies.
Your story
of how Jesus
is the hero
in bringing you salvation
delivering you
from your sin
and as we develop
those stories of grace
or those testimonies
you'll find that
that would be
a very easy gateway
for you
to share the gospel.
Any of you
who haven't yet
created a testimony
or those of you
who you created
your testimony
a very long time ago
and aren't acquainted
with it anymore
I want to just encourage you
we have a new tool
that we're developing
so that you can
do this more easily.
Pastor David
is putting that together
and anyone
who's interested
in a kind of
a simpler model
of how to put
your testimony together
kind of leading you
through a set of questions
that may be
a real benefit to you.
This summer
we'd like to prioritize
this purpose
of evangelism
and neighboring
by inviting you
to meet with one another.
So Caleb
if I can have that
next slide
we're going to call this
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
And any of you
who've maybe
I'm dating myself here
Mr. Rogers
I'm sure
most of you
younger kids
have no idea
who Mr. Rogers is
but he would
he would ask
this question
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
And he would sing
a little ditty
which I will not
I will not do for you.
During the summertime
the last several years
what we have done
is we've had something
called Sunday Nights
in the Park
and that's been a great way
for us to enjoy
fellowship together.
This year
what we like to do
is maybe switch gears
a bit
and instead of
doing it in one place
we want to encourage you
to do fellowship
in lots of different places
with the friends
and families
of your choice.
So still
twice
a month
and the first
the first time
you meet
on that
during the month
we want to encourage you
to meet with another family
or group of families
here from Maranatha
growing in fellowship
growing in relationship
enjoying a meal
going out
and maybe going
to a game together
doing something together
that stimulates
some measure
of Christian community.
Then that next Sunday
the second Sunday
of that month
whatever
week you choose
we would like to encourage you
to still meet
with that family
but invite somebody
that doesn't know Christ
and the goal
is to do
what we see here
in Acts chapter 2
verse 47
and that is
when people
the unsaved people
see
your fellowshipping together
your relationship
with one another
they see how God
is working in your hearts
and creating
Christian community
that the favor
that God has given to you
they will be able to see
and in some way
be able to participate in
in joy
so that God might
draw their hearts
to a saving knowledge
of Jesus Christ
himself.
This QR code
that we have here
we want to encourage
everybody
who is at least
thinking about this
whether you have
families in mind
already or not
we want to encourage
you to register
so that
two things can happen
one we know
who is registered
and who is a part of this
and two
for those of you
who want to be a part of it
but don't know of a family
that you could
partner with
then we can
access
this other resource
and be able
to pair you up
with others
who would like
to do this as well.
This is an experiment
but I think
this might be a great way
for us to get to know
each other better
and to see
how easy it can be
to neighbor
in our communities.
So we want to encourage you
to do this.
There will be a
Miranatha Minute article
that will come out
in the next week or so
about this too.
So that's the purpose
of the church.
That's what God
has called us to do.
Now I want to turn
our attention
in this last few moments
to this final question.
Who is the church?
If God has given
these objectives
to his people
well who are his people
and how do we know?
Well what happened
in Acts chapter 2
was not invisible.
It wasn't vague.
It wasn't artificial.
It was real.
It was physical.
It was obvious.
This group of individuals
who gathered together.
Now what was true of them?
And there are seven things
that were true
and I want to just work
through these things
quickly and briefly.
Who is the church?
First,
the church is those
who are saved
by grace
through faith.
Those who are saved
by grace
through faith.
We understand
that we are deserving
of God's wrath.
That all have sinned
and come short
of the glory of God
and what we deserve
because of our sin
is God's punishment.
God's wrath.
But,
he made a way
through his son,
Jesus,
who lived a perfect life,
who died the death
that we deserved,
who then rose again
and is now seated
at the right hand of God
so that we
can enjoy the benefits
of salvation.
That salvation happens
not because we earn it,
but it happens
because of God's grace.
And we access
that salvation
through faith
in Jesus Christ.
Christ.
And once that happens,
we recognize
that Christ paid
for everything.
It's not deserved
and so there's nothing
for us to boast about.
God gets the glory.
If you belong
to the church,
this has happened for you.
This is the starting point
for you.
This is the gateway
for us to experience
the benefits
of what Christ
has accomplished
for us.
Second,
those who are part
of the church
are those who have been
placed into a body
with Christ
as the head.
Been placed into a body
with Christ
as a head.
And this has already
happened for those
of you who believe.
This is something
that Christ has already
accomplished for us
who believe.
He's placed us
into a body
that you belong
to God.
And because you belong
to God,
you belong
to the body
of Christ.
You belong
to the people
who Christ
has drawn
into relationship
with Him.
And that while
Jesus came
in the flesh,
that the outworking
of this spiritual
life that He's
produced in us
also has a physical
dimension to it.
We see that
in Colossians 1,
verse 18
when it says,
and He
is the head
of the body,
the church.
He is the beginning,
the firstborn
from the dead,
that in everything
He might be
preeminent.
Jesus is the head
of the church.
He is the head
of the body.
He is preeminent.
He is overall.
He is the one
who has the right
to call the shots.
And because
He is the head
and we are the body,
the body
obeys the head.
That's our next
point here.
The churches
are those
who follow
Christ's instructions.
They follow
God's instructions
because He
is the head
and we belong
to Him
as the body.
And we saw
all these
one another commands
as we worked
through this
last week.
It is
encouraging
and overwhelming
the number
of things
that we are
called to do
for one another.
Bear one another's
burdens,
encourage one another,
care for one another,
admonish one another,
exhort one another.
And then we find
that this is
the will of God
for you.
This is what
God has called
us to.
You see,
the Lord Jesus
modeled a life
of perfect
submission to the
Father.
And He calls
us and
indwells us
with His Spirit.
He empowers us
to do this,
to carry out
these commands.
And so Christ
has given us
some commands.
John chapter 14
verse 15
says this,
If you love
me,
you will keep
my commandments.
Those who love
Jesus
will do
what Jesus
says.
And John
in his epistle
says this,
1 John chapter 5
verse 3,
For this is
the love of God,
that we keep
His commandments,
and His commandments
are not burdensome.
You see,
when you're in love
with someone,
doing hard things
is not so hard.
It becomes
pretty easy.
And the more
we grow in love
for our Lord Jesus,
the easier
obedience becomes.
It's not burdensome.
It's something
that we delight in,
something we enjoy.
fourth,
those who are
part of the church
are those who
pursue spiritual
maturity.
They pursue
spiritual maturity
because the word
of God is living.
It's active.
It's sharper
than a two-edged sword.
And because the word
of God is living
and it comes
and does something
for His people,
it creates
living creatures.
People who are alive.
People who grow.
People who are
stimulated.
People who grow
in spiritual maturity
and love for God
and love for one another.
We see that
in Ephesians 4,
verse 15 and 16.
It says,
Rather,
speaking the truth
in love,
we are to grow up
in every way
into Him
who is the head,
into Christ,
from whom the whole body,
joined and held together
by every joint
with which it is equipped,
when each part
is working properly,
makes the body grow
so that it builds
itself up in love.
Do you see all those
connective,
living,
active kinds of words?
That the church
is growing up.
The church
is joined together.
The church
is equipped
and working properly.
The church
is the one
who is making
the body grow
and it's all bound together,
starting
and finishing
with love.
That we grow
in love.
We grow
in spiritual maturity
as we're growing
in Christ.
Fifth,
those who are part
of the church
are those who accept
personal accountability.
They accept
personal accountability.
You see,
there are real instructions
in how to engage
one another,
not only in caring
for one another's needs,
but especially
in how to protect
one another
from the dangers
of sin.
We're told
to exhort
one another.
We're told
to encourage.
We're told
to admonish
one another.
We're told
to restore
one another
in the spirit
of gentleness.
We're told
to rebuke
one another.
We're told
to strengthen
one another.
All of these words
that have
accountability
in mind.
And those of you
who are parents
understand
how this works.
That fathers
are to raise up
their children
in the nurture
and admonition
of the Lord.
There's some
accountability there.
There's some
instruction there.
There's responsibility
of parents
to their kids
to help them grow.
And as spiritual
leaders,
we have a responsibility
to you.
And as part
of the body,
you have a responsibility
to one another.
Hebrews 13,
17 says this,
Obey your leaders
and submit to them
for they are keeping
watch over your souls
as those
who will have
to give an account.
Let them do it
with joy
and not with groaning
for that would be
of no advantage
to you.
God has put us
in community
with one another
for the sake
of spiritual protection
and safety
and flourishing
and we have a responsibility
to be accountable
to one another
in that way.
Sixth,
those who are part
of the church
are those who exercise
their spiritual gifts.
We saw that
at the beginning
of chapter 2 in Acts.
We saw this church
that was indwelt
by the Holy Spirit
and what do they do?
They start practicing
spiritual gifts
that God has given us
as believers
a gift
through the indwelling
power of His Spirit.
It's not meant
to be put on the shelf.
It's meant
to be put to work.
God has given us
this great responsibility
and privilege.
We find that
in 1 Peter 4
verses 10 and 11.
It says this,
As each has received
a gift,
use it
to serve one another
as good stewards
of God's very grace.
Whoever speaks
is one who speaks
oracles of God.
Whoever serves
is one who serves
by the strength
that God supplies
in order that
in everything,
here it is,
the goal,
God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ.
To Him belong
glory and dominion
forever and ever.
We exercise
our spiritual gifts
not just because
we have them,
but we do it
because of the glory
of God.
And finally,
those who are part
of the church
are those who make
the gospel visible.
They make the gospel visible.
You see,
our belonging together,
our togetherness,
helps to reinforce
what Christ has accomplished
through His work.
If His work
of dying on the cross
and rising again
brings unity
to the church,
then we demonstrate
the outworking
of that gospel power
by being together,
belonging together.
John chapter 17
verses 20 and 21
says this,
this is Christ's prayer,
I do not ask
for these only,
but also for those
who believe in me
through their word,
that they may all
be one,
just as you,
Father,
are in me
and I in you,
that they also
may be in us,
so that the world
may believe
that you have sent me.
The power of the gospel
that's noticeable,
observable
through a people
who are united together.
So this group
of gathered believers
are here
not just loosely affiliated,
they're gathered together
as those who are connected,
who are bound,
who have this obligation
to one another.
And so membership
then becomes
a visible expression
of our belonging together.
membership is a way
for us to say,
God has not just
accomplished something,
but we recognize
the importance
of what he's done
and we want to affirm
that in our expression
of opting in
and becoming
a visible part,
an active part
of the fellowship
that God has already
connected us to.
Many of you heard
the expression,
membership
has its privileges,
right?
And we're acquainted
with membership.
You'll either have
gym memberships
or shopping memberships
or phone plans,
whatever memberships
you're a part of,
but those memberships
in this day and age
have a purpose.
It gives us access,
it gives us discounts,
it gives us convenience,
but as long as
those memberships
serve us well,
we keep them.
But as soon as
those memberships
no longer serve us
the way we want to,
we opt out
and we switch allegiance.
That's kind of
what we've been
conditioned to do
as it relates
to membership
in the world.
But the membership
that Christ has created
is a membership
of belonging
that happens
as long as we are
a part of the family
of God.
And as long as God
has put us in
community with one another.
There is
the universal church
as it were.
We belong to Christ.
We belong to all
the believers
that are in the world.
But we recognize
the beauty
and uniqueness
of the local fellowships
that God has put us
in connection with
and the joy
of demonstrating
that commitment
to that local fellowship
through membership.
One of the statistics
that I found
from the Gallup poll
is that in 2023
only 45%
of Americans
said they belonged
to a formal
house of worship.
That doesn't even
include membership.
But in their minds
they were a part
of a fellowship.
That is down
from 73%
in 1937
and 70%
as recently
as 1999.
That is the spirit
of the age
to be disconnected
to be autonomous
to be independent.
But these people
in Acts chapter 2
understood
that the church
was something
entirely different.
It was not a product
to consume.
It wasn't a club
to sample.
It wasn't a place
just to access
with benefits
but a body
to belong to.
In a world
that idolizes
independence
and freedom
and autonomy
membership says
something entirely
different.
It says
I want to live
the Christian life
together.
I want
to live
the Christian life
and not
remain autonomous.
Not to remain
unknown.
Not to avoid
obligation.
I want to be
connected to
the body
that Christ
has connected
me to.
I want to be
joined to Christ's
people in a way
that is visible
and meaningful.
So I would
encourage
those of you
who are part
of this fellowship
to demonstrate
the beauty
of what Christ
has accomplished
and to carry out
the purposes
that God
has given to us.
For those of you
who are still
unsure
we have several
resources in the
back
as you're walking
out towards the
lobby.
I want to
encourage you
to look at those.
Some of those
are free resources.
Some of them
are not
but they're very
helpful in just
helping.
What is membership?
What's it about?
Why is it
important?
And is this
something that I
should consider?
It's been
a good
it's been good
for my own
heart to
remind myself
of what is
the church
and what is
my commitment
to the people
that God
has put me
in community
with.
May God
help us
as we
consider
his word
and apply it
to our lives.
Let's pray.
Father thank you
for the scripture.
Thank you for
stimulating us
in such a way
convicting us
in such a way
that reminds us
of our
responsibility
first to you
in bringing glory
to you
but also
our responsibility
to the people
you put us
in fellowship
with.
May we
please you
and may we
be used of you
in a way
that makes the
gospel look
beautiful
and our savior
look precious.
we pray
these things
in Jesus
name.
Amen.
God bless you.
Have a great week.
Thank you.