Intro:
As Christians our flesh has been crucified with its affections and lusts with Christ at calvary, and the old man of sin is
dead (Romans 6:6). Furthermore, we have been married to another and made part of his body, the body of Christ (Romans 7:4).
The head of this body is Christ according to Ephesians, and all things are under it’s feet, which tells us that we have
dominion over Satan, sin, slackness, selfishness, and sensual lusts. This body is the church (Colossians 1:18), and we are
members of it (Romans 12:4-5). I have membership in the body, and the body is the church. I am glad to be a church member!
Membership in this church is not by baptizing or shaking of hands; it is by repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.
Since I am a member of the church, I have the right and the privilege of becoming a member of a church. I am glad to be a
member of the church, a church, this church! I want to preach with the help of God on church membership.
When I speak of the church
I refer to the church, and more specifically I refer to our church. I don’t just make reference to some mystical, universal,
invisible body, but I refer to the local visible, called-out company of born again baptized believers in Jesus Christ the
Rock, and the founder, and the foundation of the church! I make no reference to the radio church or the TV church, but I speak
of the local New Testament body of believers- the church. I am not talking about the Masons or the Mooses, or the Eastern
Star, but I speak of the blood bought, baptized pure, virtuous bride of Christ- the church! I make no reference to the modern
commercialists who seek for you to tithe from your debts to pad their pockets. I speak not of the phony Bible-using, trinity-denying,
sodomite-smooching, sin-petting, compromising religious world who declares themselves the church while denying its every principle.
I speak of the church! I am talking about the church that Jesus built and bought with his blood. I make no reference to the
pseudo-born again, cocktail sipping, rock music loving, cigarette sucking, booze guzzling bunch that has prostituted the purity
of the true church. I make reference to His Church, and I make reference to his church at
Truth in particular, and I am glad to be a member of the church!
The church is important, for it belongs to God, and he has given it to us to participate
in and pass on to another generation that they might experience God there as well! The church is valuable. This church is
unique, for there is not another just like it in this area, or anywhere. As a member.
I. Privilege of Membership:
It is a privelidge to be a part of the church. I did not afford myself this right. I did not earn this privelidge. This honor
was bestowed upon me by Christ into the church, and by the members of the local body of this church. It is my privelidge by
virtue of:
A. Birth, Born again, John 3:3, 7
B. Baptism, Baptized by water and
the Holy Ghost, Matthew 28:19
C. Behavior, This really has more to do with continuing
than joining, Matthew 28:20
D. Business, Luke 2:49, Luke 19:13 (Occupy till I come).
II. Pledge of Membership:
As a member of this body, it is my responsibility. Just as it is the responsibility of the hand to wash the face, and the
job of the feet to transport the entire body, I have a responsibility to the body, the church to which I belong. I pledge
to maintain my responsibilities, and when I joined the church, and this church, I made that pledge.
A.
The Church’s success is my responsibility, and its failure is my fault.
B. Its good
testimony is my responsibility, and its bad testimony is my fault.
C. Its spirituality is my
responsibility, and its carnality is my fault.
D. Any member is responsible for the church’s
1. Financial
Obligations (every member should tithe and give offerings)
2. Domestic Obligations (every member should witness and bring others)
3. Missionary
Obligations (every member should give for missions)
III. Pleasure of Membership: My church is my joy. I receive something here that can not be purchased.
It has been the center of the greatest times of my life, and will continue to be.
A. My Spiritual
Joy (He blesses me here!)
B. My Social Joy (My Friends are here, and they are the greatest friends in the world!)
C.
My Select Joy (I choose it. I am not coerced, nor do I “have to”, but I long for it!)
D.
My Supreme Joy (To be a part of the church, and this church is a joy above all others!)
Conclusion: Are you
in the church? Are you a member of his body? Have you ever been saved? Saved folks, Have you ever followed Jesus in believer’s
baptism and joined the local body of believers and gone to work? Church Members, Are you fulfilling all of your pledge as
a member? Are you taking full advantage of it’s pleasures and joy? How would this church do, if every member were just
like you?
