What’s in it For Me?
Scripture: Acts 2: 36-47 Date: 7 February 2010
Purpose: To invite people to see the importance of church membership.
In our text for this morning we read of Peter who stood before the people of Jerusalem and proclaimed boldly that they needed Jesus as their Savior and Lord! Would you please stand with me as I read the Word of God this morning?
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
REALEASE CHILDREN
You know being a member of the church is important. I know most of you are already members. Some of you joined long ago. But what you did is important!
The church has its problems. You know those as well as I do. And I have not found a perfect church yet. You have heard me say many times, that when you find that perfect church, don’t join it, cause you will ruin it. Well it may have its problems but I want you to know that Jesus is committed to the church! In Ephesians 5:25 we read: “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;”
This morning whether you are contemplating membership or have already committed to it, Church membership is important and let me tell you why.
First of all,
I. Church membership is important because everyone needs a Savior.
A. In our text for this morning we read of Peter who stood before the people of Jerusalem and proclaimed boldly that they needed Jesus as their Savior and Lord!
1. Church is not the only place you can find Jesus, but it is the only place that exists for that purpose alone!
2. We read in God’s Word that sin has separated us from His love. We feel this and know this in ourselves. You don’t have to be seminary graduate to understand that you need God!
3. You could say the Church is the depository of God’s grace. As the bank holds your deposit of money for you to draw on to pay your bills etc, so too the church is the depository of God’s love and forgiveness. Only our commitment and our participation in it limit the amount of times that you and I can draw from it.
4. The church of Jesus Christ stands before the world and announces not gloom and doom, not destruction and death. It proclaims another way, the only way to peace and happiness, to purpose and fulfillment, and His name is Jesus and every human being needs Him.
Illustration: Isn’t it amazing that we can never get too far from God for His love to reach us and to save us? Sometime ago, I read of someone who gave her life to Jesus not long ago. A very famous person. Someone who had tried to find peace with herself in every way but God’s way. I even remember her standing before the American public during the Vietnam War pledging support for the North Vietnamese who were killing and imprisoning American soldiers. Jane Fonda according to the article I read has given her life to Jesus and joined His church.
Illustration: I have a thing for super heroes. I have always been intrigued by them. I especially love Superman. The entire story of Superman mirrors the story of Jesus and of how God sent His Son to earth in order to save us. I think that is why I am drawn to the Superman stories more so than the other well-known superheroes.
- The movie Superman Returns was not my favorite depiction of Superman for various reasons. But there is one scene in the movie where Superman has Lois Lane high above Metropolis and what he tells her really touched me and illustrates the point that everyone needs a Savior.
VIDEO: “Superman”
- Do you think our world is much like this? We do live in a world that believes we don’t need a Savior. It is written and read about, It is sung about and heard, and it is even taped and watched on our televisions and on the big screen. I do believe we are much like Lois in this clip.
But I also believe that Jesus hears those of us that are crying out for a Savior. He hears each thought, trouble, and concern. He hears all and He knows we are in need of Him.
Everyone needs a Savior!
5. Yes I admit, the church is not perfect. It has many problems. But I can tell you, people find Jesus here. I can tell you that lives are being changed here because God is in the house!
6. It doesn’t matter if you are a Lutheran, Baptist, or a Methodist for that matter, or whatever label you pin on. The church is more than a label it is the presence of God in His world. I am a follower of Jesus because He saved me.
II. But Church membership is important too because the church is family.
A. In our Scripture for this morning we read, “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
1. Isn’t that what family is all about! It is giving ourselves to the greater whole for the greater good!
2. Church membership defines who can be counted on. Every team must have a roster and every ship must have a crew. Membership identifies our family.
Illustration: Does your family sometimes squabble and fight? Do some of your family members not get along? Shelby and Shayla will fight tooth and nail against Kagen on most matters. Sometimes it seems as if it is a constant battle in the Benton home. But I can tell you that when push comes to shove, those girls will stand up for their brother if anyone messes with him outside our family. The truth is, they love him dearly. But shhhhh…..let’s keep that between us because it’s a secret so please don’t tell anyone.
3. Family is important. And our church family is important as well. We belong to each other – To support each other, to encourage one another, to help each other. That is family.
4. As our church gets larger it must get smaller at the same time. You and I can not change the fact that God has called His church to reach out and touch people with His love. Any church that is doing what it is suppose to will grow. You can not stop church growth no more than you can stop growing old.
Illustration: But we can grow smaller even as we grow larger. We grow smaller by getting involved in a small group, a Bible study or some other from of accountability group. My cousins who live in Houston are family, but they don’t know all that is happening in my life. I love my extended family, but I can’t call a family reunion just to share about my personal needs and update them on my life.
5. It is my immediate family who I share with, who keeps me accountable. That my friend is what a small group will do for you as a member of the church. And I want to encourage each one of you to get into a Study Group. Get to know your immediate church family and allow them to help you.
III. That too is another reason why church membership is important, it helps us grow in our walk with Jesus.
A. We read in our text from verse 42 that the church was continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
1. If we are hungry we go to a restaurant or to a kitchen. We know where to look for food. The church is where to look for spiritual food! In fact, a church should be a buffet. It should offer a variety from its menu for spiritual growth.
Illustration: I believe that you can choose from a complete menu here at our church to help with a balanced spiritual diet. Are you looking for beginners Bible study, then I would suggest Nance Sheimo’s Sunday morning class. You say you want something with a little more meat – then try Monroe and Troy’s Adult Class Sunday mornings or Dave Lohman’s class that deals with various topics that we are faced with each day in our world. And if you want to go deeper still, why not try a study on the book of Revelation Monday nights with Doug Duesenberg?
2. Being a member of the church is far more valuable than the piece of paper it is written on. Here we find help and support from other family members to become the people God created us to be. As we grow closer to Jesus through our small groups, we grow closer to one another.
3. We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything, a job, a marriage, even our country. This attitude has produced a generation of church shoppers and hoppers. Membership swims against the current of American’s consumer religion. It is an unselfish decision. Commitment always builds character.
4. I have found over the years I have been a pastor that many people are nervous or reluctant about joining the church. Some of the reasons are valid ones and I certainly understand, but the vast majority that I have visited with simply do not want to commit themselves to anything. They are content to come and remain on the outer edge of the life of the church, because there is no investment required.
5. Church membership is not an invitation to come peek inside but rather to come place yourself along side the rest of the Body of Christ. Here together we can each other grow. Hold each other accountable, wipe each other’s tears and celebrate each other’s victories.
IV. When it is all said and done, church membership is important because Jesus is returning for His church, the Bride, not for solo Saints.
A. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. I Thess. 4:16 - 17
1. My conversion, that is my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior was a personal decision as was yours, but after that I became a corporate project. God called the church into existence to search me out, to find me and to offer all that was needed for me to grow into a well-grounded and strong believer in Him.
2. Because some day, Jesus is coming back for the kids and I want to be ready. I want to be a part of His family on that great and wonderful day.
Conclusion:
If you are not a member, I would like to invite you to pray about becoming one. We need you and you need us!
But if you are already a member here. If you have already made that commitment, I ask you to allow the Holy Spirit to help you make that really mean something? Will you continue on in your walk of faith?
Will you commit to one of our Bible Studies? Or join a ministry team that will allow you to share your god given Gifts as a blessing to others.
This morning, right now, could we just renew our membership vows? If you are not a member, I invite you pray about choosing to become one and if you are a member I ask you pray about being the kind of family member God wants you to be.
