We Are The Body

• Can you imagine attending a church where the pastor isn’t committed? Infrequent attendance, giving, serving, never know where, might be spiritual abuse? What about when people do it?
• Talk to people in Christianity and there are certain things that will get them riled up
• Membership is one of them. People don’t want to lose individuality. Feel confined
• One of the things that our church has focused on over the past few years is the idea of a physical building with committed membership. A true commitment to each other. 
• But that goes against many in society. They want a loosey goosey uncommitted vacillating inconsistent connection to a local church where they have no demands or accountability 
• My whole life I’ve been part of organizations that required commitment and paperwork. 
• School, sports, clubs, jobs, military, volunteer at school, utilities, medical help, rewards, Costco, amazon, airline miles, discover pass, licenses, marriage, taxes etc etc
• “The Church isn’t the world”- You assume that for some reason the God that recorded families, genealogies, kings, battles, lives of the faithful, etc that no internal record? NT is ‘whatever’ 
• People want to be engrafted, encouraged and known. They want attention, they just don’t want to have to agree to a committed two way relationship with The Church. Their terms. 
• They want church/pastor to be committed, with no formal commitment from them. 
• “But it’s not in the Bible. Things Christians do that aren’t in the Bible:
• Organized Church. How to have a building, a group, a worship service. Times, multiple svcs. 
• Marriage Ceremony no instructions but it is clear from the Bible people married. 
• Sermons- There is no instruction on how to craft or the necessity of preaching sermon
• Worship set- No instructions on worship sets or how many songs, to write songs etc
• Age Ministry- There is no men, women, youth, childrens ministry. Doesn’t exist
• Altar Calls- There is no encouragement to have people come forward
• Bible reading- Nothing in the Bible tells you to create it, read it, print it etc
• People call me heretical- I just want to be honest- We come to conclusions based on tradition, reason, experience and scripture. Lets not pretend its not true. Lets be consistent. 
• You pay into retirement, receive social security, go on vacations, buy gifts, celebrate holidays 
• The Bible is not clear about how to receive and initiate new church members, but it is clear that there were churches, and they had members who were committed there. 
• Remember- We’ve been talking about this- The Bible wasn’t written as an exhaustive instruction manual for the affairs of Church business. That wasn’t its intent. We have to study 
• “In the Church, beloved brethren, nothing is more important than the bond of peace and unity, which arises from the concord of the priests. Therefore, a priest must maintain the discipline entrusted to him by God and observe the divine precepts diligently. He must realize that he will have to render an account to the Lord God for the souls that have been entrusted to his care. Hence, let us earnestly maintain our membership lists, in order that we may be able to know those who belong to the people of God and those who do not” (Cyprian of Carthage, Letter 30, To Rogatianus). Circa 250 

1. Why membership? The Bible has Obvious membership Metaphors
   There are a few metaphors in the Bible about a group of people in Christ

• Metaphor of body of Christ 1Cor 12: 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
• Metaphor of sheep 1 peter 5:3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; (Not individual sheep- a group of sheep- JC Said ‘feed my sheep”) 
• Metaphor of family  Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (your family may be dysfunctional, church need not)
• Why would there be these examples of an identified group of individuals who are a whole?
• I have preached to you repeatedly, God is not creating an army of individuals, but a group
• Does it not stand to reason that there would be formal identifiable committed group?
• This is my body, not your body. If I was shepherd, my flock. I have a family, you aren’t in it.
• Part of body missing- don’t work, flock- go after the one, family missing, where’s dad?

2. Why membership? The Bible describes Shepherding of a group of members

• Ac 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
• 1 Pe 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
• All through the OT and NT there are descriptions of leaders over groups and those leaders were responsible for individuals within their group. All through the Bible. Defined groups in v out
• Paul wrote letters to specific churches and leaders. They were not general letters. Specific. 
• There are multiple verses about submitting to authority. Following the priest, king, shepherd, apostles, etc. The Group would be led by an individual called by God and Identify as a WHOLE
• Many Christians inadvertently subscribe to Anarchy- believing there are no earthly authority structures in their life. Biblically false. We’re all submitted to someone. Me to the elders. 
• Who are the people of this group the shepherds are charged to lead? Am I to lead everyone?

3. Why membership? Jesus describes Discipline within a group of members

• In Matthew 18 Jesus describes the disciplinary action that a Christian should take with a  sinning brother. By yourself, with a brother, and then tell it to the church. A group w a problem
• Matthew 18: 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church (group). But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (kick out)
• What organization is he referring to? Am I, and are we charged with disciplining all Christians all over the Globe who claim to be Christian? Or are we just charged with a local assembly? And if so- how do we DEFINE that local assembly and who is in it? Who are the members?
• Consequently, often much church jumping is specifically related to people’s refusal to submit themselves to church discipline? They refuse to respond to requests to abstain from sin, attack the people who are helping, and then publicly try to destroy a church in defense
• The easier route would be to repent, work on sin and differences and stay together
• People will say “what right do those people have to tell me how to live” Ask Jesus

4. Why membership? Paul describes Excommunication for some members

• In the Corinthian Church, Paul tells them to 1. Judge those inside the Church 2. Put evil people outside the church. 
• 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
• How do you define those that are ‘in’ and ‘out’ unless there is a clearly defined process by which someone can deem that they are ‘in the faith’ or ‘in the church’ 
• The answer is clearly- you cant. These people weren’t idiots in a field without names
• The Romans were prolific record keepers for taxes, census, etc. They weren’t idiots. 
• How did Paul know whom to address in his letters unless those people were committed there?
• Did they say, oh, They are going to 1^st Baptist now. Better programs? No- they were committed
• The obvious conclusion I’m showing you is that there had to be members to excommunicate

5. Why membership? Bible speaks of Submission to Church leaders of members

• If the Bible talks about submission to Church leaders- to which leaders do you submit?
• Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
• This is one of the greatest struggles when people start going and listening to different theologies that I have to argue with outside the church. – We are in internet age- not 2003
• There are 100s of doctrines and 1000s of denominations. That man is not your pastor. I am. I am not responsible to that flock- I am responsible for this flock. DON’T HAVE TIME TO ARGUE
• I have put a stake in the ground on my doctrine and am ready to answer to God for it. 
• You will be held accountable for your submission. I am accountable for what I teach. ME
• 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
• Who labor. I labor over this word and doctrine. For you. My sheep, flock, family, body etc. 
• Do we submit to every leader? Is every bishop your bishop? Or maybe just local assembly
• But people do that- They don’t float with their bodies, with their hearts. Little here and there

6. Why membership? Bible describes Offices of leadership over members

• Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
• The Bible describes Elders, Overseers, Bishops, Deacons, Shepherds. Whom are they leading?
• You cannot have a descriptive office of leadership that is not specifically over a group of people
• They must have had group of people that they were charged with and group that submitted to them.  Which saints do they euip and body do they edify?
• You can’t have an office of leadership if you’re not over anyone. “I’m a pastor” where? Over who? The body of Christ is not a disjointed group of disconnected souls. It’s the church. 

7. Why membership? Letters of membership were sent to different churches. 

• 2 Corinthians 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?
• Acts 18:27 says- “the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him”
  They wrote letters because they had identified who was in their churches and wanted to have other people receive them as members of the Church
• It wasn’t too long ago that people joined a denomination and then if they left a church, they would bring a letter of transfer from their previous pastor to integrate them into the fold without having to explain or bring them up to speed. Immediate acceptance. 
• But we don’t do that- I have to ask questions to try and determine where people are
• Why send letters if we’re just a no record keeping, do whatever organization? 

8. Why membership? The Bible has Models of numbers and establishments of groups. 

• God keeps records. Your name is either in the book of life, or its not. Membership
• (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 17:8; 20:12, 15, 27; 22:19).
• Rev 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
• Is it ridiculous to think we’d have a simple of list of committed members? A sheet of paper? A list on the wall? agreement with each other to be committed to each other?
• Practicing local church membership is one way we “be imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1). 
• Just two months after God redeems his people, he counts them (Num. 1:1–3). God himself practices and models for us a form of membership. He counts his people. 
• That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna count like God. I’m going to imitate him. 
• I’m gonna count like God did
• counts of the entire population (2Sam 24; 1Chr 21), the priestly groups (Num 4:1-3, Num 4:21-23), males eligible for the military (Num 1:2-46). general assessment of the population, (Gen 46:26-27; Exod 1:1-7), of the Israelites who left Egypt (Num 1:2), the exiles who returned to Judea (Ezra 2:1-67). utilized for military and labor conscription (Num 1:3-46; 2Sam 24:9; 1Chr 21:1-6), taxation (Exod 30:13-16; Exod 38:24-26), and property distribution (Num 26:3-56).
• Maybe this is one reason the early church practiced it, too (Acts 2:41).
• Acts 2:41 and that day about three thousand souls were added to them

9. Be a member of a local church. (classes periodically- you decide- but decide)

• One- Make a decision to be committed to your local Church until death or clear directive
• Two- Take it seriously where you go to Church. See yourself as integral to its existence
• Three- Don’t create problems in your Church. Self-destructive activities within a family destroy it, with Churches as well. Gossip, backbiting, vindictiveness, divisions, contentions, offenses
• Four- Practice forgiveness in your Church. Why can’t we just forgive people? People get so upset- forgave man who slept with his wife. What’s your problem? Is God not real?
• You attend church with a man who’s wife cheated and would forgive and attend
• Five- Support and contribute. Tithe and serve. Many people have no care for what happens in a local church because they aren’t invested. My blood is in this carpet. I want it to thrive
• Six- Realize everything isn’t always going to be perfect and roll with it. Churches have seasons like families and jobs have seasons. can’t enjoy the good if you don’t get thru bad
• Seven- Remind yourself what you’re here for- Its not for friends, business contacts, entertainment, cool programs, free gifts, comfort. We are a church, not a club. 
• Eight- Defend your church. Shut people down who want to complain. Shut them up
• Nine- Agree with the doctrine and remain silent about disagreement. Every church is going to have distinctives about certain things. Roll with it. Too much of this, or too little of that
• You can’t please everyone. That’s just how it is. Every Church is different. But all are the same
• Ten- Love your church. Be excited about it. See yourself on mission with a fellow group of believers. Be intentional about building relationships with them. Don’t be easily discouraged. Take leaving off the table- We don’t talk about divorce. (my kids have watched for 20 years) 
• Find a Church and be there. Show up when the doors are open. Come early, stay late. Center your life around it and watch what happens to you spiritually. 
• Benefits- Spiritual covering and authority, Body to identify with, protection from world, provision in drought, help when in need, prayers for your life, 

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