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I Will Treasure Church Membership As A Gift

Jun 22, 2014

Preacher: Rick Blackwell

Series: I Am Church Member

Detail:

Introduction: Two Scenarios

a. Scenario 1: A Child must clean his room

b. Scenario 2: A Gift awaits the child

c. Country Club membership versus biblical church membership

Point 1 – The biblical perspective of the gift of church membership

a.The gift of salvation

i. Romans 3:23 -

ii. Romans 6:23

iii. 2 Corinthians 5:21

      iv.  Acts 3:19

      v. Ephesians 2:8-9

b. The Gift of the church – 1 Corinthians 12:27-28

i.   A gift to be treasured

ii. A gift to be anticipated

iii.  A gift to be enjoyed

Point 2 – Universal church or local church?

a. The universal church

i.  All believers, everywhere

ii.   Not mutually exclusive (From the local church)

b. The local church

i.  Some believers, somewhere

ii. Is exclusive (by definition, some people geographically could never attend your church)

c. It is invalid to claim membership to the universal church alone

Point 3 – Understand the gift

a. Church membership is a gift
b. Receive the gift with true appreciation
c. A picture of ingratitude – Matthew 20:26-28

Conclusion: Take the sixth pledge

“I am a church member. This membership is a gift. When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized. And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something much greater than any one person or member.