Thank you worship. Team for leading Us in those very fitting songs. Last Sunday. Pastor Joe started us off on a, the first term of a six-part series title. I will be. I am a church member. And it's basically a very tiny little booklets, this booklet. And it's but an hour's worth of reading or so, give or take. And but the outline of that Book of Jonah, I read the book and we feel so strongly about these principles and this outline, we decided, you know, what?
We believe we should adopt this for our next sermon series. Not the route preaching. This book we're giving an outline. You have those outlines in your seats there, but to just follow this and explore through the lens of scripture. What is a church member and what does that mean? For us as we call ourselves, Christians. Tom Rainer, explores through the lens of scripture. What? God, not just once, but demands and expects of us. You see people often know, they're not right with God in
this world. They know, they need to repent. They know, they need to get ready for eternity. They need to heed the message to the pain. Okay. You know what, I'm going to do that, I'm going to get baptized enjoying the church and then after that's done, you know. Okay got that done. That's out of the way. Now I can go on with life. That's not true. That is only the starting point.
That's the launch point when we become members of Christ's body as Believers. There's way more than just, I got my name in a church register. Okay, now I'm a member we as Believers belong, first and foremost to the body of Christ. We belong to him, so remembers of that body, but it's far more intricate. We also belong to each other. We call that membership. We become accountable to each other. We hold each other. Other accountable, we even
confront one another. We encourage one another, we pull for each other, we have each other's back last Sunday. Pastor, Joe preached on the topic of a functioning church member. Imagine a non-functioning church member Just as Anna sports team, there are a non-functioning member sometimes. Sometimes a person joins a team, whether it's volleyball. Baseball hockey, soccer, you name it, but they don't show up for practice. They don't even attend nevermind play.
And when the team loses, oh, well, It's interesting how people view membership, what their thoughts are on it for a lot of people and Joe touching this last Sunday, I'm just kind of repeating some of the stuff. It's like a benefit membership is a benefit? As in, here's what the church will do for me once I join and some of that is true, there is a benefit to being a member because let's say there's a there's a there's a loss in the family.
There's maybe there's a there's lots of income people rally around people who Fall short or there's somebody sick, somebody passes away. There's there's value in being members, but there's accountability and responsibility that goes with it years ago. I was a pastor's lunch meeting, and it was an interesting meeting in the fact that we got on the topic. I don't know how he got on it, but was a topic on membership and we were pastors from different denominations.
And so on this one, Pastor commented on how at one time in his life he was an associate pastor of the church that he attended that he was pastoring and he was in the unenviable task of following up on church members, who were no longer attending and hadn't attended for a long time. And so they told him the leadership told him to, you need to write letters and contact. These people and see if they still want to remain members. And this Pastors in this group
of us passed its sharing. And not always remember what he said to us. Other pastors that he says, I never received so much hate mail, my life verbatim, that's exactly what he said. He said some of these people in the one for his one particular member had not been in the church for more than 20 years and the response. This member said, how dare you question my membership?
For all intents and purposes. This person was a complete stranger but yep, Once Upon a Time many decades ago I was baptized here so I'm a member Joe ended his sermon last Sunday by mentioned the term Rainer mentions that generally speaking. This is not across the board and I want to say, we may be the exception, I hope so. Not one third of members in the church are biblical members the rest. Maybe Benchwarmers may be functioning may be partially, who knows?
But the point is we should be biblical functioning members. This morning, want to continue this series and sermon number two, I'm a church member, but I want to ask us this morning before we dig in how functioning.
Am I, how functioning are you? And I will concede and say there are people who are not members are far more dedicated and involved than some, who are members and, for various reasons, they cannot or have not taken member, I acknowledge that, but by and large, we have to belong. How are things going? How is it working out? This morning's title is I will be a unifying church member I will be a unifying church member.
The whole concept of being a member of the body of Christ is deeply rooted in this concept of unity and so we want to expand on that this morning. Explore it. What is it that keeps Unity alive? What is it? That keeps Unity? Strong and healthy? Jesus has a word for it. Will start digging into these PowerPoint. Slides, first one is John 13:35. Jesus Says, by this, all people will know that you're my disciples. If you have love for one another to keywords if love Love builds.
Unity love sustains unity in the body of Jesus Christ in the church. Love and unity are a must. They cannot be optional. Tom Reina writes these words. He says, when you become a Christian, God expects you to be a part of his church. But when you become a part of his church, he wants you to be a unifying presence there that state that a bit more strongly, he demands that you become a unifying. There for a church to be United, members, must be United and we must understand what that is.
So that's the first point we must understand Unity. What is Unity? I'd like to go back to the analogy of sports to illustrate this. A little bit. Sports teams are made up of individual players with each player having their individual strengths abilities and skills sets and so on. So they're placed strategically to different positions. In the team. How to play for instance, baseball, not everybody is a picture. Not everybody is a good catcher or the same catcher.
We have different teams or on a hockey. Some certain people play one position. Certain people play another position but all play strategically. So the team can play well and hope to win. It's a team effort. Sometimes, unfortunately, when a team has done well and they've won a game, all the attention goes to the one particular player that's a for hockey instance. One particular player, sure that the next outstanding player plays exceptionally well, but what, if he was the only one on
the hockey team? What if she was the only one playing, there would be no game. And that's what can happen, sometimes. We must keep this principle of unity and togetherness and consideration, not just in sports, but even in the church, The more unify, the team is the better. They can play in the better,
their chances. But as I said sometimes the Temptation is to just focus on one individual, it's a team effort, the team gets the credit, there's no room for self focus in unity, not in sports, not in work, not in marriage, and not in church years ago. I was part of a men's breakfast, one time and the Men's breakfast.
I don't remember who the speaker was, but there was a young man younger than I. And he was the son of a pastor and his Pastor was a good pastor, I say, and And he was a good guy and he and I got to talking and I said to him. So what do you want in life? What do you hope to? Where do you hope to do? And he says, oh, I says I'd like to be a speaker speak in front of thousands of people. and I thought, Okay, is that really your goal is? What's the what's the, what's the driving force?
And I didn't. It was a lot of guys around. I didn't want to start probing and picking on him but I thought to myself, okay. Is he willing to walk the path of the cross that gets him to a point where he will be influencing a lot of people or is he just expecting to be jumped from here to there? I don't know.
And I'm not saying this to be hard on him, but obviously, and from what I could see, he did not have experience, he was naive and it would just be Great to speak in front of thousands of people that's shallow because then the focus would be on him. To be recognized, notice mentioned, you know, that's not what we should be after. So, we must evaluate our own motives our own lives. Our own Focus.
Where is it? I think this passage that they worshiped even read just before one of the song between one of the songs and Philippians chapter 2 is a powerful passage. We can be very self-focused and that destroys Unity to be ignited church. We must be other focused self oaken's weakens team effort weakens any Organization, no matter where it's not just church, but Everywhere. You see if there's Unity, there's Common Ground, sameness of purpose, sameness of Direction.
Unity means were one last week in and I were not here by the way. So the reason I know about last Sunday sermon cuz I watched it last Sunday and I were not here. We're at a marriage Retreat. And the theme was Oneness unity and marriage is extremely important. It doesn't matter in what dynamic we find ourselves is whether it's church or work with, but Unity is a important, especially in marriage. One of the biggest principles in
life, is this concept? If we're going to do anything together, no matter where we're at. But especially also in church, things like marriage work, wherever Unity is always a very core Central pillar. It has to be that has to be Oneness. Last Sunday, pastor, Joe talked about the parts of the body. He used the distraction of Corinthians where Paul talks about the body, body parts function in Harmony and unity. If one part stops working. The other part suffers the whole
body suffers and may even die. If the lungs say, we're not going to breathe anymore. Well, how's that going to work? You see sometimes Church to start in a community. There's a lot of energy. There's love. There's Goodwill together in this, enjoy as the church grows and starts to expand. This is one is starts to be contagious. The church grows people love each other. Sinners come to repentance to get. Baptized joined the church and
it spreads. And the community becomes a healthy well-balanced functioning community. That's beautiful. When that happens. Let me repeat what I said earlier for the body of Christ to function in this world, Unity is not optional. It is an absolute must and it doesn't happen by accident by chance we must work at it. So we can ask ourselves. Do we maintain Unity? The opposite is disunity of
divisiveness. You see divisiveness contention nobody needs training in that, that happens all by itself. Just watched little kids play. They never took a course in fighting and arguing and bickering and complaining and when they never take courses in there but they just do it naturally. Even I don't do it naturally, oh, but I would never be divisive. Let's ask ourselves this question. How would life be in whatever you're in whether it's church or
marriage or work? How would life be if everybody did as you do? Everybody would speak as you speak, everybody was ready and willing as you are. How would things be then? There. Yes, there are people in churches, even in churches for selfish gain, at the expense of others, the Bible warns us against that, but Paul is a very positive writer. He says, in 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 11, he writes these words. Therefore encourage one and other, there's that Unity
principle and build one. Another up again, the unity principle just as you are doing, you're doing it, great. But keep going, keep going. This is a reminder for us how we are to work towards unity and keep the unity. This idea Of building. One, another up is huge. It's a very serious thing. Unity is maintained when we build up the other building up the other. Let's let's think about that building up the other. When unit is present, there's loyalty, there's a desire for
togetherness. And we don't do things selfishly. As a church. We say we have the message of Hope for this world. We say we bring the message of love but let's go back again. John 13, verse 35. I'm going to repeat this verse by this. All people will know that you
are my disciples. If you have love for one another If this truth is kept in principle and lived out in our hearts and minds and our lives will be honest with each other will want, what's best for the other will speak truth, even if it means sometimes confronting we will suffer with. And for one another, we will not act deceitfully or evil towards another. We will love one another.
We will do our best to add to the unity to maintain the unity Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15 to 16. These words he writes for this reason because I've heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints. I do not cease to give, thanks for you. Remembering you in my prayers, he had started that church was doing well. He was encouraged. These people were faithful, loving, one, another.
Let's look a bit later on in the passage and 4:1. 23. Paul writes I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner. Worthy of the calling you have been called to which you've been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity in the spirit in the bond of Peace. This church at Ephesus was doing what churches should be doing. See the bottom line is the fruits of the spirit that Paul
mentions here. They're at their best. Asked and bring their greatest blessings when they grow in an environment of unity and Oneness. In this is what we call to be an influencer of unity in the church. We're to be such members in the church that people just know, we have the best interest for the church and for one another we give our best. Yeah, but it takes work. In a sermon like this, we could speak of so many things that are so important.
But due to time restraints, we just narrowed it down to a few narrow line, will not look at all that we could look at but Tom Rainer puts it this way. He says, the next slide here, you have a responsibility as a church member your to be a source of unity. You're never to be a divisive force. You to love your fellow church members unconditionally while the same time. Well, that doesn't mean your agree with everyone all the
time. It does mean you're willing to sacrifice your own preferences to keep unity in your Church Paul wrote to the Colossians, tell him how to live out the fruits of the spirit, and 3:12 and onward. Let's read that as well. Colossians, 3:14 above all these things put on love, which binds everything together in. Perfect Harmony, love is what binds.
It's the bonding agent. In a way, I would just love to end the sermon here have prayer and go home would be great, but it wouldn't be fair, wouldn't be right. There's much more to be said in much that we can't cover in just 30 to 40 minutes. That has to do with what not to do, what to avoid again, this could be very long, but one of the greatest things that distances people, that destroys relationships, that separates is when through our use of words,
we create divisiveness. That's the next point. We must stay away from Gossip and - talk As much as I've just like, to avoid this part of this room, we can't, we have to deal with it. Leviticus chapter 19, verse 16, Moses wrote you shall not go around as a slander among your people. You shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord. God had very clear warnings about how the people of Israel were to treat one another in the community, especially in their
words not going around. Slandering one another. It's toxic. What is Gossip? Actually. It's sharing stories and information. Nation about another person in order to tarnish their reputation. It's like this. Hey, I don't like that guy. I'm going to tell you something. Hope you don't like him either. It's the opposite of Redemptive, it's the opposite of good. Will I know this gets tricky because there's there are times we'll talk about in a second here.
There's times when we need to oppose any to warn others about false prophets and so on, we need to sometimes say things, I read a quote, this last week, it goes like this. The church always reads, collectively, what individuals. So personally I think that fits here, when I act divisive it toward another, it's contagious. How we talk about them, how I talk about another, how you talk about another, we either tear down or build up and when we do it affects the whole body.
These are not empty words, words carry weight. In fact Paul writes about this in Romans chapter 1 verse 29. Paul writes these words he says and he's talking about the ungodly World in which we find ourselves and so on. And he says, they're filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil covetousness is malice, they're full of Envy, murder Strife, deceit, maliciousness their gossips, slanderers haters Haters of God insolent, hottie, boastful, inventors of evil
disobedient to parents, foolish. Faith was heartless. Ruthless at the end of verse 29. He says he uses the word gossips. This all comes from the same tap from the same bucket. And it much of it comes from the tongue time, rain or rights again. He says, few things can destroy the unity of the church like gossip a unified churches. Powerful gossip, tears, apart that. Unity and renders our church
powerless. It's like separating the bonds that hold it together, the Apostle James and his letter had something to say about the use of the tongue. He says James 3 Verse 6 and the tongue is a fire. Our world of unrighteousness, the tongue is set among our members thinning. The whole body setting on fire the entire course of life and set on fire by hell.
I know this sounds depressing, I'm aware of that, but it's necessary that we look at this and evaluate ourselves that stay away from this and take inventory and see where we're at in our walk with Jesus and see if we have some work to do here. At this point, some might be wondering what this, this doesn't mean that I cannot should not ever say anything. No, it's not what it means, but here's what it does mean. Our words should never bring dishonor to God.
It should always be something. God would want to hear it. Should never be false. Don't spread false stuff. It should never be laced with hatred or malice towards someone else. It should always be for the intent of building up and protecting the body. Our first and foremost, focus is Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ and then our neighbors and everything should work around that work with that somebody at this point may be wondering.
Okay, what about Sin? Should we expose that are just just just don't talk about it, just leave it. Somebody's the false prophet done, just don't talk about it. Somebody's going around and causing lots of Destruction. I just don't talk about it. Is that what this means? No, this is not what that means. So that's Point number 3, we must defend Unity We must defend Unity.
It doesn't mean just shut up. If there's a false prophet, like Matthew writes, the wolf in sheep's clothing or we talked about several Sundays ago and the letter of Jude false prophets were were spreading false stuff or as Jesus writes in Matthew chapter 18. If somebody sins against you, you gotta deal with it. You confront that person, tell him this is sin. What you're doing? If the person listens and repents great, if not take
another one, repeat the process. If they don't, if they listen great, if not take the go to bring a ring, Bringing for the church. If you lessons, then consider him an unbeliever. There are times when we have to for the sake of the protection of the church confronts. In these talks about that, this all and is included in this whole concept of unity and they're actually stories and
scripture. Believe it or not, we're this actually happened that we can draw attention from To defend the unity of the church takes sometimes doing difficult tasks. Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy. Second, Timothy chapter 4. He's writing Timothy a letter. He says this Alexander, the coppersmith, did me great harm, the Lord will repay him according to his deeds, beware of him for he strongly opposed, our message, ouch Paul. What are you doing? How's that going to help
Alexander the coppersmith? Is he going to be drawn in by that? What's Paul doing? No, aleksandr was a man who was dangerous. He was dangerous to the church. He was, he was destructive. And so, Paul is saying to Timothy the pastor of emphasis is Young pastors be careful. Timothy this man is dangerous, Not only was it right for Paul to warn Timothy, because if he didn't, this man could have an influence that would destroy the
church to keep silent. Would have been wrong at that point, there was nothing hateful from Paul towards Alexander know, Paul wanted Timothy to be aware to protect the church from the influence of This man, the Apostle John did something similar to John chapter 1 verse 9 to 10. He says, this first John 1 verse 9. I have written something to the church, but diotrephes who likes
to put himself, first? Does not acknowledge our Authority. So, if I come out of bring up what he's doing talking, Wicked nonsense against us and not content with that, he refused to welcome, the brothers and also stops those who want to, who want to and puts them out of the church. Diotrephes is not a good guy. You got to be careful. He says to the church. What's going on here? Unity was at risk of being compromised, for the sake, of some selfish individual, who
wanted to push his own way. Calling out evil is not sin but we must be careful how we do it. If there are people who appear to be followers of Jesus but are opposing. The gospel are destroying the church that can't be tolerated. as I was getting ready for the sermon and event came to my mind, that happened to me many years ago, was my first real job
as a truck driver. I was hauling gravel for my boss and he was a pastor who was actually my pastor When they told me says that we got this contract, we're going to be hauling gravel for so-and-so and he mentioned who it was and I thought, oh, not them. Because these guys had a terrible reputation they were known as Crooks dishonest. Lying would steal from people. My boss had no idea who these guys were. What would I do? I didn't want my boss to get ripped off.
So I just said to my heard some bad things about these guys. They're not trustworthy. You have to be careful. My boss did not want to hear that. I didn't blame him. It sounded like I was gossiping about these guys and Edward. It appeared that way too. I wasn't surprised. but I wanted him to avoid this Pitfall of losing money on this deal, he's responded to me very gently, nicely saying, well, perhaps, if changed my now, That was where I left it. I was good with it.
And for a few days, I hauled load after load of gravel for these guys, and I thought, if my boss gets ripped off, at least I've tried after several days of hauling gravel for these guys, one morning, with boss comes out of the house, was it as I arrived for work. And he slowly and hesitantly said to me, says, now I know what you were trying to tell me the other day he was in for it now they were starting to deal
with him. The way they did with a lot of other people, I was gonna get ripped off Off getting taken precaution. And I had problems had I done wrong by warning him. No, I had enough information about what the reputation of these guys were that, I needed to warn him so he would not become victim number, who knows how many That was a very small minor thing, that's just some money and maybe a business deal. But one of the greatest weaknesses of the church is it silence on sin?
That's one of the greatest weaknesses of the church. Just be quiet. Don't talk about it. Just don't say anything. It's not your skin off, but it's not it's going off your back. There are people as we talked about when we went through Jude, who literally joined the church was selfish motives. Paul knew that and talked about Alexander, I don't know, Alexander was a member of the church, just the guy in the community trying to destroy the church or diotrephes. There are these people.
So to deal with this concept of unity is very very delicate, it's very very sensitive and it behooves us to be in prayer and Devotion to God to make sure that our hearts are right with God. And what we want is to honor God The rest of the church and make sure that it stays pure. If we see the body of Christ under threat at risk of people who want to destroy it, we have to voice Our concern.
There's a quote that's usually a credit to Dietrich Bonhoeffer and some say that he didn't make the quote, but regardless the quote is this and I don't know who wrote it silence. And the face of evil itself is evil. God will not hold us Guiltless, not to speak, is to speak, not to act is to act. What this comes down to. We must have unity in the church and live such lives that our lives speak for themselves? Can we be members like that?
Can we be members are so focused on the unit and health of the church that it supersedes everything. What I mean with that is I'm more concerned that Jesus will be honored. His body will be blessed. Then that what people think about me to defend the unity of the church? I must put myself last and others first. As Paul doubt, Paul writes in Philippians chapter 2, verse 1 to 11, we heard that before the
came up here. It means that I'm only concerned that Jesus honored, his church is blessed. His name is glorified, that's my desire. That leads us to point number four. In our sermon is we must forgive each other. How does forgiveness play a part in being a unifying member of the church, Tom rain, and his book mentions, how one time early in his life, he joined a small men's group who met regularly despres and Holub how much of a blessing. It was to him. It wasn't one of those meetings
at one point. He came to an awareness of sin in his heart that was blocking him from praying. He was harboring unforgiveness to a teacher who in school had abused him. It was blocking him. He was struggling to forgive this teacher and he mentioned that in this prayer group. This what happened? I was abused and I can't pray and can't forgive and so on. And with the help of these guys who is able to break free from the bondage, he was able to Pray Again.
You see, oftentimes what blocks our relationship with God is not even what we did. It's what the other guy did. And our response to it. No. The other guy can't keep me away from Christ, but doing something bad to me and me responding with evil, or with bitterness, or resentment will keep me away from him. You see, friends as hard as this sounds healing and unity will not start with your neighbor. It starts with you and me. I know it sounds hard, but you have no idea.
Pastor what happened to me and what songs did to me and what I experienced you're right, I don't But if we're going to look for peace for healing for Unity, it won't happen by me fixing my neighbor. Or my family member or that parishioner or that Pastor, that staff member know that doesn't work. It'll happen by me. Coming to Christ receiving forgiveness. In togetherness, with other people who can help me and move on forgive that sin. Matthew 6:14.
Matthew writes for if you forgive others, their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, their trespasses neither will your father. Forgive your trespasses, the prison of unforgiveness does not hold your adversary, it holds you. It holds me holds us, Tom rain or rights again on this matter, he says, unit in the church will
not happen. If members have unforgiving hearts, too many times members of anger and hurt because of something another member has said, or done. Some members are angry and hurt at the pastor and staff because of something he should, they said, or did or failed to do? Nobody gets a past here. Nobody makes the grade, everybody needs Grace, maybe we need to ask ourselves this morning. Who do I need to forgive, who do I need to go to, until look, listen, what happened between us
was wrong. I'm sorry what I did or I'm, I've accepted what you did, I forgive you, by the way. I just want to say something here. This can get very delicate especially if it's sexual abused or marital infidelity and all those kinds of things. I recommend don't go It Alone, talk to a trusted friend. Especially young people to adults, whatever the case may be. This is very delicate. Don't just generally not a good idea to go It Alone.
There's so much here we could talk about our time is too short to do that, but the bottom line still is forgiveness must take place. Paul writes to the Colossians. He says put on then as God's chosen ones holy and beloved compassionate, Hearts. Kindness, humility. Meekness and patience bearing with one another. And if one has a complaint against another forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you.
So you also must forgive. We need to be in a place where we're not ashamed or embarrassed anymore. Jesus isn't if Jesus loved you and me enough to die for us, then we should with joy Embrace this opportunity to become members of his church and to be members of his church to be unifying members of this church. When Pastor speaking on the topic of marriage. One day, he says it's a race to the Cross. See, who gets there first. It doesn't mean we all like the same kinds of food.
We all like the same temperature, setting, Joe and I talked we talked about could be called The War of the the fans or the war of the thermostat. Maybe, you know, doesn't mean we all like the same things. It means we've all pull for each other, that's what it means. What kind of church is lem. See, are we a unified church? If you remember? Are you a unified member? And if you're not a member you're attending your this is your home church. Are you unifier? A unifying presence here?
Let's look at this. This is four points in a row. We must understand Unity. We must stay away from gossiping - talk. We must defend Unity. We must forgive each other. By ourselves were weak fragile. I brought an object lesson this morning. I want to use here this morning to illustrate this a little bit. My wife has a bunch of shish kabob sticks, and so I thought I'd bring some of the church to show what happens when they're not together. See this stick by itself is very
weak. Splinters like that has no Unity. Well there's nobody to be United with but this stack, I don't know. If I could actually break it. They're all together. They're bound together. They belong there, United. That's what happens individually by ourselves. This is what happens together. This is what can be. Let me ask ourselves this morning, Are we invited?
Are you a unifying member? Are you Faithfully serving contributing energy time and resources to bring things together to pull together or off somewhere else. Doing my thing. I'm a member but hey, I don't know what goes on. I'm not plugged in, I don't really care either. There's all kinds of members, our job, as followers of Jesus Christ is to work together. Collectively functioning as biblical members unified in our faith, in our Direction, in our purpose, Oneness in Christ.
And when attacks come we're strong, we don't get broke easy. May God give us wisdom Insight strength as we serve him as members of his body. That's pray. Thank you Lord for this opportunity to be together. This is only a very short little service when we think of what is still to come. When you take your church home from now till then as a very brief time, give us what we
need. Lord to be a body that others want to join and become a part of help us together to be a tight-knit and bonded group of Believers where we live together work together. Serve together. Love each other in love and in unity. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Serve together. Love each other in love and in unity. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.