First Missionary Baptist Church of Valley Springs California ~ Benefits of Church Membership

BENEFITS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

#1) A wonderful blessing.

A) Wednesday evening Bro. Joe came forward desiring to be baptized and to join the church.

1) I for one am overjoyed when I see a child of God follow Jesus in baptism.

2) Not only has that person been saved from their sins but now they have chosen to join themselves to God in a special way.

3) One thing many members overlook or may not even understand is that with membership comes great benefits.

4) Some people have jobs that come with benefits, that’s an added blessing of employment with that company.

5) I can't go to Doug’s place of employment and receive the benefits He enjoys because I am not part of that organization.

6) When you become an employee of a company you now have the ability to enjoy those benefits.

7) You only have that ability if YOU take advantage of them.

8) You can’t expect the employer to urge you to put more into your 401K, your responsible for taking advantage of those benefits.

9) “You only get out of something what you put into it”, this is true in all things, even Church Membership.

B) Ephesians 1:15-23 Today we will focus on verses 22 and 23.

1) If you don’t think there are added benefits to being a faithful church member your wrong.

2) In 1 Corinthians 5:5 Paul instructed the church to remove a disobedient rebellious member…

3) “For the destruction of the flesh”, WHILE A MEMBER of the body there was a degree of protection.

4) God the Father has put ALL things under Jesus feet.

5) Ephesians 1:22 “and gave him to be the head over all things to the church”.

6) Jesus is the head of all things for the benefit of the Body of Christ.

7) Jesus sits at the right hand of God as the Head of the Church.

8) To some Jesus is savior and to others he is BOTH Savior and King.

9) This is why he sits at the right hand of the throne of God, because he is both Savior and King.

10) When Jesus commissioned the church in Matt 28 He said all power has been given me in heaven and earth.

C) Jesus has a place of power and authority both in heaven and earth.

1) Jesus is in heaven now as head “over all things to the church” or for the church.

2) Satan is as God’s word says the prince and power of the air, however…

3) Matthew 16:18 Jesus has power over all things, even over Satan for the benefit of the church.

4) For the benefit of those who have accepted the gift of salvation AND united with his body through baptism.

5) Psalm 110:1 “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool”

6) Jesus sits at Gods right hand now, and Satan his enemy is under the feet of Jesus.

7) Don’t let anyone tell you there aren’t benefits to being a church member the benefits are innumerable.

D) Jesus causes world leaders to make decisions for the benefit of the church.

1) You and I are too limited by our flesh and can’t truly see all that Jesus does for His church, BUT…

2) One thing is true, the church still exist as Jesus began it 2K years ago when all the odds were against the church.

3) Make no mistake Jesus the Lord of the world rules with a BIAS IN FAVOR OF THE CHURCH.

4) The only promise Jesus makes to the saved is that their eternal destiny is secure in Jesus.

5) All other promised blessings we see in the NT are specifically given to the Church.

6) Jesus receives glory in His Church; the church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth…

7) I can truly say from the bottom of my heart there is no better place to be than in the BODY OF CHRIST.

8) Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 One of the greatest blessings of being a faithful member is that we lift one another.

9) But, some refuse to be lifted, some refuse help, some refuse instruction and correction and some choose to live out of Gods will.

#2) It’s in our best interest.

A) To live out of Gods will is a dangerous place to live.

1) In Luke chapter 12 Jesus says “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”

2) To refuse baptism is to provoke God.

3) To refuse correction is to provoke God.

4) Hebrews 12:6 God will only chasten HIS children who provoke Him through acts of DIRECT DISOBEDIENCE.

5) If you know someone who lives out of Gods will yet isn’t chastised…

6) Either God is being long suffering or has turned them over to their own devices or…

7) Hebrews 12:8 They aren’t even saved at all.

8) Either way they ARE NOT receiving the benefits of Church Membership.

B) There is another group of Christians who do not receive the benefits of Church Membership.

1) Sadly that group consists of church members.

2) Just because a person is a member of the church doesn’t mean they enjoy those benefits.

3) James 4:8 Many Church Members won’t draw nigh to God.

4) Church membership is much more than having been baptized and added to the rolls.

5) Romans 2:28-29 God didn’t see all circumcised Jews as sincere Jews of the heart.

6) The same is also true of some Church Members.

7) Your Church Membership should be a matter of the heart.

8) Matthew 15:18 What’s in the well comes up in the bucket.

9) WHERE OUR HEART IS OUR BODY WILL BE ALSO.

10) Reminds me of Sister Niva, I literally carried her from house to car because she wanted to be at church.

11) She received all of the available benefits of being a Church Member, BECAUSE SHE DESIRED IT.

12) Through the loss of her husband and health she still had peace from God and still enjoyed the benefits of membership.

C) Every Church Member needs to take full advantage of what God has given us in our Church Membership.

1) I praise God for my membership; next to my salvation and my WIFE it’s one of the greatest blessing of my life.

2) Acts 20:28 Jesus purchased this church with His blood, your salvation and membership cost Jesus His life.

3) Your membership should be a source of strength; the church should be a stronghold for you.

4) It’s HERE in His church as faithful members that we please God.

5) It’s HERE through faithful service that Jesus receives glory.

D) Ephesians 1:22-23 “And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is HIS BODY, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.”

1) All things are under Jesus control ALL FOR THE SAKE OF HIS CHURCH.

2) The church isn’t the building; it’s you who have followed Jesus in baptism.

3) Jesus is constantly working for the benefit of His church, which is his Body, the people.

4) What an amazing truth, if Jesus is working for your benefit as a Church Member a life of victory is at your fingertips.

5) Matthew 25:21 My deepest prayer is that Jesus says this of each of us when we stand before Him.

6) Do you know that this is what Jesus desires of each of us?

7) Jesus prays for you and I that we would be found as faithful Church Members.

8) You who have been saved and Baptized have the creator of heaven and earth pulling for us.

9) God desires us to be members by way of water baptism as well as of the heart.

10) Simply put God wants our heart to be in it.

11) God wants to say to each and every one of His Church Members “Well Done thou good and faithful servant”.

12) Jesus is working for you even now so that He can say this of you when you stand before Him.