IT'S MORE THAN MEMBERSHIP (1 OF 8)
by William Wyne
Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22
This content is part of a series.
It's More Than Membership (1 of 8)
Series: Membership
Matthew 4:18-22
William Wyne
Twelve-year-old David Whithoft wore a Green Bay Packers football jersey every day for four years. He saved money himself to buy a few and got his parents to give him several jerseys. He did that, so he could rotate them each day during the week and have a clean one each day. For four years he did this, 1, 581 days straight, he donned a jersey of his hero, Bret Favre the quarterback. Week after week, day after day, month after month, and school year after school year.
David's classmates didn't have to wonder whom he admired, his friends in his neighborhood did not have to wonder, anybody that saw him constantly did not have to wonder who he admired. When they looked at David Whithoft, they saw Bret Favre.
Perhaps this is in some way what Paul meant when he says ''put on the Lord Jesus Christ in Romans 13:14. Perhaps this is what Jesus expects from those who accept his offer to follow him, that we follow so close that we become in the world what Christ was and is. Perhaps this is the contradiction and not the compliment as believers. Is there a great contradiction between what we say we believe and how we behave? Everybody knew who David was following because of the jersey he wore, because of the external garments. So, the question is, how do we wear the garments of following Christ? How are we identified as his followers.?
Perhaps one of the shortcomings we have made in the church is that we have labored with good intentions to get people in the church. Only to question later if they got the church in them. Perhaps we have with good intentions put a greater emphasis on membership in the church, and not made discipleship in Christ the real goal. This present-day culture settles for memberships easily, because memberships has privileges, and membership is not as costly has discipleship. Discipleship has a greater responsibility, and discipleship cost you everything.
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Series: Membership
Matthew 4:18-22
William Wyne
Twelve-year-old David Whithoft wore a Green Bay Packers football jersey every day for four years. He saved money himself to buy a few and got his parents to give him several jerseys. He did that, so he could rotate them each day during the week and have a clean one each day. For four years he did this, 1, 581 days straight, he donned a jersey of his hero, Bret Favre the quarterback. Week after week, day after day, month after month, and school year after school year.
David's classmates didn't have to wonder whom he admired, his friends in his neighborhood did not have to wonder, anybody that saw him constantly did not have to wonder who he admired. When they looked at David Whithoft, they saw Bret Favre.
Perhaps this is in some way what Paul meant when he says ''put on the Lord Jesus Christ in Romans 13:14. Perhaps this is what Jesus expects from those who accept his offer to follow him, that we follow so close that we become in the world what Christ was and is. Perhaps this is the contradiction and not the compliment as believers. Is there a great contradiction between what we say we believe and how we behave? Everybody knew who David was following because of the jersey he wore, because of the external garments. So, the question is, how do we wear the garments of following Christ? How are we identified as his followers.?
Perhaps one of the shortcomings we have made in the church is that we have labored with good intentions to get people in the church. Only to question later if they got the church in them. Perhaps we have with good intentions put a greater emphasis on membership in the church, and not made discipleship in Christ the real goal. This present-day culture settles for memberships easily, because memberships has privileges, and membership is not as costly has discipleship. Discipleship has a greater responsibility, and discipleship cost you everything.
...
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