CHURCH MEMBERSHIP 101 - IMPORTANCE (1 OF 5)
by Steve Jones
Scripture: I Peter 2:9
This content is part of a series.
Church Membership 101 - Importance (1 of 5)
Series: Church Membership 101
Steve Jones
I Peter 2:9
Introduction: One man went to the airport to pick up a friend. On the way to his terminal he passed two blond young women near the door who looked him over then looked at each other and said and the same time 'NINE'. He puffed out his chest and then walked over to his waiting friend. "You won't believe what happened, when I walked in these two attractive blond women looked me over and rated me a NINE," he said. His friend replied, "I hate to burst your bubble but those two women only speak GERMAN." In German, "nine" means "no"!
To understand any subject we need to make sure we're speaking the same language. And in something as important as the church, failure to do so can be far more serious than simple embarrassment.
We are going to present five sermons on what it means to be a member of the church. Before we get to the responsibilities of church membership however, let's define our terms and make sure we understand what the church actually is and why it is so important. What is this thing you've joined called "the church?"
I. THE CHURCH IS CALLED OUT
The word that Jesus chose to describe His people was an ancient Greek word, ecclesia. Our word "ecclesiastical" comes out of it, which means, "relating to the church." The word originally designated the regular assembly of the citizens in a free city-state. The citizens were "called out" by the herald to transact the public business. Hence, the word means the, "called out ones."
The church, therefore, is composed of those who have been called out of sin into righteousness - out of the world into the church. Peter expresses this thought in I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." The Christian has been called through the gospel to ...
Series: Church Membership 101
Steve Jones
I Peter 2:9
Introduction: One man went to the airport to pick up a friend. On the way to his terminal he passed two blond young women near the door who looked him over then looked at each other and said and the same time 'NINE'. He puffed out his chest and then walked over to his waiting friend. "You won't believe what happened, when I walked in these two attractive blond women looked me over and rated me a NINE," he said. His friend replied, "I hate to burst your bubble but those two women only speak GERMAN." In German, "nine" means "no"!
To understand any subject we need to make sure we're speaking the same language. And in something as important as the church, failure to do so can be far more serious than simple embarrassment.
We are going to present five sermons on what it means to be a member of the church. Before we get to the responsibilities of church membership however, let's define our terms and make sure we understand what the church actually is and why it is so important. What is this thing you've joined called "the church?"
I. THE CHURCH IS CALLED OUT
The word that Jesus chose to describe His people was an ancient Greek word, ecclesia. Our word "ecclesiastical" comes out of it, which means, "relating to the church." The word originally designated the regular assembly of the citizens in a free city-state. The citizens were "called out" by the herald to transact the public business. Hence, the word means the, "called out ones."
The church, therefore, is composed of those who have been called out of sin into righteousness - out of the world into the church. Peter expresses this thought in I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." The Christian has been called through the gospel to ...
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