Purpose Driven Membership 1: Members Gifts
Ephesians 4:1-16
Apart
from treason, membership of this exclusive club has been handed down from father
to son since the 14th Century. Membership of what is probably the second
oldest club in Britain carries with it certain privileges - besides a title, there
is the right to be excused from jury service, and from serving as a witness, and
- very usefully - freedom from arrest in civil causes - are just some of the
perks. A 24 hour members-only bar, a free parking place in central London and
residence in one of the most sought after postcodes in Britain go with it. All
that changed this week however, when, for the first time in nearly 100 years,
the membership criteria were changed. A famous victory for progressive opinion"
is how Sir Menzies Campbell described it.
Youve probably guessed by
now. On Wednesday evening, MPs delivered a historic vote in favour of a wholly-elected
House of Lords, setting themselves up for a confrontation with peers that could
lead to the most radical change to the upper house for 96 years. The Commons voted
by 337 to 224 in favour of a 100% elected Lords, the first time they have come
to terms with the idea that they could coexist with an elected element in the
upper house. In another vote, MPs decided by a majority of 280 to
remove the remaining 92 hereditary peers. The reform plans outlined by Jack Straw
are for a new, smaller, second chamber of Parliament, no longer called the Lords,
whose members would be elected or appointed for 15 year terms. Its powers would
remain largely the same as at present - as a revising chamber which can "improve"
or delay plans passed by the government on the day in the Commons, but which cannot
actually block legislation.
At
the moment all peers are appointed by political parties, apart from the 92 hereditary
peers who survived the first phase of Lords reform in 1999, along with 24 Church
of England Bishops and the law lords. Some would argue we were better off when
most peers were hereditary. Since 1999, when the membership criteria were relaxed
and it was possible for literally anyone to buy their way in, things seem to have
gone down hill. With High Court injunctions against the BBC this week over the
cash for honours scandal, and newspapers speculating on who sent which emails
to whom about what, perhaps MPs have realized it is time to reform its membership
criteria. Neither hereditary nor generosity should be the basis for membership
of this particular house.
What our MPs are deducing is, however, hardly
radical. Membership is actually a Christian concept and the Scriptures are clear.
Membership of the oldest club in Britain, the Church, has never been something
you could earn, or you could buy or indeed ever deserve for good deeds. Just the
reverse, Jesus has paid the price of membership for you and I. Easter is traditionally the time when we are challenged to
respond to all that Jesus has accomplished for us in his death and resurrection.
Historically, this is when people were baptised, confirmed and became members
of his Church. Like Parliament, we have modified our membership criteria this
year.
More than 50 years ago, the Church of England issued a Short
Guide to the Duties of Church Membership. Our membership scheme this year
is based on this Guide. We are therefore being faithful to the historic teaching
of the Church of England as well as to the Scriptures. Between now and Easter
we invite you to put your name to a simple declaration that, with Gods help,
you will seek to be an active member during the year ahead. Specifically, we commit
ourselves to protect the unity of our church; share responsibility for our church;
serve the ministry of our church; support the testimony of our church; and cooperate
with the leaders in fulfilling the Vision of our church.
Why these Statements?
These
statements have stood the test of time and reflect what it means to be fully devoted
followers of Jesus. Based on Scripture, they define how we can best grow
to maturity together as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the next three Sundays we are thinking about what it means to be a member of Christs Church and the biblical basis for these affirmations. In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren tells us, You are called to belong, not just believe We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfil Gods purposes by ourselves. The Bible says we are put together, joined together, built together, members together, heirs together, fitted together, and held together and one day will be caught up together. Lets look at Ephesians 4 together and see what God has to teach us about Purpose Driven Membership.
Purpose Driven Membership
1. The Prerequisite to Membership
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spiritjust as you were called to one hope when you were called one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Notice we have all been called into membership.
While our relationship to Christ is personal,
God never intends it to be private. In Gods family we are related to every other
believer, and we will belong to each other for eternity... If it feels
less than heavenly here at Christ Church, sometimes, remember we are here to get
some practice!
Following Jesus Christ involves belonging
as well as believing. We need both. And that epitomises the struggle for the soul
of the Anglican communion at the moment. Notice Paul does not say create unity
but maintain the unity of the Spirit Unless we can agree that there is only
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one
God and Father of all we have no unity.
Only when we submit to the
authority of Gods word in all matters of faith and doctrine, can we share in
the unity of the Spirit and experience Gods peace as a family. Unity doesnt
come from just being nice to everybody. Our unity is in the Gospel revealed in
Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, through the Scriptures. The Spirit of God working
through the Word of God to make us children of God. Notice there is only one body
- one church - and therefore only one membership. There may be many expressions
of that body, both in terms of historical denominations as well as geographical
locations, but there is only one body - the Body of Christ. That is why it is
so important that we earth our membership, we demonstrate our membership, in and
through a local church.
When we trust in Christ, we become related as brothers and sisters to everyone
else who is related to Jesus. A good test of my attitude is this - Have I fewer
brothers and sisters than my Father has sons and daughters? All who love Jesus
are welcome in membership here. The prerequisite to membership then is personal faith in Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Saviour. That is what unites us.
This is how we become members of Christs
Church. We have all been called into membership. That is why completing your membership
pledge and electoral roll form is a way of testifying to that fact. You are saying
- I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I am glad to be part of his church here
in Virginia Water.
1. The prerequisite
to membership. All called.
2. The Privileges of Membership
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to his people. (What does he ascended mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (Ephesians 4:7-9)
We
have not only all been called to membership. We have also all been gifted for
membership. God has given each one of us a unique expression or manifestation
of his grace to benefit the church. Spiritual gifts are not toys to play with
but tools to build with. It may be a natural talent that he wants to harness for
his glory.
It may be a skill you have honed and trained for over many years that he now wants back for his use. It may be a supernatural ability we were not born with. We have an amazingly gifted team of singers and musicians dont we? But that is only because they practice on Fridays. If you do not think you have one or more gifts you are deceived. You are believing a lie from Satan. It is not true. God says through the Apostle Paul To each one of us - Each one of us has been given an expression of Gods grace as Christ apportioned it. You know what that means? Jesus knows you. He has a personal interest in you and your development. He has given you a role in his church that no one else can do. And if you are not serving, we are all the poorer for it.
1. The prerequisite to membership. All called.
2. The privileges of membership. All equipped.
3. The Practice of Membership
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare Gods people for works of service. (Ephesians 4:10-12)
Like
the House of Lords, membership of the Church of Christ is not about status or
benefits, its about service. The role of the leaders is to equip, to train, to
nurture, to motivate, to inspire, to guide, to prepare Gods people for works
of service. So when someone says to me I didnt get anything out of that service
it tells me more about their spiritual state than about the choice of hymns.
In our Gospel reading Jesus asks a question: Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. (Matthew 24:45-46)
Notice
the role of the leaders is to serve the servants. We are all servants irrespective
of our role in Gods household. We have already seen how we are described as children
of God - children of the One God and Father (Ephesians 4:6). But here we are called
to serve him by serving one another (Ephesians 4:12). Isnt that what happens
in a healthy family? It is not about privilege and status but about serving one
another in love.
1. The prerequisite to membership. All called.
2. The privileges of membership. All equipped.
3. The practice of membership. All serving.
4. The Purpose of Membership
so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:12-16)
This is Gods purpose for you and for me. To become mature. To become like Jesus Christ. And the local church is the place where we grow up. We cannot grow to maturity on our own. We need each others gifts and talents. Through the very disciplines we looked at earlier. There may be more to growing in Christ, but there is not less and these are the essentials. Purpose driven membership.
God is intentional. He has a plan and purpose to build his church, reach the world,
extend his kingdom in you and through you, one day at a time. so that the body
of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge
of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness
of Christ.
1. The prerequisite to membership. All called.
2. The privileges of membership. All equipped.
3. The practice of membership. All serving.
4.
The Purpose of Membership. All maturing.
All called, all equipped, all serving, all maturing. Do you see the progression here? The logic? The intention? Gods purpose is that we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Now do you see why we care about defining membership, about teaching ownership, about expecting apprenticeship, about creating fellowship. Members of the Body of Christ, we have work to do because we have not yet reached maturity! Nor has everyone in our community yet heard the good news of Jesus Christ.
Summary
God
created the church to meet your five most deepest needs; a purpose to live for,
people to live with, principles to live by, a profession to live out, and power
to live on. There is no other place on earth where you can find all five of these
benefits in one place at the same time. There is no more important membership
than the Body of Christ expressed in a local church.
Gods purposes for His church are identical to His five purposes for you. Worship helps you focus on God, fellowship helps you face lifes problems, discipleship helps fortify your faith; ministry helps exercise your talents; and evangelism helps fulfil your mission. There is nothing else on earth like the Church!
The prerequisite to membership. The privileges of membership. The
practice of membership. The Purpose of Membership.
Before we pray let me give you your homework.
Homework
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If you are not sure what your gifts are, get a copy of Bruce Bugbees book, What you do best in the Body of Christ (Zondervan) and complete the self assessment survey.
3. How can I develop the gifts and talents God has entrusted to me?
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4. What frustrates me most about Christ Church?
5. How might this indicate a possible opportunity for service?
6. What does God want me to do differently as a result of this study?
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