Why Membership Matters (Sermon) 1 Corinthians 12:12–27
WELCOME
Good morning. God is good. And it is good to gather together as a community of faith, worshipping and proclaiming our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep. This is the second in a two-part series of sermons. Last week, we talked about baptism. This week, we are exploring the topic of church membership. I have titled the message ‘Why Membership Matters.’ Pastor Mike, Joe, and I have thought about the strengths and weaknesses of our church. And one thing we want to encourage is church membership. We hope more of you will pursue membership. I know that in this room, there are objections: some good and others I want to challenge. One objection I hear repeatedly is, “Membership is not in the Bible.” I would agree that the word “membership” is not in the Bible; however, that doesn’t mean the concept is not biblical. As we will see in our morning passage, the word “member” describes an individual follower of Jesus. The expression of membership varies from culture to culture and across different age groups. Yet across cultures and times, church membership involves belonging to a local Christian community, worshiping, serving, and proclaiming Jesus. God gave the church the unique gifts of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as reminders of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We pastors believe church membership is biblical and valuable. J. and E. E. are going to come up and read a passage for us that mentions some words about belonging to a local Christian community. Would you please stand with me in honor of God’s Word?
TEXT
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12–27, ESV)
PRAYER
Thank you. Please pray with me. Heavenly Father, we need you. I need you. This morning, we will discuss belonging to a church, specifically your church. There is so much to say that I can’t say it all.
Some people have been deeply hurt by the church. The topic brings up painful memories. Holy Comforter, comfort those who are hurting with your love.
Some are just plain tucker out, burned out, tired out, and worn out. It doesn’t matter what we talk about. Spirit, please, strengthen my friends here with your Word.
Some feel like they are not good enough, too guilty, and ashamed to be part of a faith community. Bring the good news of Jesus Christ to bear—console those people with your grace, mercy, and peace.
Others think they are fine, content when they should not be. Challenge them.
Some are highly involved and fully invested. This message is not novel or foreign. They could preach it, so I ask you to help them in whatever situation they are in.
Speak to everyone in various ways. All of us need you. Use your Word to minister, in Jesus’s name, by your Spirit, we pray, amen. You may be seated.
DIRECTION
We will cover the context, flow of thought, and implications of the text, as well as tackle other questions a person may have about the topic. Contextually, the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians on his missionary journey, likely while he was in Ephesus. He knew Corinth because he helped it and lived there for a year and a half. The city was large, with hundreds of thousands of people. The Corinthian church grew with enthusiasm. People came to faith left and right. Some were quite important and wealthy, while others were the opposite. Not long afterward, persecution began. Some Jewish leaders harassed and accused Paul of being a public enemy. They took him to court. The judiciary sided with Paul and threw out the case. Paul left the court and Corinth to plant and encourage other churches. Across the Aegean sea, in likely the city of Ephesus church, he got wind of trouble. He wrote a letter to provide counsel to the Corinthian church.
WHAT IS CHURCH?
Paul never used the word church in the passage J. and E. read for us. But he did use it. In fact, he used it thirty-one times. How would you describe the church?
If you were cynical, you might say it is the “Opiate of the masses,”
A Cult,
A Club,
A Political movement,
Or a Ponzi scheme.
OUR PASSAGE
Paul described the church in our passage in verses 13 and 14:
“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV).
Paul went on to expand on this analogy of membership using the human body. It is made up of many members. By member, he means parts. Each part has an important role. We can take them for granted until they are taken away. For example, I didn’t realize how much I appreciated my eyes until this year, when I found myself squinting to read the fine print on medicine labels. Now, more than ever, I enjoy healthy eyes. The body has other valuable parts.
STRUCTURE
Paul uses this point to say that we need each other. And this is not the only letter he does so:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. (Romans 12:4–6a, ESV)
This member analogy can help us understand what a church is and our attitude toward it.
ORIGIN OF THE WORD
The word church comes from the Greek word “Ecclesia” and means an assembly or gathering. However, it is unlike any other assembly or gathering. Jesus died for it and established himself as the chief, head, cornerstone, and king. The Bible uses the word to identify specific faith communities in cities such as Corinth, Jerusalem (Acts 11:22), Antioch (Acts 13:1), Rome, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, Caesarea, Laodicea, Thessalonica, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia, among others. Churches met in synagogues, halls, and homes. Churches were in regions of Asia, Macedonia, Galatia, and Judea. They were governed by a body of male elders and/or pastors, but the congregation also had a voice. Membership was not limited to any specific ethnicity, gender, social status, or age. The Bible describes the church as both a local assembly and an international one (Ephesians 5:23). Church membership involves belonging to a local Christian community, worshiping, serving, and proclaiming Jesus. God gave the church the unique gifts of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as reminders of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
BAPTISM AND SPIRIT
First Corinthians has more to say about the church. Again, look at verse 13:
“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV).
This verse tells us that the church was connected by baptism. If you missed Pastor Mike’s message last week, you can check it out online. He explored why baptism matters. Verse 13 demonstrates that baptism was one of the main identifiers of belonging to the church.
BAPTISM
Baptism didn’t, and still doesn’t, make a person a Christ follower, heaven bound, or forgiven. The criminal next to Jesus was never baptized. Yet, Jesus promised him that day he would enjoy paradise. What was necessary was faith. The thief understood his sinfulness, his need for saving, and the Savior dying next to him. Baptism was, and is, an outward sign of this spiritual conviction, that he didn’t get to enjoy because he died. These Corinthians and Paul enjoyed baptism. Paul wrote “We were all baptized.” God wants his people to make a stand for him and be baptized. If you haven’t or want to learn more, we would love to talk to you. We will have an informational meeting on July 20. But I bring that up because it was a key identifier for those who belonged to the church. Our actions demonstrate our convictions.
INDIA
When I went to India a few years ago with IREF, I taught at a youth conference. We encouraged the students to get baptized. At the end of the conference, more than twenty went to the Krishna River and got baptized. In some cases, their names identified them with Hindu gods. In those cases, we gave them new ones, symbolic of their spiritual conversion. Their old self died and rose out of the waters as followers of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12, we read that baptism was a mark of the church, but that is not all.
DRINKING THE SPIRIT
Paul mentioned there was one Baptism and one Spirit. They all drank of that Spirit. What did he mean? It could refer to communion, which he discusses in Chapter 11. Or it could be the fruit of the Spirit poured in and out of and evidenced in the gifts of the Spirit as we read about in chapters 12 through 14. The reality is that the Holy Spirit is active in and on the church member’s life. It is a sign that one is truly a believer and not just going through the motions.
SPIRIT
Paul used similar language in his letter to the Ephesian church. He wrote,
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, ESV).
The Bible teaches that when a person trusts Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in the believer in some spiritual sense. That same Spirit is in all true believers. This same Spirit unites us all. He comforts, convicts, equips, inspires, and is Christ’s presence with his true church. Wherever two or more are gathered, there he is in their midst.
FAITH
The Ephesians passage adds the concept of faith to our unified understanding of the Christian church. There is one hope. What is that? It is through Jesus' death and resurrection that we can know and become loved children of God. That is our faith. He also says this faith involves one Spirit, one Lord, and one Father.
TRINITY
Think about that for a moment.
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4–6, ESV)
Notice the Trinitarian reality there. We believe in one God and three persons of the Godhead. I began the message with the objection that some don’t become members because the word “membership” is not in the Bible. People can have the same objection to the Trinity. The Bible never used the word. However, the concept finds its way into plenty of texts, including the one in Ephesians. In the same way, the concept of church membership is woven throughout the Bible, much like phyllo pastry is layered through Baklava. We see it throughout. We have a communal faith. (Now, doesn’t that make you want to be a member of the church? Maybe we should offer Baklava as an incentive. What do you think?)
THE BIBLE DOESN’T HAVE A PROCESS
That being said, not all churches have the same membership process or wording. They call it different things. They might not even use the formality we do. However, there is a sense of those who are in and those who are out. In Paul’s day, they didn’t have all the church options. And they had lots of persecution. Identifying oneself with the church came at a cost. And that is true in some parts of the world today. In those cases, you wouldn’t need a formal process. Just this week, in Damascus, there was a shooting and suicide bombing that took the lives of twenty-five people and injured sixty others. To affiliate with a church community came at a price.
CONNECTED TO CHRIST
Let’s note another thing about church membership. Look at verse 27:
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12–27, ESV).
The church was, and is, composed of individual parts related to one another and Christ. To be a Christian is to be a little Jesus, representing his coming kingdom. Together, we form a corpus that embodies the living presence of God on earth. That is so cool. Don’t you think?
WAVERING FAITH
Some may object and say their faith is too weak. You must be in Christ to be part of the church. Yet, what if a person’s faith wavers? That is normal. Faith is a gift. If your faith falters, ask God to give you more. There was a man who heard Jesus could do miracles. He was passing him and asked Jesus to heal his kid. Jesus said he would if he believed. The man replied. “I believe, help my unbelief.” If your faith is weak, join that man and cry out to God. God will help.
BUT I AM NOT GOOD
Some may object, “I am not good enough to be a member.” Well, how good is good enough? No one can be good enough. What does the Bible teach? It says that none of us are right before God apart from his intervention (Romans 3:10). All of us have come up short. It is by faith that we are saved, not by works, so that none of us can brag (Ephesians 2:8-9). Don’t add to your sin the sin of unbelief. God can do what you cannot.
THERE IS NO PERFECT CHURCH
Some may object that they haven’t found the right church yet. There is no perfect fit. Two hundred years ago, C.H. Spurgeon encountered this objection. He said,
If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us. -C.H. Spurgeon
Our church is not a country club or a megachurch. We are not supermodels with perfect kids. When you belong here, you become a part of a spiritual hospital. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom with our primary residence in heaven. We live on an outpost, a beacon, an embassy as ambassadors on a mission to rescue the perishing and represent Jesus in all our circles. If you are new, you can get close and see our blind spots, sunspots, and bald spots. We at this church are “works in progress.” But you will also see the Spirit of God at work in patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, goodness, generosity, acts of service, faithfulness, and more.
I DON’T FEEL IT
Some might object that they don’t belong. They feel all alone. If that is you, don’t let feelings dictate reality.
Do you see your sin?
Do you believe in Jesus?
Is he your Savior?
Are you trying to follow him?
If so, it appears that you are part of the global church. You may not have gone through the process to join our church yet, but you belong to the bigger one. Know this: you play an essential part in the Body of believers. There are others like you feel out of place and need a friend.
CHURCH PLANT
I recall attending a church plant years ago. Katie and I were the only young adults. It was lonely. As people who were young visited, they would leave because there were no people their age. If everyone had that mindset, there would be no one at church. We need people like you to stay and be that friend for someone who is looking for a friend.
I AM NOT GIFTED ENOUGH
Some might think they have nothing to offer. Remember our passage. Not everyone is a preacher. Not everyone has the financial means to contribute to large offerings. Not everyone can do the physical work around the building. You have a place in the community of faith. If your only ability is prayer, then be a Navy seal-Florence Nightingale prayer warrior. We need all types of people: eyes, ears, mouths, hands, and feet in the body of believers.
BUT WHY MEMBERSHIP?
Perhaps you agree with being part of this global body of believers. However, I have not persuaded you of the value of formal local church membership. Let me give you some more things to think about:
Correction of Sin. Membership is necessary because it offers a way to correct sin.
Paul wrote to this same local church about a man who was having an immoral relationship with a family member. The church was proud of the grace they showed him. Paul was not. In fact, he rebuked them, saying that it was so inappropriate that they needed to kick him out and hand him over to Satan and his lust.
How could they kick someone out unless he was clearly a member of a local fellowship? We don’t know the details. However, we do know that they took Paul’s instruction to heart and formally removed him from their fellowship. Why would Paul say that? Friends, it was tough love. Sin is deadly, like a cancer left unchecked. And a public rebuke like Paul’s demonstrated the severity of this particular unrepentant perversity. It was a warning for those who were tempted to fall into a similar debauchery. It protected people from the harm of being sinned against. It even cared for the individual who had given himself to destruction. Paul’s correction was an act of affection.
Formal membership helps local churches receive, correct, and remove members enslaved in harmful sin before the viral load euthanizes the entire Body.
You might still object to formal membership and say, “Well, my attendance and allegiance are clear. I am okay with you correcting me.”
Suppose you haven’t formally agreed to our vision, values, and statement of faith. How can the church confidently hold you accountable? Where is the line? It may be clear to you, but not to everyone.
Now, to be candid, when things reach the point of correction, only a few times have we had a public one at this church.
Such actions were undertaken with the express hope of restoration.
And before all those proceedings, a private confrontation was done. When the person hadn’t repented, it went to a closed-door meeting with the members only. And only enough was shared with the hope that such action would rescue the wayward. That was as public of a rebuke given.
This opportunity for correction applies even to pastors.
Secondly, Membership clarifies who the leaders shepherd.
Paul was an apostle. So was Peter. Peter spent three years with Jesus. He wrote a letter to the dispersed churches in Asia and gave instructions to the leaders. Writing,
Shepherd the flock under your care.
How does a pastor or elder do that? If a person is an official member, God holds the pastor accountable to protect, lead, and feed the members. Yet, if a person leaves and goes to another church, the pastor is not responsible for caring for them. Their new pastor is. We can care for people in other churches. But if you move to Florida and become part of a church there, I don’t know what's going on in your life. Membership clarifies who we shepherd.
Thirdly, Membership clarifies to members who they are committed to.
The Bible calls us to love one another, share with one another, confess our sins to each other, pray for each other, and submit to one another. When one part suffers, we all suffer. When one rejoices, we all rejoice. We can do that with people outside the church, but even more so, should we do that with those who are already part of it? And that won’t happen if we are not in close proximity to each other. That won’t happen unless we are intentional. Membership codifies our commitment to be near each other and relational.
Finally, membership creates order.
The Bible teaches us that God is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:33). Formal membership organizes us in a chaotic world with competing clubs, groups, and churches.
OKAY NOT TO BE A MEMBER
What if you are not a member? There are plenty of you here that are not. Is it ever God’s will that you should not pursue membership? Yes. Here are a few of those times:
You are Too new. If you move to an area, you don’t need to become a member right away. Now, that said, don’t let that be a reason never to join a church. You may have some questions that need to be answered. Seek those answers and pursue membership.
You are Too young. If you are a youth, you can participate in various ways. My encouragement to you is to plug in, serve, learn, seek God, and eventually become a member.
You might ask, “When is a good age?” Our church constitution states that you must be eighteen to vote. I would encourage you, Juniors and Seniors in High School, to take our membership class this summer. Taking the class doesn’t make you a member. However, it provides a deeper understanding of what we believe, and we get to know you better.
Unrepentant moral error is another reason not to join a church. If you have a relationship with the church and observe immorality, follow the pattern outlined in Matthew 18 and Galatians 6:1 and bring your concern privately to the person. If they don’t change, then address it with the leadership. God might have you attending to help sharpen and reform someone in the church. If, after bringing up your observation, you are sure that you are seeing this moral evil and there is no change, find another church.
A serious theological error is another reason not to join a church. Like immorality, bring your concern up to the person and then the leadership. It’s possible that you are wrong, or you may change your mind, or we may be wrong. We can agree to disagree in the end. We will have people who will spend their lives as almost members because they cannot convictionally align themselves with this church. However, this church is the closest thing that you can agree with. If that’s you, we’re glad you’re here. I hope that you will find a church where you can be a member, for God’s glory and your joy, sometime soon.
SUMMARY
Please let me know if you would like to take the class. If you are unsure, pray about it. It will be fun and won’t lock you into membership. If those dates don’t work for you to take the class, please let me know, and we can discuss scheduling another class soon. If you want to find out more information, I have purchased several books by Jonathan Leeman, including “Church Membership.” The book is an easy and helpful read.
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PRAYER
Let’s pray.
Dear God, thank you for being our King. We love you. You are worthy to be worshipped. You are the great shepherd of the sheep. We look to you. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
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