When we do not put our time and efforts into our church family, we are putting our time and efforts elsewhere... and it will show. How can we expect the body of the church to grow, not just in size, but in maturity as well?
The leadership of the church is not placed in their position to do all the work. Their gifts are leadership and instruction, and they are there to prepare the members for service. Having said that... we are then called to actually serve!
If we merely receive ministry, we are not walking worthy of our calling in Christ... redemption, reconciliation, access to the Grace of God, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. When we define ourselves by our calling, we will no longer be children - having to have the acceptance of this world to be fulfilled. We will not constantly have to be compromising our faith to be accepted.
This calling should result in a walk worthy of it. Meaning we make an effort to attain unity: maturity, peace, working together, fulfilling each other's needs with our God given gifts.
Membership in the church should look like something!
"There will be a correlation between the extent to which the church does not manifest its unity and the extent to which it's members place their hope in things other than their calling in Christ."
Who are you? How do you define yourself? Does it show where your hope is? Does it reflect in the body of membership??
I will admit that today's words were spoken for me. Were they spoken for your edification as well??
In Christ!
From One Saved Sinner to the Next
Today's Sermon: The Life of Membership (click to listen)Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
Rev. Kory Duncan
Westminster Presbyterian, EPC
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
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11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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.
14 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 people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 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.
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