3. Acts 9:26-28

4. Matthew 26:26-29 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." [27] Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28] For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [29] But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

6. What It Means to Be A Member of the Northside church of Christ

7. Membership Is…
Some Christians have a wrong understanding of local church membership (their own idea, what they have experienced in other churches, never been taught, etc.)
We must return to the biblical understanding of membership

8. Membership Is…
Church membership in the universal sense: involuntary (Ac.2:47)
Church membership in the local sense: voluntary (Acts 9:26-28)
Some today float around, never place membership, others worship at home, or not at all

9. Membership Is Not…
Political party: it is not a place to follow your favorite leader (1 Cor. 1-4)
Support group: it is not a place to be accepted with any lifestyle (1 Cor. 5-7)
Resort & spa: it is not a place to be pampered with your way (1 Cor. 8-10)

10. Membership Is Not…
Social club: it is not a place to be fed with food (1 Cor. 11)
Talent show: it is not a place to show off your talent (1 Cor )
Open forum: it is not a place to share your own ideas about life (1 Cor. 15)

11. Three Principles of Membership
Acts 9:26-28
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

12. Three Principles of Membership
Acts 9:26-28
Identification: “Barnabas took him…”

13. Identification The shepherds must know who the sheep are (1 Pet. 5:2)
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
1 Pet 5:2 
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
The sheep must know who the sheep are (1 Thess. 5:14)
The church directory should be correct, complete, and meaningful

14. Identification The church directory is not the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 20:11,15
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. [13]
[15] And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
A faithful Christian can be in the Book of Life and not be in a directory, just as a unfaithful Christian can be in a directory and not in the Book of Life
(Rev.3:5; 20:11,15

15. Three Principles of Membership
Acts 9:26-28
Dedication: “he attempted to join…”

16. Dedication
Members are to enter into a solemn covenant; a covenant to serve and to serve together
Membership has great honor, privileges, blessings, and responsibilities

17. The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Dedication
The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Like the Romans (Rom.12:3-8)
[3] For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. [4] For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, [5] so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. [6] Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; [7] or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; [8] he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

18. The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Dedication
The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Like the Corinthians (1 Cor.12:14-19)
[14] For in fact the body is not one member but many. [15] If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? [16] And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? [18] But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. [19] And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

19. The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Dedication
The members serve together – a “body” of “members”…
Like the Ephesians (Eph.4:11-16)
[11] And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, [13] till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; [14] that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, [15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

20. Dedication We have… “Come together” responsibilities
“One another” responsibilities (there are more than 20 listed in the NT!)
A need for more teachers, volunteers
When church membership is understood , then we all grow in the Lord.

21. Dedication 90% of the work done by 10%
Too “busy” to teach or volunteer
Burden others when I can do it
“Retire” after teaching many years

22. Three Principles of Membership
Acts 9:26-28
Collaboration: “he was with them…”

23. Collaboration The members owe something to the body like…
Loyalty – it must be a priority in your life, a duty (Lk. 17:10)
Luke 17:10
So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"

24. The members owe something to the body like…
Collaboration
The members owe something to the body like…
Dependability – the leaders can count on you anytime, any place (1 Thess.5:12- 13; Heb.13:7,17)
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
1 Thes 5:12-13
[12] And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, [13] and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

25. Collaboration
Ephesians 4:16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Performance – if every member was just like me, what kind of church would this be (Eph. 4:16)?

26. Collaboration
Attendance – if I can stay away, so can the rest (Heb.10:25)
Hebrews 10:25
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

27. Let all things be done decently and in order.
Collaboration
Disorderly – if I can act unruly, so can the rest (1 Cor. 14:40)
1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.

28. Collaboration
Contribution - if I can give little or nothing, so can the rest (2 Cor.9:6-7)
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [7] So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

29. Collaboration
Influence – if I can set a poor example, so can the rest (Mt.5:13, 16)
Matthew 5:13, 16
[13] "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

30. Collaboration
Teaching – if I can refrain from teaching, so can the rest (Heb. 5:12)
Hebrews 5:12
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

31. Collaboration Matthew 25:25
Inactivity – if I can make excuses, so can the rest (Lk. 14:18; Mt. 25:25)
Matthew 25:25
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'
Luke 14:18
But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'

32. What is membership to you?
What is Local Church Membership to You?
How you answer that questions will determine your eternal destiny
Have a biblical view!

33. Be faithful to The Lord till Death!
Be baptized
Confess
Repent
Believe
Be faithful to The Lord till Death!
Hear