Being core in membership at church is about loving God and loving others before ourselves. Being core in membership at church is about putting the gospel first.
Here are ten practical suggestions (which may seem obvious), but will help you express your membership in Church.
We all like and want justice – yet justice is not possible unless there is judgement (vindicating the good and condemning the bad). In Jesus you have a judge – who is just, right and good. Can we say the same about our own judgements?
Read the Bible Text – John 5:16-30; John 12:44-50
Talk Outline – John 5.16-30 & 12
– Ken Noakes
– David Shead
Universal Church Only – a vertical relationship.
From time to time, I will hear a believer say that they don’t have to be a member of particular local church – because they are ‘in Christ’.
The closing scenes of David’s reign show the now familiar realism of saint and sinner. He moves from despotic self-interest to a shepherd ready lay down his life for the sheep and the temple is foreseen in David’s altar. God is revealed as unchanging in his justice and his mercy.
Read the Bible Text – 2 Samuel 24:1-25
– David Shead
Draw Near to God and to Others
Hebrews is helpful for anyone wanting to think about the importance of Church.
In Chapter 10 the author writes to Christians who were losing confidence – some were persecuted, some were leaving the faith to avoid suffering, and others were abandoning Christ because they wanted to fit in with the world around them. His advice? – draw near to God and draw near to others!
David’s songs are a commentary on his experience of the God who reigns and saves and to which David owes everything. They are words that are sung by all who depend on God for their salvation in a fallen world.
Read the Bible Text – 2 Samuel 22-23
– Ken Noakes
When you became a Christian, your membership in the church took both a universal and a local shape – a wide and narrow view if you like.
What is the difference?
In this sermon we hear about how King Saul’s reign left a history of offense against God. His judgement is experienced yet in the context of his mercy and faithfulness.
Read the Bible Text – 2 Samuel 21:1-14
– David Shead
– Josh Ord
Membership
In the world that we live in, ‘Membership’ is a fairly common idea. We have memberships to libraries, sports clubs, magazines or journals, road service organisations, schools, clubs, gyms, churches and much more.
We pay, to secure some benefit – be it the ability to borrow books, or to secure good seats to watch our favourite sport, or to receive the magazine that interests us, or guarantee help if the car breaks down, or help for the school to give our children a better education, or a vote in the club that we belong, or cheaper entry to be able to use exercise equipment. You get the drift!
In many ways, the benefits of ‘membership’ in our secular world mirrors ‘membership’ in a church, but not completely – there is a difference.
King David returns to Jerusalem with a less than enthusiastic reception yet his compassion and mercy appear to remain. The historical account of David’s reign winds down with his kingdom restless and divided, the sword ever present, yet God still faithfully working to fulfill his promises.
Read the Bible Text – 2 Samuel 19:9-20:26
– Ben Smith
