“Why should I be part of the church?”

Series: The Church [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

September 1, 2019

Introductory Comments:

Well, this is it. We are concluding our four-week series on the Church.

Next week, we’ll have a special message for Invite Your One, and then we’ll be back in the book of Matthew. I can’t wait; I miss Matthew. However, I’ve enjoyed our series on the Church. 

Thus far we’ve learned what the church is, we’ve learned who leads and serves the church, and we’ve learned what the ordinances of the church are.

Today, let’s talk about why all of this matters for you. You might have this question, “Why should I be part of the church?” Well, today we’re going to answer that question. Before we do, let’s pray together.

(prayer)

Have you ever had someone share some information with you and you kind of wonder, “Why does that matter to me?” Perhaps you’ll say to the person, “Thanks for sharing that,” but you don’t know what else to say. 

Well, I don’t want anyone to feel that way after hearing about the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What the Bible teaches about the church matters. You need to know why you should be a part of the church. 

We’re going to discover four answers to the question of why you should be part of the church. Are you ready?

First, . . .

I. The Bible teaches it. [on screen]

The Word of God teaches that you should be part of a church. 

Perhaps the most famous passage on this topic is from Hebrews 10. Listen to what the author of Hebrews says:

23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. [on screen]

The people of God are designed to gather together. 

There is a “oneanotherness” in the church of Jesus Christ. You are not called to live out your faith alone. You are called to be a part of a body of other followers of Jesus Christ. 

The author of Hebrews explicitly says not to neglect to gather together. Therefore, if you neglect to gather together, you are violating the Word of God. 

Additionally, listen to what Paul says in Romans 12:4-5:

4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. [on screen]

Remember, the church refers to the gathered people. The Bible gives many pictures of the church which speak of a plurality of members, including a body. 

We’ll talk about this again, but for now, we can see that the Bible explicitly says that the body is made up of individual members. If you are an individual follower of Jesus Christ, you should be a member of a body of Christians; you should be a member of a church. 

Again, Paul speaks in Ephesians 2:18-19:

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household. [on screen]

Paul not only says we are members of the body of Christ, but we are members of God’s household. If you are a member of God’s household, you must be present with God’s household; you must be present with your brothers and sisters in Christ. 

The Christian faith is not designed by God to be lived out in isolation. It’s meant to be lived out as part of a church family. 

The Bible teaches this fact. 

The Bible teaches that you should be part of a church. 

Second, . . .

II. The church needs you. [on screen]

The church cannot function without individuals members.

Listen to what Paul says about this in 1 Corinthians 12. 

12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one bo