Embracing Unity and Covenant in Church Membership

Devotional

Day 1: Unity as Divine Design

Unity within the church is not merely a pleasant idea but a divine design for growth and blessing. When believers live together in harmony, they create an environment where God bestows His blessings, as described in Psalm 133. This unity is essential for the church to be at its best and most effective. The church is designed as a place where burdens are shared, and life becomes more manageable through collective support and encouragement. By embracing unity, the church becomes a powerful witness to the world, showcasing the transformative power of the gospel. [31:21]

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!" (Psalm 133:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship within your church community that could benefit from greater unity. What steps can you take today to foster harmony and support in that relationship?

Day 2: Covenant Over Contract

Our relationship with God and the church is covenantal, not contractual. This means it is unconditional and not dependent on the actions of others. Unlike contracts, which are based on mutual obligations, a covenantal relationship is rooted in commitment and love. Our membership vows are commitments to live in unity, support one another, and uphold the values and mission of the church. By embracing this covenantal mindset, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's blessings and the abundant life He promises. [28:27]

"And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you." (Genesis 17:7, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your current commitments within the church. Are there areas where you have approached them more like a contract than a covenant? How can you shift your mindset to embrace a covenantal relationship?

Day 3: Reflecting Christ to the World

Recent statistics reveal a growing negative perception of the church, both from within and outside. This calls us to reflect on how we live out our faith and the message we convey to the world. As members of the church, we must strive to be a witness to the transformative power of the gospel. This involves living out our faith in a way that reflects the love and unity of Christ. By doing so, we can help change the perception of the church and demonstrate the true essence of the Christian community. [43:41]

"Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: Consider how your actions and words reflect the church to those outside of it. What is one specific way you can be a more effective witness to the transformative power of the gospel today?

Day 4: Belonging to a Community

The church is not just a place we attend but a community we belong to. It is integral, even essential, to our journey of faith. By embracing our membership as a covenant, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's blessings and the abundant life He promises. The church provides a space for believers to support one another, grow together, and live out their faith in a meaningful way. This sense of belonging is crucial for spiritual growth and fulfillment. [36:44]

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your sense of belonging within your church community. How can you deepen your connection and actively participate in the life of the church this week?

Day 5: Living Out Our Faith

We are called to live out our faith in a way that reflects the love and unity of Christ. This involves supporting one another, being present, and actively participating in the life of the church. It is through this commitment that we experience the fullness of God's blessings. By living out our faith, we become a testament to the transformative power of the gospel and inspire others to seek a deeper relationship with God. [54:30]

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can more fully live out your faith within your church community. What practical steps can you take today to support and encourage others in their spiritual journey?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of unity within the church and the essential role of membership in our spiritual journey. We began by acknowledging the challenges and blessings of the past week, emphasizing the importance of community in navigating life's difficulties. The church is designed as a place where burdens are shared, and life becomes more manageable through collective support and encouragement. This unity is not just a pleasant idea but a divine design for our growth and blessing.

We delved into the concept of membership, contrasting it with a contractual relationship. Unlike contracts, which are based on mutual obligations, our relationship with God and the church is covenantal. This means it is unconditional and not dependent on the actions of others. Our membership vows are commitments to live in unity, support one another, and uphold the values and mission of the church. This unity is where God bestows His blessings, as described in Psalm 133, which speaks of the beauty and strength found when believers live together in harmony.

However, we also faced the sobering reality of how the world perceives the church. Recent statistics reveal a growing negative perception, both from within and outside the church. This calls us to reflect on how we live out our faith and the message we convey to the world. The decline in church membership and attendance highlights the need for a renewed commitment to our covenantal vows and the essential role of the church in our spiritual lives.

Ultimately, the church is not just a place we attend but a community we belong to. It is integral, even essential, to our journey of faith. By embracing our membership as a covenant, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's blessings and the abundant life He promises. Let us strive to live in unity, support one another, and be a witness to the transformative power of the gospel.

Key Takeaways

1. Unity in the Church: Unity is not merely a pleasant idea but a divine design for our growth and blessing. When believers live together in harmony, God bestows His blessings, as described in Psalm 133. This unity is essential for the church to be at its best and most effective. [31:21]
2. Covenantal Membership: Our relationship with God and the church is covenantal, not contractual. This means it is unconditional and not dependent on the actions of others. Our membership vows are commitments to live in unity, support one another, and uphold the values and mission of the church. [28:27]
3. Perception of the Church: Recent statistics reveal a growing negative perception of the church, both from within and outside. This calls us to reflect on how we live out our faith and the message we convey to the world. We must strive to be a witness to the transformative power of the gospel. [43:41]
4. Essential Role of the Church: The church is not just a place we attend but a community we belong to. It is integral, even essential, to our journey of faith. By embracing our membership as a covenant, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's blessings and the abundant life He promises. [36:44]
5. Living Out Our Faith: We are called to live out our faith in a way that reflects the love and unity of Christ. This involves supporting one another, being present, and actively participating in the life of the church. It is through this commitment that we experience the fullness of God's blessings. [54:30]
** [54:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:26] - Opening Prayer
[10:39] - Life's Challenges and Community Support
[12:41] - The Blessing of Unity
[16:45] - Membership as a Covenant
[28:27] - Understanding Covenant Vows
[31:21] - Unity and God's Blessings
[34:10] - Perception of the Church
[39:04] - The Role of the Church in Our Lives
[43:41] - Witnessing to the World
[47:04] - Decline in Church Membership
[49:32] - The Impact of Consumer Faith
[51:48] - The Importance of Connection
[54:30] - Living Out Our Faith
[59:47] - The Blessing of the Church Community
[67:26] - Reflecting on Membership
[70:59] - Closing Prayer and Song

Sermon Clips

The church is the one place that God designed for life to be easier and to help others' lives be easier. Now, God never said that you're going to have an easy life. You're not going to be able to just sit down and go, ah, all the time. You're going to have to work. You're going to have to go through some hard stuff. But you don't have to go through it alone. [00:11:28]

When God had the church in mind, he had in mind people that would help each other. Try as he might. Crosby got close on this deck. Try as he might. Zachary fumbled a little bit early. It would have been nice if one of you would have succeeded because you know what? There would have been a great, great blessing to come. I didn't tell you about the great, great blessing to come. [00:12:03]

He promises blessings that we'll never know, imagine, or understand. And all we have to do is get through our life the way he intended us to. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to do the books again. Thank you. And we're going to help each other. If we can hold the stack of books, there will be a blessing for all 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of you to enjoy. [00:12:40]

You can't do all the things that you want to do in your life on your own. Some of it's going to just be too hard. Always be looking for ways that you can help others. And always be willing to let others help you. That's the passage we're going to read today. When we're together in unity, God blesses. You may not see the blessings right now. But God's pretty good with his promises, right? [00:16:10]

God is a God of covenant. He's not a God of contract. God is a God who says that I will always do these things for my people regardless of my people's response to me. And when we make those same types of vows, what you're seeing up here is exactly what it is that you're saying. The membership vows that you took, I'm going to start at the bottom, they lie completely on you. [00:26:58]

For unity to happen, it's up to you. Why does that matter? Because the wallet you made isn't a contract. A contract very simply is this, you do this, I will do this. You have a contract at work, you do your job, you get a paycheck. It's that give and take. It's an agreement that says, so long as this party does this, this party will do this. [00:27:46]

Your faith and your relationship with God is not contractual, nor is your relationship with his body. Think about, you know, the scripture describes the body of Christ as a physical body. There is no contract in your body that says, point your finger, if you do this, thumb will do this. They both do their job because they're designed to do their job. They're designed to fulfill their role. [00:28:35]

David is writing that the brothers that live together, these believers, these followers, these people that say, yes, this is my life. When they're together in unity, blessings follow. The church is at its best. The church is strongest. The church is most effective when it lives together in unity. We talked a few weeks ago about what that unity is. [00:31:44]

And that unity is just that essential elements of our faith, what we believe about God, what we believe about Jesus, what we believe about the spirit, what we believe about the spirit, what we believe about scripture, what we believe about salvation. Those things, when we're together and they drive everything about us, blessings follow. And that's what we all hope for when we join the body of Christ. [00:32:08]

The slide says integral. It's an integral part of a believer's journey. And it is. It's a very significant piece for all of us as we grow in our life in Christ. Because there are things that we do as a body that we cannot do as individuals. There's things we experience as a body that we cannot experience as individuals. And so it's an integral part of this full, maturing faith story. [00:35:29]

The local church can be the greatest most significant blessing in your life if you will let it go back to that first slide number four it's up to you the local church is exactly what you make it to be it's up to your contribution so what are you going to do about it what do I want you to take away these couple of things ask yourself and just wrestle with this are you living your membership with new pairs through the lens of a covenant or a contract [01:04:45]

Life is hard God gave us this as his plan and design to make the journey easier and that ladies and gentlemen is why membership matters would you pray with me God thank you that no matter what it is in life that we're experiencing no matter what it is that we are a part of no matter what it is that's taking place it's so good to know that you always have a plan and you have one in place [01:07:42]

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