Important Members

Good Morning.

The idea of joining a church brings with it the responsibility of contributing. God has equipped us to DO something, not ENJOY something. Each of us has been especially gifted to do something effective and unique that is essential to the body of believers. 

Notice the words in the book of Titus about why we were saved:

Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

vs. 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”


Why were we saved? We were saved to be peculiar and to zealously serve; we are not to sit idly and just enjoy the blessing of Heaven, but to be misfits in this world and work for God.


In the book of Ephesians, we read more of the same:

Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”

There is one body or church, and each of us was given gifts by measure to minister with those gifts IN THE BODY!

vs. 7 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

vs. 16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Those gifts, if properly used, will supply effectually to the needs of the body or church. There is a “measure” (or set amount), and that measure is effective in edifying the body.

We see more about the body in 1 Corinthians 12:18-20:

vs. 18 “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”

vs. 19 “And if they were all one member, where were the body?”

vs. 20 “But now are they many members, yet but one body.”


There are many of us, but we all are to be a part of that one body, a local church.

We are not all made for the same purpose. Each of us has unique gifts and measures, but all of us are here for a reason. As we age, we all start feeling useless, but God feels differently:

vs. 22 “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:”

For a third time, we are reading about the body, about gifts, and about God having a special place and plan for each of us.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

vs. 4 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:”

vs. 5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

vs. 6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;”

Here are the facts:

1. We were not saved to live like the world, but to be peculiar.

2. We were saved to make a difference IN THE BODY.

3. That means we need to attend church. We cannot be a church-jumper and have all our gifts and talents be used to benefit the body of believers.

The church matters! Membership in our chosen church matters. The church needs each one of us, and God placed us in our specific churches to effectually work and help that group of people. It is not about my feeling good in my church, but about the contribution of my gifts to the ministry of that church. 

Sure, you may sit home and read your Bible, but the tasks God has planned for you to do in the church will be left wanting.

May we lift up the need to attend church, to be members of that church, and to serve in that church.


Pastor