WEEK 11: WHAT IS A HEALTHY CHURCH MEMBER?

1.IS GOSPEL SATURATED2.IS TRULY CONVERTED

MARCH 17, 2013

What does a Healthy Church and Healthy Church Member

Look Like?

The Gospel

A Healthy Church Member is Gospel Saturated

The Gospel in a nutshell: John 3: 16 and 18: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;

whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Romans 1: 1-6 1 Tim 1: 15: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full

acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

2 Tim 2: 8 Titus 3 1 Peter 3: 18:  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

A Healthy Church Member is Gospel Saturated

Ideas Frequently presented as the Gospel: We are OK God is Love Jesus wants to be our friend We should live right All our problems are fixed if we follow Jesus God wants us to be healthy wealthy and wise.

All are true in some sense, but only partially. And partial truths can actually be lies that deceive others.

A Healthy Church Member is Gospel Saturated

Problems with the Gospel in a nutshell They refer extensively to the individual and very little about

the community of God’s people, the Church. They tend to produce a change in behavior more than a

change in heart.Hebrews chapter 11:

39-40: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

A Healthy Church Member is Gospel Saturated

Ephesians 1: 1-12: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

As you read this book, Ask yourself these questions.Are you Gospel Saturated?

1) Do you know the Gospel story so you can convey it to others?

2) Do you desire to hear the Gospel and preach it to yourself and others?

3) Do you take the Gospel to its conclusion?

4) Do you order your life around the Gospel?

5) Do you share the Gospel with others?

6) Do you guard the Gospel from corruption?

A Healthy Church Member is Genuinely Converted

Am I really a Christian?The story of Curtis and KennyOf the people interviewed for church membership

40% said at some point they did not understand the Gospel even though they were members of a Church.

John Wesley:In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society (meeting) inAldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface tothe Epistle of the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while theleader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I feltI did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

A Healthy Church Member is Genuinely Converted

Matt 25: 31-46: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Am I really a Christian?

You are not a Christian just because you like Jesus

You are not a Christian if you enjoy sin

You are not a Christian if you don’t love other people

You are not a Christian if you love your stuff

You are not a Christian if you don’t endure to the end.

A Healthy Church Member is Genuinely Converted

God delights in saving the lost. Luke 19: 10: For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.

We have clear guidance on who truly belongs. Matthew 7: 17-20: So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased

tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

1 John 2: 3-7: By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.

A Healthy Church Member is Genuinely Converted

It is a spiritually healthy thing for us to do a self-examination of our heart: 2 Cor 13: 5: Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test

yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Phil 2: 12: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

2 Peter 1: 5-11: For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Questions that we need to be able to answer concerning ourselves.

1. Do we walk in the light or in the darkness? (1 John 1: 6-7)

2. Do we love God the Father or do we appear to love the world? (1 John 2: 15)

3. Do we love other Christians? (1 John 3: 14-15, 18-19; 5: 1)

4. Do we have the testimony of the Holy Spirit that we are children of God? (Rom 8: 15-16; Gal 4: 6; 1 John 3: 24b)

5. Are we persevering in the faith? (1 John 5: 4-5)

Class OutlineWhat is a Healthy Church

Week 1: The Church (What is a Healthy Church Chap. 1&2)

Week 2: What is the Church’s Purpose and Function What is a Healthy Church Chap. 3&4 and Article II

from PBC Constitution What are the “Essential” marks of a Healthy

Church

Week 3: Essentials of a Healthy Church What is a Healthy Church Chap 5, 6 & 7Week 4: What the Church Believes Article III PBC Statement of Faith What are the “Important” marks of a Healthy

Church

Week 5: A Biblical Understanding of Conversion What is a Healthy Church Chap. 8,Week 6: A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism and Church Membership Part 1. What is a Healthy Church Chap. 9 and 10 and

9Marks Church Membership bookWeek 7: Church Membership Part 2 and Discipline. What is a Healthy Church Chap. 10, 11 and 9Marks

Church Membership book

Week 8: Biblical Discipleship. What is a Healthy Church Chap. 12Week 9: Biblical Church Leadership. What is a Healthy Church Chap. 13

What is a Healthy Church Member

Week 10: A Healthy Church Member is an Expositional Listener and Biblical Theologian.

What is a Healthy Church Member Chap. 1 & 2 and Listen Up booklet

Week 11: A Healthy Church Member is Gospel Saturated and Genuinely Converted.

What is a Healthy Church Member Chap. 3 & 4Week 12: A Healthy Church Member is Biblical

Evangelist and a Committed Member. What is a Healthy Church Member Chap. 5 & 6

No Class on EasterNo Class on Easter

Week 13: A Healthy Church Member Seeks Discipline and is a Growing Disciple.

What is a Healthy Church Member Chap. 7 & 8Week 14: A Healthy Church Member is a Humble

Follower and a Prayer Warrior. What is a Healthy Church Member Chap. 9 & 10