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(John 13:34-35)

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called “Christ Our Purpose.” We are taking some time this fall to review our church’s purpose statement to see how this statement reflects God’s purposes for his church.

A purpose statement is a valuable tool for both planning and evaluating the ministries and activities of a church. There are lots of things we could be doing as a church, but we want to make sure we are doing the things God has called us to do. That’s why we have a purpose statement. The purpose statement tells us why we are here and what we are supposed to be doing. It helps keep us on track.

We measure our church’s activities by our purpose statement. And we measure our purpose statement by Scripture, because we want to make sure everything we do as a church reflects God’s purposes for the church as revealed in his word.

So, let’s take a look at our purpose statement: The purpose of Plantation Community Church is to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ by: 1) calling people to Christ, 2) helping them grow in Christ, 3) receiving them into fellowship and service, 4) involving them in personal and group worship, 5) sharing God’s love in Broward County and beyond, and 6) teaching and equipping people for ministry.

The past two weeks, we looked at calling people to Christ and helping them grow in Christ. Today, we move to purpose number three: receiving people into fellowship and service. Once again, we will look at a number of Scriptures this morning, but we will begin with this passage in John. (Read John 13:34-35 and pray.)

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Our first purpose as a church is calling people to Christ. We do this by sharing the gospel with them. We share the good news that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and he rose again to be your Savior. Then, as people come to Christ, we help them grow in Christ. We do this as we encourage them to read God’s word, to spend time in prayer, to seek out Christian fellowship, and to serve.

The next step is the purpose we are looking at today: receiving people into fellowship and service. Helping people grow in Christ is all about their personal growth. Receiving people into fellowship and service is all about church growth. God not only wants us to grow individually as Christians, but he also wants the church to grow. Jesus came not only to save people but to build his church.

So, today we are going to talk about the church—what it means to belong to a local church and commit to the local church in membership.

Why is it so important to be a part of the church? Why do we receive people into fellowship and service? I can think of several reasons, but we will look at three this morning. 1) The church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us. 2) The church is a body where each part does its work. And 3) the church is God’s appointed means of advancing his kingdom here on earth.

I. The church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us (John 13:34-35)

First of all, the church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us. The night before Jesus died on the cross, he told his disciples: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

One of the things Jesus did that night was wash each of his disciples’ feet. This was dirty, smelly work usually reserved for household servants and slaves. But Jesus got down from the table and washed his disciples’ feet.

When he had finished, he asked them: “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:12-15).

Jesus was saying we should have such a love for each other in the body of Christ that we would do anything for each other. Part of belonging to a church means we should be willing to humble ourselves and seek what is best for each other, regardless of personal cost. You see, the church is more than just an organization. It is a fellowship; it is a community; we are family.

This aspect of church life, loving each other as Jesus loved his disciples, will never take place by simply attending church one hour a week on Sundays. This type of community requires commitment, care and getting involved in each other’s lives.

That’s why we do so much more here at our church than simply getting together on Sundays. We have home groups and Bible studies. We get together with friends during the week. We have picnics and retreats and fellowship events just for fun. We work together and play together. We remember each other’s birthdays. We provide meals during times of crisis. We visit each other in the hospital. We pray for each other and look for practical ways to help each other during times of need. We are not just church goers. We are a family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is one of the main reasons why God has given us the church. This is one of God’s purposes. God is building together a people who love each other and live in community with each other, the way he originally designed us to live. Jesus said that our love for each other in the church then becomes a witness to the world: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

Why is it important to be a part of the church? Why do we receive people into fellowship and service? First of all, because the church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us.

II. The church is a body where each part does its work (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Secondly, the church is a body where each part does its work. Paul writes in Ephesians: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:15-16).

These verses take the personal spiritual growth we talked about last week and apply it to the body of Christ. We all want to be growing individually in Christ, but we also want to be growing together as the body of Christ. Christ is the head, and we are the body. As we grow personally in Christ, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Once again, Christ is the purpose of the church.

That’s why as a church we receive people into both fellowship and service. We receive you into fellowship because we’re a family. We receive you into service, because the church body only works as God intended when everyone does their part. Just like the human body works best when every part does what it’s supposed to do, so also the church can only fulfill God’s purposes when each part does its work.

If you are a Christian, then you are a part of the body of Christ. Are you fulfilling your part in the body? Are you serving others with your God-given gifts? You might wonder, “What are my God-given gifts?”

Well, first there are the gifts of time, energy and resources that God gives to all of us. Sometimes just giving of your time to a project or opening up your home can be a way of serving. Of course, giving financially to the church is part of how we serve the body of Christ, too. Are you using your time, energy and resources to serve others?

Then there are those particular talents or skills God has given you through which you can serve others in unique ways. Some people teach; others work with their hands; some have computer skills; others have artistic abilities. Are you using your specific talents and skills to serve others?

And then the Bible also talks about spiritual gifts. You find examples of these gifts in various places in Scripture, such as Romans 12 or 1 Corinthians 12. These gifts include such things as service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, helping, administration and others.

Spiritual gifts are given to believers through the Holy Spirit in order to build up others in the body of Christ. The Bible tells us that every believer has at least one spiritual gift. So, if you are a Christian, then that means God has gifted you by the Holy Spirit for service in the body of Christ. I would encourage you to study the various passages in the Bible that speak about spiritual gifts and then ask God, “What spiritual gift have you given me to serve in the body of Christ? How would you have me serve in the church?”

People who grow dissatisfied with church are usually people who are not serving. When you serve others, when you give of your time and energy to the body of Christ, you will rarely feel disconnected from Christ or the church. The church is a body where each part does its work.

III. The church is God’s appointed means of advancing his kingdom here on earth (Matthew 16:15-20)

Why do we receive people into fellowship and service? 1) The church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us. 2) The church is a body where each part does its work. And 3) the church is God’s appointed means of advancing his kingdom here on earth. God could have chosen any way he wanted to do this. He chose the church.

Let’s turn to Matthew 16 next. Jesus was talking with his disciples about who people thought he was. After hearing what other people said, Jesus turned the question around on them.

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.” (Matt. 16:15–20)

There’s a lot going on in these verses, but I want us to focus on verse 18. After Peter confessed Jesus as both the Messiah and the Son of God, Jesus told him: “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The name Peter means “rock,” and so Jesus is making a pun on Peter’s name here. Jesus is saying that Peter’s confession of him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, is rock solid, and it is upon this confession that Jesus will build his church.

In other words, Christ is absolutely foundational to the church. If Christ isn’t central, then you don’t have church, certainly not church as God intended it. No Christ, no church. That’s one of the reasons why our church’s purpose statement spells out the name of Christ. Christ is central. Christ is the foundation of everything we do as a church.

Jesus said he would build his church, and the gates of Hades would not overcome it. In other words, the church is God’s appointed means of advancing his kingdom here on earth. There are many fine Christian organizations out there doing good work for the kingdom. But all of them exist to serve the church and to build up the church. It is in the church that God’s people come together to fulfill God’s purposes of evangelism, fellowship, worship and discipleship. If you are not part of the church, then you are not part of God’s appointed means to advance his kingdom.

Some people say, “I don’t need to go to church to worship God. I worship God just fine on the golf course.” Well, I’m sure you can, and I hope you do, but Jesus didn’t say, “I will build my golf course.” He said, “I will build my church.”

When Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations, what did they do? They went out and planted churches. They called people to Christ. They helped people grow in Christ. And then they received people into fellowship and service. Hmmm, just like our church’s purpose statement.

CONCLUSION: Why is it important to be a part of the church? Why do we receive people into fellowship and service? 1) The church is a family where we love each other as Jesus loved us. 2) The church is a body where each part does its work. And 3) the church is God’s appointed means of advancing his kingdom here on earth.

God doesn’t want you just to come to church. He wants you to belong. God doesn’t want us just to hold church services on Sunday mornings. He calls us to be a family. He calls us to be the working, functioning body of Christ here in the world. God is working through the church to fulfill his plans for this world, and if you are not a part of the church, you are missing out.

So, let me encourage you this morning to commit yourself in membership to a local church. It doesn’t have to be here, although if this is where you attend, then it makes sense that this is where you would want to join. In fact, we have a membership class scheduled for Sunday, October 5, where you can learn more about our church and how you can become a member. I encourage you to sign up in the foyer on your way out today and attend.

The purpose of Plantation Community Church is to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ by: 1) calling people to Christ, 2) helping them grow in Christ, and 3) receiving them into fellowship and service. We don’t just want to call you to Christ and help you grow in Christ. We want to receive you into fellowship and service here in the body of Christ.

Christ is building his church all around the world. And he is building his church right here at Plantation Community. Don’t you want to be a part of that? We want you to be a part of that! And so, we invite you: come and be a part of what God is doing here at Plantation Community Church.

© Ray Fowler

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