“Prepared to Give an Answer!” 1 Peter 3:15

“I ain’t got no chalk.” The teacher responded, “The right way to say it is, ‘I don’t have any chalk; he doesn’t have any chalk; and they don’t have any chalk.’ Now, do you understand? …

to look at Biblical reasons as to why we must be members of Purpose: to look at Biblical reasons as to why we must be members of Christ’s Church

Why I’m a member of Christ’s Church Five Reasons: Why I’m a member of Christ’s Church i.e. to show how to be prepared to give an answer…

I Know Her Requirements A. What Were These Requirements?

What were membership requirements for the first century church What were membership requirements for the first century church? Let’s look at them closely:

Acts 20:21 “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”

Matthew 10:32-33 (NASB) “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Acts 2:47 “… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

I Know Her Requirements A. What Were These Requirements? B. What Are These Requirements?

What are the membership requirements for Christ’s Church today What are the membership requirements for Christ’s Church today? Let’s look at these closely:

We can’t afford to trash time when it comes to the requirements for membership of Christ’s Church…

II Know Her Worship

Unacceptable worship to God is defined in Scripture as “worship in ignorance”…

II Know Her Worship A. Unacceptable Worship to God

Acts 17:22,23 (NASB) “And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, ‘Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.’”

Most unacceptable worship to God is worship done in ignorance…

Matthew 15:6b-9 “… Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. The worship me in vain; their teaching are but rules taught by men.’”

II Know Her Worship A. Unacceptable Worship to God B. Acceptable Worship to God

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

III Know Her Name

If names do not matter explain why Lucas Oil is spending millions a year to have their name on a new stadium?

III Know Her Name A. Names Identify Properly B. Names Explain Properly C. Names Give Properly

IV Know Her Plea A. Denominational Pleas for Unity

World Council of Churches Part of the ecumenical movement… which is not a council and it has nothing to do with churches…. World Council of Churches

Let’s forget our differences and simply get along… Sound familiar Let’s forget our differences and simply get along… Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like Rodney King saying, “… Can’t we all just get along?!” Rodney King

IV Know Her Plea A. Denominational Pleas for Unity B. Christ’s Plea for Unity

“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”

As long as individuals and denominational bodies insist on having human names, organizations, creeds and etc. at the expense of Biblical authority, unity will be impossible…

V Know Her Purpose A. Not a Political Force

Bible makes abundantly clear that the Lord’s Church is spiritual in design and mission… No place for politics in our Lord’s Church…

V Know Her Purpose A. Not a Political Force B. Not a Social Club

Church is often viewed as just another “social gathering”… Or a moral/ethical way of “clubbing”…

V Know Her Purpose A. Not a Political Force B. Not a Social Club C. Winning and Growing

Seeking those who are lost… and growing those who are won… (i. e Seeking those who are lost… and growing those who are won… (i.e. “making disciples”). This is the purpose of our Lord’s Church as revealed to us through His Word, the Bible

In his book Reasoning Together there is a chapter entitled: “A Letter to Billy Graham”… “I have joined with the multitudes in admiring you and in praying for your success… But, like the rich young ruler whom Jesus loved, ‘one thing you lack.’ Apparently, you do not have the Bible answer to the most important question that a sinner ever asked…” Robert Monroe Bell

R.M. Bell continues: “Dr. Graham, we are praying that you will tell the San Franscicans what the Bible says what they must do to be saved. We are praying that you will not stop with the introductory sentence, but that you will tell them the whole story… Billy Graham

Conclusion and Summary Remember our little chalk friend? He really didn’t understand his lesson. Do you understand this lesson? Can you give solid reasons why you belong here? Can you give reasons to those who are not Christians why they should become a Christians…