DOING WHAT I CAN DO….

as A Member of the Local Congregation

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

    

A.   A baseball team had nine players.

1.    JW quit the team.

2.    JT showed up every other game.

3.    JR would only do one thing, that is, bat.

4.    JV came to no practices, only games.

5.    JC didn’t like the coach and it showed in his performance.

 

B.   There were several results of these struggles.

1.    The team only had seven men at most on the field.  Often only six played.

2.    The team never won a game.

3.    The good team members were not able to excel.

4.    The team was a laughingstock to the other teams.

5.    Eventually, the team was dissolved.

 

C.   Something similar to this is happening in many local congregations of the Lord’s church.

 

D.   Our theme for 2024 is:  “Doing What I Can Do.”  In this lesson, let’s examine the topic:  “Doing What I Can Do…as A Local church Member.”

 

I.             EVERY CHRISTIAN A MEMBER OF A LOCAL CHURCH

 

A.   When a person obeys the gospel, the Lord adds him to what we call the universal church (Acts 2:47).

 

Praising God, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church such

as should be saved.

 

B.   Each one of these Christians is also supposed to be a member of a local congregation.

1.    In the first century, there was usually just one local congregation in each city.

a.    The church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 11:22).

 

And Saul was consenting unto his death.  And at that time there was a great persecution

against the church which was at Jerusalem…

 

b.    The church at Antioch (Acts 11:26; 13:1).

 

And when he had found him he brought him unto Antioch.  And it came to pass, that a

whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.  And the

disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

 

2.    Christians identified themselves with the local congregation in their area.

a.    Four men are named as being prophets and teachers of the church in Antioch:  Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen (Acts 13:1).

b.    Phebe is referred to as “a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea” (Rom. 16:1).

c.    Paul salutes a long list of Christians who were members of the church in Rome in Romans 16.

d.    In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul notes the house of Chloe, Crispus and Gaius, and the household of Stephanos as members of the church in Corinth.

e.    In Acts 20:16 we read:  “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.”

f.     In Colossians 1:7, Paul describes Epaphras to the Colossians with these words:  “…who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.”

g.    In Revelation 1:13, the Lord commends a man named Antipas of the church in Pergamos.  “Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you…”

 

C.   Two important notes:

1.    A Christian is not supposed to be a member at large, that is, having no home congregation.

2.    A Christians is not supposed to be a member of two or more congregations at one time.

 

II.           MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH ARE TO GATHER TOGETHER

 

A.   The church in Jerusalem shared a daily fellowship after the church first came into being (Acts 2:46).

 

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to

house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

 

B.   The church in Troas was accustomed to meeting on the first day of the week.

1.    Acts 20:7

 

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul

preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and he continued his speech until

midnight.

 

2.    Paul knew this gathering was going to occur. 

a.    In Acts 20:6, he and his companions were reunited in Troas.

b.    When they arrived, they abode seven days. 

c.    They stayed there for a week because they knew the church would assemble on the Lord’s Day.

 

C.   Three times in the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul makes note of the gathering of the saints together.

1.  When the church was commanded to withdraw from the fornicator, it was

         to be done when the church came together (1 Cor. 5:4).

 

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the

power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2.  In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul discusses the Lord’s Supper.  It was done when

     they came together (1 Cor. 11:20).

 

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

 

3.    Then, in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 he commanded them to give on the first day of the week when they came together so there would be no gatherings when he came to collect the funds.

 

4.    Everyone is familiar with the command found in Hebrews 10:25.

 

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting

one another:  and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.

 

III.         THE LOCAL CONGREGATION HAS FALLEN ON HARD TIMES

 

A. We have almost always lived by the 20/80 rule.  20% of the people do 80% of the work in the church.  100% should be doing 100% of the work.

 

B. Apathy

    1.  Apathy is simply indifference to what is happening at the local church.

    2.  The person is not interested in the success of the church.

    3.  There is no hatred or animosity.

    4.  It is a cold heart to the Lord’s work.

 

C.  One of the things that took a toll on the local church was Covid.

     1.  Our government officials forbade individuals from going to services.

     2.  When we did return, we were told that the assembly was a superspreader.

 

D. The internet has a tendency of replacing the local church.

                    1.  Many churches record their entire church services.

                    2.  Individuals have developed the idea that they can miss the scheduled

                         service, watch the service on the internet, and that serves at their church

                         attendance.

 

D.  The perception of no harm.

                    1.  Individuals often have things that want to do on Sundays and Wednesdays.

                    2.  They can miss Bible classes, worship services, and works of the church,

                         and the church will go on.  They get what they want done.  The church does

                         not appear to be harmed.

 

F.  Pressing needs are more important than spiritual needs.

 1.  We live in a busy world:  work, kids, family, school, extracurricular     

      activities.

 2. The now often seems to be much more pressing than the spiritual.

      a. If a person is sick and goes to work, that is expected.

                         b. If a person is sick and goes to church, that is unusual.  (NOTE:  There

                             are times when the person will be maligned by the “faithful” for his/her

                             being there).

 

G.   As a result:

                     1.  There has been a sharp decline in church attendance.

                     2.  There is a lot of apathy on the part of church members.

                     3.  More and more churches are shutting their doors.

                     4.  The church is not effective in spreading the gospel in its community.

 

IV.         WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION

 

A. The answer to this question lies in the hearts of Christians.

 

B.  Several concepts come to my mind that Christians must develop.

                     1.  Love for God (Mark 12:29-30)

                    2.  Appreciate for God’s grace (1 Cor. 15:10).

                    3.  Fear of God (Eccl. 12:13)

                    4.  Death to self (Gal. 2:20)

                    5.  Steadfast commitment to the Lord (Col. 3:24)

                    6.  Proper ordering of priorities (Matt. 6:33)

                    7.  Accepting responsibilities (1 Sam. 3:9)

                    8.  Willingness to use one’s talents (Matt. 25:1-17)

                    9.  Willingness to serve (Phil. 2:17)

                    10. Preparing for the judgment (Matt. 24:44)

 

CONCLUSION  

 

      A. What members of the local church do and do not do make the church both successful

          and unsuccessful.

 

      B. What we do for the church, we do to Jesus Christ, and what we fail to do for the

          Church, we fail to do for Jesus Christ (Acts 9:4).

 

     C. The local church was created by God.  He knows exactly where He wants us, and He

         knows exactly what we are supposed to be doing for the local congregation of which we

         are a member.