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We are as a church going on a series called "Health Screening for The Church". It really is a look at whether this church, this local church is following God's will, are we healthy before His sight. And we said that to screen you need some tests. So we applied some tests for ourselves, I hope you remember them. The first test is the test of the, very good, the test of the Word. A healthy church teaches the Word of God and not just use the Word of God to teach what we want. So, test number one, the Word.

Test number two, the Gospel, a healthy church is centered on the Gospel. In other words, this is the central message we believe in, this is the central message we live, it changes our lives, it's the central message we give, a healthy church is centered on the Gospel.

Test number three, evangelism, a healthy church is faithful in evangelism, you either evangelize or you fossilize. Now are these tests absolutely comprehensive? No, I think you can have many other tests, but these are just tests that should be commonly looked at because they are frequently neglected or forgotten in churches today.

So the test that we are going to look at today, test number four, is the test of membership, in particular church membership. What is this all about? This is the statement I hope you'll remember and it is this - "A healthy church has a meaningful membership". So we say a healthy church teaches the Word, a healthy church is centered on the Gospel, a healthy church is faithful in evangelism, a healthy church also has a meaningful membership. It's very important to understand what this means.

First of all, let me just explain the last word here, membership. What is church membership? Is this [gesturing at the congregation] our membership? What is church membership? Well, Jonathan Leeman has a simple but good definition, he says, "Church membership is an earthly declaration of a heavenly citizenship in Christ's Kingdom". So membership, is where people declare publicly that they follow Jesus Christ. They admit, they openly identify that Jesus is the Savior, they follow Him, they believe in Him and they are part of the body of Christ and that is the church. So membership, is where you publicly declare.

You see, so often we think that church is what you see right now, look around you. We assume that everyone who gathers on Sunday morning for a worship service, is part of the church, when actually it is not. This is not the best representation of the church. Why, because there are many people here who join us, but they do not believe Jesus as yet, isn't it? They come because they want to know more about the Gospel, they come because they want to understand what the Bible teaches, they come because they are seeking God, they are seeking to be saved, but they have not yet believed.

So we really have a mixed bag of people here, some are Christians, some are not yet Christians, so this is really not the best understanding of church. Church is made up of people who believe in Christ and it’s membership that gives you that declaration that says, that's where you say, I am a follower of Jesus, I'm part of the body of Christ. And I think we have to be very clear about who is part of the church, who is part of the membership.

Last week, someone asked me, "Pastor, why do you always go to the room at level 1?" You know level 1, just around our newcomers corner, the round tables, there's a room there, by the way and they watch me go in every week and they see people go into that room with me, one by one, like one go in then the other and he comes out, then the next person goes in and comes out and so they ask me, "Pastor, are you doing consultation there?" I used to be a medical doctor and they say, "Are you seeing patients there, every Sunday?" I say, "No, I've lost my license many years ago and I can't heal you, I will kill you, if you see me for medical advice." So no that's not where I meet patients, but that's where I meet applicants for membership into the church.

You say, why do you meet with them? I meet with every applicant because I think membership is not just people who want, but membership must be a meaningful declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ. So in that meeting, I find out about their life, they get to ask me questions and most of all, I want to hear if they really have believed the Gospel, they are followers of Jesus, is it a meaningful earthly declaration that they are part of the heavenly Kingdom. So by the grace of God, we have moved in Punggol for more than a year, since April last year, I've, we have had hundred over applicants, I've met 97 of them and so today, I'm going to meet another four, that makes it across the hundred person mark.

Why do I do this, because I think it's important. Church is not just who gathers on a Sunday morning, in the Sunday service like this, I think the real church, the best gauge we can have humanly speaking, is in the membership. So a healthy church does not assume that everyone who comes for a worship service is a believer, we don't assume that, we cannot assume that, but a healthy church then has a meaningful membership. You, you need to have an accurate representative, reflective membership, but to be healthy you need more than just an accurate reflective representative membership, you need meaningful membership.

So let me go to the second word, here, meaningful. What you mean by meaningful? I think membership is not just signing your name on a piece of paper and having your name inserted in a membership roll. That's not very meaningful right? That's very administrative, you need that, but that's not very meaningful, that doesn't make the church healthy. What I think is meaningful membership, is when you have the right relationships in this group of people who publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. So what kind of relationships would make this meaningful? Three relationships.

Number one, it's a vertical relationship and that is, there is in this membership, in this body of believers, in this group of people who publicly declare their faith in Christ, a structure of leadership and a practice of submission. A healthy church has humble leadership and submission. Think about the opposite, an unhealthy church is where there is no leadership and where there is no submission, true? Where they have, you don't have leaders, everybody just do what is right in their own eyes, members do not want to follow along, they all just want to do their own things, will that be healthy? No, not really.

So, scripturally God ordains, wills that His church will have a structural leadership and submission. It is very important, in fact, this is one of the priorities you see in the early church in the book of Acts, "And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed." [Act 14:23] So one of the priorities is that every church should be led by appointed elders. The elders are the leaders of the church. You don't really have church, if you don't have leaders. You, you may have a small group, you may have a care group, you may have a discipleship group, I don't think though, you can call this a church. A church is where there is a body of believers, gathered together and where there is leadership and submission. Some of you say, but the Bible say where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst, isn't that church. Well, that is in the context of church discipline, alright, so be very clear about that. A healthy church will be led by healthy leaders.

Now who can leaders, who can be elders, who can be overseers, who can be pastors, who can be shepherds, they are actually referring to the same person alright, just different descriptions to describe the different functions, elders, pastors, overseers, bishops, shepherds, I think they are synonymous, they are about the same person. So who can be elders? "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.' [1Ti 3:1]

The office here refers to the two kinds of leadership available in the church of Christ, one is elders, second one is deacons. Now the deacons are to support the elders in the leading and ministry of the church, that's quite clear in the Bible. Now, who can then be overseers? Before I move on to the qualifications, I want to say that this is a noble task as what Paul would say to Timothy, the word noble means excellent, beautiful, good, honorable, I think the desire to be an elder is a good thing.

Let me say this again, if you're a man, if you're a man, you have XY chromosomes, if you're a man here today, I say to you, it is a good thing for all church men to aspire towards being the kind of a person that qualifies to be an elder, I think so.

Sometimes we are so caught up with ambition in the world, I want to be a manager, I want to be a director, I want to be a CEO, that's your aspiration in your career. But when it comes to church, I just want to be a church mouse, I just want to be the guy that sits in the corner, nobody knows me. I just want to be an average church goer, I say, I think it's a good thing, noble thing, honorable thing to be a good church man that qualifies you to be an elder alright, just to get that off my chest.

Okay, so, who then should qualify, what are the characteristics? Paul says, "an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." [1Ti 3:2,3] You look at all of these characteristics, you would see that this has very little to do with your achievements in the office. I think a church must select elders, appoint elders based on biblical criteria and not based on worldly criteria and the world today might choose Board of Directors who are rich, powerful, influential, I don't see anything like that here for the elders. You are not to select high flyers, rich people, smart people, that's not part of the equation, but it's looking for people with the right kind of life, the qualities you are focused on the man's character. Who should be elders, in a simple word, godly man.

How do you tell if he's godly or not, look at these characteristics, he's above reproach, he's not someone where people could accuse him for something that he actually did very badly in, like he's a wife abuser or whatever, he will not be reproached for things like that, he is the husband of one wife. Now that doesn't mean that a bachelor cannot be an elder. Apostle Paul is an apostle, but I think this refers to faithfulness, alright. So he he's not, he's not having many relationships, he's a faithful man, he's sober-minded, he is self-controlled, he doesn't fly into a rage of fury easily, he's respectable, he's hospitable, he's generous, he's not a stingy guy when it comes to meeting needs of those around.

He's able to teach, he understands Scripture, he can handle the Word of God, now that doesn't mean that every elder has to be a pulpiteer, but every elder needs to be able to teach people God's Word, maybe in a different setting, private setting, smaller setting. He's not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, he's not quarrelsome, he's not someone who always likes to argue and kicks up strife, he's not a lover of money.

He goes on to say, "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?" [1Ti 3:4,5] Simple logic, if you cannot manage your family, you can't manage God's family. "He must not be a recent convert," so you should not, the church will be wise not to have someone who is just a believer or believer for a short while, say wah this guy has great potential, make him an elder. He may be a great guy, with great potential, but the advice here, the teaching here, he must not be a recent convert, because there is a danger "he may be puffed up with conceit" or pride, "and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders," [1Ti 3:6,7a] He has a good testimony with those outside the church.

Now let me ask you, don't you think this is what, okay I don't want to ask the men, I want to ask the women, don't you think this is what you wish your husband will be? Okay, we got it there, so every man, you got to aspire spiritually to be the kind of person that is described here by God's grace. I'm not saying that we are going to have every one of you become elders, then no followers, no people, all elders, cham, you say all now, the followers are all the wives, OK. No I, I think we should all aspire to be such people and make it your goal, make it your aim, not just to advance in your career. So we look for men like this, because the church requires, it is a need for the church to be led by godly men like this.

And what are these leaders to do, what are the elders to do, what is their job description in church? Are they to be like the Board of Directors just to sign papers, are they like CEOs, are they like towkays, bosses? But the Bible gives us a very clear picture of what elders are to do. 1st Peter chapter 5 says that they are to "shepherd the flock". This is a very pictorial word, right? Shepherd. Just think of how a shepherd takes care of real sheep, the care, the provision, the protection, that's very similar to what an elder, a pastor should do, they are to care for the people, they are to teach the people, feed the people, they are to protect the people from false teachings, from worldliness, shepherd the flock.

"Exercise oversight", in other words be clear about the direction this body of believers is to go, be clear about the dangers that are facing the people of God, oversight. And you don't do this in an abusive, dominating way. Now, I know that there are different styles of leadership, some may be stronger, some can be gentler, I think I'm not talking about style, neither is I think Peter talking about style, but it's about the motive behind that you, you abuse, you dominate God's people for your own selves, own benefits, don't do that, but instead lead by example. How do you lead? Go first, sacrifice first, serve first, being examples to the flock, be the kind of man, that's why, the qualifications, is not about money or intelligence, it's about character, spiritual leadership in the church is not so much about your accomplishments as it is your character.

It goes on to say, "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." [Act 6:4] This is about the apostles, the apostles were faced with a pressing need that widows who are in the church are being neglected, they don't have enough to eat. It's a very important issue, but the elder or the, the apostles were also very clear, we got to devote ourselves to prayer and the Word so they appointed seven men. I think they are a prototype, a model, a picture of the deacons, who will take care of the feeding needs of the congregation, but they were clear about the job description they are to pray and to teach.

So what are shepherds for, teach people God's Word, pray for God's people, that's how you care. Acts 20 we read on, that the elders, the apostles, apostle Paul told the elders of the Ephesian church, that they are to "pay careful attention", to be "overseers, to care". Why? Because after Paul leaves, he knows that "fierce wolves" will come in. [Act 20:28,29] Now, he's not talking literally about animals, he's talking about false prophets, false teachers who will destroy lives with wrong, deceptive teachings. So what is the role of an elder, protect the church from false teachings.

What are the elders to do, they are "to equip the saints" [Eph 4:12] Pastors, elders, overseers, we have a responsibility to disciple, to equip people for the work of the ministry. And again Hebrews 13 teach people God's Word and be examples that they may imitate.

Easy to be elder? All of us fail, I fail according to this but as we say in this church, we are not saying that everyone needs to be sinlessly perfect, but we must be sincerely progressing and I hope that's what you will give grace to the elders of this church to do, that we will grow and be better at what we do, but this is a high calling of what it means to be an elder. We can't bring that down, that's what it should be, and therefore, we need to select wisely, people who qualify and who will serve the Lord faithfully in these ways.

Then, now you probably most of you say ah, this has nothing to do with me, I'm never going to be an elder, I'm a lady, it's okay, nothing to do, I'm going to switch off. Well, now, please switch on, okay, because I'm talking to you, because the Bible equally tells us the responsibility of the member.

So we have leaders and we have members. So what are members to do, in this relationship with your leaders, submission, yah that's a great word, because that's what is in the Bible. Now I'm not saying this part, because I'm a leader and I want you to submit, no, it really is not about anyone of us. I think it's about loyalty to God and His Word, His will. So the Bible is very clear, obey your leaders and submit to them. [Heb 13:17]

Now, in as far of course, as they are following God themselves. So don't obey your leader if your leader tells you to do something sinful. Don't submit to them if they are teaching you to do something unbiblical, of course not. But in as far as you can, within the teachings of the Scriptures, we are to obey our leaders, submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.

Amazingly, I have to stand before God one day, together with the elders to give an account for you guys. How did you shepherd my people? How did you teach my people, how did you serve my people, what kind of life did you live for an example for them? Wow that's something I have to answer for. But still it's a noble, excellent, beautiful, honorable task, alright, that's, that's my joy, that's my privilege.

So you obey, you submit so that they can "do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." [Heb 13:17] What is he saying? Well if you understand Hokkien, let them do this with joy and not with pek chek [meaning frustration in Hokkien] and the your, your pastor, your elders pek chek, not good for you, okay, this will be of no advantage to you alright. So, submission, obedience, part of God's plan for His church. "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love" [1Th 5:12,13].

I think this is not easy in our day and age really. In the past, generally, society, humanity has a good regard for authority structures, whether it's your teacher, your boss, your parents, people generally understand, respect for authority. Today, however, in all fronts, that is being eroded. I would say, you would know that more kids are disobedient, more people are disobedient to the teachers, disrespectful to teachers, we are disrespectful to government and so on. I think that's just part of it, of how we are in that last days.

But in the church of Jesus Christ, that can also be very real. But the Scriptures tell us, nope, we are to run counter cultural, we are to respect, we are to esteem our leaders very highly in love. The Bible continues to say, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor," [1Ti 5:17a] So we honor all brothers, but in particular honor your leaders, "especially those who labor in preaching and teaching." [1Ti 5:17b] What do you mean by honor, yes sir, yes sir or, bow before, please don't bow, please, please. That's not, that's not what I think it should be. I think Timothy went on to or Paul went on to tell Timothy what it should look like, "For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'the laborer deserves his wages.'" [1Ti 5:18]

So there is a very practical part to this honoring and that is to meet the material, physical needs of the leaders and then it goes on to say, "Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses." [1Ti 5:19] The honor goes as far as not readily accepting accusatory charges against your leaders, unless it is backed up by two or three witnesses. So it's a high honor, expressed in practical ways.

A healthy church understands church is not what takes place here on Sunday only. It is about a certain membership, a people who publicly declare on earth their citizenship in heaven and this group of people who declare their membership as such, labors towards a meaningful relationship, first with the leaders and the leaders with the people. A relationship where you have leaders who are godly, who lead, who teach, who preach, who pray, who love, who care, who watch, who shepherd. And a people who submits, who honors, who respects, who supports. This is an essential part of what it means to have meaningful membership and to be a healthy church, because if you don't have leaders and you don't have members like this, there will be divisions, there will be strife, there will be anarchy, there will be confusion, there will be false teachings and it will not be long before the church crumbles. It can be a very big church, but if there is no godly leadership, no humble submission, it will be gone in no time.

Now how are we doing as a church, Gospel Light, how, how, how, how do you, how healthy do you think we are, cholesterol level here good or not? What do you think? Huh, huh, quite good, thank you for your very optimistic, alright, I, I, I think of the five tests, this is one area we need to strengthen.

Some months ago, we were already looking at healthy church and the, we also spoke with some of you and we also saw that, there are more and more people who are joining us and I don't think we are doing our shepherding care well, I don't think so. We probably have teaching, preaching, which is what you are attending, but to really care for your lives, to help you, I don't think we are doing that great and so we brought this up, I brought this up amongst the elders and we talked about it and we say there are growing needs, we really need to strengthen this aspect of our church. We are going through membership, a healthy church and I think this is what Scripture tells us and the great thing is all our elders unanimously agreed that we all need to step up.

Now, the elders have been involved in ministries, like overseas missions, they have been looking at our church overall direction, our church committee with a lot of administrative things, recently they have just successfully helped us through a massive building project here in Punggol and we are thankful for them ministering in so many ways. But I think we need to gear up more in the ministry amongst the people and in fact, let this be a priority for our elders.

It's about the people at the end of the day and so, well we are hoping to step it up in this area, give us some time, we are going to work on this, but we are going to reveal to you what we intend to do, next Sunday during our members' meeting. So we, we find that it's meaningful to reveal this in members' meeting where the membership is clear, people there are all, as far as we know, people who declare their faith in Christ, who are committed to the local body and we say, the elders will meet with the members and this is what we hope to do and we will, we will hope to serve you well there. Alright, so join us, this a bit of a koyok [a slang meaning selling ointment in Hokkien], a bit of advertisement to get all our members to join us next Sunday at 1:15 for our members meeting. Okay so that's what meaningful membership is.

Number two, the second relationship we need to have in a healthy church is when there is loving ministry to one another. We love one another in the membership. "Now, pastor why do you say that, does this mean that I can don't love people who are not members?" You how people think right. Membership, is where you love one another, then not in membership no need to love already lah.

No, not true, the Bible says love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. In fact, it is very clear, love your enemies, your wife, your husband, love everyone, love your neighbor, but the Bible also speaks of a special love for one another in the church, in the faith. So it's not a cop out, it is not an excuse to not love anyone else, but it's to say step it up, as you love everyone, love one another even more, are you sure? Yah, I think so, Galatians 6:10, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.' [Gal 6:10]

There is a need to understand that we are, we are bond, bonded together with, with the spiritual blood of the Lamb as it were, we are part of the family and we are all calling God Abba, Father, so take care of one another in a unique special way. That's what Jesus said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." [John 13:34,35]

What is this one another? Among the disciples. Love all men, love your enemies, but especially love one another. This is the new commandment I give you, Jesus said, love this group with a fresh passion and purpose, why, because by this shall all men know you are my disciples, when you have love, this special love one for another.

In fact, if you understand that there's a special love for one another in the body of Christ in the church, you will suddenly realize that this is not just an occasional teaching in the Bible, it's all over the Bible. All the one anothers; love one another, serve one another, encourage one another, greet one another, exhort one another, provoke one another, it's not about doing this with the unsaved, it's not doing this with your colleagues, this is doing it with fellow believers, one another. There are more as I've said, more than 50 one anothers in the Bible, all to be fulfilled when we are clear about membership, about who the real church is.

So Mark Dever, he says, "Church membership is our opportunity to grasp hold of each other in responsibility and love." Now, how do I know who I can practice this one another with? People in the church. Are you saying, in the service, no, no, no, no, in the church, church means what, people who believe in Jesus, how do you know who they are, they are members, they have publicly declare their faith in Christ, they publicly say I'm committed to the body of Christ, I'm part of this membership, I'm part of this one another. And so membership gives us that opportunity to know who they are, to grasp hold of them in responsibility and love.

Let me read the next one, "We allow fellow believers to have great expectations of us in these areas." I'm saying when I say, I'm part of the member, I'm saying hey, I'm with this church, I'm serving in this church and I'm committed to you who are also in this church and I am looking forward to you who will also bless my life because we are part of the same church. Church membership affords this glorious opportunity to grasp hold of each other.

So a healthy church has meaningful membership, we have leadership and submission and we have loving ministry to one another. It's not just putting your name on a piece of paper, on a membership roll, it's not just about you coming for worship service. But I say this to you folks, that you will develop meaningful relationships with one another in Christ.

Please, if you are a member of this church, if you are a believer of Jesus Christ, would you, can I encourage you to make it your aim, not just to turn up at 11am for service and go home at 12:30? Because you have no meaningful relationship with anybody else that way, you can't. Who are you looking at now, me, there's no relationship with anyone beside you.

So I say, why is it such an important thing for us in the church to have lunch downstairs? Why did we design the building, so that level one is so spacious, high ceiling, even though it's a carpark, but why do we do that with exhaust fans blowing over, because we think it's important for people to develop relationships and to have meaningful relationships, that you may be able to get to know people and understand that we are part of the same church and we will serve one another in love.

I pray that you will really think about being part of community, whether it's a care group, a discipleship group, you serve together with God's people. I think that's what meaningful membership means, okay.

Now, if you're not a member of this church, you're not a believer of Jesus Christ, come and go as you want, it's OK, because if your goal is just to find out, to hear God's Word, to understand the Gospel, I say if you're comfortable to just come, then so be it, if you want to stay on we welcome you, but as members, I don't think you should have the same kind of expectations as a nonbeliever, that's what I'm trying to push across.

Okay let me go to the third point, lastly, meaningful membership means that we will all have a holy witness in a sinful world. Wah, pastor, this one very hard to remember leh, no SSS PPP or whatever, I tried but I can't alright. So, so, to help you understand, I just want to help you see the directions alright. The first, second and third points are all unique in their directional sense. So I think meaningful, meaningful membership means, I understand that there is leadership from the top, I understand God's will is that I will be served by godly leaders who will care, serve, teach, model, pray, shepherd me.

Meaningful membership means I am recognizing my role to also submit, support, respect, honor them; vertical. Secondly, horizontal; left and right. I recognize that in membership I am not just here to hear a sermon, I want to be in the community, to, to love others, serve others, encourage others and that I too will be served and encouraged and loved by others. That's what membership is all about.

And then lastly, the inward outward dynamic where we are together to be a witness to the outside world. Remember, we are called out of the world to belong to Jesus. We live in, amongst people who do not know Jesus and we as a community, are to witness to the world.

Now this witnessing to the world is a very repeated motif in Scripture, like Matthew 5, where Jesus says, "You are the light of the world." [Mat 5:14] You are to shine in the dark world, that's His emphasis there. We read in Philippians 2 that, we are to "shine as lights in the world," [Php 2:15] Why, because the world is darkened, it's living in sin, in grumbling, in disputing and so on and so forth. But the Christian is to live in such a way that he doesn't grumble and whine and dispute, but that he is calm and patient and gentle and that's how you shine. But the idea of shining, being a distinctive people, unique people is very clear. First Peter tells us that we "are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation," [1Pe 2:9] A distinct community, to proclaim the excellencies of God.

So let me ask you, let me just fast forward to a slide; so you have the Gospel and the Church. Can I ask you, what's the relationship between the Gospel and the Church? The Gospel creates the Church. God gives us the message of the Gospel and it's through faith and obedience to this Gospel that we are saved, that we are rescued from sin, that we can now follow Jesus and we can now be a part of a community that we can now call Church. The Gospel creates the Church. How do you, add on to this? Let me give you a quote from David Platt, "The Church is the means God has established for the defense, display and declaration of the Gospel." You like that?

So the relationship between the Gospel and the Church, is that the Gospel creates the Church and the Church is the agent or means by which we are to declare, to defend and to display the Gospel. How is the world to know the Good News of Jesus Christ, how? I tell you how, God has determined once a year to send an email in the sky, you'll receive in your inbox the message of, no, it doesn't come that way.

The Gospel is not seen in the heavens. The power of God, the divinity of God is seen in creation. But the Good News of Jesus Christ is what the Church is to declare. How about false teachings today, wah, lots of wicked people twist God's Word to say what they want to take advantage of God's people? Well, that's where the true Church has to stand up and defend the truth of the Gospel.

I was just talking to pastor Mike just now and we are, we are talking about false teachings today, false teachers today, and, and we, we remarked that actually, there is also at the same time with the uprising of false teachings, a resurgence also about biblical theology because we see there is a need to defend the Gospel in our day and age, actually in all times.

The church is accountable for that, we are the pillar of truth in the Bible, as said in the Bible. And then we are to display, what do you mean display the Gospel? Your life! Your life! Our lives together form that holy nation, that holy people who are not living life like the world and that is how we proclaim the excellencies of God! So meaningful membership means that the people of God recognize our call to holy living, godly living, Christ-like living, so that we can be a witness to the world and that means, the membership must be a people who are living as best as we can, purely, in a godly way, as best as we can.

That's why you see the Bible this, this very strong sentence that says, "I am writing to you," Paul is writing to the church at Corinth, "I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler - not even to eat with such a one." [1Co 5:11] Don't let that person who say he's a Christian, who says he's part of the church who says he's part of the membership carry on his life that way and bring shame to God's Name. Not only brings shame to the name of the church, but also to be that little leaven or little yeast that will spread throughout the lump that will spread throughout the church, don't let that happen. Instead, purge the evil person from among you.

So the purity of the membership has to be something we guard, so that God's Name is not dragged through the mud if someone falls into sin. Now, does that mean that every church member is perfect? No, can't be, for one, I'm the first to admit, I am a terrible sinner still in my life. But I think this is about serious, open, unrepentant sin. Then there is a need for what we call church discipline, we will speak more about that next week, but church discipline is a loving act to protect the testimony of God's church and to protect the people in God's church from further sin.

It's also loving in that this person who is excommunicated or purged, is forced as it were to come to his senses that he may repent and come back to God. So this is not something the leaders use as a whip to tekan [meaning abuse in Malay] people, no, no, no. This is loving restoration of so-called brothers who live in serious open unrepentant sin, okay.

So I know this is not an easy sermon and I don't think it's usually addressed, but I do think this is important enough that if we want to be a church that is healthy, then we need a clear understanding, not everyone here this morning is part of the church. You came for a service, but the church is really made up of people who believe in Jesus.

How do we know who they are, well, the membership is that opportunity by which they declare publicly they follow Jesus, they are part of the body of Christ here and in this membership, we say there must be healthy relationships vertically, with good leadership and submission of God's people; horizontally, loving ministry, special loving ministry one to another, special regard to one another and then finally, together we labor towards being a holy witness in a sinful world.

Let me ask you, as I close, will you be a member of a church in a meaningful way? Because I know many of you come from different church backgrounds and I always say you guys are like float, float, float, float, float and you float and you got caught on this, this hook now and you're staying here floating here and you're happy to float here, it's quite comfortable to float in Gospel Light, after all it's big enough for people not to know you, you can go downstairs, have a meal, go back home and nobody cares, it's OK, it's great. This church allows me to hear God's Word and I don't have to be bothered with other people.

Well, I think you're not to live that way because that's not what God wants. I want to encourage you today to think about committing to a local church. Now I'm not assuming that you commit to Gospel Light, that's not what I want to drive across because this may not be the church for you. God may have, may have, His ways and will for you in another local church. But I say if that is what you think God wants you to do, then don't stay here, go and explore and really find the church you can anchor yourself in, commit yourself to where you can happily, joyfully submit to the leadership, where you can say, I'm committed to the brothers and sisters here and where you say, I'm going to work towards living a holy life together for God's glory. But please, don't keep drifting, it's not biblical, it doesn't help you, it doesn't help the church, it doesn't honor God.

Number two I want to say to you who are already members in a sense, you have signed your name on the register, your name is on our membership roll, next Sunday, you can come and join us in our members' meeting. Meaningful membership means you don't just put your name there, but that you are deliberately, intentionally, building relationships, getting to know people, wanting to love and to serve and to encourage and receiving that also from others.

If you today are not a Christian, you are here with us and you say, wah lau, this sermon is so irrelevant for me. I'm not a Christian, why should I learn about church membership? I just want to say, maybe you think that to be part of this church, you need to be some kind of a good guy before you can join. I want to say to you, no, nobody here is part of the membership of the church because we are good guys.

We're all here even though we are terrible, bad guys. I want to show you this text, "do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." [1Co 6:9-10] People who continuously live in such a way, they are not Christians, they're not part of the kingdom of God.

Pastor, you see, I told you, being part of the church means you must be a goody two shoes, perfect people to join. No, read on, because Paul says, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." [1Co 6:11] We are part of the church not because we are good but because God is good, He gave Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross so that with His blood that was shed we can be washed, sanctified, justified. We are part of the church not because of who we are, but in spite of who we are. We are part of the church because of Jesus Christ and what He has done.

So today if you're here I say being a Christian is not about how good you are, to work your way to deserve God's grace. Then that's not grace. But to be a believer or to be a member of the church, to be part of the kingdom of God simply means, I repent of my sins, I know my sins are grievous, they are guilty, they are filthy, but I depend on Jesus Christ and what He has done for me on the cross. And as you place your faith in Jesus Christ, the amazing promise of the Bible is that you can be washed and sanctified and justified. So I pray, if you have been with us for some weeks and months now, would you repent and believe in Christ, that you may be saved. May that be true for you.

I appreciate your attention, your patience today, I don't think this is an easy sermon. Probably too many technical things that you can handle but by the grace of God, I hope you will still whatever you have received, absorbed, be responsible to obey.

So let me ask you, my dear friend, brother and sister in Christ, you have been in Gospel Light for maybe weeks and months now. You probably think that this is the church for you to be part of, but you are saying I just want to hang around here, I don't want to publicly declare my allegiance to the local body that God has called me. I hope this morning, you will repent joyfully and say yes to God and His will as taught in Scriptures.

I pray today if this is a church that you feel is not where God wants you to be, that you will be faithful than to say, Lord, lead me to a right church and your attitude is not that you will float to the next church and stay as a floater but that you will say, lead me to that right church so that I may be rooted in that right church and that together with them, I will have meaningful membership.

Maybe this morning, you thought all you needed to do was to be baptized, sign up for membership and that's being a good church person. Nope, I think biblical demands go way more than just administrative membership rolls. It's about your heart, it's about your life. Will you see that it is God's will for you to grasp hold of one and another, to do good, to serve and to love. That you will not treat church as Golden Village or Cathay Cinema, but this is family and you can begin very simply, over lunch, can be very simple in a care group, but you know what it all begins with your heart, it all begins with your attitude. Begins right there.

There are people in this church, who need your ministry to them, in love and there are people in this church who will provide that ministry in love to you. Together when we spur and encourage one another, provoke one another in love and good works, I think this church will then move on to be a glorious, holy witness in a sinful world. Then, this church will display, defend, declare the Gospel for God's glory.

I pray this morning, if you have not known Jesus, you will repent and believe in Him, may you be part of the family soon and let's all call God the Creator, our Abba Father, all because of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. So Father bless Your people today in all that we have heard, may we obey and may You be glorified. We asked this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

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