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And maybe this is the very first time you are in a church service. Some of you may have never entered a church service before and so we are glad you're here with us, and because it's your first time maybe this is the question you have, why do Christians  gather together. Why do Christians gather on Sunday to worship God? Why do you become members of what you call church, what's the whole purpose what's the reason?  I think that's a great question because even Christians today are thinking about it, why do we have to come to church, why can't I just worship God at home in my own convenience?

Can you imagine that, on Sunday you come all the way here, you probably have to dress up you have to drive, it's a long way off and it was even raining. Hey you ask yourself why do I have to come to church, why can't I just worship at home like this? I mean, this is the digital age folks, this is a IT connected world, you don't really need to come here to hear a sermon, you can actually hear a sermon at home, on your bed. You just wake up, make for yourself a cup of coffee and wah, shiok man, it's so convenient, you don't have to dress up, you don't have to travel, you can pick and choose the preacher you want.

I mean over here you have no choice, you are stuck with me and right at home you can choose the preacher you want, you can even choose the songs you like to sing and best part you don't even have to give any money, no offering bag is passed at home.  So why come to church, why come to church with all these inconveniences, I mean is this is Punggol, some of you stay in Jurong, come all the way here for what, why do I have to talk to people, bear with the crowds, why ?

So this morning I want to address this why question, why be part of a church, this is so much better, bedside believer, it's so good and so today I have a difficult task, I have a task to share with you,why you should be rooted in the local church and what it looks like if you're properly rooted in the local church.

If I do my job well and if God is working in your heart, you'll probably at the end of the service you say yah, I see that it is important for me to be rooted in the local church and I understand these are some of the steps I need to take today. So this is my task.

So let's answer the first question, why should you and I be part of the local church, if we believe in Jesus, why, can't I just worship God on my own at home, can't I just do it conveniently, saves time. Well, the simple answer to that question is this, it is not God's will for you to live your Christian life alone, simple as that. It is not God's will for us to worship Him at home alone because the design, the intention, the plan of God is that we will be worshiping Him as a community. See the Gospel, this is what it's all about, the Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ saving us from our sins. The Gospel calls people, men and women all over the world to come together to follow Jesus and that is to be expressed in local churches, that is to be expressed in community.

So the local church is God's idea, the local church is God's plan, the local church is God's intention for you and for me. So that's a simple idea, that’s the simple answer, why can't I do it at home alone, because it's God's plan and intention and good will for you to gather together.

See that's the pattern you see in the Bible in Acts 2:44, that's the early church I mean, this 2000 years ago, this this is the first church in the New Testament, the Bible tells us, when they believed, they came  together, and then you see that again in Acts 20, verse 7, they were gathered together, so there is a coming together, there's a community, that's what the Gospel is about, calling people to follow Jesus in community.

Hebrews 10 tells us that we must not neglect to meet together, so this motif of together, community, is very strong and mind you, this is not just a bunch of friends coming together for potluck, that's not quite what church is, because in the Bible it is very important that local churches are to be led well.

So, everywhere they started churches, everywhere, Paul told them, they appointed elders, so there must be qualified leaders, qualified spiritual leaders, elders, pastors, then that community is properly called a church and this is God's idea, this is the pattern in the book of the Bible. Again in Titus 1:5 this is the instruction given to a young man called Tim, Titus well you're going to start a church, you're going to start churches, you are going to visit churches, it's important that you appoint elders in every town.

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So the church is such a vital, the local church, the gathering of people such a prominent and vital aspect of God's teaching and if you look at the Bible, it's divided into two parts, Old Testament and New Testament, in the New Testament, you have lots of books and a lot of them are actually letters, you see Romans, 1st Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians and so on, these are letters written to churches, so that's how they gather, that's how Christianity is supposed to be, it's always in community. In fact, I'm told there are some 33 local churches mentioned in the New Testament.

So being rooted in the local church is not your plan and my plan, it is God's plan, it is God's idea that we would be together as one and there really is no replacement for that. I know it's inconvenient, I know you have to travel, I know you to do a lot of things to get yourselves ready, but this is God's idea, that's why we gather together.

Now some of you are very theologically inclined, you understand some things of the Bible, you say pastor, but I'm already part of the universal church. Say, what universal church, not Universal Studios, universal church, what's universal church? Well,universal church is the recognition that people all over the world who believe in Jesus are part of a body. So even if I'm in Timbuktu or if I'm in USA, as long as I believe Jesus, I'm part of this universal church. Now that is true, if you really believe in Jesus you are part of a universal church, but the Bible equally tells us whilst it is true you are in the universal church, it's also very important you're part of a local church.

A local church is a local gathering of believers, the universal church is probably made up of thousands, hundreds of thousands of local churches all over the world, but you don't belong to the universal church and neglect the local church.

In fact, D.A. Carson tells us, the, oops, the overwhelming majority of the occurrences of the word church, refer to local churches. So when you read the Bible and it talks about church, don't , don't just think oh, all I need to do is universal church, universal church, uni, no, no, the vast majority talks about the importance of the local church. Another source I have tells me that the word appears some hundred and fifteen times in the New Testament and 95% of them refers to the local church. So you can't have this excuse, oh, I'm part of the universal church and I don't have to be part of the local church.

So Piper, John Piper a pastor, he says it even more strongly, in the New Testament, to be excluded from the local church is to be excluded from Christ. Basically, I can't really be a soldier of SAF, if I don't belong to any army unit or any platoon, huh, a soldier must belong somewhere and if I say I'm a follower of Jesus, it's not enough for me to say I'm part of the universal church, I need to be part of a local body of believers.

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Some of you then say, well pastor, I, I know you're telling us, it's important to be in a local church, but you know what, I love Jesus, but I can't stand the church. Have you met people like this? Hey, you should be part of, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I you know I've been, I follow Jesus, but I hate the church. Now they say that probably because they've been very disappointed and hurt before. Some of you right here, you know who you are you, you, you feel this way, you say, I still believe in Jesus but I don't want to be in church because the leaders betrayed me, they said unkind things, I was booted out, there were a lot of politics and and so now I come to this conclusion, I love Jesus but I hate the church, so don't ask me to be part of a local church.

Now just now, John Chong, Jonathan was leading us in worship and in two weeks time, John is going to get married alright. So that's news for you, in two weeks time, John is going to be married to Anne. Suppose I say to Jonathan, John, hey I love you brother, you're, you're my great friend and but you know John, your are going to be married I want to tell you something, John, I love you but I hate Anne, I really hate Anne, she is irritating, you know what John, after you get married, can I still be your best friend but let me hate Anne, can we still be good friends?

What do you think? What do you think, you mean that's a difficult answer is it? Difficult question to answer, well, if you tell me you hate my wife, sorry man, I don't think we will be really good friends. Why, because I love my wife and there are people who say, I love Jesus, but I hate the church, no, you can't. You see, the Bible tells us that the church is the bride of Christ, Christ loves his people so much, Church by the way is not building, alright, church is about people. The Bible tells us Christ loves his church so much she is His bride, she's precious to Him, He gave His life for His bride and so we can't really say, if we love Jesus we can't say I love You Jesus, but I hate Your Church, doesn't work, doesn't fit.

You see this Gospel, this good news calls men and women from all over the world, to repent and to follow Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter whether you are Jew or not a Jew, doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor, male or female, slaves or free, the Gospel unites us all together. We are now part of a family under our Father God. And so if you love Jesus, you love your Father, you will love your brethren, you love your Father's children as well.

So, sin divides but the Gospel unites, sin cause division between man and God and between Cain and Abel and ever since then, man is living at war. Sin divides but the Gospel of Jesus Christ unites, calls us all out of the world, to belong to Jesus and if you really follow Jesus, you say I will love the church, I would be part of the church.

So today, rooted in the local church is God's design and intention.

Let me ask you, whether there is anyone who is young and trendy and fashionable, do you know what this stands for? wah this is amazing. I thought it will be young, trendy, fashionable OK, I'm not saying you're not, Henry, you are young alright, during the first service, I have a 60, 70 year old man tell me this, the rest didn't know what it was alright. So what this is, this is “what's in it for me”. You say, pastor I understand that this is God's design for Christians,

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this is God's design for His people that we are to be in the local church, but is it advantageous, I mean, is it really wise, is it really useful and helpful, because I can tell you pastor, there are many disadvantages. I got to wake up early, I got to comb my hair, you don't know how long I take to come my hair you know, I comb, comb my hair, I got to drive, I stay Jurong, I take bus, very far, I got to come here and meet with people, it's all so troublesome and is it really worth the while, what's in it for me.

Now let me tell you the wisdom of God's design for His people to be in the local church. Picture this is you, you and me, I want to say that the blessings and the advantages of being in a local church comes in three directions. The first direction comes from above, being part of a local church means you receive blessings from the leaders God has placed over you. There are blessings through leadership that He has established.

Let me give you some verses to prove the point, in Acts 20, verse 28 Paul says I'm going to establish you and I'm going to ask that you be fulfilling your role as overseers well. Say, what is the role of the overseer, the elder, the pastor? Very simple to care for the church of God. Again church refers to people, the people called out of this world to belong to God. So spiritual elders are not to make use of people but they're to serve people, care for people and if you are in the local church, then this is what you should expect, this is the reason why God puts you in a local church, not only care, but you receive admonishment, this is warning, this is encouraging, this is teaching. That's why leaders are given to teach and admonish us.

And then again, pastors, teachers are to equip the saints, they are to train you, equip you to do the work of the ministry. Where are you going to get this? Well, from the local church, the leaders that He has established within, admonish you, 1st Thessalonians again. 1st Peter, they shepherd the flock, so this is a loving, gentle, intimate picture of a shepherd taking care of the sheep and that's what pastors should do, exercising oversight, leadership. Hebrews 13:7, leaders speak to you the Word of God, they teach you the Scriptures, help you understand the Bible and they keep watch over your souls.

So I think, over and over again it's clear, don't you think, the Bible is clear that being in the local church allows you to receive blessings God has intended through the leaders. You don't get this being a bedside believer, you don't get this sitting at home watching YouTube. Yah, you can get the best preachers in the world, but you are not going to get all this care, admonishment, spiritual oversight, warnings that are relevant to your day, culture, context.

I've been in this church for 20 over years. Of course, now I'm pastoring the church, so it's quite interesting that I am talking about this in my capacity, but I can remember the early days, I'm deeply grateful for the leadership of this church, of how the elders, the pastors, they faithfully teach the Word,  they care for our souls, they pray for us and I don't think I will be who I am, if not for the local church.

Imagine, I come to know Jesus and say hah, hah, I don't need the church anymore. I just go and hope, go home and read my Bible alone and I do everything alone, I think I will be messed up. Don't you think you, you will be messed up too, if, if you're not protected, equipped, admonished, cared for and led? Don't you think it's easy to fall into all kinds of false teachings? See God gives us this authority structures in the local church for our own good. So there's a blessing from above.

Second direction from where? Not, not, not many directions aah, from above the next one from, from the side, wah you are so smart. Alright, absolutely right from the side from the local church allows us to have benefits and blessings from one another, from the brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now, the Bible has, this is busy, this is just to tell you, that there are many one anothers in the Bible. Someone calculated, more than 50 one anothers, love one another, serve one another, teach one another, help one another, restore one another, forgive one another, 50 over of them.

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Now all these one anothers must be of course, experienced and lived out in community. I mean you can't have this here (picture of man watching sermon on the bed), there's no one another and no one beside my bed leh. I'm just hearing this sermon, I mean there is no way you can have one another, no one is going encourage you, no one is going to provoke you, no one is going to pray for you, I mean this is not possible.

It's only possible in community, it's only possible as a brethren,as Christians, we journey together in life and we do life together. And once again, I've been richly blessed by community in this church.  I remember the good old days, when we were a small church and and there will be times where we’re at a prayer meetings and I will be with the older men and and we would be together and I learned so much from them, they helped me in so many ways. I don't get that if I'm just reading a commentary at home by myself, it's so important that we understand this one anothering.

So there's blessing from above, there's blessing from the side, but let's not get too self centered in this. I think the advantage of being in the local church is not only that others will bless me, but that I would also be able to do the one another-ness for them. I mean if you truly know Jesus, you are not going to live a self-centered life. Now, there will still be traces of self-centeredness for sure. But more and more, you would want to serve others and it's in community that you serve others, you love others, you help others, you pray for others and so I think this is bi-directional, you get this only in a local church, the genius of God's design.

Okay, so one direction from above, one direction from the side, the last direction? Outward! Excellent! And I think this is what I was trying to put across. Being in a local church makes a difference to our outward witness and testimony, I think I see this in Matthew 5, you, you are the light of the world, you know this word you is in the Greek, the plural form, you all literally alright, Jesus is speaking to His  disciples, He is saying, you all are the light of the world, this is community sense of it.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, it's, it's about the population, it's about the group of people. And if you think about Romans 12 which says I beseech you to present yourselves a living sacrifice, that's an amazing statement. Yourselves, plural, a living sacrifice. In other words, God is pleased with, is not just individualistic efforts but community in the Gospel that glorifies Him. I'm calling you to present yourselves, this church together, a living sacrifice.

So don't miss this community nuance, in the Gospel and I think it's here that as we gather together and as we serve together, as we love one another, we are witness to a world that is watching us, you can't quite get that on your own, this is a dimension possible as a people.

In first Timothy we are told that the church is really the pillar and the buttress of truth. What is truth? Truth, as defined by Jesus is the Word of God- Thy Word is truth. Who are the guardians of truth today? Singapore government, MOE, Stock Exchange, the guardians of truth, the church of God, the local churches all around, preaching the clear and sound doctrines of Scriptures, the people you and I, we together are to hold forth the truth, that's what church is all about.

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And then Jesus Himself said in John 13, By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. So the way we love one another, the way we do community should be a testimony and witness to the reality of Christ and the discipleship to Christ. So why do we gather, why are we part of a church? Because it is an important witness to a watching world.

John MacArthur is a pastor who has preached for many years in his life I'm, I think it's above 40 years, 40, 41 years. He, he has preached the entire New Testament, he has not covered the Old Testament, I'm not sure he's going to cover Old Testament in the amount of time he has left, but if you watch his sermons and you listen to what he says and read his writings, he is a straightforward preacher who hardly uses illustrations, hardly, but there was one illustration he wrote about, spoke about in regards to the local church.

He speaks about a young man who came to church one day. He met with him and he heard a young man share, the young man said three weeks ago I came to your church, I sat at the back of the service like some of you are. I was watching what's happening and I'm a homosexual, I'm a homosexual man, practicing homosexual man and I have just contracted AIDS, but I sat in your service and I heard the church read a Psalm, Psalms is one of the books of the Bible, a poetic song, literature I,I,I heard a Psalm and these three weeks ago, I heard this sermon and this man began to recite the Psalms, yes he has memorised it in these three weeks, he recited the Psalm and he said this is a psalm about how chains are broken lives are set free and how people at the edge of death receive life and as I heard those words spoken here, my tears begin to flow because I see a people, a church who believes in this God, who sings of of this God, who praises such a God, who worships this God.

This is a people who believe that there is a restoring God, healing God, forgiving God and there as I watched the worship, I gave my life to Jesus. It's been three weeks and have not had a single desire for a sexual encounter with another man. I used to do it everyday, sometimes five times a day but since I've given my life to Jesus, I have not have a desire for it anymore. John MacArthur then said about this incident, a homosexual eavesdropped on the power of the Word of God and the corporate worship of God's people and he fell on his face to worship God.

You know the church today plays a vital witness to a watching world. Why should you and I be part of a church, why can't I stay at home. Well, it's not God's design and God has very good reasons why, it's meant for your good. Spiritual protection, leadership, care, oversight, this is where you experience the blessings from brothers and sisters in Christ and that's where you bless others and in the local church that's where together, we witness for Jesus.

I hope I've done my job reasonably well that you may now say, alright Jason, I get it,  I understand now why I should wake up early in the morning, comb my hair, drive all the way here, be with the people, but is that all there is to membership, is that all to this, to being rooted in the local church, I mean just attending? I say no.

Let me now give you the next steps. What does it mean then if you're convicted, if you realise, as a Christian, as a believer, follower of Jesus, I need to be part of the local church, what are the three steps. I just give you three things alright, they all start with D, simple to remember, number one, you've got to decide, when I say decide, it's not just decide to come to church alright, I think that's that's quite clear, but you have to decide to commit to a local church.

Now I am not  assuming that God's will is for you to be part of Gospel Light Christian Church, no, I'm not saying that, but I know it is God's will that you will be committed to a local church and not just say I'm part of the universal church. So today, you got to decide, this is what I need to do in the light of scriptural teaching. Of course, if you say I need to decide on being in the local church then you’ve got to decide next what local church, which local church.

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The problem with many people today is that they go to church shopping, happy, happy, go here, happy happy, go there and I say it's time to stop the hop. Quite a cool statement. Church shopping- it’s time to stop the hop, because you know some of you know exactly what I'm talking about, you have been church hopping. Suka suka (Malay: doing as you like), go here, suka suka, go there and you say it's okay lah, it's all part of the same church it's all part of, all worship Jesus.

No, no, no, you don't get the point if you say that, because you need to be rooted in local church for spiritual leadership, for relational blessings with one another and for you to be able to be a witness to the world. Some people say it's like dating, it's like dating, you go to a church, date, date, date, date, date after a while you don't want you, move on to the next church, never really commit.

Please don't do that, by all means be in a church, don't commit immediately, that's not wise, find out about the church, ask questions about the church, watch the church. Is the church biblical, is the church honouring the Scriptures or is it following culture and trends of this world, is the church committed to God's purposes, as laid out in the Bible? I mean these are important things to consider and ask, but don't, don't just hang in there and flirt around with the church as it were and with no intention to commit.

Some of you have been in Gospel Light for long time already, I know, I’ve watched you. You've been in this church for five years, ten years and you are very happy just coming and we are happy to have you, but let me say this, it's not good, that for all these years and for many years to come you're just attending church but not rooted in the church.

Pastor, I'm still dating lah 5, 10 years still dating aah, better get married soon! I mean seriously, I mean you're 30 years old and you still dating for another 10,20 years, I say what are you doing and so many of us, we, we, we might say oh, I'm, I'm still finding out. If you're really finding out, that's perfectly fine, but please don't let this be an excuse for procrastination. God sees your heart, you know your heart.

And by the way, some of you are, are still finding, are looking because you're looking for the perfect church. Eh, this church not very perfect lah this one light so lousy, this one pastors so ugly, or whatever, yes many reasons to say I don't want to be part of this church, many reasons that, I'm waiting for the church to be perfect, well, you can wait long, long, because the church will never be perfect and even if we do become perfect, the moment you join us it's not perfect.

So don't wait for that time, alright I think, like I said, have due diligence in seeking God's will, about the church, be serious about it and they are good godly scriptural principles for you to go by, but it's important, I think for you to decide, being rooted in the local church requires a decision, now of course, formality wise it requires a signing up to be part of the membership, going through what we call membership class, understanding what this church means, hey but I think there's more than that, than signing a piece of paper, so that's step one.

Let, let me go to step two, besides deciding for the church, step two, what do you think it is? I mean, what does it mean to really be rooted in the local church, just sign a piece of paper na, na, na, pastor, you happy, I signed already don't bug me anymore, please.  I mean is, is that is that the intention, no.  So what does it mean? Let me give you a second D, the second is simply to develop and when I say develop it means to develop relationships. To be really rooted in the local church, is to develop relationships, now, let me say this, I think many people think church looks like this, or this is your mindset about church- Golden Village or Eng Wah cinemas, whichever you want, Cathay.

You know what's it about cinemas, it's really cool, you don't have to know about anybody else in the cinema. Shiok (meaning: wonderful, great)  right, pay the ticket, go inside, all dark one, in fact no one sitting next to me, that's the best, I don't want people too near me, the elbow infringe to me, I don't  like that, I want to be alone, watch the movie alone and after the movie is done, I walk out. So clean and easy, so shiok, no need to talk about aiyoh your problem, that problem. So is, this is what I want, you say, and and Golden Village is now coming to Gospel Light or we are becoming or we are in the danger of becoming like Golden Village. You know how it is, you come on Sunday mornings, you walk in, you don't want to talk to too many people, huh, huh, huh, huh, you just walk in, sit here by yourself, you, you watch the, you watch the show alright, this is the performer, you watch the show, if it's, if it's funny you give a few dollars, if not funny you walk away, this is your show on Sunday morning and you know when I'm done, when I'm preaching is over, as it were the show is over, the credits roll alright, in the cinema, so the announcements aiyoh, this one don't bother me l, you walk out straight away, you don't want to stay a second too long, because relationships are messy.

But that's not membership, that's not what the Gospel is all about. Gospel is not calling people to attend a show, how sad if that is the way we think. Jesus intends for His  church to glorify Him. The Gospel is calling us to a community that will love one another and that's why in this church, we, we think it's really important for you to develop a relationships, that's why on Sunday mornings and afternoons, a whole army of people are cooking, say for what. Oh, cook because they want to uh, they want to show you that their food is very nice, it is not worth the while, but we cook and they prepare meals so that brothers and sisters, we all could have this opportunity to develop relationships.

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Maybe some of you, need to be in a care group, a discipleship group, one on one mentoring relationship. These are the relationships that can only develop with your commitment to invest in relationships. So let me ask you, what does your membership look like, what is your Christianity like? Clean, clinical, sterile, aseptic technique or is it messy and involved in relationships. I think that's what it's all about.

The church is the only human institution that continues into the new heavens and new earth. You think about it, this is, that's an amazing statement. There will be no more Singapore in heaven, I, I can be sure Lee Kuan Yew will not be ruling there, I mean, it's not going to be the same system.  I can tell you that there will be no more husband and wife relationships. I can also tell you that the people who are your blood family members will not be all there.  I mean, this is what the Bible says, I know it's not nice, it will be like a shocker to you, but that's what the Bible is telling us that it's, it's the redeemed, those who follow Jesus, those who are washed in His blood, those who believe Him, we continue together for ever and ever in the new heavens. It's worthwhile developing those relationships. I, I can think of hey maybe Eng Chuan and Alvin, I say hey remember last time we Cha Kuay Teow, in heaven we talk about Cha Kuay Teow here on earth, remember those days we struggled in ministry, those will be the memories I carry those will be the relationships we will have.

Let me also say this, developing relationships mean that you don't quit on one another. You know in a church like this, I guarantee you there will be 1001 reasons for you to be upset with one another. Maybe you got into the lift and someone's high heels step on got onto your shoe, wha chin tiah (hokkien: pain) , wah you aah. Next Sunday, same thing, piak, wah and the third week if I see you again and you do it, I am going to leave this church and she’s really going to step on you, accidentally, but she's stepped on you and you say I'll never forgive you, I'm never coming to this church again and you leave.

Now of course I'm exaggerating, but you know how it could be like this. Someone said something unkind, someone was careless with words and you feel so slighted, feel so hurt and you say I don't come to the church anymore, eee. Now if I say to my wife, how? Huh, no, no, no I'm not really saying that, don't worry. But what if I really say this to, I mean if my son, Matthias is quite a handful, or Shawn and if they irritate me, I say I don't want you as my kid anymore, does this happen? No, because we are family. Being in a local church is a recognition of the divine guidance of God, that He has placed us in His body and we don't quit easily.

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OK, let me move on, the last point. You decide, you develop and lastly, I think being a true member rooted in the local church is the willingness to deploy your gifts, your talents and your skills to serve one another. It is sad if your idea of Christianity is come to church and watch this show. Frankly, I'm not very entertaining and after a while you’ll be sick and tired, serious, because that's not what you are wired to do. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us, we are created for good works, that's how you are shaped, you're made, you're newly born again as a Christian to serve God and I think if you're rooted in a local church or you intend to be rooted in a local church, you know you need to deploy yourself in the work of the ministry.

So the Bible tells us God has given every child, this is a paraphrase, but God has given every child of God, spiritual gifts and abilities to serve Him and we should use them well to serve one another and it's a joy to serve one another.

I, I, by the grace of God been able to serve in different ways from laying out chairs, tables, Bibles hymnals, I've always found it what a privilege to serve God and to serve God's people and that helps me and that's it is so encouraging for me in the local church. If I am at home alone, very hard to serve one another alright.

Let me close with this, this verse or this quotation Mark Dever he says, Church membership is our opportunity to grasp hold of each other in responsibility and love, it is a commitment to each other in responsibility and love.  By identifying ourselves with a particular church, we let the pastors and other members of that local church know, that we intend to be committed in attendance, giving, prayer, service, we allow fellow believers to have great expectations of us in these areas, and we make it known that we are the responsibility of this local church. We assure the church of our commitment to Christ, in serving with them and we call for their commitment to serve and encourage as well.

I hope today I have answered this question, why local church and what it looks like. I pray you will be part of a local church not just because it's convenient, it's nice, it's easy, but because it is God's will for you and you know how wise it will be.

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Let's bow for a word of prayer together. Maybe this morning, you're here for the very first time and you wonder how can I get into such a community, how can I be, how can I experienced this one another, love one another that the Bible talks about. I always felt lonely, I've always, I may have many people around me, but I felt lonely. I've never had this deep sense of community, how can I become part of this family of God?  I'm glad you asked that question and I tell you the answer is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember, sin divides but the Gospel unites, the Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ dying and rising to save us from our sins, in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy God. Jesus died that He may bring us back to God. He paid for our sins and when he brings us back to God, He also brings us back to a community of similar brothers and sisters in Christ.

So this morning I want to say to you, hey, God opens His arms to invite you to be part of this community. God opens His arms to say, come and believe in My Son. He says, whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. This life is about knowing God, knowing Christ, you and I can have that today.

I want to pray that God perhaps this morning will grant to you repentance and faith in Jesus and you may know Him, you may be saved from your sins or maybe I'm speaking also to Christians here. You have been in this church for a long while, maybe five years, ten years exactly what it is and you're saying, you know I'm still not very sure about this church, then let me say this, by all means clarify, by all means find out more, but don't let this be an excuse to float and to drift and to procrastinate. Decide, because this is God's will that we will be in the local church and if Gospel Light is not the church, that's fine, move on don't hang on here because it's important for you to be rooted in the local church and it is good for you and is good for the kingdom.

But maybe if you have decided that you are to commit yourself to this local church, then I say don't just sign a piece of paper, that matters nothing really, but develop relationships. I'm not saying you get to know five hundred people, thousand people here in this church, but start developing with a few, love them, serve them, receive their love, their encouragement, live out that one another and then I say, pray to God that He will use you to serve.

So may the good Lord bless you, as you think through these things, once again I want to pray that you will come to know Jesus, He's the One who gave His life to save us from our sins, He's the One who can bring us to community, He's the One who can bring us back to our Maker, Creator God and He will satisfy the deepest longings of your soul. Christ, the Good News. Father we thank You this morning for Your Word, bless each one here, we pray that You will help those who have yet to know Jesus, come to know Jesus and I pray that Gospel Light, this local church will be more and more a church after Your own heart. Thank You, be with each one as they make decisions and as they follow through with their lives. We pray this now in Jesus Name, Amen.

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