Message topic: Are you a Christian or a church member?
Scripture text: Romans 5:1-10
Is it surprising to you that I should ask this question? It should not because there many people who have been attending church for many years and does not have the true meaning for going to church as they are only doing what they were brought up doing what they saw their parents doing.
They will tell you, I believe it’s a good thing to do, many people who goes to church are respected people, and they even often reach out and help people who are in need: They will also tell you that they love God very much, and the people with whom they fellowship.
Do we always do the right thing when we follow the actions of someone else? (tell what happen to us when we follow the Greyhound bus on our way to Veracruz and a taxi driver in Mexico City to the airport)
The bus driver got to his destination, the bus depo, but that was not where we wanted to go, when we asked the taxi driver in Mexico City for direction to the airport, he said followed me, we did not know that at times, we with a big Buick had to follow him in a little V/W taxi and when he drive on the side walk when the street is crowdy, that we would do the same by following him.
Listen to the answer of James Verner a former field director from 1977 to 1990 when asked what is the difference between a Christian and a church goer?
A Christian he said, is a person who has received a new life in Christ and has been changed from the inside. Since that person now has Christ’s Spirit living within them, they naturally want to meet with others of like mind as often as possible.
A Christian then, he said, is someone who also follow the teaching of the new testament, who believe in gathering with God’s people regularly, to edify others and to receive spiritual encouragement from them as they pray and worship God together.
A “churchgoer” as the term is normally used, is a person who attends a place of worship merely out of habit without even having experienced new life through repenting of sin and accepting Christ as their personal Savior. Such people attend church as it has been a family custom, because it is the proper thing to do in their community, or, perhaps because they find it identifies them with a certain kind of people that the community appreciates. (what about our electronic churches today)
There is something special about Christianity: it is the only religion that teaches that God came to us: listen to what he is saying to us through Paul in Romans 5: 8-9. But God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. He has much more assurances for us as He says this to us in Ephesians 2:8-9. For by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourself, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
When we surrender our-selves to Jesus, we will have nothing to fear as he gives us the assurance that he is the way, the truth and the life, and no one can come to the father except through Him. (John 14:6). What do we hope to gain by being a follower of Jesus or being a Christian?
The separation between mankind and God was appeased, and we didn’t have to do anything but to believe. Christians goes to church, read the bible, and obey God’s commands, not because we have to, but because we want to.
We want to learn about this God who would go to such great lengths for us. We want to show our thankfulness for His grace by representing him well with our lives, so we chose to follow his plans, knowing that a God who loves us enough to sacrifice his only son for us, has our interest at heart.
Christianity is the only religious organization whose leader has an empty tomb. Christianity is the only group of people who has a leader who died and came back to life. Every other major religious leaders has died and is still dead; Jesus, the leader of Christianity was put to death by those who did not believe in his teachings, and they put him in a grave, sealed it and put watch over it.
More than two thousand years has passed, and men are still pondering how did he came out of the sealed tomb and continued to work among men as he did before he was put to death.
What should the Christian answer be when critics ask, where is your leader today: the answer is found in John 14: 1-3: which says: let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would told you.
I go to prepare a place for you, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you will be also.
Listen these encouraging words which our leader has for us in times of temptations: for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that any-one can boast. This is found in Ephesians 2: 8-9.
Listen to what Jesus is saying to you and I as Christians; whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24.
He has these encouraging words for us as Christians in Romans 8: 1-2: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death.
God sent His son Jesus into the world to be the redeemer of mankind when he disobeyed the command given to him and was banished form the garden where he once walked and talked with God himself. Now Jesus is saying to all mankind today: I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man can come to the father except through me. (John 14: 6).
The Apostle Paul has these encouraging words for us, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is -his good pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12: 2).
When we give ourselves to Christ, that means that we are crucified with Him, and he comes to live within us, that is why Paul was able to say I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Now whatever you do, in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Christ Jesus. Colossians (3: 17).