Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 2:41-47

Faith of the Baptists —A Regenerate Church Membership (Part 1)

 

Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people.

And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.[1]

All Christians are expected to hold membership in a local church.

However, not all who are members of a local congregation are Christians.

This is not mystical doublespeak, but it is rather recognition of a sad reality.

Whenever one speaks of membership in the church of the Living God, ideally, we are speaking of a spiritual activity.

However, we are a fallen race, and consequently membership in a local congregation carries a political connotation for far too many people.

Whenever I speak of membership in the church, I fear that many listening focus on the political aspect of membership.

One can, and should, join a church where he or she can fulfil the ministry God has assigned.

However, to speak of “joining” implies that we are in control of our actions, instead of demonstrating obedience to the mastery of Christ over our life.

Perhaps it would be better to use biblical language and say that we are “added” to the church.

That statement implies that we are seeking the will of the Master and it implies that we have accepted His gracious working in our lives.

Tragically, many professed Christians have taken control over their lives.

Thus, they “join” the church of their choice; and, just as surely, when they are offended by something in the church, they are able to “leave” the church of their choice.

They will attend when they feel like attending, and they will stay away when they feel like staying away.

However, it is important to them that they have their names on a membership roll.

Membership in a church is not a requirement for salvation, although those who are saved will demonstrate their salvation through identifying with a local congregation.

There is no such entity as an unaffiliated Christian to be found in the New Testament.

Those redeemed were always identified with a local congregation.

There is no precedence found in Scripture for belonging to an “invisible” church.

Instead, those who are born from above demonstrate their relationship to the Master through affiliation with fellow saints.

Affiliation with a local congregation is recognition of God’s appointment.

Baptists hold to the concept of a regenerate church membership.

By that statement, I mean that we believe that only Christians should be members of a congregation, and therefore, each congregation should be composed of those who are twice born.

An earlier message addressed the requirement for membership in a local church [see Why Would You Not Join the Church?

http:~/~/www.pris.bc.ca~/firstbaptistdc~/sermonfeb29-2004.html].

However, the focus of this message is to explore the composition of the congregation.

The questions asked are, who is a member of the church, and what roles do the members of the congregation play in the life of the Body.

To lay a foundation for the answers to these questions, I invite you to consider the account of the formation of the early church.

Entering the Church — Those who received his word were baptized.

Those among our listeners who read older translations of the Bible will note a difference in the statement concerning receipt of Peter’s message.

Some translations—a minority of those available today—inform us that those who *gladly* received his word were baptised.[2]

Those receiving the message were described as joyful—they joyfully welcomed the message.

Most new translations fail to make the connection of joy with receipt of the message, but the Greek term, *apodéxomai*, has as its primary meaning, “[to] welcome someone [or something],” or “[to] receive someone favourably.”[3]

In the New Testament writings, the word is used only by Luke—five times in Acts [*Acts 18:27*; *21:17*; *24:3*; *28:30*] and twice in the Gospel that bears his name [*Luke 8:40*; *9:11*].

There is no question but that in every other instance, the term speaks of a sense of welcome or joy.

Likewise, it would be appropriate to conclude that the message Peter preached was received with joy.

Receiving the message of life is not merely an intellectual transaction; there is an emotional component associated with the new life.

I am not saying that one must have a particular emotional state in order to become a member of the church, but I am saying that receiving the New Birth will result in a new response to life.

Joy accompanies salvation.

Those who are redeemed are a joyful people!

In the Psalms, I find a beautiful expression of this truth.

The Psalmist writes:

 

My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have redeemed.

[*Psalm 71:23*]

 

Christians have since the earliest days of the Faith been a joyful people, and their lives are marked by joyful songs of praise to God.

The redeemed of the Lord are encouraged to declare His redemption with joy.

The Lord makes us glad [see *Psalm 92:4*], and we are joyful in His presence [see *Psalm 16:11*].

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble.

And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

[*Psalm 107:2, 22*]

 

I want to assure each listener that joy is the fruit of salvation.

Those who enter the church in the way God intends will enter through the door of salvation, and they will experience joy—wild, unimaginable joy.

Just as the eagle and the snail each were compelled to enter into the ark through the one door Noah had provided, so each of us enter into the life of Christ through salvation.

How is that salvation received?

Christ the Lord, the Son of God, was crucified because of our sin.

He was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God [*Acts 2:23*], and crucified in our place.

However, He did not remain in the grave.

God raised this Jesus up from the dead [see *Acts 2:32*] and exalted Him to His right hand [see *Acts 2:33*].

Therefore, God declares Him, through this resurrection, to be Lord and Christ [see *Acts 2:36*].

Therefore, all are called to repent [and believe] … in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins [*Acts 2:38*].

Peter concluded that dramatic message with an invitation urging salvation.

Save yourselves from this crooked generation [*Acts 2:40*].

I have been challenged since my earliest days in Canada, having been here more than twenty-five years, to explain why I issue an invitation at the conclusion of each message.

In inviting listeners to believe, I am following apostolic precedence!

Peter concluded this excellent message with a call to do something about the knowledge that he had just provided.

He issued an invitation to be saved.

Just so, any preacher is remiss if he fails to call those listening to his message to repent and to be saved.

Whether the invitation is formal or implied is perhaps not as important as whether there is a pleading note in each biblical message.

Speaking of Christ and His salvation is not simply a matter of delivering mystical esoteric knowledge—it is an issue of life!

Salvation demands a response!

Those redeemed will openly identify with Him who gives them life.

When I was a young Christian, an older saint and I would often visit in the homes of people that lived in the neighbourhoods nearby.

God wonderfully enabled that rough man to be an instrument of grace bringing many people to salvation.

Whenever an individual had placed faith in the Living Christ, he would ask them if they were ashamed to be known as a Christian.

When they assured him that they were not ashamed, he would turn in his Bible to *Romans 10:11*, and reading that passage, he would tell the new believer that they verified the Word of God.

That passage reminds us that Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Those listeners who *gladly* received Peter’s message were baptised—they openly identified with the Master in His death, burial and resurrection.

Baptism is the initial ordinance prescribed for those who believe, and it is performed but once by those who have believed.

It is conducted not in order to be saved, but baptism is expected because one is saved and openly identifying with Christ.

Those who so identify are declaring that they believe that Christ died, that He was buried, and that He rose from the dead.

They do this as they are immersed in water, picturing His burial.

Then, as they are raised up out of the water they are declaring that they believe that He rose from the dead.

Moreover, those who thus identify with the Saviour are declaring that they personally identify with Him in this death, burial and resurrection, declaring that they accept that their old nature was dead, but that it has been buried with Him through faith in His sacrifice.

They moreover declare that they are confident that they have been raised with Him through faith in Him as the risen Lord of Glory.

This is the declaration of *Romans 6:3-9*.

[A]ll of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death[.]

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

…If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.