What is the church about? Why should I be a part of it?
Give me one good reason!
There is only One.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. By Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together. And He is the head of the body, the church.
If you've encountered Him you can't help move when He speaks. His voice is like the sound of rushing waters that sweep you off your feet to places you've never been before. When you've met Him, He's got you. He steals your heart and gives you more than can be contained in a lifetime. He's the answer to every question you've ever had, yet leaves you with one burning question,
'How can I serve such a King?"
Once you've met Jesus, the King among Kings, your whole life becomes a journey of pursuing the answer to this question.
What's this got to do with the church?
The head speaks, the body responds. That's the simple relationship between Jesus and the church.
The church exists to serve King Jesus and build His Kingdom but, not only that . . .
from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does it's work.
The church as a whole also exists to help the individuals in the church serve Jesus better.
Within the church lies the answer to that burning question.
As each individual outworks the 'grace' that Jesus has given them, they begin to massage the 'graces' out of those around them, and we begin to see a greater release of the anointing and empowering of God in and through the Church as a whole.
It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ
That's the point of the Church.
Not to make you feel guilty, not to boss you around, not to tell you where you need to be and when you need to be there, not to ask you for your money, not to ask you for your time, but to teach and equip you to serve the One you've encountered. To give you opportunities to encounter him more and more. To help you to respond to His mighty call.
So if you're there on a Sunday because it's what you do, because it's where your friends are. If you're persevering through the sermon week after week wondering what's happening after church, you've missed the point. And I'm afraid unless you open up your eyes from your religious church going slumber, you're going to keep missing the reason.
And He's there. . . and He misses you.
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