We have always come across this terminology Church. May be from our childhood, our parents have emphasised on going to church or we may have heard or studied about it, some time in our life. The fact that we are here today is an evidence to it. Let’s begin with a short history.
The early Christian Church began in Jerusalem and the surrounding area and grew out of the Jewish tradition. Jesus and his disciples were all Jews. The first Christians therefore did not meet in separate churches but continued to meet in the local Jewish synagogues.
Paul was one of the main leaders in the early church and he believed that the good news of Jesus was for all people and not just the Jews. This belief led Paul to set up Christian churches throughout the Roman empire, including Europe and even into Africa. You can read about Paul in the Bible, in the Book of Acts.
Today we are blessed to be a part of this church. There was a lot of hard work, and sacrifices that made the church visible.
Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22
As the title of this message goes, ‘Church and Me’. We will be looking at how my life would influence the furtherance of this? We may be a student, a home maker, a professional, and so on. We may or may not be actively involved in various functions of the church, or we may be contemplating how should I get involved in it? There may be an after thought as well, will I be able to take up this responsibility. Due to this very term ‘responsibility’, I have lot of work already, kinda attitude, we slip back. But what does the bible say about it?
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
This verse says, we are in it together. We are to encourage each other, we need to build each other and we should not give up on meeting each other.
Without each other the church won’t exist. We will be sitting in our homes in front of a video listening to sermons, there will be no one to stir us up , like the verse says, or encourage us.
1. We all need each other. – Church as a Family.
Initially, we used to watch a video, which said, church is not just a building, it is a home for the homeless. It is where people are accepted no matter what they do or what back ground they come from. Remember church as a Family, where God is our father and Jesus is our brother.
But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. Hebrews 2: 9 – 11
The most exciting part of God’s family is that we keep growing. We keep embracing people as God loves them. When we do that we each have to do our bit of making ii functinal and grow. It’s like a family dynamic. Each one has a part to play in the family, even a baby has it’s place.
Some may be good at serving, we can help out with lot of back ground work, some may be good at singing or making music, you can be a part of that too. Some may be gifted and talented in accounts, or organizing stuff. We absolutely require them. Each one works and functions differently, in the process we also get discipled and our character gets pruned and sharpened to be more like Jesus. When we take a back seat and say, it’s too much of a task, I am not good enough, or other reasons, we are in other words neglecting our Spiritual Family. It’s like saying I am a guest in my own home.
2. Church as a Body of Christ.
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Cor 12: 12 – 27
The above scripture is self explanatory. When we contribute in a small manner, we are considered as a vital organ. All said and done, we may still feel not upto the mark, we may be not as good, and precisely, the church is all about building each other. We are all work in progress. We were never good at walking or talking, but with practice and rising up each time, we are able to walk and run and jump.If the child gives up and says, I’ll not try, because I fell, and I got hurt, then we will miss the point. So there’s training, encouragement, positive feedback and so on. We grow, we build not only each other but ourselves. Have we applied this theory, which says, when we teach we learn better. That’s how it is.
You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5
3. Church as an army of God.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2: 3 – 4
When we read most of the scripture portion, we are commanded. Most of the times it says, I command you to do this..and that. Who is commanded, a soldier. A soldier would never refrain from his duties. Second thing that is highlighted is, a war or a task is not fought alone. You are always in a troop or you are with one more soldier. We are stronger together, in unity. In history, battles were lost not because of a weak army but because of one person’s dishonesty or disloyalty. Therefore, we need to be in it together.
All said and done. How do we apply this sermon? We’ll look at the acronym B.O.A.T.
Being Available.
1. We may not be available throughout the week. We can inform that. We need people to coordinate for Prayer Walk, cell, church, etc. we need people to keep inventories, we need people to open their homes whenever need be, may be for cell or just to allow people to stay for a day etc. You may feel that, you are willing but in your home, everyone is not accepting, it’s alright, we can start small. Whatever is acceptable. Following up or making a phone call doesn’t take much of a time, or just checking in if everything is in order, and back doesn’t take much time. So just being around and available is the key.
2. Observe – Where you feel there is a need?
it could be setting up, you see people are struggling, or you have a better idea, etc. Mere observation and attending to that need is a good way to begin with.
3. Approach – Can I volunteer?
It could be a small help like taking the children for Sunday School. Changing the worship slides or it could be loading and unloading stuff. Anything.
4. Take ownership.
Whether big task or small task. God is looking at people who take the ownership. We find a vast difference between people who own it and people who take it as another task. Every time when we are at work, we enjoy doing a task if we own it. However, bad the circumstance would be, we are self motivated. It’s the same with church. People who own it, the outcome is the best and they do their best.
We are the church, we need each other. Don’t worry about your calibre or don’t worry also that we will undermine your calibre, either ways. God will honour as we build our spiritual family, our every role in the body of Christ is important, and we march on in Victory, in the Army of God. Amen.
As we come together in unity, the Holy Spirit will strengthen us and equip us. “I know i am touching the living body of Christ in the broken bodies of the hungry and the suffering.”
― Mother Teresa
Whatever, we do, it will only glorify God and build His people.
Sandra wife of Virjil .The New Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that New Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
0 Comment