As we prepare for a single service, where all of us can gather together in one place at one time, it seems it’s a good opportunity to take a moment to reflect on just what the church is, why we gather together, and what we’re doing while we’re gathering. Over the next few days, we’ll post a series of reflections regarding the church and its worship service. These brief compositions are not meant to be all encompassing, but food for thought as we strive to obey the commission given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Later we’ll touch more on practical applications but first it’s important to understand why we do what we do. Understanding the why gives us a clear goal of what we’re working toward and the motivation to do so.
So, what is the church, and why do we gather?
Scripture gives us several different pictures of the church to help us understand what it is and how we, as those regenerated by the Holy Spirit, are integrally part of it. The church is the Pillar of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15), the Household of God(Ephesians 2:19), the Temple of the Lord (Ephesians 2:22), the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12), the City on a Hill and Light of the World (Matthew 5:14). So many wonderful insights into the beautiful church that God is building! For this series, the two examples we’ll be looking at are the church as the Body of Christ, and the church as the manifestation of Christ to the world.
The church is the body of Christ
When we are united with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are joined together with his body, which is the church. What this means is that, as a believer, not only are you joined to Christ but you are joined to his church (1 Corinthians 12:12–14 ;Ephesians 4:1–16). The work that God is doing in you as a believer is never meant to be done alone but with the encouragement, exhortations, edification and admonishments of your brothers and sisters in Christ. We gather together because we are together.
The church is the visible manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world
Jesus said that his disciples were like a city set on a hill, to be seen by all (Matthew 5:14-16). Like a light set in a room, our purpose is to let the light that has been shown in our hearts shine before others. This means we show the light of Christ to the world, but it also means we show the light of Christ to other believers when we gather. As the body of Christ, when we look at each other and when the world looks at us, Christ is on display. We gather together to show Christ to each other and the world.
When we gather together it’s not about our personal needs (though, these are certainly ministered to), it’s not about how we can get what we need then get out. When we gather together, it’s recognizing and honoring each member as an integral part of the body of Christ. When we gather together, it’s about showing Christ, proclaiming his goodness, to believers and unbelievers alike. And this is the challenge before us, isn’t it? If we are to show Christ to each other, how do we go about doing that? How are we showing Christ currently and how do we get better at showing Christ?
Up Next: Showing Christ Before We’re Gathered
