You Have The Church

Bulletins

Brian Nielsen
12/29/24 - General

Upon my retirement two years ago and sometimes even since when friends talked about what I was going to do when not working, some said something like, "Well, you have the church and can do things with that."

Such statements are well-meaning and to an extent accurate, but I wonder if they are fully understanding. Some sound as if the church were a hobby, a civic organization or a social club. We get a different definition in 1 Timothy 3:15 where the inspired Paul wrote, "But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

Conduct in this pillar and ground of truth includes what we should not do. This includes a rebuke like 1 Corinthians 11:22 saying, “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you." We need to make sure our purpose of the church stays within edifying the saints (Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11), evangelizing the world (Matthew 28:19- 20), and benevolence toward needy saints (1 Corinthians 16:1-3).

While the church is not a social club, this does not mean Christians cannot or should not fellowship with one another in homes, restaurants, and picnic areas. In fact, that is a command in good times and bad. In Romans 12:15, we are told, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." We have great friends in other Christians. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Our greatest encouragement should be from the assembling of our church family for our God as Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." We are given example by apostles when in particular we should do this and the reason to do so in Acts 20:7 - "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."

The breaking of bread in communion as instructed by Jesus in Luke 22:19 is to remember the price Jesus paid for His church. This is emphasized in Acts 20:28 where we read, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

So the church is more than any other club or organization with a head infinitely greater than any other group's president, chairman, officer, etc. God appointed Jesus as Ephesians 1:22-23 says, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Notice the word all in that passage? That leaves no exception or choice. It can hardly be put any clearer than John 14:6 -- "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' "

Since Jesus is the church, that means the church is no pastime, hobby or option. The church is a necessity! We don't go to church just for today but to reach heaven for eternity.

My friends were correct in saying the church should occupy my time. This comes from Jesus as we read in Luke 9:23, "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.' "

Daily. This is also shown in an example we see in Acts 17:11 -- "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

We should not wait until retirement to follow this. Along with the reminder in James 4:14 that we don't know if we even have tomorrow, God knows our priorities. He does not accept the church being an after-thought or timefiller.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Do you love or hate the church?

(Scripture quotes are from the NKJV)