5/28/13- WHY CHURCH?

Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed.
Yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, 'How Long?'
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song. (Stanza 3 of "The Church's One Foundation")

from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 2:5,6)

Thoughts: For the next few months I will be looking at scriptures and working on devotions on the church and why it is important to be the people of God together.  I will start with the "why church?" question because the definition of the church is precluded by the why of the church. 

     First the church is because God made it to be.  The reason "why" the church exists, people of faith believe, is because God created it.  If God did not "make" Christians, then the church would not exist.  The idea of being "born again" (John 3) has little to do with our jumping into the new life as much as God's ushering life into being.  Our passage above reminds us: He loved us before we could love Him.  He freed us from our sins- when we could not force ourselves free.  He makes us a kingdom, when we are often unmaking it, tearing it down, scarring it with sin, schism, and heresy.
    But this passage also hints at why God makes us a church.  We are to be a kingdom of priests.  That is we are to convey the grace of God to the world, and lift up the world to the mercy of God.  Priests stand between the people and God as intermediaries- interceding, conveying forgiveness, truth, love and hope.  We are a kingdom of priests- telling the good news of Christ to our world.  We are called to serve God here- together- glorifying Him.  The reason for human  beings is to glorify and enjoy Him.  The reason for Church is even more so.  When a church is not serving God- but only themselves; when a church is glorifying a human being or ideology and not the God who made it then that church has lost its purpose and will soon wither out.  God made us to serve and glorify Him- so our focus should be on God and how we might reflect His glory to others.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to be a part of serving you with others. Help me to be a part of glorifying you with your Church.