We are the Church
We Are the Church
Today we’ve come together to celebrate an historic event – the 118th anniversary of St. Andrew’s, Chesterville. What we are coming together for is not to celebrate the anniversary of this building – (because this building is not 118 years old). The church is and always has been more than a building.
What we’ve come together to celebrate is the fact that 118 years ago, a group of individuals got together under one roof to serve Jesus Christ. They came to worship together, to fellowship together, to minister together, to study the scriptures together, and to reach out to the surrounding community together.
Let’s not forget that even though we’re celebrating 118 years as a congregation, our heritage goes back a lot further than that. It was Jesus Christ who founded the church when He said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
In reality, the church has never been my church or your church – even though we talk that way. In fact, the church has always belonged to Jesus Christ. He said, “I will build MY Church.” If you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then you’re part of His church – because what makes a church isn’t a building but the people who join together because of the relationship they have with Christ. When you accept Jesus as your Saviou7r, relationships change – God becomes your Father and other Christians become your brothers and sisters in Christ.
The church is at least four things. First of all the church is a family. When we are baptized, we become part of a new family – Christ’s church. Our sins have been forgiven, we have a purpose for living, and we are promised a home in Heaven. Our relationship0s change, and so do our priorities. A top priority of families is to build relationships with one another but that’s not all.
This brings me to my second point – the church is a Fellowship. In the dictionary, the word “fellowship” is both a noun and a verb. In church, fellowship is also a noun and a verb. A church is a fellowship and its fellowships together. So, what is fellowship? The best definition I came across is “Two fellows on the same ship”. We’re headed in the same direction – we’re going to the same place. As Christians we’re all headed towards heaven. Therefore, a top priority in fellowship is harmony. If we’re going in the same direction – if we’re going to an eternal home – we’re going in the same direction – if we’re going to an eternal home – we’re going to be together for a long time and we need to live in harmony.
The church is also a body. We’re a body – not a business. We’re an organism – not an organization. Therefore, whatever your gifts and talents consist of, you’re needed by the body. You’ve been placed here to help the whole body. For a body to function properly it needs all its parts – it needs all its members. It needs all its members to function to its fullest ability. Hence, a top priority in the church is unity with diversity.
Have you noticed that we’re all different? We have different colour of hair and eyes, different fingerprints, different DNA and we’re different ages. That’s the way that God has made us and that’s the way He’s placed us together. God lover diversity – but He also wants us to be united in our diversity. We’re different in many ways – yet we have the same Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
And finally, the church is a flock. Throughout the Bible, God is portrayed as the Shepherd of His people. David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep and they know me.” Because of this fact, a top priority of the flock is togetherness. There is safety in numbers. The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
So you see that the nature of the church is that – A family – A fellowship – A body – and A flock. The nature of the church will never change. When we try to treat the church as a business or as just another organization, we are doomed for failure. It is God who defines who we are and how we are to function. He also defines our purpose.
The great commandment says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” And, “You shall lover your neighbour as yourself.” How do we love God and love people. It is simple – we worship, we fellowship, we learn as much as we can about God through the study of the scriptures (often through the sermon), we minister to one another and we reach out to people who don’t know Him yet. We have five purposes – Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, and Outreach.
In other words, we need to SHINE – S. H. I. N. E.
• S – stands for SEEKING THE LOST and SHARING THE GOOD NEWS with those who have not heard it – that’s Outreach.
• H – stands for HELPING THOSE WHO ARE HURTING. That is ministering to others.
• I – Stand for INCLUDING people – we are to welcome people into the fellowship we have with God and each other.
• N – stands for NECESSARY NUTRITION. If I want to be healthy as a human being, I need to each right and exercise. The same is true for the spiritual realm. If I want to be healthy as a Christine, I need to know God’s word and apply it to my life. That is known as Discipleship.
• E – stands for EXALT. We as Christians are to exalt God our Maker and Creator – our Saviour and our Lord – in everything we do. We are to worship Him through everything we do. We are to live a life of worship to God.
My friends, we as people of God are to SHINE throughout our lives. We as the church of God are to SHINE throughout the ages. St. Andrew’s Chesterville has been shining for 118 years now and that’s what it will continue to do. Jesus Himself said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” We are God’s church, God’s people, and God’s committed community – called to be godly.
Always remember that Jesus loves His church. I am absolutely convinced of that – after all, Christ shed His blood for His church. In the Book of Acts 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.” Christ gave His life for the life of the church.
Also, Jesus wants unity in His church. No family is perfect – every family is dysfunctional – some are more dysfunctional than others – but you need to stick up for your family. Love is more important than politics – love is more important than little petty differences.
Satan is the one we need to fight against – not each other. There are five times in the New Testament where Christians are told not to argue with each other. Why? – Because God loves unity. Jesus prayed that believers may be one – united together – that they may be in harmony.
And then I strongly believe that Jesus’ church will last forever. Governments won’t last forever – nations won’t last forever – businesses won’t last forever. The Roman Empire is gone – the Soviet Union is gone – the Berlin Wall is gone. But Christ’s church is still here – even after over 2000 years. Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The entire universe was created for God’s family. God created us to spend eternity with him. That was God’s plan since the beginning of time. The church will be in Heaven – it will last forever and you can be part of it. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am you may be also.”
In conclusion, yes, church buildings will not last forever. Specific congregations probably won’t last forever. But the church will. It is my sincere prayer that, no matter what the future holds, you will remember that You are the church, I am the church, we are the church together. And God will always love you as His church.
Amen