The People of the King
by Chris Hendrix
Advent Devotional ~ Day 23
Read Acts 2; Ephesians 4
A strange phenomenon occurs every Christmas season, and that is people who do not attend a worship service throughout the year will attend the Christmas service. There is this thought that “going to church” is an obligation that must be fulfilled on this holiday. For some, this obligation arises out of a fear of keeping God happy. For others, this obligation arises out of a misunderstanding of what church is. Church isn’t a building, an event, a service, or even a once a week gathering of people. A church is a group of believers who consistently come together under the name of Jesus Christ to affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Him and His kingdom through gospel preaching and the ordinances.
In Acts 2, we see the first church established by the Holy Spirit at the preaching of the Word. Peter walks through the Scriptures in showing the Jesus was the Messiah. Peter proclaims the Word boldly and confidently, not from his self-confidence, but from the Holy Spirit’s work through him. From this, 3,000 people repented and believed, thus the Lord raised up the first church. The expression of the kingdom that Jesus Christ proclaimed was made visible, and from there the rest of the New Testament centered on the Gospel lived out through the local churches.
Ephesians gives us a further explanation of what the church looks like. A unity defines the members of the local church, and this unity rests in the Gospel. The outworking of this unity appears through the service of the saints to one another, and the building up of the people in the church to maturity. Paul defines maturity by knowing the right things, loving the right things, and doing the right things. Thus, the church isn’t an optional add on to Christianity. When you buy a new car, you get to choose which package and upgrades you want on it. The sales guy may even throw in some ‘freebies’ to help sweeten the deal. This isn’t what the Church is to the Christian. The Church is the group of people by which the Lord grows through to till the soil, plant, water, prune, and bear fruit. In other words, if you want to grow as a Christian, then be in a local church!
Reflection
Lest we forget, the King was born to die, then to resurrect, then to establish His rule and reign on Earth through the church. Our foundation is Jesus Christ and the work He accomplished. Let us dwell on this wonderful truth that Milton Vincent captures with this,
Now after Christ died
He was placed in a tomb,
Which first was a grave,
But then served as a womb,
Travailing and quaking
The day He was raised
And brought forth by God
To be handled and praised.
The Firstborn from death
On that day emerged He
With power to save
To the utmost degree.
Application questions
1. What is the typical cultural view of the church?
2. Are you struggling with enjoying, wanting, or choosing to go to worship with the church over other things? Why do you think this is the case?
3. If Jesus died for the church, then how does that change our attitude about the people that make it up?
4. If you haven’t committed to a local church, then what is stopping you? If you have committed to a local church, then pray for those in it at this time.