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What the Bible Says About the Church - Message #076 - March 12, 2006
What's really important to you?
"Well", you say, "a lot of things are important to me; my home, my family, my job, going fishing... " But what about church? "Aw, the kids go to Sunday school, but I don't need church. I can worship sitting by the lake under a big tree while I'm fishing." Sounds typical, doesn't it? A lot of people feel just this way. So going to church is very low on the list of priorities.
But going to church should be on the top of the list. Why? Well, the apostle Paul reminds the church at Corinth by asking, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). In other words, Christian people gathered for worship compose a temple. God's Holy Spirit dwells in that temple.
Yes, God is everywhere. You can turn to God and talk with God no matter where you are. But there is a special sense in which God is in His church.
You see, in Old Testament times, God had a special place to meet with His people. That meeting place was the ancient temple in Jerusalem. That temple was a picture of the church.
In New Testament times, after the coming of Christ, God no longer has a single temple in Jerusalem where He meets with His people. God now has churches scattered throughout the world. Every church, every group of people meeting for worship, is a temple. These people are gathered to meet with God, to talk with God and to listen to God. If you attend such a church, you too can expect to meet with the living God. Do you see why going to church is so important?
For a free audiotape on this subject, call 1-800-777-0389
email: freetapes@wordfortheweek.org; or visit: www.wordfortheweek.org
What's really important to you?
"Well", you say, "a lot of things are important to me; my home, my family, my job, going fishing... " But what about church? "Aw, the kids go to Sunday school, but I don't need church. I can worship sitting by the lake under a big tree while I'm fishing." Sounds typical, doesn't it? A lot of people feel just this way. So going to church is very low on the list of priorities.
But going to church should be on the top of the list. Why? Well, the apostle Paul reminds the church at Corinth by asking, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). In other words, Christian people gathered for worship compose a temple. God's Holy Spirit dwells in that temple.
Yes, God is everywhere. You can turn to God and talk with God no matter where you are. But there is a special sense in which God is in His church.
You see, in Old Testament times, God had a special place to meet with His people. That meeting place was the ancient temple in Jerusalem. That temple was a picture of the church.
In New Testament times, after the coming of Christ, God no longer has a single temple in Jerusalem where He meets with His people. God now has churches scattered throughout the world. Every church, every group of people meeting for worship, is a temple. These people are gathered to meet with God, to talk with God and to listen to God. If you attend such a church, you too can expect to meet with the living God. Do you see why going to church is so important?
For a free audiotape on this subject, call 1-800-777-0389
email: freetapes@wordfortheweek.org; or visit: www.wordfortheweek.org
