For me, it is always enjoyable to watch new buildings go up. This is a season where the local church that I attend is having a new building constructed; beams, walls, bricks and mortar. It’s been interesting to watch it go up step by step on a vacant lot as the new building is on our way home from service.
The actual building though is not what excites me. What excites me is the people walking into the ‘old’ building to worship along with me. It was never intended that the brick and mortar building be the church. We, the people who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, are the church. Jesus is the head of the body, and we are His body*.
There are many beautiful, fascinating people that make up the body: the pastor, the greeter, the administrator, the toilet scrubber, the librarian, the coffee server, the offering counter, the lighting crew, the deacon, the crying baby comforter, the teacher, the classroom organizer, the worship leader, the gardener, the receptionist, the cook, the prayer warrior et all; many different faces, many different personalities doing many different things in life. How wonderfully diverse!
As I enter our building, I see the faces around me and I think- this is my church… this is my body. That delights me because the people are the ones who will reach the world. The building is just sitting there, but the people are what God glories in. The people are where His presence resides. He used to reside in the tabernacle, then the temple but at Christ’s death He tore the veil so now He can be in us**.
When I look at the diversity of people: young and old, tall and short, blue or brown eyed, timid and bold, serious and funny, laid back and energetic with everything in between, I look at the smiles and even the frowns, I look at the ones I get along with and the ones I simply may never understand, and I think, this is great! This is exciting; this is my body, a part of me; bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. Because when they gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ, they became part of my body as I became part of theirs.
So on the day our new building is open for service...
...it won’t be ‘the church’ until we the body arrive.
*Eph. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. KJV
Rom. 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. NIV
1 Cor. Now here is what I am trying to say: All of you together are the one body of Christ and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. TLB
**Eph. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;… KJV (Gal. )
1 Cor. …ye are the temple of God