The  Church

It has been maligned, attacked and misunderstood. It has failed in some ways to be all that it was created to be. And yet, without it, the world would be a much poorer place. What is it? The Church!

While we must admit that some parts of the church have been less than representative of Jesus Christ through the ages, the fact remains that without the Church society would be by far the poorer. We will all know the powerful words of Jesus to Peter whose revelation that Jesus was the Christ solicited the reply that upon that revelation He [Jesus] would build His Church. Not only would He build it but no matter what, the gates of Hell would not overcome it. [Matthew 16:18]

The Message version says that it will be … a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out, while the Amplified Bible says I will build My church, and the gates of
Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

That promise is what has held the Church together and caused it to continue to positively affect the world, even through times of severe testing, questioning and trial. Jesus loves His Church, He prays for His Church, He keeps “putting in” to His Church. Is that the building we [or other congregations] meet in? No, it is people. People like you and me who, having been redeemed through the work of the cross, now form the church universal. We belong to a body of people collectively known as the Church [or the Body of Christ] for whom Jesus Christ gave His life.
Our goal from now until His triumphant return should be to love His Church and to honour Him through representing Him well as His redeemed people.

Meditate on the following words about the Church penned by Charles Wesley: See the Gospel Church secure, And founded on a Rock! All her promises are sure; Her bulwarks who can shock? Count her every precious shrine; Tell, to after-ages tell, Fortified by power divine, The Church can never fail.

Don & Julie
With you on the journey