The church as we commonly know is a place or building, where people gather to praise and worship God to listen in His gospel. Church came from the Greek word "ekklesia" which means a group of people. This church does not only mean a physical thing we see but rather it pertains to a community with the sole purpose of praising and worshipping God. In building the church, we need to find out how Christ is building it so we can partner with Him.
In Matthew 28:18-19, Jesus told the great commission to His disciples and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". If the church was meant to gather a group of people united in worship, then Jesus Christ has commissioned the disciples to build the church through a partnership with people, Jews, and Gentiles. They were confident and never hesitated to go beyond their comfort zones and stepped up. They were never afraid and put their faith in Christ that they were successful in their mission. We, as a member of the church, we should not feel insecure, fearful, or incompetent as we minister, for Christ gives us his very own power and authority to build his church. Christ has given us his spirit - a Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline to do his work.
Moreover, Matthew 6:10 Jesus prayed and said "Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven." This prayer refers to the ultimate rule in heaven and on earth. Believers should desire this and pray for it. Christ himself teaches what we should pray and this must be our hearts' desire. Let the kingdom of heaven enter our hearts and rule our minds and together as a church we can help each other to pray and honor God in our own little ways.
Lastly, Jesus said to his disciples "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."(Mark 9:35). Christ reminded us that we should initiate the provision of service to our fellowmen. It's okay if we are not served in return, what's important is where are of service to our church and community. It does not need to be even, and we don't need to count our efforts, because all of us are equal in serving. But as a leader, you should take the first step in influencing your people. This thing is about servant leadership in prioritizing our congregation first before ourselves. It is like when there is a banquet, we let our guests eat first and show hospitality in them, and we feed ourselves last. It is a matter of sacrifice for others in the name of service in the church.
With these revelations of Christ in His church, we need to reflect on our role in the church and how God is calling us to fulfill it. First, we need to check how can we equip ourselves to share the gospel. It starts with us, through bible study and having a daily devotional. These small little habits that we can add in our daily routine will make a big impact on gaining wisdom and be able to minister and share the gospel to our family, friends, workmates, and community. Then, we need to acknowledge God's kingdom and placed Him at the center of all our works. Lastly, be a servant leader who does not mind being last and put a priority on the welfare of others. We can do all these things because God strengthens us always.
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