We would like to talk to you about that, but first please read this important teaching from I Corinthians 12, which tells us that the human body is a picture (or an analogy) to show us the importance of being together with other Christians in the Church:
Beginning in verse 25, it says, "The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ's body -- that's who you are! You must never forget this. (From THE MESSAGE).
What does that say to you? It tells me that the body cannot function right if the foot is in the livingroom, the hand is out in the yard, and the head is downtown. All the parts need to be working together. And every part is necessary. Christians NEED each other!
Recently some people have said some things that I would like to share with you: one lady said, "staying away from Church because it is full of hypocrites is like staying away from AA because it is full of alcoholics. That's the whole point!" I think she had a great way of saying that nobody is perfect. We all need God and His grace because we are all sinners who need His help and salvation. And, of course, we need each other.
Another person said that if God has taken you to a place where the Church has a lot of problems, maybe it is because that Church needs you. Maybe they need you to encourage them, pray for them, and help them to grow "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Grampie said we have to listen to what the Bible says and we have to decide whether or not we are going to be obedient to the Lord. He did say that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Some do that, but we should not.
From time to time in our lives, Grampie and I have had our tough times of discouragement, sorrow, illness, and disappointment. We have always been encouraged by God and from His Word. But we have also been blessed by friends who come along and say things like, "I am praying for you." Or they give us a hug or send a note just letting us know they care.
By placing us in the Church -- the community of believers -- God has blessed us with a spiritual family to share our happy times and our grief. We know that we never walk alone. Jesus is always there and so are His people.
We want to encourage you to find a Church where you can worship the Lord with others. There isn't a perfect Church here on earth, but someday God will purify us. Then the nagging of our old, sinful nature and the temptations from the flesh and the devil will be gone forever. We will be free at last! And so will all the other people down here who are not perfect yet.
The world NEEDS Jesus and He is our best friend. We can tell them about Him individually, and as a Church. Let's get busy with the job He gave us to do!
