THE UNIQUENESS OF THE CHURCH
PSALMS 122:1
I. INTRODUCTION
THE CHURCH, WITH ALL OF HER DIFFERENT AUXILERIES AND MINISTRIES, IS A UNIQUE ORGANISM THAT HAS NO PEERS. NO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE THE CHURCH IN ALL OF THE WORLD. EVEN WITH HER VARIOUS MAN MADE DOCTRINES, THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS IS IN A CATEGORY ALL BY HERSELF. THERE ARE NO MONTHLY DUES, OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES, JUST WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME.
THE CHURCH IS MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE. FOR SOME, THE CHURCH IS A LIGHTHOUSE, SHINNING Its LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD. FOR OTHERS, THE CHURCH IS A HOSPITAL, MINISTERING TO THE HURTING. WHILE FOR OTHERS, THE CHURCH IS A LIFEBOAT, RESCUING VICTIMS FROM THE RAGING SEA OF LIFE. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE PRAISE GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECTIVELY GATHER TOGETHER AND PRAISE HIS NAME, FOR THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THE CHURCH.
II. THE TEXT
DAVID, THE POETIC BALLADEER, WRITES IN A MASTERFUL WAY THAT REVEALS HIS JOY AND HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD. DAVID HAD BEEN THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES. HE HAD FELT THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON HIS SHOULDERS, BUT AFTER HE REFLECTS OVER HIS LIFE, HE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THE PUBLIC MEETING PLACE OF GOD. AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHENEVER LIFE SEEMS TO GET THE BEST OF US, IT IS CRITICALLY VITAL THAT WE PRESS OUR WAY TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. I KNOW MANY WHO FACE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, AND INSTEAD OF COMING TO THE LORD’S HOUSE THEY SULK, AND HAVE PITY PARTIES. MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN YOU REALLY MEDITATE ON HOW GOOD GOD HAS BEEN TO US, I DON’T CARE WHAT I GO THROUGH, I JUST CAN’T HELP BUT TO GO TO CHURCH.
DAVID SAY’S, "I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME, LET US GO," WHICH SIGNAFIES CORPORATE WORSHIP. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD. BUT BABY, GOD HAS DESIGNATED A PUBLIC PLACE FOR HIS PEOPLE TO WORSHIP TOGETHER, AND HOME, ISOLATED FROM THE WORLD ISN’T IT. THE CHURCH IS GOD’S CHOSEN PLACE FOR HIS CHILDREN TO WORSHIP HIM. IT’S GOOD TO WORSHIP GOD IN PRIVATE, BUT YOU MUST ALSO WORSHIP HIM PUBLICLY.
DAVID WAS EXCITED ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH, AND MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE OUGHT TO DEMONSTRATE ENTHUSIASIM WHEN IT’S TIME TO PUBLICLY WORSHIP THE LORD. WE SHOULD NEVER FEEL LIKE COMING TO THE LORD’S HOUSE IS A BURDEN. YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS, THAT WE SHOULD NOT JUST COME INTO THE CHURCH ANY KIND OF WAY. WE SHOULD COME INTO THE LORD’S HOUSE WITH PRAISE IN OUR HEARTS, THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN LIVES AND ON OUR LIPS.
III. THE CHURCH
OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR COMING TOGETHER AS A COLLECTIVE BODY IS TO PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORIFY GOD. NOT TO THROW STONES. AND WHILE STONE THROWING MAY GO ON, THERE IS STILL NO PLACE LIKE THE CHURCH. I DON’T CARE WHERE YOU GO, YOU NEVER FIND A PERFECT CHURCH ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. ISN’T IT STRANGE HOW SOME FOLK, JUST GO FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT WILL STAY IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, OR EVEN ON A HELLASISH JOB FOR YEARS?
CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, THE CHURCH IS NOT A CONVALESCENT HOME, WHERE PEOPLE JUST SIT AROUND AND WAIT TO DIE. THE CHURCH IS NOT A CIRCUS WHERE EACH MEMBER PUTS ON THEIR OWN LITTLE ACT. THE CHURCH IS NOT AN ICEHOUSE, WHERE PEOPLE WITH COLD HEARTS, GIVE OTHERS THE COLD SHOULDER.
WHEN THE SAINTS OF GOD ASSEMBLE THEMSELVES FOR THE PURPOSE THAT GOD INTENDED FOR US, HE MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN. IN GENUINE WORSHIP, THE FATHER IS GLORIFIED, THE SON IS MAGNIFIED, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GRATIFIED, THE BIBLE IS RATIFIED, THE SAINTS ARE EDIFIED, AND MAN’S SOUL IS SATISFIED.
THREE POINTS: FIRST, THERE SHOULD BE SOME PRAISE GOING ON. WE SHOULD BE TELLING THE LORD THANK YOU. SECOND, THERE SHOULD BE PREPARATION GOING ON. PUBLIC WORSHIP PREPARES THE HEART OF THE BELEIVER FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. THIRD, THERE OUGHT TO BE POSITIVE PRODUCTION, MEANING THAT WE PUT INTO PRACTICE WITH OTHERS, THAT WHICH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED DURING WORSHIP.
THE CHURCH OFFERS:
GRACE TO THE GUILTY.
MERCY TO THE MISERABLE.
FORGIVENESS TO THE FUGITIVE.
SALVATION TO THE SINNER.
PEACE TO THE PERPLEXED.
BLESSINGS TO THE BURDENED.
THE CHURCH HAS MADE MANY WHO ARE:
DISHONEST, HONEST.
DRUNKEN, SOBER.
PROUD, HUMBLE.
WEAK, STRONG.
I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT BUILDINGS MAY BURN, ORGANATIONS MAY DIE, DENOMINATIONS MAY DWINDLE, BUT GOD’S CHURCH WILL:
PROSPER IN SPITE OF PERSECUTION.
ADVANCE IN SPITE OF ADVERSITY.
REJOICE IN SPITE OF OPPOSITION.
FUNCTION IN SPITE OF PROBLEMS.
BE VICTORIOUS IN THE END.
