Brentwood Hills

“Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1st Thessalonians 1:1

We often refer to the church we attend as “my church” or “Elder so-n-so’s church.” These names are ok to identify a particular Body of Christ from another but we must not lose sight of the fact that the church is “The Lord’s Church.”

And not only that, the church is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a fact that should bring great comfort to members but also inspire great respect and awe. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is much more than just members and a pastor. It is the Bride of Christ and is protected and loved by Him. It is much more than a place of fellowship or a club. The church is actually PART OF God! Therefore, we should take comfort in the fact that the Lord knows our needs. We should go to Him with concerns about ourselves and the church.

Further, this should also cause us to pause and think about what it means to “go to church.” It is, again, much more than fellowship or a club. We are going there to worship the Almighty God Who saved us. We are going there to show love to our Bridegroom. We are going into the very throne room of God!

It seems to me that we should have our hearts, minds, and bodies prepared for that meeting long before meeting time comes. We should prepare with anticipation and joy.

We are part of God in Church. Nothing should be allowed to divide us!