The Gift of the Church

With the Christmas season upon us, gifts are on the minds of many. Gifts for family, friends, neighbors, ministries and/or the needy. Cheerful and generous gift giving can be a noble way for us to reflect the generous heart of God especially celebrated in the sending of His Son to be the Savior of the world. With the Apostle Paul we joyfully proclaim, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor 9:15)

However, what we sometimes fail to remember is that with the gift of Jesus also comes the gift of the church. The Lord Jesus wonderfully saves individual sinners in order to incorporate them into his body and to make them a part of His people (1 Cor 12:1-13; 1 Pt 2:9-10). In doing so, He has given different gifts and functions to each of His members. Therefore, it is important that we learn to appreciate, serve, and depend upon one another.

Today, my heart is rejoicing in the gift of the church. I am blessed to belong to brothers and sisters in Christ who love and care for each other. In our small local congregation I see the grace and gifts of God at work. I see it in tangible tokens of kindness (such as hand-crafted gifts) and willing acts of service (like a well prepared meal or piano moving). This very blog and the sermons on this webpage are not the result of my abilities, but those of faithful brothers. Yes, I rejoice in the gift of the church!

So, this Christmas as we give and receive gifts, let’s worship God for the gift of His Son Jesus which also includes the gift of the Church!