Many people attend their churches looking for how their church can serve them. They are focused on what they can gain from their churches without considering how they can serve their churches and help build the body of Christ. The reality is that the church is not about us at all. It is about God and making Him known to those around us. When we focus on how we can serve the church, we get to be a part of building up the body of Christ and pointing the world to Him.
The apostle Paul explained that the church has a very specific purpose. God’s purpose is “to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (verse 10). God desires the church to “display his wisdom” to the world around us. In other words, the church is meant to display Christ to a lost and hurting world.
How do we display Christ to a lost and hurting world? One way we can do this is to follow Jesus’ command in Matthew 28. This chapter of Matthew records Jesus’ last interaction with His disciples before He returned to heaven. In His last moments, He told them ,”Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (verse 19). In his last moments with His disciples, Jesus commanded His disciples to spread His message across the world and make more disciples who make disciples.
Jesus’ plan A for spreading His ministry was using the church, His followers, to spread His name across the world. The question is, are we committed to obeying His calling? Are we committed to telling others about the difference Christ has made in our lives and the difference He can make in theirs? As Christ’s followers and members of His church, we are the people He has chosen to spread His name across the world. Let’s commit to this calling and point the watching world straight to Christ, the Savior of the world.
When it comes to making Christ known around you, where are you going to interact with people who are in need of the hope of Christ? Think of one place you can begin going this week with the purpose of building intentional relationships with those who need the hope of Christ. Maybe it is the coffee shop you frequent or the parents at your child’s soccer practice. It could be the gym you frequent. Whatever you decide, take steps this week to begin building these intentional relationships for the purpose of sharing the hope of Christ.
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
