Beautiful Church

Ephesians 4:15-16
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head- Christ- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 
  God the Father gave Jesus to us. Jesus went to the cross and gave His life. He ascended to Heaven and gave us His Holy spirit. The Holy spirit lives in us and gives us power. And when God calls us to Heaven He will give us an inheritance that will stand forever! God has given us so very much! The funny thing is, in the middle of all of this we find that He takes nothing from us.   He just gives us more. He gave us the church. People will often argue that they have no need of church. Some say, they don't have to attend church to have relationship with God. If we consider the problem in that statement we will find the underlying issue. This statement basically says, "I don't belong."  The Christian doesn't attend church. The Christian is the church. Believers make up the church! To say you attend church is to view yourself as an outsider. To say you attend church is like saying it's something you turn off and on like a television set. We are the church and whether we meet to worship our great God and King or work together in ministry, we bring with us a missing part! Our opening passage says that the body(the church) is being knit together by what every joint supplies according to  effective working by which each part does it's share. The Bible tells us that Jesus loved the church and He gave Himself for it. (Ephesians 5:25) His church is His hands and feet. His church is His how God chooses to operate in the world. We are the Church and every individual takes part in the details of ministry, worship, fellowship and growth. 1Corinthians 12:6 says, And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. Every believer has a significant, detailed part in the church. Not only that but God has a specific place for each believer to serve in,1 Corinthians 12:18 says,"But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." The church is essential to the Christian and the Christian is essential to the church. The church grows us and helps us to walk closer to Christ. We supply our gifts and talents which help to grow the church. As a pastor, God has taught me to love His church. He has given me a passion to help grow His church. If I could describe the workings of the church In one word it would be "beautiful." How can it be that God would take people from all different walks of life, race, and culture, put them together and tell us to carry out His great commission? How does He take people who have nothing in common and give them a desire to work together? My church is beautiful! It's beautiful because of what Jesus has done in our midst. I'm a part of something beautiful! How could it be that God would take someone like me and bless me in such a way as to place me in His church? My church is not a place I attend. My church is my way of life. My church is my family. It's where I call home. My church is where I receive encouragement, love and support. My church is where I give encouragement, love and support! My church is truly beautiful!