Together - Daily DevotionalSample

The Church of God and Jesus Christ

Reading: 1 Thess.1:1-10

Key Verse: “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

Now we have established that a church is a group of people we need to understand its sense of true belonging and identity. Not only is the church not a building, neither is it an impersonal entity. Rather it is a living organism but which nevertheless has organisation similar to our physical bodies with separate parts having different functions united together. It is “alive”. The church does not belong to a particular preacher or denomination such as Anglican or Baptist because its real identity is found in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We might attend a church with a particular name or denomination but our first allegiance is to the Lord Himself.  Where you work is primarily an organisation where you have personal relationships. You belong to an organisation, not to the people. Where you worship however, is an organism of living, active personal relationships with a degree of organisation. Your sense of belonging is with other followers of Jesus.

Also the Key Verse talks about the church of the Thessalonians. Elsewhere, Paul writes to the “church of God in Corinth” and the “church in Cenchreae”. The word church therefore has a distinctly and specifically locally defined identity. 

Prayer: Lord thank You that I belong to You and the church of people You are building together