Numbers 26-28 | Mark 8

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Sometimes, when we talk about the Church, we think of it as a physical location. In Scripture, the Church is described as a people called out for a purpose. The Church is made up of ordinary people who not only profess faith in Jesus Christ but also extend an invitation to come and know Jesus more intimately.

At my (Quincy Bergman) first worship service at The Peoples Church (Toronto, Canada) about a year ago for the Good Friday service, it was wonderful to meet many of the congregants who made me feel welcomed and part of the family. I was getting pulled from one place to another and people were telling me that they wanted me to meet this person or that person. One of the people that I had the privilege of meeting was a woman who had been a part of the church longer than I have been alive. I had an opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with her.

The woman said, “Quincy, welcome. It’s so nice to have you here. There are a few things that you really need to know about this church that you are a part of.” At this point, I was all ears and paying attention; this woman was about to give me the culminated wisdom of The Peoples Church. She goes, “Quincy, this is a really good church. And at this church, there are no problems here.” I answered, “Okay…” She continued, “And at this church, there is absolutely no drama. You will find no drama here whatsoever.” I uttered, “Aha…” She added, “Everyone here has got all of their stuff figured out. Everyone is perfect.” I then said, “Ahh… I think I might be in the wrong place.” At this point, we both started laughing because we knew she was lying.

The Church is Jesus’s most prized possession and, at the same time, it is not perfect. Why? Because of people like myself and people like you—the one reading this devotion. But the beauty of the gospel is that Jesus Christ loved the Church so much that He died for the Church that is chalk full of dysfunction, issues and problems. While we acknowledge the current reality, we also faithfully hold onto the hope that this will not be the reality forever. Ephesians 5:25-27 tells us the progression, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

As Christians, we are part of the Church, and Jesus is lovingly at work in and through us to invite more to come and know Him more intimately.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me more than I can ever understand and for giving up Your life to cleanse and make me holy. Praise You!