Community of interest? Assembly? Community?

A place where you meet God: What does that do to our togetherness?

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Introduction

What does "community" actually mean? What distinguishes us from an association or a community of interest?

The word "church" comes from the Greek "ekklēsía" and literally means "the called [assembly]".

To an outsider, the service here can really seem like a gathering where people meet, sing and listen to a speech.

At first glance, this could just as easily take place in an association or a community of interest.

There are also churches that call themselves "assemblies". The idea behind this is that this is a place where Christians from the surrounding area are called together by God.

Personally, I like the term "congregation" better because it seems more binding to me than the word "assembly". But that's more a matter of taste.

I would now like to look at a Bible text with you where the difference between a church and an association or community of interest becomes clear.

Free access to God

It is not a simple text, but it makes the special nature of the church clear. Some of the images described are from the Old Testament.

I read from Hebrews 10:19-23; NT

19 So now we have free and unhindered access to the real sanctuary, brothers and sisters. Jesus has opened it through his blood. 20 And through his body he has paved a new way to life for us - through the curtain 'in the temple', so to speak. 21 We also have a high priest to whom the whole house of God is subject. 22 Therefore let us approach 'God' with a sincere heart full of trust and confidence. Our hearts are sprinkled 'with the blood of Christ'. This means that our conscience is also cleansed and our body is washed with the water of purification. 23 Let us hold steadfastly to the hope we profess. For God can be relied on; he keeps what he has promised.

We have free access to God. I believe this is the most important speciality of the church.

To explain briefly: a religious ritual from the Old Testament is used here as an image for today's reality. I once read somewhere that the Old Testament is God's picture book, because the reality of the New Testament is to be explained pictorially with the help of these stories and other texts that really happened.

Firstly, there is talk of the "real sanctuary". This refers to an area in the ancient temple that was called the Holy of Holies. This place symbolised the special presence of God and the high priest was only allowed to enter it once a year.

This holy of holies was separated by a curtain.

These complicated, symbolic actions in the Old Testament should also make it clear that a sinful person cannot approach God so easily.

In the text we have just read, it says that Jesus paved a new way to life through the curtain in the temple with his body, that is, through his death.

We have free access to God through Jesus.

Then the blood of Christ is mentioned twice:

Our hearts are sprinkled with the blood of Christ.

That may sound a little strange, but you can imagine it as standing under the cross on which Jesus dies. He dies bleeding and thus takes away your sins. And only when you stand under this cross, metaphorically speaking, do you experience the effect of this blood, the forgiveness of sins.

We also no longer need a high priest, i.e. a mediator between God and us. I would go even further and say that every high priest today, regardless of religion, is only a very imperfect image of the true high priest Jesus Christ. But we no longer need a human mediator anyway, because, as already mentioned, Jesus has cleared the way to God.

Practical effects

At first glance, this all seems quite theoretical, but the Bible text also describes practical implications.

"a new way of life": with Jesus, our life can be worth living, a life with ups and sometimes downs, but a life with meaning and purpose. Because Jesus is life.

"with a sincere heart full of trust and confidence": We can be changed by God so that we can learn sincerity more and more. We can gain trust and confidence. You have to think about whether you want this at all, but I believe that everyone longs for it.

"the conscience is unburdened": on the one hand, you get rid of your guilt before God, on the other hand, God also helps you to make things right with your neighbour. Of course, this is not always easy, but you set out on the path of unburdening your conscience.

And then there is hope, because you can rely on God. He keeps what he has promised. Hope can be a very healing thing.

God is there

Now you might ask: What does that have to do with the church? It only concerns personal faith.

Every sentence in the Bible text uses the word "we" or "us". On the one hand, this free access to God is a very personal thing, but on the other hand, we can come before God together. And that is what makes a church.

It even goes beyond that (Matthew 18:20; NT):

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I in their midst.

This means that it is not we who set out together on the way to him, but that he is there when we gather in his name. Jesus Christ is here today.

I think you always have to realise that.

Religion is usually understood to mean that there is a deity somewhere that you should seek out and contact via some ritual, temple or priest.

But God has sent Jesus Christ to us and through his death on the cross he has opened the way to himself, and God does not wait for us to call him, but he is there when we are gathered in his name.

Church means: God is there.

Pay attention to each other

We can rely on this, as the verse we read earlier from Hebrews 10:23 (NT) makes clear:

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. For God can be relied upon; he keeps his promises.

But this text goes even further (Hebrews 10, 24.25; New Testament):

24 And let us consider one another and spur one another on to love and good deeds.25 Therefore it is important not to miss our meetings, as some have become accustomed to doing. We must encourage one another, and all the more so as you see the day approaching 'when the Lord comes'.

The last verse was often used in the past to motivate people to attend church, or even to put them under pressure.

There is no question that attending church is always a good idea.

But let's look at these verses with the background that God is in our midst.

By "looking out for each other", we don't mean "checking", but rather looking at how the other person is doing, exchanging ideas, connecting, as we say these days.

And spurring each other on to love and good deeds does not mean "Go for it!", but motivating each other through mutual loving interaction.

We also find this in John 13, 34.35; NEÜ:

4 I now give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another. 35 By your love for one another, all will recognise that you are my disciples."

And God is love (1 John 4:8) and is in our midst, logically closing the circle. Let us pray that God's love will become more and more effective and visible in us.

And with this perspective, it is important not to miss our meetings, because we need to encourage each other.

I spent some time thinking about the evening of prayer and worship on Wednesday, when the many brothers and sisters from Erkrath were there.

Like most of those present, I found the evening very positive and I was most touched by the encouragement through prayer and the discussions. God wants to continue building the church here in Leichlingen.

If I understand the Bible text correctly, then this mutual encouragement is a very important point in the worship gatherings.

To be open in love for each other and for others, to share the hope that we have through God, let us encourage each other anew every Sunday.

Summary

Let me summarise: