Our lesson writers for this quarter have expressed through scripture a description of an authentic church.  Such a church is built on Christ.  The people in it are focused on living for Christ and sharing the gospel with others.  An authentic church will certainly be a growing church.  However, members of an authentic church are not focused on numerical growth but on maturing deeply in their individual spiritual walks. When individual spiritual growth toward personal discipleship is the desire, numerical growth may follow.  An authentic church strives for depth, not numbers.

An authentic church family makes worship a priority.  They are not merely checking off an attendance box.  They spend time in daily, personal worship in addition to corporate worship.  Their genuine form of service is identifying their unique spiritual gifts and making full use of them to contribute to the health and growth of the local body of Christ of which they are a member.  They realize their success in service is directly connected to the power and strength provided through the Holy Spirit. Everything is done “IN” Christ and for His glory alone. 

Our lesson this week is taken from chapter five of Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica in Greece.  He spent a very short time there during his second missionary journey.  He had to leave quickly because of personal danger and rabid opposition.  He wrote to tell them to carry on as a new church family, holding tightly to the faith he had taught them.  Paul wanted them to be ready to stand together in unity, to grow deep spiritually and to follow Christ diligently.  These two letters dealt with doctrine as well as the most specific description of the promised rapture of the church and the certain second coming of Christ as two separate events. 

Paul always desired to lead newborn churches to “do life” together in Christ.  That is the title of our lesson.  We find eternal life in Christ.  We practice faith together as a church family.  A very special Greek word is used to explain our relationship to other believers.  That word is “koin-no-nia” which is rendered in English as “fellowship.”  I like to define it this way: “Two Fellows in the Same Ship.”  We are rowing together.  Sailing together.  Fishing together.  Learning together.  Serving together.  Living together.  We also are dying together as we will share in eternity with Jesus after living a life of service. 

Fellowship allows us to be aware of needs and meet them.  We study together and learn together.  When one is grieving, we grieve with them.  When one celebrates, we celebrate with them.  Such life together divides the sorrow and multiplies the joys.

Today, I read these words from an article by Leonard Sweet: “Language matters.  That’s why if I hear that word “volunteer” one more time in a church setting, I’m going to officially nominate the word for the Annoying Word of the Year Award.  The church is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing Christ to life, not through ‘volunteers' but through ‘members’ of the body of Christ.  The world has casual helpers called ‘volunteers’ that come and go.  The church has committed members and dedicated disciples, active participants in the Lord’s mission who are united in their devotion to Christ and each other.”

I believe this Mister Sweet quote speaks directly to what Paul was saying in ALL of his letters in the New Testament.  An authentic church “does life” together in Christ.  We are children of the light banded together to do all we can to draw the children of the darkness into the light of Christ by our actions and our words. 

I believe also that our time on earth is heaven practice.  We spend our time here learning that we are loved by The Creator and made in His image.  We place our faith in the shed blood of His Son Jesus.  We are filled with the Holy Spirit and given spiritual gifts with which we are equipped to serve through our local church family.  “Doing life” together draws our focus upward and extends us outward to a lost world. 

We are to comfort one another.  Edify and build up one another.  We are to highly esteem one another.  We are to tenderly warn the unruly of their actions and shepherd them back to Jesus.  We are to encourage the faint-hearted.  We are to support the weak (physically, spiritually), always promoting growth.  We are to practice the “ministry of presence” when crises arise.  As Aaron and Hur (see Exodus 17) held up the arms of Moses and supported him as he held the rod of God in his hands…the battle flagged when the rod sank down and flourished when it was held high.  Same principle applies those who “do life” together in Christ.

Paul put the cherry on top with the admonition for them to “be at peace among yourselves.” Paul loved that word “peace.”  He loved it because he loved the Prince of Peace.  Paul knew that peace was elusively inaccessible apart from an abiding, personal relationship with Christ and being a member of a fervent, authentic church family. I simply do not know how people navigate life without a church family.  I hope and pray I never have to find out. 

Doing Life Together in Christ. 
I want THAT.  Do you?