On the first Pentecost after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, the church He promised to build was established (Acts 2:1-47).  This church has been in the world ever since, and it will be here until Jesus comes back and delivers it up to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).

The importance of the church in God’s overall scheme of things is seen by the fact that it is a part of His eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10-11).  As Christians, we should all be concerned about the well-being of the church.  While no one can destroy it, not even the devil, seeing it is immovable (Hebrews 12:28), it can be weakened.  Our goal should be to help the church be at its best, growing and being strengthened all the time, even though it exists in a world full of sin.  What does the church need today?  That will be our focus this week.

To begin with, the church needs members who are unashamed of the gospel of Christ.  The gospel is the lifeline of the church.  It instructs us on how to live our lives daily, guiding us through the minefield of life.  It reveals to us God’s will, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:12).

The gospel tells us all about Jesus and the sacrifice that He made on our behalf.  We know that Jesus was willing to be made poor so that, by His poverty, we might be rich because the gospel tells us this (2 Corinthians 8:9).  We know all about the pain and agony of the cross that Jesus bore because the gospel story reveals it to us.  Thank God for Jesus!  Thank God for the gospel that teaches us all about Him.

The gospel is not a message that everyone appreciates.  It not only tells of the story of Christ, but it also sets forth commandments to be obeyed, and instructions to be followed.  Many of these commandments and instructions are despised by the world.  The light of the gospel reveals sin and condemns those who practice it.  This causes many people in the world to hate the gospel, as well as the Christ who is depicted in it, the God who commands its following, and the Christians who preach and propagate it.  Still, we must never be ashamed of it.  Let us be like Paul and not be ashamed of anything associated with Christ (Philippians 1:20), especially not the gospel.  

Romans 1:16 (ESV)
¹⁶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

Local churches are strong only when they are filled with people who are living by the gospel.  Since the world does not know that it desperately needs the gospel, many in it may persecute us because of the Word (Matthew 13:21).  Still, we must not be ashamed to preach it and live by it.  To be ashamed of the gospel is to be ashamed of Christ, and let us not forget what comes of that.

Luke 9:26 (ESV)
²⁶  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.