Sunday Class @ 9am; Worship @ 10am & 5pm
Articles
We Each Have a Role
From elementary school through college, I was involved at times in school plays. To be honest, I loved the stage and being actively involved. I dropped out of one play because my role was too “dead” for me (literally, but it would take too much room to explain). Once I settled for working on the light crew, and I often helped with the set construction; but the stage was the place for me.
While all plays require people performing on stage, many other “performances” must take place for the proper result. Some must work with makeup, lights, sound, costumes, set construction and changes, cues, etc. Without everyone doing their part, the play will not be a real success.
So it is with the church. Each time we assemble, certain members “take the stage” or function in more visibly active roles. We have Bible class teachers, song leaders, preachers, those making announcements, those presiding over the table, and other such lead roles. So are these the most important members? Not according to God’s word.
When the church was first established, the Holy Spirit gave certain members spiritual gifts “for the profit of all” (1 Cor 12:7). Paul made sure they knew that each member was as important as every other member, whatever their part (:11-31). In Ephesians 4:16 Paul wrote that the body, the church, is “joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,” that every part must do its share of “effective working,” and that so doing “causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
One reason the body does not grow as it should is that not all members do their share of the work. Part of that work involves what takes place when we assemble to worship God and “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb 10:24-25). Too many members seem to think nothing of forsaking our duties to God and the church for reasons such as visits with friends and family, hobbies, jobs, school functions, etc. As James says, “My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).
We do not have two worship services on Sunday for the convenience of those who want to do other things that morning or evening. Both are set aside as a time to worship God and edify one another. So it is on Wednesday nights. It takes each of us being here and being involved to properly accomplish that purpose. What do we tell God and our brethren when we put people and things of this world before them?
Brethren, we each have a role, and the church will grow if we fulfill it.
