The Real Reason Why We Are Here

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:38-42 (NKJV)

"Why am I here?" 

Have you ever asked yourself this question when attending Church or a bible study?  Actually, this could very well be a legitimate question for each of us as we make our way into a Church service or bible study.  This question is not to infer anything, but to challenge us to remember our role when attending.  Every Sunday, millions of people are making their way to attend church for various reasons, and with various agendas.  

Additionally, there are millions more who refrain from attending church or bible studies, and for a variety of reasons. Let's take a look to see what the bible offers us to learn about the early church, and how it should be impacting our lives.

From the very beginning of the Church, we can see a consistent pattern of God's work within the believer's life.  Those who were lost, would hear God's Word - they would receive it, and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord.  They would be forgiven their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit and be baptized in His name - making an outward profession of faith of their inward commitment and of the transformation which had taken place in their lives. 

Once they were saved, they would look for other Christians to meet with to study the Apostles doctrine - the Word of God.  This was the birth of the Church - not a building, but a body of believers who shared Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And even though there are many new Christians who never get plugged into a local church once making a profession of faith in Jesus, nothing's ever changed as far as God's plan for us with respect to attending.  

God's word tells us we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves (Heb. 10:25), and we're to be diligent to present ourself approved by rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2Tim. 2:15).

In addition to studying the Word, they would break bread.  This was the taking of communion - remembering what Jesus had done on the Cross; including the His death for the remission of sin (1Cor. 11:23-26).  Additionally, they would meet to pray - for their needs, and the needs of other believers.  This meeting together and ministering to each other was known as Koinonia - the fellowship between Christian believers and God.  

Another component of meeting together as a body of believers was worship (1Chron. 16:9, 23) - the raising of our voices in songs and hymns unto the Lord, praising and glorifying His name, His character, and His amazing grace, mercy and love. 

So, with this proper biblical understanding of what we should be doing as a body of believers with regard to meeting together, we should contemplate some straightforward questions.  

Q:    Are we here at Church or bible study to practice religion - that outward attempt to follow a set of rules and ceremonial practices in an attempt to be holy, or are we coming to meet Jesus to foster a relationship with Him and be empowered by the Holy Spirit?

Q:    Are we here to pick and choose certain parts in God's Word to believe and/or abide in, or are we here to be cleaned by the water of the Word - to be reconciled unto God for any past or present issues we may be dealing with?

Q:    Are we only here to see if others will pray for us and for our needs, or are we here to encourage others in their Christian walk - to hold them accountable in love when needed, and to pray for their needs?

Q:    Are we here to be entertained by the worship band, and critique whether or not we liked a particular song, or are we here to be a part of a body of believers who seeks to sing to the Lord - offering up our praise to our God, our Savior, and our Lord?

Q:    Are we here willing to be discipled by others in our Christian walk, and are we willing to disciple others as well?

Hey Christian, I want to encourage you to think about these things when you are at Church, or attending a bible study.  By doing so, you will stay focused on the Lord, and the ministry opportunities He has provided for you.  It will keep you from being distracted by the enemy's tactics as well.  Let's face it, when we put our eyes on man, we can become disappointed when they fail us - but when we keep our eyes focused on Christ, He will never let us down, and we will remember the real reason why we are here. 

STUDY QUESTION: According to Acts 2:38-42, what did the new believers do once they had made a profession of faith?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you continuing faithfully to read your bible, seeking Christian fellowship, partaking in communion regularly, and meeting others to pray? 

APPLICATION: Make it a priority to meet with others.  Find a church teaching the Word verse by verse and begin to understand God's Word, and what it means to your life.  Seek others to pray with you, and to pray for.