The Work of the Church In today’s world things are constantly changing.  Many changes are good, and many changes are not so good.   Christ established His blood-bought body (the church) in about 33 AD.  Peter preached the first sermon in Christ’s church the day it was established at that first Jewish Pentecost after Jesus was resurrected     (Acts 2).  That church that existed in a multitude of congregations in the first century had no established hierarchy.  As we read the New Testament written by inspired apostles (Matthew, John, Peter, Paul) and prophets (Mark, Luke, James, Jude),  there was no  inspired plan for one.  The household of God (church) has simply been built on the foundation of the (writing) apostles and (writing) prophets with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone      (Eph. 2:19-20).  This is a sure foundation to develop the faith once and for all time (Jude 3) that believers are to possess.  The foundation of Christ needs to be clearly understood as the ONLY foundation for the faith expressed in the Bible (1 Cor. 3:11).   This ONE faith (Eph. 4:5) is a   spiritual work.  Therefore, the work of the church is a spiritual or eternal work.   Let us not forget that the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2) presents a lot of “fluff and stuff” to try to side track the church from her spiritual work.  Satan appeals to our worldly, carnal, and fleshly nature to get us to major in minors and minor in majors.  Churches today are into “the big show.”   They have joined Wall Street and Hollywood as many churches are interested in money, power, and entertainment.  The choirs are grander, and the musicians are more professional.  The artwork and things of this nature are clearly done to   appeal to our human (worldly) nature and not our spiritual and eternal nature.   Christians are to ALWAYS be ABOUNDING in the WORK OF THE LORD (1 Cor. 15:58).  You know, we can’t do this very well if no one tells us exactly what the work of the Lord is.  Many religious folks today don’t have a clue as to what the work of the Lord is; and, furthermore, they don’t know it is expected of them to be involved ABOUNDING in this work.  In this way individual children of God fulfill Philippians 2:12 working out their own salvation with fear and trembling (sobriety).  Truly it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31). The church is to exist for three reasons.  It is to, firstly, evangelize (reach out to the lost and urge them to come into the church family). Secondly, all in the local congregation are to be involved in a mutual process of edification where we build one another up spiritually and in every way to experience a better life here and now.  Thirdly, the church is to offer material help when help is needed regarding benevolence.  In this area Christians may not be performing miracles; but they are expressing the love, mercy, and compassion of Christ toward those who have physical needs that need to be satisfied.  This, of course, can be observed in a          multitude of areas. EVANGELISM is hand-to-hand combat with sin.  The lost don’t know they are lost, and it is the Christian responsibility to share with the lost the good news (the gospel) that they don’t have to be lost.  Jesus saves! — Not you or me! — Not your church or my church!  We must get people to listen to Him who wants to be Savior of all and who will be Judge of all.  Jesus commands his apostles and us to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15-16).  In comparing this with Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20, we observe that the joy of sharing the gospel is for all believers. EDIFICATION, the building up of believers wherein their faith becomes stronger happens when Christians assemble together to worship God (Heb. 10:24).  Christians do not devalue the opportunity to 1) worship God, 2) encourage others or 3) be encouraged by others.  Families enjoy togetherness and the sharing that takes place.  Christian maturity is a never ending and satisfying process.  Christians get out of their worship together exactly what they put into it.  It shouldn’t take a Solomon to figure that out. BENEVOLENCE, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:27).  James further says in 3:15-16 “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?”  From these and other passages we learn that part of the work of the church is to help those who have physical needs simply because this is what Christ would do if He were here now.  It is our privilege to both serve Christ and all created in His image as we have opportunity. Since Christians are all members of the body of Christ called the church, we need to ask ourselves before Christ, Are we doing the work of the church?  If not, study further or let us help you understand your work.  Repent if you need to and do the work of God.  Remember, it is He who died for you and purchased you that you need to do this work for.  Let the perfect Christ be your source of motivation and encouragement.