Why do we as Believers meet together in a local assembly? What is our purpose for coming together once or twice a week to meet in the house of God – the church? What is purpose of having church? We would probably get many different answers to this question if we were to ask Christians. A lot of times we have the idea that church is a place I can come to find answers to my questions and solutions to my problems. After all God is always there to help me in my time of need right? Yes, it is true that church is a place where we can come to meet with God and receiver from Him, but is that all there is to it? Does God want something from me? The Bible says in Acts 13:1-2 “Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” I want us to notice the purpose of these ministers of God coming together. It didn’t say they were in need of help. It didn’t say they wanted to ask God for something. No, it said they MINISTERED to the Lord. What does it mean to minister to the Lord? If you look up the word in your Greek concordance, you’ll find it literally means worship and praise. So they came together and worship the Lord. They wanted to bless God for who He is. I think many times we have our ideas of church mixed up. We shouldn’t just come to the house of God for us, but we should be coming for God. And not just because we are “putting our time in for the week” but because we genuinely want to love on Him and tell Him how much He means to us. Ministering to the Lord takes the focus off of me and puts it in the right place, the place of Heaven. And as we do this, God in His goodness, turns around and pours out His blessing. Remember again why they met together in our scripture, they met for the purpose of honoring God – ministering to Him. The scripture goes on to say the Holy Ghost gave them some answers as they did this. The answer came in His presence which is where everything we need is found.
By: Steven Overbaugh