WHY? It’s the simplest question in the world …and the most difficult to answer. Perhaps that’s because it gets at the very core of what life is about, what the real purpose is behind what we do. Whatever we do, we should have a good reason, and it should be done with intention. We don’t claim to have all the answers (if anyone does, they’re not being honest with you or with themselves), but we’re trying our best to give the reasons for the hope we share.
The first question last week was, “Why believe in Jesus?” This week we are addressing the question, “WHY DO PEOPLE NEED THE CHURCH?” This can be a tricky one, because while most everyone has a favorable opinion of Jesus, those good feelings do not always extend to the church. Have you ever seen one of the bumper stickers that read, “Lord, save me from your people?” And we have to admit, it is true that the people called by the name of Christ have not always done a great job of reflecting his love and grace. However, what we have to remember is that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. We are all sinners in need of God’s grace, and we’re all working on it.
Still, if God is present everywhere, why do you need the church to experience God? Well, the short answer is …you don’t. However, Jesus instituted the church and gave the church the authority to be his ongoing presence in the world. The church is the means Jesus chose to use, for better or for worse, and following him means joining with others in the Body of Christ. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, wrote about the distinction between an individualistic faith and the particular way shown by Jesus: “Directly opposite to this is the gospel of Christ. Solitary religion is not to be found there. ‘Holy Solitaries’ is a phrase no more consistent with the gospel than holy adulterers. The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness, but social holiness.”
In other words, the way that Christ has shown us is a way in which we find who we are meant to be together. Jesus showed us that God is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – that God exists eternally in this divine community of the Trinity, bound together by love. So, as we believe that we are created in God’s image, we discover that we can only be fully human when we are joined with others in a loving community. It’s just the way we are made.