In my family, church was always non-negotiable. On Sunday mornings, my mom would put me in an itchy dress and pull my fine, blonde curls into a bun, and I would go to Sunday school with my dad and I would sit and watch him pray. Then, the real church service would start and I would watch as the people around me got excited about worship and the pastor yelled into the microphone about Jesus’ saving work on the cross. Then on Wednesdays, after school, my dad would take me back to the church for mid-week Bible study.
Church was non-negotiable, but I didn’t get the point.
What if I told you that church is the place that we came into the presence of the Living God. In Hebrews 10:19-22, the author writes, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Talk about a run-on sentence.
The confidence that the author of Hebrews is talking about comes from Jesus’ work as the fulfillment of high priest through His death and resurrection. Jesus’ saving work allows His people to enter into God’s presence without fear. In the Old Testament, the priests had to go through extreme purification rituals in order to enter the temple. Now we are able to access the presence of God because of Jesus’ blood as the ultimate atoning sacrifice that has made us pure and blameless.
While we have the Spirit of God living inside of us, there is power whenever we come together under the banner of Jesus’ name as the Church. When we unlock the power of gathering in worship alongside other believers, we no longer have to wonder about God’s purpose for our life. We no longer have to search for meaning or identity. We no longer have to strive in order to try to find love. Because of the Church, we can draw near to God and walk in confidence and power.
