I AM THE CHURCH

I Am The Church    [adapted from Dave Mason]

    I am the Church Triumphant - People redeemed by the Lamb of God.  [Col. 2:13-15.]  (“God made you alive with Christ.”)

    Jesus said: “I will build My church...I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”  [Matt. 16:18-19.]

    “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”  Col 1:13-14 (NLT)

    “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt 8:11

    “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.  And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”  Rev 7:9-10 (NLT)

 

    I am the Stone which Daniel saw, cut out without hands, filling the whole world.  I am the Kingdom which can never be destroyed.  I was born in the streets of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost spoken about in Acts 2.

 

    I am millions (and billions) of believers living and dying faithfully for the sake of Christ Jesus over the past 2,000 years.  I am also the men and women of faith who will live in the future before our Lord Comes Again.  [Rev. 7:9-17.]

 

    I am Peter, Barnabas, and Paul.  I am Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Phoebe, Lois and Eunice.  I was there in a room in Jerusalem as tongues of fire landed on the 120 disciples.  I spoke in languages never learned.  3,000 people “obeyed the gospel” that day, responding to the message of hope & salvation which Peter preached.  Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled.  God’s New Covenant is now in effect!

 

    I am the souls of those persecuted, crucified, burned at the stake, imprisoned, beaten, and tortured.  I am the souls of those under the altar who had been killed for the faith, shouting out to the Lord: “Almighty Lord, faithful and true!” [Rev. 6:9-11.]

 

    I met in the Temple at Jerusalem for a while, growing to be 100,000 or more.  Many beautiful buildings have housed me and my people.  I am a kingdom not made with hands.  I am a kingdom not of this world.  I am the first fruits of the glory to come in Eternity.

 

    I am a Bible study in a home in the remotest jungle of Africa.  I am a group meeting in a Chinese prison.  I am 10,000 people lifting up their voices to God in a rented football stadium.  I am Vacation Bible School, Sunday school, and I am a teacher helping a child to draw a picture of the prodigal son.  I am a preacher comforting a family at a graveside.  I am a helper delivering the Lord’s Supper to a homebound person.

 

    I am the women’s class, the senior citizens, and I am the family who learns a new language to go to a foreign country to preach Christ.  I am a group of teenagers helping a neighbor.  I am 50 people meeting in a steelworker’s building.  1 am 250 people constructing a new church-building.  I am 450 people stepping out in faith to buy land with the dream of reaching their community with the gospel of Christ Jesus.

 

    I am a clerk in a supermarket, a nurse in the ER, out on the highway directing traffic, a teacher in the public schools, a lawyer, a judge, a steelworker, many things.  But I am a pilgrim journeying on my way to Heaven.  [Hebrews 11:13.]

 

    I am the church - the Body of Christ founded upon the Rock which is Jesus The Truth.  I am being renewed every day even as my outward body is perishing.  My light and momentary troubles are achieving an eternal glory that outweighs them all.  I keep my eyes on the unseen, not on the visible.  This world is temporary, but our God is Eternal.  [Col. 3:10.]

 

    I am all those called together from the world.  I am Jew, Greek, man, woman, slave, freeman, from every nation in the world, and I speak a babble of languages.  Yet I am One in Christ.  I am all of us who have been baptized into the One Body by the same Holy Spirit.  [1 Cor. 12:13]

 

    I am a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a unique and distinct group of people faithfully following Jesus the Master.  I am blood-bought, baptized, Spirit-filled, cross-carrying, message-proclaiming, hope-giving, regenerated and renewed people-of-God.  [1 Peter 2:9-10.]

 

                May I remain faithful until He Comes Again.  Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess: Jesus Is Lord!  To Him be the honor and glory and power both now and forevermore!!!  I am the church.  [Rev. 19:1-10.]