WHY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?
It is God's hope that we learn to understand and appreciate the love he showed by sending his son to die for our sins and rise and overcome death. Part of that understanding and appreciation comes from learning the "why" we are to conduct ourselves and worship as He intended. We invite you to read the following commentary to understand better what guides us as Christians meeting at Central Avenue and join us in searching for God's truth.
Why the church of Christ?
1. The Church has a scriptural foundation. Peter answered Christ, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Jesus replied to him, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:16-18).
2. The church must have a scriptural builder. As Christ said, “I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18).
3. The church must be built at the scriptural place. Isaiah, Micah, and Zechariah all predicted the word would go out from Jerusalem. “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:1-2).
4. The church must be built at the scriptural time. He (Christ) told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. you are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24: 46- 49). Acts 2 describes how the disciples were together in one place in Jerusalem after Jesus had ascended into heaven. On the Day of Pentecost (the 50th day after the sabbath of Passover when Jesus was in the grave), the Holy Spirit came upon them as a mighty wind, the Gospel was preached, and the people were told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Verse 41 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized and about three thousand were added to their numbers.”
5. Christ built only one church. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4).
6. The church has a scriptural name. “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings (Romans 16:16). “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11: 26).
7. The church must have a scriptural organization with Christ as the head. “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:18).
8. We must have a scriptural way to enter into Christ where salvation is found. “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into his death; we were therefore buried through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4).
The scriptures summarized above are a few of the many contained in the Bible, the inspired word of God, that tell me that us we should be a member of the church of Christ.
Celebrating Easter every Sunday
"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
Easter is the day the world celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Churches will hold special masses; people will perform special plays and sing special songs. Easter and Christmas are known as the most special religious holidays in the modern world.
If you look around our auditorium, you won’t see any Easter or Christmas decorations during those times of the year, we aren’t putting on a special play or a special performance.
Why is that?
As New Testament Christians, we don’t just celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ one day out of the year, but we remember it every first day of the week. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper to His apostles, He told them that it represents the body and blood that would be shed on the cross. He instructed them that each time they partake of this, “This do in remembrance of Me” (I Corinthians 11:24-25).
Following the New Testament example, we see that the Christians were gathering on every first day of the week to break bread (take the Lord’s Supper). Acts 20:7 says, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread...” Every Sunday we gather together to break bread and remember the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Every Sunday is special to us; not just one. By Jesus rising from the dead, we have hope at eternal life in heaven. That’s something to celebrate every day, not just on Easter. Easter is no more special to us than last Sunday was or next Sunday will be.
Praise God that we have a Savior who couldn’t be stopped by death. Think about what was said by the angel at the tomb, “He is not here, He is risen” (Matthew 28:6)