July 06th, 2016

The Importance of the Body of Christ   Acts 9:10 – 19    
Koinonia – the thread of fellowship, partnership, communion among the believers in Christ coming from heaven.
‘Churchgoers are like coals in a fire. When they cling together they keep the flame aglow; when they separate they die out.’  (Billy Graham)
     Ananias is called a saint, in other words, he is a disciple of the Lord Jesus, linked with the Body of Christ. He is a flaming coal of fire in the New Testament church in the city of Antioch, Syria. His name is written in the Lamb’s book of Life and God Himself, calls him out by his name. His life is seen worthy of a holy assignment. He is filled with the Holy Spirit, obedient to fulfill the requirements of this task. I suggest he has a track record of consistent faithfulness and diligence to complete his responsibilities. Now he is ready for an assignment that places him on the timetable of history and the text of Holy Scripture. 
     About 18 months ago, Pastor Lynne and I traveled to New Covenant Tabernacle to participate in the installation of Rev. Joshua Hamlin as their new pastor. Just as the service was about to begin, the ministers assembled. In those brief moments, a friend told me of a ministry opportunity that he believed was a perfect fit right here in Holland. I followed up on that conversation and today serve as a Marketplace Chaplain. That has been a divine appointment made possible by being involved over a long period of time in the Body of Christ.
     Observe the koinonia, the Lord said in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am Lord… one called Saul of Tarsus … is praying … and in a vision he saw Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight.
     Ananias is in koinonia and is a man of high credibility among the body of Christ throughout Syria and beyond. He meets Saul, he ministers to him and introduces him to other believers, he had received food, then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Ananias is respected and opens doors for Saul, subsequently, Saul immediately preaches Christ in the synagogues … effective ministry flows from genuine koinonia.
HOTH values friendship and seek to strengthen the heart and soul of our church by being approachable and attentive to each other.
The Body of Christ is important to you as a believer and a person, to us as a congregation and to the community of people of which we are a member. This short but powerful account illustrates the indispensable quality and character of the church of Jesus Christ. I stand before you as an unashamed and confessing member of the church of Jesus Christ. I believe the Bible teaches us the value of the visible church whose roots go deep all the way to Ananias and Saul. The church will continue to be important until the trumpet sounds announcing the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Together, Christ calls us to embrace and demonstrate the advancing movement of the Holy Spirit and the hope of Christ for the church, the community and the world.
     
Action Point: make church life a priority in schedule, giving and serving 
This message is available in its entirety on a CD. Email us for your copy! God bless you!