In Revelation 2-3, Christ is pictured in the midst of the seven churches of Asia. In Revelation 21-22, Christ is again in the midst of the church. In these two passages, perhaps related if one accepts a symmetrical or chiastic outline of Revelation, there is a lesson for the modern church and today’s Christians.
Certainly Christ walks with us in our daily lives; the Bible says he inhabits our hearts (Eph. 3:17). We can be aware of and assured of his presence with his people (Matt. 28:20). But the presence of Christ among his people is more obvious or more powerful as the church assembles weekly. In the weekly assembly, we see Christ’s presence, we observe his power, we hear his word preached, and we remember his promised return. Something happens in the assembly that cannot happen elsewhere. Individual Christians can worship (intentionally praise and honor God) in other places and on other days. But the shared experience of the assembly has a power beyond our individual efforts. One part of that reality is reflected in Hebrews 10:25. Absence from the assembly means missing the encouragement our brothers and sisters give us as we gather.
I love assembling with God’s spiritual family. Through the first 30 weeks of 2013, I have worshiped with 26 congregations (on mission trips, I sometimes preach in one congregation on Sunday morning and another on Sunday evening). Spending time with God’s children encourages me, it buoys my spirit, it reminds me that God is at work even in the midst of our humanity and frailty. Christ is in the midst of his church, even in its failures and disappointments.
The down side of my heavy involvement in mission activities is that I have only been “home” twelve Sundays this year. There are few places on earth where the presence and power of God is more obviously at work than at the Park, and I miss being home. To paraphrase Paul, Whether I am at home or away, I rejoice in what God is doing through and among his people. Christ is in the midst of his church.