I’m presently attending the seventh Synod of the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA), the federation to which I belong (a Synod is a gathering of cooperating churches called for the purpose of mutual edification and shepherding). This evening Pastor Dennis Royall preached a sermon at the opening worship service entitled “The Wide-Open Gates of Zion” from Psalm 87.
He reminded us that the church (referred to in the Psalm as “Zion”) is the God appointed means of gospel proclamation, nourishment and worship. The message was particularly applicable in our culture that is inherently opposed to “overly-institutional” religious expressions. Perhaps in acknowledgment to this pervasive cultural sentiment Pastor Royall acknowledged that the church is filled with hypocrites and is too often characterized by conflict.
In spite of this sad reality, I was encouraged by the observation that the church is not great because of its size or the great attributes of its members but simply because God has chosen to dwell among her (v. 2). This fact alone should cause us to love the church since, after all, “the Lord loves the gates of Zion.”
I wonder how our churches would change if we began to truly love the church; not only the universal church (a somewhat amorphous concept for many of us) but our particular churches, troubled though they are.
Those who feel disenfranchised toward the church (don’t we all, at times?) would benefit from reading Psalm 87 and begin seeing the church from God’s perspective.
2 Comments
That’s a great opening for the week. I hope the rest of the week is just as uplifting.
I second what Amy said. Welcome to the URC, Carbondale!