Many people come to church asking, “What can this church do for me?” But the question the Lord asks is different: “What are you doing for My church?”
The church is not a place we merely use for spiritual comfort, but a body we are called to build, strengthen, and serve. God never intended believers to be spectators. Every Christian is meant to be a contributor.
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” — 1 Corinthians 12:27
Every believer is a functioning part of Christ’s body. A body cannot operate if its members refuse to serve. When believers only receive and never give, the body becomes weak.
Haggai 1:4 says, “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” God rebuked Israel because they were busy improving their own homes while neglecting the house of God. Their priorities revealed their hearts.
The Neglected Temple
After returning from Babylon, the people of Israel began rebuilding the temple but soon stopped. They turned their attention to their own houses and comfort, leaving God’s house unfinished.
For years the temple stood neglected. Through the prophet Haggai, God confronted them. Once they repented and returned to the work, the house of God was rebuilt and the Lord’s blessing returned. The principle is clear: God’s work suffers when God’s people focus only on themselves.
The Faithful Women Who Ministered
In Luke 8:2–3, several women who had been healed by Christ “ministered unto him of their substance.” They did not simply follow Jesus to receive blessings. They contributed to the work of the ministry, supporting the Lord and His disciples so the gospel could go forward. Their giving and service helped sustain the ministry that changed the world.
Every believer must ask: Am I using the church only when I have a need? Or am I strengthening the church through service, prayer, and sacrifice? The church grows strong when every member decides: I will not just attend God’s church — I will help build it.
Acts 20:28 says, “…the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” If Christ valued the church enough to purchase it with His blood, then we should value it enough to serve it with our lives.