Old Word, New Meaning: Church

1 Kings 8:12-13, 17-21; Ephesians 2:11-22

The history of language is a long and winding road, leading words to take on new meanings over time. Some words have retained their original meaning while others have been given entirely new ones. Old words disappear and new words emerge. Changes in language reflect changes in society; words change through time and across cultures to reflect new circumstances, needs, and desires. Our focus this Lent is on old biblical words that, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, changed in meaning. We’ve looked, so far, at the words sacrifice, covenant, and righteousness. Last week we looked at a word that, strictly speaking, came into being with Christ: that word is grace. Today’s word is “church.”

Before we get started, though, as in past weeks I continued my scientific surveys (AKA Google searches) for words we use in everyday conversation that mean something different today than they did years ago. We learned that calling someone “nice” was once an insult, that awful and awesome were both awesome until awful took on a different meaning, and that calling someone a bully was a term of endearment. Here are a few more.  

If I were to tell you that you are clueless, is that a compliment or an insult? Today it’s an insult, but years ago the word “clue” actually referred to a ball of yarn. To be clueless was to be without yarn. Under that definition, I am always clueless. It seems that balls of yarn were kept on hand to help find your way through winding passages or from one place to another. During a storm or in the dark of night, for example, brightly colored yarn could be tied from the door of the house to the door of the barn. You could hold onto it as you made your way in the darkness or in a blizzard and in dim light it might even be visible.  

If I were to tell you that I own a myriad of books, is that the truth or a lie? By today’s definition, it’s the truth, but by the original definition of the word, I’m not quite there. The word “myriad” meant a specific number, specifically 10,000. I have a lot of books, but not 10,000. Someday maybe… What if I were to accuse Dela, Amy, David, Jim, and Greg of gossiping? Doesn’t sound very nice, does it? Except, the word “gossip” once was used to describe those who sang in the choir. The choir would gather around and sing (gossip) to one another.

If you and I make plans to meet for dinner what’s our time frame for dining? Sometime in the evening, right? Not so fast. The word “dinner” comes from a Latin word that means “to break the fast.” Does that give you a hint that the word might have originally meant something else? At one time, dinner meant the first meal of the day. Hundreds of years later, for some unknown reason, dinner shifted to mean the main meal of the day and it was assumed that was the evening meal. Finally, if I were to tell you all, as a church, that you are just being silly, is that good or bad? We know that today the word refers to someone who is acting foolish or immature. However, “silly” comes from an Old English term meaning “blessed” or “holy.” So, church, as we will find out from our sermon this morning, our goal as a church is to be “silly.”

The word “church” is a New Testament word. Just like the word “grace” doesn’t appear in the Old Testament, neither does the word “church.” That being said, the concept of church runs throughout the Bible. From the beginning, from the very act of creation itself, God made us to be in community with one another. The Hebrew word that comes closest to “church” is the word “qahal” (or kahal). It’s translated into English as multitude, company, congregation, or assembly. The Hebrew word “mishkan,” which means dwelling, is often translated as tabernacle, while the word “heykal,” which means palace or sacred or safe place (sanctuary), is often the word for temple. In the context of the Old Testament, the tabernacle or temple was viewed literally as the dwelling place of God, and the assembly was the gathering of the people to hear the Word of God read, for the offering of sacrifices, and engage in other forms of worship. The tabernacle, and later the temple, had an interior room, called the Holy of Holies, where the people believed that God lived among them. The ark of the covenant, God’s holy seat, was kept in that place and no one entered except the high priest. After the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, a new Hebrew term came into being, “Beit Knesset” which is translated as “synagogue.” This term combined the concepts of a dwelling place of God and a gathering of people for worship and literally refers to a house of prayer or house of assembly.   

Christ, after his resurrection, offered a definition of “church” that incorporates the Old Testament themes but expands their meaning. The church is no longer viewed as the literal dwelling place of God, although churches are sometimes referred to as “the house of God” and we have a sanctuary or presence lamp which, for Methodists, is meant to be a visual reminder of the presence of Christ in this place. We believe God is here, now, but we also believe God exists and can be found outside of this place. The New Testament definition of church is not focused on our, or any, building, it is found in our gathering. In the New Testament, the Greek word for church is “ekklesia.” The word ekklesia is made up of two Greek words: “ek” meaning “out of” or “away from” and “kaleo” meaning “called.” The church is, literally translated, the assembly or community of people called out of or away from the world. So, when we look at the New Testament, what does it mean to be a church, to be this assembly of called-out people?

Our first question is a “who” question. If we are “a called-out people,” who calls us? The answer, of course, is Christ. The leader of the church is Jesus Christ and, as the church, we are the body of Christ. We exist to carry on the mission that Jesus began over 2,000 years ago. Ephesians 2:19-22 says: “So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; in him, the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” We, before Jesus, were strangers and aliens, but now we are a family, part of the household of God. We have a family history, the saints, apostles, and prophets. We have someone who unites us together, Jesus Christ who is our cornerstone. And we, each of us, spiritually united, are holy temples, dwelling places for God. Each of us is a part of the larger picture and together we are called to accomplish the mission of the church.

That brings us to our “what” question. What is our mission, the purpose of the church? First, we are called to gather to worship and to learn. The Articles of Religion of the United Methodist Church define “church” as a congregation of people in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the sacraments are administered. Psalm 86:9-10 says, “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” Second, as the first part of our Methodist motto says, we come together to make disciples. We make disciples of ourselves, and we make disciples of others. There’s a quote that says, “The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners." Our central purpose should be to learn more about what it means to follow Christ, to share that message with others, and to put words into action. Third, as the second part of our Methodist motto says, our mission is nothing less than the transformation of the world. We are to share with and show others the love of Christ. The mission of the church, when done right, changes lives through love.  

Third, after the why and the what questions, we come to “how.” How do we, as different people, live in unity with one purpose? The book of Acts gives numerous examples of how the early church committed to one another. Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” The Greek word used to describe the early church was the word “koinonia,” which means fellowship or community. Church isn’t meant, was never meant, to be done alone. John Wesley said that to turn Christianity into a solitary religion is to destroy it. 

I learned something from Google – and so it must be true – about the redwood trees in California. They grow to 300 feet in height, and some are 2,500 years old. They have roots that are only 4-6 feet deep, but they are 250 feet long. The key to their strength is that they’re intertwined, tied in with each other. When storms come, they stand. There is a God-given support system with the local church. We connect with each other, stand by one another, and do life together, always keeping our focus on Jesus and Jesus’s message of God’s love and grace. 

The biggest complaint about the local church or about the church, in general, is that it’s filled with hypocrites, to which I say, “Come join us, you’ll be right at home!” If you are waiting to find the perfect church, you will never find it. After all, if we were all perfect, there would be no need for the church. But when we’re at our best, even with our imperfections, we are a people where the love of Christ is seen, felt, experienced, and shared.  

Finally, after the why and the what and the how, we come to the why. Why is it so important to be the church? The answer is simple really. Because the world needs Jesus. If Christ has changed my life, Christ can change the lives of others. If Christ has taught me to love more, care more, and share more, then Christ can do the same for others. If through Christ I have experienced the love and forgiveness of God and have been offered the gift of eternal life, then Christ will offer others the same experience. And if Christ has done all these things for me – and for you – then how can I stay silent about the good news of Jesus Christ? Christ commanded his disciples and commands us to share his message and to invite people into the body of Christ, the church. But even if he never commanded it, we should still want to do it. 

The church is not a place to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Nor is the church a place where we should feel obligated to gather. The questions we should be asking are “When do I get to gather to worship God next?” and “What can I do for the church?” See, the truth is that today, for too many, the church has somehow lost its value. Coming to church is less often viewed as a matter of faith. We convince ourselves that we can be the church on our own. While the church may not be a building, the church is a community. The church is not and has never been, about our convenience. We’ve cheapened what it means to be the church and, so, our commitment to the church falters. Who wants to be committed to something of little or no value? It wasn’t that way in the church of the Apostles. Those early Christians lost family and friends, suffered financially, saw their status in society diminished, and some gave their lives, all for the privilege of following Christ. 

We are the church of Acts 29, and our mission is to carry on what those first Christ-followers started some 2,000 years ago. An Acts 29 church is a church that is devoted to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and it committed to serving until death or until Christ comes again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is our message, and the life of Jesus Christ is our example. If, by the way, you happen to look in a Bible for Acts 29, you won’t find it. Acts ends at Ch. 28. Since the end of the first century, we have been writing the story of the church where the New Testament stopped. 

So, my question for this morning is, what story are we here at IUMC writing? What is your story in the ongoing history of the church? Are you even part of the story? Another quote of Wesley’s, like the earlier one, is, “There is nothing more unchristian than a solitary Christian." This sanctuary is not a sacred place because of where or what it is, it’s a sacred place because we are here. For where two or three are gathered in the name of Christ, Christ is present with them. This is the place where the lost are found, where we are safe and belong. This is the place where we pray, this is the place where we cry. Here we leave all our pain, find forgiveness and grace. We bring our fears and find God’s peace. This is the place where we come and share our faith. The church, the body of Christ. Here in this sacred place.*

*Summary of lyrics from This Is The Place by the Gaither Vocal Band.