by The Mad
Preacher, Rod Davis
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. (Acts 2:1)
I want to ask you a strange
question. When does a bicycle become a bicycle?
Imagine that it’s Christmas morning. Little Johnny gets up at the crack of
dawn. He’s been dreaming for weeks about a brand new bike. He knows he’s
getting one because he has relentlessly hinted to Mom and Dad that he wanted
one. Soon his hinting turned into begging. Eventually, as children are prone to
do, his begging graduated into badgering. So, for weeks he pesters his parents
almost to the point of their ears bleeding. “Oh yeah, that bike is in the bag!”
he thinks to himself. “I’m going to get my Christmas wish this very morning.”
He leaped out of bed, rushed to his parent's bedroom and pounded on the door.
“Get up it’s Christmas day!”, he shouts with glee. With that proclamation he
tares down the hallway, scurries down the stairs and charges for the living
room. He quickly scans the illuminated tree surrounded by brightly colored
packages. But something was wrong. “Wait a minute! Where’s my bike!” His eyes
franticly search over the room. “Where is it!” he moans to himself, “I was
supposed to get a…!”
His eyes then fall on a heap of crimson metal and rubber lying on the floor
partially hidden by some large packages. He rushes to the mangled heap. With a
closer look he sees handle bars laid to one side, a bicycle seat buried
underneath two wheels with the rubber tires placed in the top of the pile.
Scattered behind the glittering tree are peddles and a chain, as well as an odd
assortment nuts and bolts.
“Merry Christmas, Johnny!” He turned to see Mom and Dad standing behind him
smiling from ear to ear. “Like your new bicycle?”, his Dad asked. “Ah… what bi…
ah… I don’t understand.” Disappointment etched across Johnny’s face. “Don’t you
like it, son? It’s red like you wanted.”, Mom offered. “Where is it?!” Johnny
blurted out, his frustration showing. Dad looked bewildered. “Why… it’s right
there… under the tree. Don’t you know a bicycle when you see one?”
When does a bicycle become a bicycle? What Johnny’s parent failed to realize
was that a pile of disassembled parts do not necessarily make a bicycle. You
may have all the various pieces that go into making a fully functional bicycle,
but without proper assembly it’s pretty much worthless. Therefore, a bicycle
becomes a bicycle when it’s assembled.
Now, how about a local church? When does a church actually become… a church?
The Greek word used in Acts 2:1 translated “together” speaks of “persons
assembled together.” The Greek phrase is literally saying, “They were all
together, together…” The Amplified Bible says it best, “they were all assembled
together.” So, you might say that a church is not a church until it’s assembled,
not until all the parts find their proper place of function in the body.
Otherwise you just have a bunch of displaced people who get together once or
twice a week, who have no idea where they fit in or even if they fit in.
Are you confused as to what your place is in your local church? If so, may I
offer a suggestion? Pray and ask God what he wants your roll to be in your
church. Talk with your pastor. Ask him to pray with you about it and then offer
suggestions. A true shepherd will welcome the opportunity to help you discover
your place, your calling, your part of the bicycle. Discover the joy of
becoming a part of God wonderful “assembly” of believers.
…and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another– and all the more as you see the Day
approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
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