杨腓力在他的《何必上教会》一书中，讲述了一个走投无路的妓女的故事。她很绝望，不知道该转向哪里。有人建议她和当地教会联系，她回答说：“我为什么这样做？我已经感觉够糟糕的了。他们只能让我感觉更糟糕。”
有一次我问一个人，为什么不再去教会，他说：“那里没有我的份。”
最近的一个调查显示，现如今，大约有75%的人在说：“何必上教会？”这个问题的答案在今天的经文里能找到，可以总结为一句话，就是耶稣说的：“我要建立我的教会。”
教会并不是任何人建立的一个普通机构。教会是主和我们的救主耶稣基督建立的，祂是教会的头。根据圣经，教会是基督的身体。归属教会是一种特权，不要视为理所当然的。
教会的存在是为了继续基督在世上的工作，建造神的国度。你和我需要在教会中被装备来服事，享受和其他信徒的团契，藉着忠心的敬拜来尊崇我们的主。
主耶稣，感谢你的应许，要在这地上建立你的教会。感谢你允许我们成为你教会的一部份。阿们。
马太福音 16:13-20
13耶稣到了恺撒利亚-腓立比的境内，就问门徒说：“人说我人子是谁？”
14他们说：“有人说是施洗的约翰，有人说是以利亚，又有人说是耶利米或是先知里的一位。”
15耶稣说：“你们说我是谁？”
16西门彼得回答说：“你是基督，是永生神的儿子。”
17耶稣对他说：“西门．巴约拿，你是有福的，因为这不是属血肉的指示你的，乃是我在天上的父指示的。
18我还告诉你：你是彼得，我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上，阴间的权柄不能胜过他。
19我要把天国的钥匙给你，凡你在地上所捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；凡你在地上所释放的，在天上也要释放。”
20当下，耶稣嘱咐门徒，不可对人说他是基督。
"I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." - Matthew 16:18
In his book Church: Why Bother? Philip Yancey tells a story about a prostitute who had reached the end of the road. She was desperate and did not know where to turn. Someone suggested connecting with a local church. She answered, “Why would I do that? I feel bad enough about myself already. They’d only make me feel worse.”
When I asked someone once why he had given up on going to church, he said, “There’s nothing there for me.”
According to a recent survey, some 75 percent of people today are saying, “Why bother with church?”
The answer to that question is found in today’s Bible reading and is summed up in just one phrase, where Jesus says, “I will build my church.”
The church is not an ordinary organization founded by just anyone. The church is founded by Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior who is the head of the church. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ. Belonging to the church is a privilege not to be taken for granted.
The church is here to continue the work of Christ on earth and to build God’s kingdom. You and I need the church in order to be equipped for service, to enjoy the fellowship of other believers, and to honor our Lord through faithful worship.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your promise to build your church here on earth. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your church. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
