教會存在的目的
使徒行傳一章6至11節
6他們聚集的時候，問耶穌說：主阿，你復興以色列國就在這時候麼？
7耶穌對他們說：父憑著自己的權柄所定的時候、日期，不是你們可以知道的。
8但聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力，並要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地，和撒瑪利亞，直到地極，作我的見證。
9說了這話，他們正看的時候，他就被取上升，有一朵雲彩把他接去，便看不見他了。
10當他往上去，他們定睛望天的時候，忽然有兩個人身穿白衣，站在旁邊，說：
11加利利人哪，你們為甚麼站著望天呢？這離開你們被接升天的耶穌，你們見他怎樣往天上去，他還要怎樣來。
信息分享
基督在升天之前，主要跟門徒談論些甚麼？根據福音書的記載，基督顯然是著力於教導門徒更全面地明白舊約，除此之外，主要便是談及他們將來的事奉。
無論是在四卷福音書，以致現在的使徒行傳，我們都看見基督最關注的，是怎樣將福音傳給人。基督沒有向門徒講解成立教會的大計，因為祂已將建立教會的工作交給聖靈。基督所談論的主題只有一個，就是教會將來要竭盡全力地去承擔的一個重要使命──引領世人認識祂自己。
教會的存在，當然是有不少目的，例如，是為了敬拜神、為了讓信徒彼此相交、為了教導信徒明白真理，和裝備他們去參與事奉等。可是，教會作這一切，全都是為了一個最終的目的，就是遵從基督最後的吩咐，「為祂作見證」。
昔日的門徒如何能完成這使命呢？我們今天又如何能承先啟後呢？基督已將答案告訴我們，那就是：「聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力」。這就是祕訣的所在。我們不能憑藉己力去完成基督的託付。只有住在我們心裡的聖靈，才能幫助我們完成不可能的工作。
願我們此刻都祈求神讓聖靈降臨在我們身上，讓我們得著能力，去為主作見證。同時，祈求神教導你如何向人傳講基督，直至把他領到基督的面前。
唱詩：
我願聽見恩主慈聲，能傳達主音韻神情
像祂一般充滿愛心，尋覓孤單、失喪的人
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH
Acts 1:6-11
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Message
What did Christ talk about with his disciples in the days between his resurrection and the ascension? It is very plain that he helped them understand the Old Testament better but most of all he talked to them about their future ministry.
His vision of their work of evangelising the world is mentioned in all four gospels and again here in the book of Acts. Christ did not give any detailed plan as to how to organize a church. He left that for the Holy Spirit to do. Christ simply spoke about the great task he wanted the church to devote its time and energy to-that of telling others about himself.
The church exists of course for many reasons-for worship, for fellowship, for teaching and for training. But the final result of all this should be a deep burden to do what Christ commanded us. 'You shall be witnesses unto me.' These were some of his last recorded words.
How can we do this? How did they do it? Christ told them in the same verse, 'You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you'. That is the secret. We cannot do it in our own strength. The power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us is so wonderful that he can enable us to do things that would never be possible otherwise.
Why not ask God right now, that his Holy Spirit will witness through you today? Ask God to lead someone to you who has a need. Then ask that he will enable you to tell that one about Christ.
A SONG FOR TODAY:
Lord speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of thy tone.
As thou hast sought so let me seek
Thy erring children lost and lone.