教会存在的目的
使徒行传一章6至11节
6他们聚集的时候，问耶稣说：主阿，你复兴以色列国就在这时候么？
7耶稣对他们说：父凭着自己的权柄所定的时候、日期，不是你们可以知道的。
8但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得着能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地，和撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证。
9说了这话，他们正看的时候，他就被取上升，有一朵云彩把他接去，便看不见他了。
10当他往上去，他们定睛望天的时候，忽然有两个人身穿白衣，站在旁边，说：
11加利利人哪，你们为甚么站着望天呢？这离开你们被接升天的耶稣，你们见他怎样往天上去，他还要怎样来。
信息分享
基督在升天之前，主要跟门徒谈论些甚么？根据福音书的记载，基督显然是着力于教导门徒更全面地明白旧约，除此之外，主要便是谈及他们将来的事奉。
无论是在四卷福音书，以致现在的使徒行传，我们都看见基督最关注的，是怎样将福音传给人。基督没有向门徒讲解成立教会的大计，因为祂已将建立教会的工作交给圣灵。基督所谈论的主题只有一个，就是教会将来要竭尽全力地去承担的一个重要使命──引领世人认识祂自己。
教会的存在，当然是有不少目的，例如，是为了敬拜神、为了让信徒彼此相交、为了教导信徒明白真理，和装备他们去参与事奉等。可是，教会作这一切，全都是为了一个最终的目的，就是遵从基督最后的吩咐，「为祂作见证」。
昔日的门徒如何能完成这使命呢？我们今天又如何能承先启后呢？基督已将答案告诉我们，那就是：「圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得着能力」。这就是秘诀的所在。我们不能凭借己力去完成基督的托付。只有住在我们心里的圣灵，才能帮助我们完成不可能的工作。
愿我们此刻都祈求神让圣灵降临在我们身上，让我们得着能力，去为主作见证。同时，祈求神教导你如何向人传讲基督，直至把他领到基督的面前。
唱诗：
我愿听见恩主慈声，能传达主音韵神情
像祂一般充满爱心，寻觅孤单、失丧的人
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.