Do you matter, and does it matter that you matter?  The answer is yes, you do matter, and it does matter that you matter.  That is one basic reason why God created the church.

The church is God’s idea.  It is a gift to us from God.  The church is different from any other organization.  Because the church is unlike any organization we might create ourselves, it is uniquely positioned to address the question of whether we matter.

The Apostle Paul said the church is unique is this way:  it is the body of Christ.  Every member of the church is part of the body.  Every member matters.  Every member is equally important.  Every member is someone for whom Christ died.  Every member has something to contribute.

Not only does everyone in the church matter, but it matters that they matter.  It matters that they matter because the church has work to do.  The church has a mission.  When we come to know that we are part of the body, it satisfies our desire for meaning and purpose, but there is more to it than that.  The church needs you.  The church is the hope of the world, and the church needs you to fulfill its mission.

In our sermon this Sunday we will look at the church as the body of Christ and why it matters that you matter.