Christians believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour, and they stand by it.

There were people who followed Jesus during His life on earth. But it was only when He was arrested, tortured, and crucified that it became clear who really belonged to Him. The Gospel of John tells us how Jesus' followers went into hiding (cf. John 20:19). Why did they do this? Jesus had been crucified only two days before. They were afraid. But they didn't run away. Where would they go? They stayed together.

It is fair to say that this was the first church or congregation after Christ's death. The disciples were united in grief for their Lord and in fear. They were all in their meeting place. But they did not stay there.

By calling these disciples, Jesus had laid the foundation for a movement that would lead to the whole world at that time hearing about His good news (the Gospel). This was the good news of the risen Jesus who had conquered death to save people for eternal life.

Fortunately, the story of Jesus' church does not end in the so-called upper room where His disciples hid. After His death, Jesus appeared to them to encourage them to fulfil their mission. The Bible tells us that a short time later these believers preached the gospel everywhere and many people decided to follow Jesus. The newcomers also stayed together to hear what these initially fearful disciples had to say about Jesus. They ate and prayed together.

What kind of people were they? Were they the well-respected and 'good' ones? No ... Even today, Christians don't always cut the best figure. But we must not conclude from this that Jesus' message is any less true. In fact, the opposite is true.

Jesus also died for those who do not fit the mould of good people. He himself said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). So Christians are not automatically the best people. A true Christian wants to live like Jesus, but does not believe that he is better.

As Christians, we are children of God – adopted by God. The Bible tells us that "…in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith" (Galatians 3:26).

By FAITH in Jesus Christ, we belong to His family. That is what the Church is: a family. We are even allowed to name ourselves after Jesus Christ. Of course, Jesus wants us to become more like Him. Paul expresses this in his letter to the Philippians: "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

Jesus also said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). This should be the mark of the Christian community.

People who have Christ as Lord and believe in Him have a common foundation and a common mission. In practice, this means spending time together. Whether praying, eating, singing, or worshipping, they are united in their faith in Jesus. He died for such people – people like you and me, who are far from perfect, but who need His help all the more. He wants to change our lives and give us eternal life when He returns.

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Bible texts for in-depth study:
Exodus 19:3-7; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-42; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-10; Colossians 1:17-18; 1 Peter 2:9