What Is the Biblical meaning of the Church?

"Church" is the translation of the Greek term "ekklesia", which literally means assembly, congregation, or meeting. In the New Testament it is used to identify the group or community of believers in Jesus Christ.

An important to note also that in the New Testament the Church is not referred to any building, temple, chapel, or any meeting place. 

In Acts 8: 3 we read that Luke the writer of the book of Acts distinguished the church from a building (house)

Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

The term always referred to the Christian assembly and was used for both the local community of believers and the overall collection of Christians.

Church as a local community:

Revelation 1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

Revelation 2:1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:"

Church as a universal collection of believers in Jesus Christ:

Acts 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church [a]of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

1 Corinthians 12: 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Believers Response to Trials, James 1: 2-4

James 1:2-4  (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

1 Peter 1:6-7
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [a]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

One of the things that the student fear in school are the exams or tests.
I'm sure that most of us can relate to that, and it's not a pleasant experience specially if you fail despite the great effort in studying.

In real life that unpleasant experiences of the student having exams are magnified multiple times.

Trial is defined as test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something.
Trial is a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.

A true believer of Jesus Christ will respond to various trials with pure Joy.
In the Bible, joy means the happiness based on the character of God and not based on the circumstances.

Christians are joyful in trials because God is faithful and He has a good purpose of allowing it.

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

1 John 5:4-5

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—[a]our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

James, reminded the believers to treat any kinds of trials as joyful experiences because it will result in the glorification of God and a changed character.

One of the purpose of trials in a believers life is to test our faith.

Genuine faith in Jesus Christ means that our faith will be: 

1. Tested
The process in which we can determine or judge properly the truth from error and real from imitations.
E.g. The teacher will give test to the students to determine the lessons learned.
The judge will test or tried the accused to determine if guilty.

The same truth is also applied to our Christian faith. God will test it to prove it's genuineness.

1 Peter 1:7
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of.
- Charles Spurgeon

Sorrows and trials are like the sand and grit that polish a stone.
- G. V. Wigraw

2. Always produce good works or fruits of the Holy Spirit.
When we're undergoing trials, we pray for our needs and sometimes God's timing is not as we expect therefore allowing us to cultivate or exercise patience, one of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Those times when you feel like quitting can be times of great opportunity, for God uses your troubles to help you grow.
- Warren Wiersbe

I think Christians fail so often to get answers to their prayers because they do not wait long enough on God. They just drop down and say a few words, and then jump up and forget it and expect God to answer them. Such praying always reminds me of the small boy ringing his neighbor's door-bell, and then running away as fast as he can go.
- E.M. Bounds

Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God's faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen our trust in him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting; they burn away our self confidence and drive us to our Savior.
- Edmund Clowney

As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises.
- David Wilkerson

Jesus Walks on the Sea - Matthew 14:22-33

Parallel verses: Mark 6: 45-52, John 6: 15-21

22 Immediately Jesus [a]made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now [b]in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, [c]“Be of good cheer! [d]It is I; do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [e]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 Then those who were in the boat [f]came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

After the feeding of the five thousand which was a great miracle that many people witnessed, Jesus sends the crowd away and went to the mountain alone while His disciples immediately got into the boat, but still many stayed and was determined to set him up as a king of the Jews that would liberate them from the Roman Empire.

John 6:14-15, Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

God's plan is to set-up a spiritual kingdom in the heart of the believers and not a worldly (military and political) kingdom which the Jews expects of the Messiah.

Application: 

1. Christians are not exempted with problems and sufferings. Verse 24.

Sometimes in our Christian Life we feel that God is far away or unwilling to help us in struggles (financial problems, pressures in life, and our weaknesses)with the people around us and even to ourselves. 

We feel like we're isolated and God seems to be silent.

In fact, Christianity is a victorious life of many trials and sufferings, yet God allows these unpleasant things to come into our lives for different reasons. One reason is to test our faith in Him, resulting in the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore we should  embrace our trials positively because of the good outcome it produces in our lives, no matter how hard or painful the experiences.

James 1:2-4, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

2. God's perfect timing is not the same as ours
Verse 25, That's why we should not loose our heart if our prayers are not answered right away or the way we expect it.

Sometimes we pray for immediate response from God because we need it urgently, and no response from God, no signs of our prayers being granted and we feel discouraged and loose hope.

Remember the story of Lazarus, He was informed about the condition of Lazarus, But Jesus waited 3 more days after Lazarus death because He has a great plan, making sure that Lazarus is really dead and stinky, because He would resurrect Lazarus that some of the people there would believe in Him to the Messiah.

Isaiah 55: 8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

3. Our God is the God of the impossible. Verse 25-27.
God is able to do great and mighty things in the life of the believer.

God is above all trials and difficulty, defying the natural laws that He establish just to full fill His plans 

4. Have faith and focus in Jesus and not on our circumstances.

Hebrews 12:1,2Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.