Being the Church #38

The writer of Hebrews diligently listed reason after reason why his readers should not lose heart and give up on following Jesus.  Faith in Him is superior in every way to their old way of life or anything else out there had to offer. He then gave this classic illustration in chapter 12:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

The writer says: "Let's step back and see the big picture."  As we said yesterday, followers of Christ need to realize and remember that they are not alone: we are surrounded by encouragers and those who have gone before and are waiting at the finish line.  Also, like Jesus told His disciples when He sent them out two by two: travel light. Don't try to carry the burdens, and definitely don't hold on to those tempting sins: they will just slow you down and trip you up. Finally, keep your focus.  We as the church can get so easily distracted from the goal. Christ is the Goal: where He is, what He is like, and how He ran the race. He was not distracted by sin or by hostility or any bumps in the road; He completed the race on our behalf.  Let us run on and run together. 

Being the Church #37

In Mark 6, Jesus has just gotten His ministry well established, with everyone talking about what He was doing and saying. It then says this:

7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Just a few notes here about these first followers of Jesus: They were not hindered by fear. They knew Jesus was sending them out into a dark and dirty world, but they did not let that hold them back from following His call.  That may be because they knew they were not alone. Not only did they go out two by two; they knew they had the authority of Jesus and His message.  He had told them all they needed to say: "Repent! We all need to change and Jesus gives us the ability and desire to change." Also note here that His followers traveled light; they were to take as little as possible.  We cannot carry out His mission with a lot of baggage weighing us down.  Finally, leave the response to God.  We cannot change the world; we can only introduce people to the One Who can.

Being the Church #36

In I Corinthians 9, Paul is trying to help us keep perspective as to how we are to be in the world, yet not of this world - how we can do all we can to bring together God's people from all sorts of different backgrounds. He says:

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Our freedom in Christ does not make us free from responsibility to others.  We cannot just blow other people off based upon our convictions.  We need to deal wisely and gingerly with those of different backgrounds and perspectives. First and foremost, we must view ourselves as God's servants who are willing to serve others to draw them to Him.  As God's people we are called out, separated to serve Him. But we are not to get an attitude that we are better and cut off all ties with others. We need to build bridges and be willing to serve others to demonstrate to them the blessings of the Gospel.  This is part of being the Church. May the church be the church today.

Being the Church #35

In the last chapter of the Sermon on the Mount , Matthew 7,  Jesus is winding down His instructions on how we should interact with fellow followers:

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

In this call to prayer, Jesus talks both about individual followers - the one who asks, seeks, and knocks - as well as His people corporately: everyone, you plural, children (plural).  Christ's followers should be known as those who pray together and on their own, trusting God to give what is good, what we need, all we need. He will repeat these instructions as reminders late in His ministry, but the principle was there from the beginning: ask and show that you trust Him. Let's show Him how much we trust Him today.

Being the Church #34

As the writer of Hebrews works his way through all the reasons for his people to not give up on the church, their faith, their Lord, he makes this well-known statement in chapter 10:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Sometimes it can seem that the last verse of these three is used to beat people up for not showing up at church services.  But it is more like: "Why would you want to?"  It's all a part of not giving up. God does not give up on us: He is faithful.  We are not alone: He has given us each other.  We are not aimless: He has given us a goal, and a hope and a purpose.  The next time you are feeling hopeless, helpless and alone, reach out to fellow believers; don't avoid them.  Get fully involved with the people of God; you will no longer feel weak, alone, or lifeless. Figure out what you can do to encourage others and you will find yourself encouraged as well. 

Being the Church #33

Imagine what it would be like to hear Jesus pray this, like the Apostle John did:

13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Jesus was praying for His closest followers (and for all followers to come, including us), to be sanctified, set apart for service.  Christ's plan was to transform us for His mission here on earth. He did not come to recruit an army or group of admirers to take back to heaven to say: "Look what I found, Dad!" He came to provide us salvation, pull us out of the snare of Satan, and send us back into this world changed from the inside out: full of joy and truth.  As those around us sense the joy, they will want to hear the truth. Let us do what He left us here to do: pursue truth, be transformed, and allow Him to fill us with joy to share with others.  

Being the Church #32

As we have seen this past month, Paul has a lot to say about being the church in His letter to the Ephesians. The last paragraph of chapter 2 says:

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Paul piles on the descriptions to remind us how much God wants us to be a part of His people, and how important it is to Him that we value one another. We are fellow citizens and members of the household. We are not outsiders, but a part of what God is doing, what He is building. We are not useless stumbling blocks to get out of the way.  We are stones - Peter would say "living stones" - that God is putting together as a glorious temple for His presence.  God wants us to understand that we are a part, and to remind and encourage each other that we are a part of His family, His kingdom, His plan and purpose of redemption. Once we recognize we are a part, then we should do our part.