To Be or Not To Be That Is The Question.

7/14/14

There are many things that we do that are easy in life.  Going to church may be one of the easiest things we can do.  We wake up, get ready, drive to the church, enter the doors, we are greeted and we greet others, we participate in praise and worship, sing, and in some cases dance, contribute through our tithes and offerings, hear the message, pray, fellowship after church and go home.  How easy is that?

Now, let’s flip the coin.  How easy is it to be the church?  Yes, I will ask it again.  How easy is it to be the church?  NOT SO EASY because of our mindset.  If you ask anyone what is the church?  This is the response you may get: a place or location where you worship.  And then there’s the ultimate questions we ask one another “Where do you attend church?” or “Where do you go to church?” or “What church do you belong to?” or “Where is your church?”  We’ve all been asked one or more of these questions and have also asked them.  How did we get so far off track?

The CHRISTIAN faith from the very beginning was never about a building.  It was and is always about the love that we have in our hearts and that CHRISTLIKE spirit that is needed to keep that light shining and that salt in the earth.  Personally I think at times we give too much emphasis on the building and less emphasis on our discipleship and our role.  The church has never been the building but for some reason we can’t seem to get it.  Maybe this will help clear the air.  In the Bible the word church is a Greek word ekklesia, translated means "a calling out." There’s nothing that refers to a building, structure or a place to meet in the Bible, but the Bible always refers to the people as the people "called out" of the world by our God who is constantly calling HIS people into service. The church that the Bible speaks of isn’t a building with a foundation, walls and a roof.  The church of the Bible isn’t a cold building made of brick and mortar or stone or any other man made material.  The church in the Bible is about compassionate people, loving people who are chosen by GOD to show GOD’s love and spread the good news.

The church that JESUS envisioned is a church of people and for the people regardless where they meet.  For example, the apostle Paul greeted the church—the congregation of people—that met in the house of Priscilla and Aquila in Rome (Romans: 16:3-5 Greet Priscilla^[a] and Aquila, my co-workers in CHRIST JESUS ⁴ They risked their lives for me.  Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. ⁵ Greet also the church that meets at their house.  JESUS HIMSELF confirms the church is the people.  When Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you that you are Peter,^[a and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades^[b] will not overcome it.”  JESUS was clear; the church was the people, HIS chosen people, and the CHRISTIAN movement would never die and over 2,000 years later the church lives.  For centuries doctrines and man-made practices have confused people.  So how did we get here?  And how do we get back to what the church was meant to be?

JESUS said HIS church would not die.  Matthew 16:18 (see the verse above).  GOD has been calling HIS people out of the world, into HIS church to do a work.  To really be the church all we have to do is be the salt of the earth.  Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”  As the salt of the earth we are to be a preservative and preserve the world from evil.  And to be the church we have to be the light of the world.  Matthew 5:4¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” We continuously shine for everyone to see and are the light in a dark world we are showing others how we live as CHRIST lived and unconditionally love as CHRIST loved.  

The world is literally dying a spiritual death right before our eyes.  We’re in a world of the walking dead.  Broken, hurting people in need of hope.  When was the last time we’ve encouraged a total stranger?  Opened our arms to comfort someone?  Sacrificed our nail appointment to provide a meal, or clothes or shoes to someone in need? When was the last time we smiled at the least of these and looked past their visual appearance and looked at the story behind the face?  We all have a story and we all have a testimony but we chose not to share either our story or testimony with those who are desperate to know that they are not the only one who is in their situation.   

What is it going to take for us to follow JESUS in the 21^st century like the disciples followed HIM over 2,000 years ago?  There are still miracles to be done, dreams to be had, visions to be seen and prayers to be answered.  Let’s turn our hearts and our focus off the things and the cares of this world, focus on the great commission and be the church.  It’s hard to be the church because it takes discipline, commitment, steadfastness, giving of ourselves, keeping an open mind and heart, maybe forsaking family or friends, giving up our lives as we know it and dying to ourselves so we can show someone how to live for CHRIST.  The stakes are high.  We can’t let going to church and being on this committee and that ministry be our legacy, otherwise we can add those things to the list of meaningless things spoken of in Ecclesiastes 1-5.  But if we become the church, begin to touch lives so JESUS can change lives, show someone the real image of GOD and the love of CHRIST then and only then will what we do become meaningful and become the most important role we’ll ever have this side of heaven. 

LET’S BE THE CHURCH-we have no time to tarry.  Darkness is everywhere while light is barely present.  It’s time to turn on our lights on everywhere we go.  Matthew 5:16 (NIV)  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 

 GOD BLESS!