Church

In most cases doesn’t going to “Church” make us feel good? We come together with people, we sing songs together, worship together, hear the message the pastor brings, and we all pray together. That’s how church should be, right? Of course right. It’s a place where we seek the Lord’s presence and hope for healing and deliverance. It’s a place we learn about God and the Bible. For the most part we leave feeling that we are somehow better for being there and we feel encouraged and strengthened.

Then we pack up the kids to go home. Or we are single and we meet up with some other singles. Or we are retired and go out for Sunday lunch. That could be a typical Sunday in most cases.

So what happened to all that encouragement? Where did all the singing and praying go? Did the message we hear just fade away? Why did we leave it in Church?

It’s, as if, we dress for Church and when Church is over we take off our Sunday clothes and pack them away for the next Church visit. We put on our street clothes, maybe our mom and dad clothes, or our teenage clothes to hang out with our friends, or maybe our business-work clothes because after all we wouldn’t want to wear our Church clothes to the grocery store, or to work, or school, that’s just not the place for Church. I thought of this recently because I heard someone say, “This makes me feel like I’ve just come from Church.” Shouldn’t we be, the Church? Are we not the Church, “the called out ones?” The ones that Jesus told to Go into all the world and teach others about Him to live our lives pleasing to Him? The one who gave us His Holy Spirit and said, He would be in us and lead and guide us in all truth, all the time?

He is not a suit of clothes that we put on one day of the week and the rest of week put on another set of clothes.

The world is watching us. They are watching to see if we are authentic and real. Do we actually believe what we say we believe? Are we living, breathing, doing what Jesus would have us do? Are we showing kindness when someone cuts us off in traffic? Do we show others respect when they disrespect us? Do we yell at our children and become impatient when they don’t listen? What would our spouse say about us to others when we are not around? What movies or TV shows do we watch on a regular basis? Are they uplifting, non-violent, do they have to be censored if your young child comes into the room? Is your bible read regularly or is the Bible App you have on your phone obsolete? What about when you eat, are prayers said to bless your food in such a rush that you barely even know if they were said or not?

We say we are Christians but is there enough evidence, or any, to prove it?

Do you have a prayer time or devotional time? Or are you “too” busy for that?

These are questions that have been on my heart not to judge or condemn because heaven knows none of us are perfect. I certainly am not…but they’re just questions to think about. I’m sure all of us could use some soul-searching in these areas. Conviction is what Jesus wants not condemnation.

It’s great to go to Church, it is. But if you go just to “feel good” or out of “duty” and it has no lasting effect on your life…well then, it’s time to do some real, soul-searching in that regard.

As the Psalmist prayed…

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 New International Version (NIV)

Let’s say you’re a Christian and you needed to talk to Jesus so you went to his house but the door was locked. So you knock on the door, and He comes to the door opens it, and stands there staring at you, but he doesn’t let you in, because he doesn’t know you.

Man/Woman: Hi Jesus it’s me, I need a favor from you. Can I come in for just a moment and talk to you about it?

Jesus: Who are you? I’ve never met you and we’ve never been introduced.

Man/Woman: What? Of course you know me I come to see you every Christmas and Easter. I send money and I sit on the third row at Church, sometimes.

Jesus: No. I haven’t ever seen you. There is only one way you can come into my house and since you’ve never accepted me into your heart I can’t help you. There’s lots of ways people try to come into my house. They try to buy my love. They try to talk their way in and when they get into trouble they cry very loud. But to be honest with you I don’t even hear them. Let me tell you this if you are truly sincere in wanting to know me. I suggest you find out how to have access into my house. There is only one way.

Man/Woman: But Jesus, I’m a good person. I tithe and I feed the poor and I just need a little favor.

Jesus: Unless you are born again you cannot enter my house. See these scars in my hands they were nailed to a cross for you. My side was pierced with a spear where water and blood poured out for you. My feet are scared where nails pierced them too, so that you could have access to my house. So unless you have asked me into your heart, and really mean it, unless you are humble and sorry for your sins, unless you say I believe you are the son of God, that you died for me and rose again, you cannot enter into my house.

Can you say that? All our good deeds, all of our begging, won’t get us into God’s house. The only way to get into His house is to know Jesus and he has to know you. If you knocked on Jesus door would he know you?

It may sound a little hard to hear this, but there is only one way…

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 King James Version (KJV)

This is the way:

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:8-11 New King James Version (NKJV)

And then you’ll have Church wherever you are!

~MS O’Neill October 25, 2017