"Characteristics Of A New Creation"

It seems that a widespread apathy has settled over American Christiandom, a disconnectedness that has people floating from church to church, easily offended and therefore moving on again, never settling long enough to really be a part of a local body and letting that group of Christians become a part of them. As I said, I’m hearing rumblings of this trend from all over, not just our area.

So we have to ask ‘why’? Why is this happening and what should be done about it? Well, brothers and sisters in Christ, the only answer I can come up with is that on a grand scale the church of Jesus Christ in our day has grown cold.

Perhaps we’ve been at ease for too long. God may have to let suffering and persecution come in order to once more stoke the flames of passion in us for the truth of God’s Word and for His Spirit and for the Gospel message itself…and so that we’ll start loving one another again!

These Thessalonian believers only had each other. As soon as they became Christ’s they became targets and they were sustained by the labor of love manifest in good deeds among them that was born of the Spirit of Christ in them.

My friends and family, please do not think that out and out persecution and physical suffering can not come to us because this is America. I love my country and I have fought for her and I would never leave her, but it is my duty as a preacher of God’s Word to say to you that as a nation we have turned our back on God for many years, and it is getting worse, and there will come a time that God will say ‘enough’.

If and when that time comes upon us, church, we are going to need one another! We are going to need a fervent love for Christ and for the brethren burning in us, that will be demonstrated in deeds and labors for one another; because this I know for a certainty, you won’t find it coming from outside the church! If it isn’t found amongst us, it won’t be found!

In his book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace”, author Philip Yancey, speaking of his youth, said, “I left the church because I found so little grace there. I returned because I found grace nowhere else”. And Christians, that is absolutely the truth.

We need – and I include myself in ‘we’ – we need to grow up and mature in the Lord. We need to be immersed in the scriptures and fortified in prayer. We need to put away squabbles and stop being offended at one another and walk once more with Christ, and share His Gospel and settle down and become truly a part of one another, so when the trouble comes we will be strong in the Lord and in our relationships with one another as the true church of Christ.

I can remember times in my life when I was in a church, not as pastor but as a member of the local body, over a long period of time, and everyone knew everyone, and everyone cared for everyone, we enjoyed each other’s company, when the service was over no one wanted to leave. We all stood around and talked or went together to lunch. And we prayed for each other and talked joyfully about the Lord to one another…and I MISS that!