The Ultimate Decision
July 22, 2014
Every morning I have the same routine. I start the coffee, get all my Bible supplies, computer and get ready to start studying for the lesson. I have been doing the same things for 7 years now. Plus I have made coffee every morning for 35 years. This morning I was waking past the coffee pot and all the coffee was running over the counter and down to the floor. Now most of you have read the crazy story of my trip to Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds but this is a new one. I poured the water in the coffee pot and then put in the filter. The problem was I didn’t put in the part to hold the filter nor did I put the coffee pot underneath - No Pot!! So I just pulled the plug and moped everything up and tried again.
So why after all these years of making coffee did I do this? Well, first of all my ADD this morning must be in full swing. There is a T Shirt a friend sent me. The saying goes
"I have ADD
Some people just don’t understand
Where’s the Chicken”
Yes, where is that chicken? I was apparently thinking about it while I was making coffee. Doing the same thing all the time can become rote. Then while we are doing them we or I should I say, “I” am thinking about something else. So that is my answer and I’m sticking with it.
Rote - mechanical or unthinking routine or repetition, a joyless sense of order, rote Merriam- Webster
In a lot of our church services we do things that can become rote. The Apostles creed if you read it for the first time is a great statement. After a thousand times it can just be words without meaning. You can actually be thinking about what you are going to have for lunch while you are saying it. Many denominations have certain verses or creeds that they say in a service. The problem is when we make the service the same all the time it can become rote if we are not careful.
So many of you have written in that you would like to have “Church Unity” among all the brethren. The devotionals recently have now stirred in many of you a desire to get back to basics Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. So here is the problem with church.
1. We have too many meetings to discuss “Agendas and if everyone is following “Doctrine”.
2. Too many people feel like the church they attend is THEIR Church - There is only one church and it is God’s church.
3. We must pray for the Lord to make us humble through His Holy Spirit.
4. I know of many congregations who have run the new pastor out of town. Maybe they created some new things or used a guitar instead of singing hymns. There have been many an angry meeting even with the mention of the word guitar???
5. We need to come to worship the Lord, not to be entertained or to feel like “What can you do for me”.
So where did the Christian church gather momentum. The teaching first started with Jesus on a boat or on the hillside or synagogue But the first church was mentioned in the book of Acts.
Acts 11:19-26 “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.’
The Church for Christians is NOT brick and mortar but you and I who HUMBLY fall at the feet of the cross and beg for unity among the brethren. We plead for mercy from the Lord to teach us and we don’t have preconceived notions who should attend.
Matthew 11:28 “”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
It is nice to dress up for church as it shows respect. But some people don’t have any nice clothes to wear so they don’t come at all. We have gone from coats and ties and dresses to flip flops and shorts. Come as you are is a new slogan of many churches. I have to say that is a good saying but something is missing. Come as you are BUT don’t stay as you are. You need to be molded daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you do not do anything then you may not be saved at all. Then there are those that come to church all dressed up, serve anytime the doors are open and again they many not be saved either.
The church is Jesus and Him Crucified and Risen. Peter in the book of acts filled with the Holy Spirit said
Acts 2:21 “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
What did Jesus say about being saved?
John 3:5,6, 16 "Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
After this all the problems started. All we have to do is go back to the thief on the cross who did not have anytime to attend church, give money, help the poor, be baptized recite prayers and on and on. All he had time to do was repent and believe. In order to be saved we need to repent. That is what John the Baptist preached before Jesus came with the Holy Spirit. John couldn’t save but he made the people aware of their sinful condition before God. Therein lies all of our troubles in the church today. Many of us who come to church rote - on auto pilot have forgot how to truly repent. You cannot repent if you are not humble and broken. Oh, you can say the words but the words don’t have any substance, Only God knows the heart.
No matter what denomination you are in PLEASE get back to basics. Jesus Christ Crucified for our sins and His resurrection for our Salvation - He conquered death and Satan in one blow. All else if not done with a humble heart is a set of rules that can turn to a rote service. We have to many Christians that value doctrine above serving the poor and being humble before man. Pastors need to change things up and not worry about the congregation. If you are a pastor or teacher pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you on how to bring unity into your church. Then help the poor, destitute, widows, orphans and your neighbor. Do not help them to tell everyone what you did but help then out of love ONLY FROM the love the Lord has given you.
Many have asked how was the Bible put together and about early church history. I have researched many sites but if I choose a certain denomination I only get their view. That is why I chose a generic site to hopefully get you some information. It will take you about 30 minutes to go through those links below so grab come coffee, (Make sure , well you know) and open your heart to being taught by the Holy Spirit. Let us all get back to the basics. You can learn the Bible front to back but if you do not love your enemy or serve one another out of love then it is nothing. Do everything out of the same love that the Lord has given you and the Lord’s church will prosper.
http://www.truthnet.org/Bible-Origins/7_The_New_Testament_Canon/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianity
God will bring someone in your path of life today. Don’t go past them, STOP and help.
Brad
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