Here is the Church, And Here is the Steeple, Open the Doors and Where Are All the People?
Good Morning Friends,
What we call church today has become all too predictable. You go to a building and you are given a bulletin and you sit in a chair and you sing a few songs, repeat some written text and listen to a message and some more music and then go home. There is a big disconnect between what the church looks like today and the supernatural gathering of Christians sharing a love for one another in the book of Acts. So why is it so different? One of the basic problems is our concept that church is a place we go to instead of church being a state of being connected to the Body of Christ. We are anchored to some wrong thinking. So today we contemplate a different kind of church that functions as the Body of Christ in unity and with purpose called by Jesus readied with relationships and resources. Here is the Church, And Here is the Steeple, Open the Doors and Where Are All the People?
Scripture: Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’
Matthew 14:22-33 (NRSV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what the will of God— what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 (NRSV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV)
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
Acts 2:44 (NRSV)
Message: A heuristic is a mental shortcut used to solve a particular problem; it is a quick, informal, and intuitive algorithm your brain uses to generate an approximate answer to a reasoning question. For the most part, heuristics are helpful, because they allow us to quickly make sense of a complex environment, but there are times when they fail at making a correct assessment of the world. When our heuristics fail to produce a correct judgment, it can sometimes result in a cognitive bias, which is the tendency to draw an incorrect conclusion in a certain circumstance based on cognitive factors. Our idea of what church is can anchor us to a wrong conclusion.
You see, the church is a people and they are everywhere people get out of the boat and focus on Jesus not the storm. Interestingly Peter gets it right.
In the storms of life we need to respond to the call of Christ not the howling of the storm. We should not be willing to go down with the ship. We sense a solution but there is no lasting revival if we want life without change. If we only want things to work inside the church structure and not beyond we are as dead as the Dead Sea. What a shame and a sham to want the benefits of His blessings but not be a blessing to others. What a disappointment if we want sound doctrine without compliance. What a disappointment if we want the satisfying experiences without commitment and risk for the Kingdom. What a disappointment if we want sermons to shout about but do not want them to challenge us. Too many live quiet lives of despair. Perhaps we need to collectively be a little more passionate in believing that everyone needs Jesus, even if it means we need to get out of the worship boat and think outside the box. You see, God has called each one of us to do great things. It all starts when we get out of the boat and decide not to go down with the ship. It all gets interesting when we step out in faith with action. Of course no secular sailor would advise walking on the water as a solution for getting caught in a fierce storm, but if we stay in the pews all the time it is not much good for us or the Body of Christ. If we are anchored to a thinking of what the world says we have to do to be successful we are doomed. If the future of the boat is looking grim, if Christ is out of the boat, maybe we should be too, at least until He takes our hand and guides us back to worship.
Pray we stretch our faith enough to risk taking a step toward God even if it means getting out of the boat. Pray that God equip us with everything good for doing His will. Pray we remain focused on the deliverance of Christ. Pray we receive the peace of Christ. Pray that when Christ calls we obey.
Pray we as ordinary people get out of the mindset of what it takes to be successful. Pray we are in our right mind. Pray that despite our feelings of doubt and inadequacy we have the courage to take the next step. Pray we understand the true risk and reward. Pray we allow our faith to be stretched. Pray if we have that sinking feeling that we turn our eyes to Christ. Pray we realize that the coming of Christ presents the greatest challenge to our faith. Pray we walk upon our fears. Pray stop rowing and start walking….walking until the wind ceases and the waves rest. Pray we realize that we have the assurance and victory of Christ. Pray we are freed to imagine even the improbable realizing that this increases our chances of success. Pray we think instinctually in the Spirit. Pray we are transformed.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 