If We Have Jesus Just Why Do We Need A Church?
Good Morning Friends,
Over the last week I have been watching the battle of reformation and possible revolution in the eyes of youth taking a stand on gun violence after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. And frankly I think they need to be encouraged to not walk the plank off school grounds but to be part of the solution. For what is being played out here is a message for the church as well. Of course, we know that most churches are built of brick or wood or stone and so too schools. And everybody knows that even the best of those buildings is not going to last forever. But this morning we are thinking about a different kind of church and possibly a different kind of school. We are thinking about a church that will last forever. We are thinking about the church that Jesus built and ask, If We Have Jesus
Just Why Do We Need A Church?
Scripture: Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.
1 Peter 5:1-4 (NRSV)
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:13-19 (NRSV)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
Ephesians 5:25 (NRSV)
Message: Today we look at the foundations of the church. And we explore a passage about the authority given by Christ to Peter and his successors and suddenly realize that this is not just a passage for Catholics, but one that has its foundations in the Old Testament and an application for everyone. You see, the church Jesus had in mind is built out of flesh and blood…our flesh and blood. And sometimes we have good judges and sometimes we have bad judges…sometimes we have good kings and sometimes we have bad ones…and sometimes we have good teachers and sometimes bad…and sometimes good religious leaders and sometimes we have bad ones. And friends, sometimes we have good laws and sometimes we have bad ones. But thankfully the church is also built out of Christ’s flesh and blood, for Jesus loves the church…the body of believers. And friends, we have been saved to be part of the church and though the term has gone out of fashion, perhaps because of false teaching, the reality is that we need each other on this journey to help the next generation develop a relationship with Jesus too. Friends, the reality is that you might be a Christian without a church, however the next generation will not be Christian unless they get an introduction and as far as I am concerned, wherever and whenever the Gospel is affirmed and people are discipled in the faith and in love, that is the called-out assembly of God. For sometimes we need to do things collectively. So here is the thing, at points in Holy History the church has served like Noah’s ark. And for those of us on board, if it was not for the storm outside, we could not stand the smell inside. We need to see with new eyes but we also need to get cleaned up. So, let us stop calling the bride of Christ an ugly bitch, for this is not going to go over too well with Jesus. Instead, we need to see that we have been given a purpose to help make things better in the church and in the world. So, let us clean up our stink so that the marriage not be broken. We have a purpose to fulfill and we cannot do it alone.
Pray we have fellowship one with another. Pray for unity in the reality that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but have also been forgiven. Pray we realize that Jesus loved the church so much that the relationship is described as a marriage that transforms. Pray we never tell Jesus we think His bride is ugly and a pain and frustrating to be around. Pray instead, when we look in the mirror, that we realize that God has chosen us and that the Holy Spirit changes us and that Jesus cleanses us to get things right. Pray when we think about church and society we begin to see ourselves being transformed collectively into the Bride of Christ.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 