Jesus didn’t die so we could merely go to church. Martin Luther said, “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”
Largely the world has the wrong idea about the church because Christians have the wrong idea about themselves. There is a confidence that comes from fearing God according to Proverbs 14:26. Knowing who we are in Christ awakens something of a greater authority in our lives.
Christian Herter was Governor of Massachusetts and was running hard for re-election. One day he arrived late in the day to a barbecue having had no breakfast or lunch that day.
Walking through the serving line, he held out his plate and received one piece of chicken. The governor said to the serving lady, “Excuse me. I’m famished. Do you mind if I have another piece of chicken.” “Sorry, I’m supposed to give one piece to each person,” the woman replied. Herter was said to be a very modest man but his appetite that day drove him to say, “Madam, do you know who I am? I am the governor of this state.” To which she replied, “Sir do you know who I am? I’m the lady in charge of chicken. Now move along.”
Compelling people to attend churches that aren’t effectively making disciples who make disciples only contributes to the greater problem of disillusionment with the church in our society. When we understand who Jesus is and why he came then we will know who we are and why we are here.
Isa 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end…
The Government of God is the Kingdom of God and God’s Kingdom is on his shoulders. Jesus is the head of the church but we are the body of Christ. Notice it is the body of Christ that carries God’s Kingdom into the earth!
Jesus didn’t come to perform a rescue operation in an effort to get people out of the earth. Jesus came to effectively enter into every sphere of influence on earth as it is in heaven.
In many ways the church has become more acquainted with religious purposes in the church than God’s purposes in the earth. God loves the world & so should we!
We are called to be effective with God’s authority in every sphere of influence in the earth! This involves family, business, education and government.
1 Sam 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle…
· 2-3 Israel drew up together battle array
· 18 Jesse sent David w/provision to check on the battle. "For Saul and all the men of Israel are fighting with the Philistines."
· 20 David arrived - army going out in battle array shouting war cry.
· 28 Now Eliab his oldest brother got angry and insulted him saying, “…you have come down in order to see the battle." (NAS)
Everybody’s talking about the battle. They are dressing up, showing up and even lifting their voices about the battle but nobody is fighting! In many ways this is the church of our day.
Our lives should be weapons in the hand of God against the kingdom of darkness in our everyday lives! When my focus is the world rather than the world within my reach I feel overwhelmed.
My inability to help everybody does not excuse my responsibility to help somebody. It’s just the way we live!
We’re called to function with the authority of God in every sphere of influence in the earth!
We bring GP2RL: Awaken God’s love in your surroundings every day this week by making a daily difference in some way to someone.