March 10, 2015
Whatever You Do
I recently visited an independent
Christian Church whose attendance is hitting an all-time low. While their average
Sunday attendance has been seven to eight people, this day we numbered four. The
pastor good naturedly reminded us that Jesus said, “For where two or three come
together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt 18:20 NIV). This group
certainly didn’t expect anyone at their service beyond their usual handful of
people, but you would never have guessed it by their preparation and execution
of the service. There was no pianist, but we sang all four verses of
traditional hymns a Capella. The communion and offertory meditations were biblically
sound and thoughtfully delivered and the communion tray held a few extra cups.
The sermon was well prepared, organized and succinct. No one could have blamed
this group had they presented a service less than their best, but they chose to
fulfilled Paul’s instruction, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do
it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through
him” (Col 3:17 NIV).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Gail;
-----I doubt we have enough information to know why this group of such well led disciples would have dwindled to an average of seven or eight. It seems to me that disciples at heart would be unswervingly attracted to such Christ-likeness. I can’t imagine only eight such disciples left in Montrose. There must be some other reason.
-----Maybe good order and discipline should not be confused with Christ-likeness. It certainly is a part of it. But ISIS shows good order and discipline as well. Granted, they don’t have much to do with signing traditional hymns, biblically sound offertory meditation and communion, though they probably listen to well prepared, organized, and succinct sermons from the Koran. Good order is important to Christ-likeness, but it is also important to all human endeavors, good or evil.
-----Paul was sure to teach that whatever was not clearly presented in the Word was not to be taught as authoritative doctrine. “I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another,” he wrote to the Corinthians (I Cor 4:6). “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’ (referring to things which all perish as they are used), according to human precepts and doctrines? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion and self-abasement and severity to the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh,” he told the Colossians (Col 2:20-23). “One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God…The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God; happy is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves,” he assured the Romans (Rom 14:5b-6,22).
-----I hate to say it, but these very important to fellowship scriptures do not aptly represent the Church of Christ a Capella behavior. Decades ago, this church informed my aunt that she was no longer welcome to worship with them and that she was going to hell because she listened to radio at home. Thank God my aunt was a strong Corey-girl. She knew the Lord, and she favored Him the best she understood, consequently, without her a Capella brethren.
-----And it isn’t by grudge that I think this way about the Church of Christ. Church of Christ is a branch of the Joseph Campbell movement. It is odd that such a legalistic faith could branch off a movement so given to the liberties of a very individually personal relationship with the Lord. But it did. And I remember stories I heard in Bible College about our a Capella brethren’s penchant for grouping behaviors around petty ideas. One story in particular I enjoyed was about the Church of Christ which split because the preacher had driven a peg into the wall behind the podium on which to hang his hat. Subsequently, there became the Church of Christ, Hat Rack, and the Church of Christ , Non-hat Rack.
-----Thank God for His great mercy, “that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” (Eph 3:10). And such is His manifold wisdom to love and shelter and bless even the Church of Christ, Hat Rack and Non-Hat Rack alike.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Post a Comment