The Hell of Melancholy - Sunday

I've tried four times to write to you concerning Sundayship - it all boils down to this - at least for me - at times . . . .

Go

Get up - get dressed - and go

Don't go with expectations

Just go

Be there

With others

Who are just as needy as you
But don't know it

Go

Be there

With them

With Him

Go

Enter late - sit in the back and leave early - but go

Go
Go
Go

Finger Thinking 042713

I've been reading Isaiah and Jeremiah - wow!!

But what really hit me (blame the Puritans) is how everything God calls His people to account for (Judah and Israel that it) is just as applicable to the "church" today.  As a matter of fact the Puritans had the lovely habit of referring to Israel and Judah (those who had the faith of Abraham no the "religion" of Moses for faith trump form every time) - as the "church in the Old Testament.  So leaping from that, the whole of the prophetic writings apply to the "church of today" as well.

As Martin Luther is reputed to have once said, "A golden plated turd is still a turd."  It's the old "lipstick on a pig," thing.  We are rich and big and hollow.  We are sending men and women into the field for harvest while we let our neighbor do to hell.  We are more concerned about the unborn and guns than we are the hell bound men and women around us.  We are more committed to the Constitution than we are the Scripture.  We are more focused on establishing our own security than trusting Him with it all.

We invite the world and the devil into our homes on giant HD screens.  We watch trash sponsored by trash and see nothing wrong with it at all.  We laugh at sin, we are engaged by corruption and oh how we love the tough guy who just shoots everybody.

We will carry a copy of the Constitution in our back pocket while our Bibles gather dust.  We'll memorize the arguments for the Second Amendment but we know very little of God's Word by heart.  We'll home-school everything except our faith - that we pay others to do.  We have to get our kids into competitive sports so they can learn to "beat"/"defeat" others.

We will sing God's praises because there are 5,000 people in the building on Sunday morning but only a few are believers.  We will sing God's praises with lyrics the prophets would detest and we are happy.  We want excitement and engagement instead of solemnity and our engaging God.  We will read hundreds of books written by questionable teachers but we will not examine their teaching by the Word.

We are indeed the church and we are no different than the "church in the OT."  We are faithless in content, context and commitment.  We are ripe for refining.

We will engage the "culture' in battles over morality but whoa to the Pastor who does so on Sunday.  We hate the "big" sin while we collect the small.  Idolatry is a thing of the past?  Satan and the demonic are not more?  And God forbid you suffer some mental illness that makes folk uncomfortable - there's no place for you pal!

Yeah - I'm pretty fed up with the common "church" and the "common" Christian.  Not that I'm perfect - I could write volumes concerning my faithlessness and failure.  But at least I am aware and willing to take up the fight.  What about you?

Even better ----- 041012

Acts 20:35 NASB
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Absolutely !

But I've learned - there is blessing in asking!

Ask how you can give.

Ask if you are in need.

--ask God of course - but dump your pride and anxiety and ask if you are in need - and/or ask those in need---ask about needs.

If we do not share our burdens, if we do not seek out the burdened - the blessedness does not happen.

Oh, it's not easy or comfortable - but what price is too high to bless and/or be blessed?

Just a thought.

Consider - pray - wait.

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.  (Act 2:42-47)

Consider -

The Core:

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

The Conditions:

Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

The Community:

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.

The Consequences:

And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. 

The "plain things are the main things and the main things are the plain things"  Alistair Begg

No, not a "flow chart," "recipe," or "formula."    But we can't ignore it and we must pray about it and seek His direction to emulate it.  I can't see what the harm could be.

Father,

Your Body needs You - of course, it always has and always will.  But perhaps now, in more modern forms of old things we need to see our need more clearly and more simply.  Perhaps Father we need You to guide us back (or forward) to the example we see here.  We struggle to "do" and "be" but too much in n reaction to our world an d perhaps not enough in response to You.  I don't know - so I pray!

Amen

In search of, well, simplicity?

The Fellowship of Believers
Acts 2
 [42] And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. [44] And all who believed were together and had all things in common. [45] And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. [46] And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

I attended seminary in the hey-day of the "church growth" movement.  Not to bore you with details but the movement was a mix of loose doctrine and a modicum of marketing.  Being the hard-headed sou I am I just couldn't buy it.  Acts 2 just kept getting in the way.  So instead of doing the MDiv. thing I opted for an MA in Church History in a desire to see how the Lord had grown His church through the centuries.

Now I am not proposing some "new" insight or doctrine or method!  God has always had His way of growing His church.  I simply believe we see it simply and clearly in Acts 2.  

Now, order is good.  Our God is a God of order.  The church has her boundaries and expectations laid down in scripture - clearly.  But I can not find in scripture where the church is to be an institution (although it has structure, etc.)  

I believe that regardless of culture or circumstance we can take Acts 2 as the schematic for the church - both in form and function.  Really, it isn't about "the church" as a building, organizations or institution - it is about the church as people - redeemed people serving Him and they serve one another.  Out of this, Acts 2:46&47 we see God adding to the number of the redeemed --  Adding them to the "living breathing body" we see in Acts 2.

This is not some shot at the common church.  But it is a search for a more simple and basic way to be.  This is NOT some anti or pro thought or belief but rather a suggested alternative that is clearly presented in scripture.

I am simple convinced that when the church is the church, God will add to her.  He desires a safe place, a healthy place and perhaps a simple place to plant His baby sheep where they will be cared for and nurtured.  

Yes, in our culture we are very much a "consumer" society and perhaps the church has strayed from what He wants to what we want.  PERHAPS!!!!  

None-the-less I am asking you for your thoughts as they would be invaluable and a blessing.   

For years this passage has haunted me - I'd even say called me to pray for and pray hard for the church and it's members.   We don't need to rediscover or redesign anything - it's done right here in Acts and played out in the epistles.

What are your thoughts?  What are your insights?   Does this passage "touch" something in your heart?  Do you sense a longing for such an association, such a fellowship.  

I'm convinced that God can bring this "model" (?) into being anywhere - even in existing bodies.  It will demand a re-thinking and a re-ordering of priorities and function but would that really be hard but them is it really supposed to be easy?

Again - this is NOT some anti-whatever rant.  Just a suggestion that we consider this passage (and others) as we think  about the church.

PLEASE -even anonimously - let me have your thoughts.  You can even email me at sheepdog.ms@gmail.com

Father, open our hearts and minds to Your word that we might have the courage to look at Your church from Your word.  Make Your Spirit mighty in our lives not to bring criticism but rather a freshness and fearlessness to seek to be, as a body, all You would have us to be - especially that we would desire to become a place where You will add those You are saving.

Amen