Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 deals with the order of the Christian church and in verse 17 he approaches the subject of the Lord's Supper. When I read verse 17 the many thoughts I have been having about the current state of many (not all) churches came to summation. Paul writes, "But in giving you this instruction [about the order of the church], I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse." I wish there was some way to pause in a blog to soak in what Paul just said to the church at Corinth. I guess I could use the current understanding of to pause found in the psalms.
Selah (pause, mediate upon)
Now if you are able to pick yourself up off the floor after being hit by those heavy words there is more to come. What if Paul were to hear about your church? More importantly, what if Christ were to hear about/come to your church? What would He have to say? Would He say as Paul did that He is not going to praise us because we "come together not for the better but for the worse?" These are questions that we must wrestle with if we are seeking to be God-honoring within our local assembly. If you are people-focused and man-centered in the way that you follow through in manifesting the church of God then these questions are of no concern to you. For those that are concerned I continue. I do not claim to be an authority on anything in this world but I do know what I read and study in God's word often times does not match what is being practiced in the modern church.
Before I continue I must state my purpose in writing in such a way. I am not against the church as a building or as an assembling together of God's children. I am not trying slander anyone or any denomination because I believe that people and churches from all groups are accountable. I am not trying to turn Christianity back to the Dark Ages or the 1st century. What I am trying to accomplish is to find God's best through continual humility before Him and His word, seeking the best way in which we can honor Him in the local manifestation of the church.
Now that I have stated my purpose, I return to the questions I posed and sum it up with this one: Are we coming together for better or for worse? It is a tough and complex question that can be argued from many angles. My hope is to get you to thinking, to be questioning (not the truths of God's Word, but the way in which we live out those truths that are not presented in black and white), and to be seeking the best way in which to glorify God. It is not an easy thing to do. It is not a popular thing to do but it is the biblical thing to do and that is all that matters.
So think about the question! I begin with the picture posted. It obviously is a mp3 player of some sort with the words "Free Sermon Download" written on it. This pic came of interest to me as I have been becoming more and more sympathetic/empathetic ( I get confused) toward the younger generations coming up who are tired of the hypocrisy and complacency of their parents generation in the way in which they live out their Christian walk and their dedication to the church. Basically they have had enough and are leaving churches at an ever increasing rate. The reason I bring this up and posted the pic is because I wonder if some (or many) churches have reached a point in their existence that it would be more profitable for a member to stay home and podcast the sermon rather than attend the service. I know that is an extreme statement and in no way am I condoning these actions, but with no where else to turn I can understand their reasoning although wrong. Think about your church service; is it God-centered in its focus? What about the music? I am not talking about style rather what are you singing about? God or yourself? Is the mood of the service one of reverence or that of a country club? What about the focus of the programs - is it to get people there and entertain them or to disciple believers so that they may go out into the world and spread the gospel? What about the budget (I know everybody hates talking about money but Jesus was concerned with it) - how does you church spend its money? Seeking to further God's kingdom or to grow in size? What about the outreach programs (if any)- are they seeking to win the lost or merely go out and perform a duty? What about performing those things that were clearly instituted by Christ? The Lord's Supper, baptism, church discipline? How are those things treated if at all in your church? There are so many more things that I could address but you get the point. I am not trying to be pessimistic nor a I trying to be judgmental. The very thought of this has brought me to tears several times over the past months. All that I desire is for God to be glorified in the best possible way found in His word. To do so we must ask these questions. By not seeking the best in humility before God every week we have become guilty of coming together not for the better but for the worse.
Please for the glory and honor of the God who rescued out of sin, shame and the torments of hell, seek the best, ask the questions and constantly humble yourselves before God so that He may move and work in and through you. That is my prayer for all of us.
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