The Candlestick 2
In the first article I told how the Lord said,
"I am taking the candlestick away from the big churches and the big ministries and I am giving it back to the little churches - the little people." The Lord also said to me today that there is coming a day when He will ask us, "What did you do with the light I gave to you?”
Serious words. Serious question.
In that first article I spoke about the over activeness of many churches. Un-surprisingly perhaps, I received one or two questions about this and they prompted me to seek the Lord again. My response is now this :-
No word such as this applies to every church, but how many churches have program after program yet their only real outreach to the outside and hurting world is a cleverly worded notice outside the church - usually urging folk to "come on in - everyone is welcome." Trouble is the very folk they aim their 'outreach' at are those who wouldn't usually be seen within a mile of the inside of any church. In fact, save for hatch, match, and despatch, they will never come inside a church. The church in response organises more and more activities - but still only their own people turn up. Why is this do you suppose?
The church has spent millions and millions on ‘programs’, yet where oh where is the fruit? Why are we not packed to capacity? Why are we not overflowing?
In general terms, the church is so tied up with its own activity that it has forgotten how to preach or otherwise get the gospel out to the unchurched. Sure it is preached some weeks, but who is there to hear the sermon?
As I say, I do not include every church in this article but if the cap fits, then you, or your church, or any other church to whom this applies, must wear it. There are quite a few churches whose sole purpose is to reach the lost. Yet there are also very many who are too smug and comfortable in their own sanctified complacency. When Jesus returns, He will surely ask each of us that question - “What did you do with the light I gave to you?”
OK then – what or how will you answer when He says to you “What did you do with the light I gave to you?” Did you hide it “under a bushel”? or did you hold it high for all the world to see? Did you even mention Jesus to your neighbours? Or are you too one of those resting comfortably in your own smug, sanctified complacency?
Let me ask you one last question. As the church is supposed to be the Bride of Christ – if Jesus were to come back today, how will He react when He comes to your church. “Well done, good and faithful servants”? or “Away from Me, I do not know you !!”??
CGB @cgbrofmi
19 April 2010
About Me
- CGBROFMI
- I am now 70 yrs old married to my beloved wife, Linda. God is using us in ministry as His grace is sufficent for both of us. If you think you are too old for God to use you - think again. He will use anyone who is willing.
Actually, what makes you think that God has to take the "candlestick" away from big churches to give to little churches? Why can't "little churches" have candlesticks from God on their own.
ReplyDeleteIf I understand your point correctly, you're talking about churches or congregations that develop programs to minister to their own internal body, vs. those to reach out to the unsaved or those who have difficulties in their faith.
Both are worthy causes, but I agree, they should produce "fruit". After all, part of the reason we congregate is to encourage each other. Depending on the nature of your faith life, living the lifestyle of the Bible can be difficult, and many feel isolated in their day-to-day existence. Particularly those of us who are Messianic can feel like we're neither "fish nor fowl", not understood by the secular, Christian, or traditionally Jewish worlds. We need to come together to congregate to be encouraged, to learn, to teach, to support, and to be supported.
That said, we also need to reach out to the world around us. Programs and classes can and have been designed for "the seeker". Something as simple as donating food to the poor can be an outreach and it also has the benefit of obeying Jesus.
Sometimes our fruit isn't readily apparent. Do we always know how one blog article or one email impacts a person, perhaps leading them to a life of faith, months, or even years in the future?
Even in the "megachurches" with their tens of thousands of members, while we can "assume" that they're self perpetuating institutions, only God can see the heart. Many little "lights" can be shining here and there among the crowd. It's not for man to judge humanity, only God. Among the body of believers, we are commanded to provide correction where we see error, but to do so in a way that respects the people we're talking to (See Matthew 18, for instance).
Ultimately, we each, as individuals, establish and negotiate our relationship with God through Jesus. That relationship is different for each person. It's like being a child of a father who has infinite children. The relationship between each child and God is unique and special. While God is the perfect father, we are not perfect children. We spend all of our lives developing that relationship and, as we do, we share the light of that connection with the world around us, so they can be attracted out of the darkness and into the light.