Why is the church essential. One might ask. Considering the gathering of people and potential for transmission of germs including viruses such as common colds, influenza, and certainly the coronavirus. I’ve seen great debate about the need for church or the need for closure of church while offering online services only. I’ve personally supported and continue to support, the church is essential.
For many reasons. Far too many for me to list in this short excerpt of a blog that half, at best, will read with any level of open thought to the acceptance that church is essential. Even in a pandemic.
If you’re deeply offended you’ve checked out mentally at this point and are scrolling with an intentional level of speed to get to the bottom and put in your comments. Or, you’ve closed out the blog and shared a few choice words. If you simply close out the blog, it’s ok. If you leave a snarky comment, that’s ok too.
For the rest, I’ll continue sharing my heart.
The people of God are the salt of the earth. We provide flavor and preservation to the earth. Salt as we know is a mineral essential for our bodies to function properly. Salt was once used as a currency, so valuable it was traded ounce for ounce with gold. Salt has historically been used to preserve meats and other foods due to its ability to halt bacterial growth and combat yeasts and molds. It preserves the food keeping it good for longer subsequently making it available as a meal to satisfy the hunger and preservation of people longer.
Matthew 5:13 ““You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Our job is to provide flavor and preservation to the earth as Noah before us. In the book of Genesis we read how vast sin was across the earth in the hearts of mankind. So much so that God regretted making man. His heart was deeply troubled. Oh, but he found favor in Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9)
Because of Noah’s righteous, blameless, and faithful walk with God, the entirety of mankind was spared. Despite the overwhelming sin and evil that tainted the earth deeply troubling the very heart of God; mankind was spared. You and I are here today because Noah brought flavor and preservation to the earth.
Further in the book of Matthew we see another reason the church is essential. The people of God are the light to the world. In times of darkness we are to stand on a hill shining brightly the light of God to the world like a lighthouse serving as a beacon of hope, guidance, and warning of danger.
Lighthouses are towers with a bright light serving the purpose of navigational aid and warning of dangerous areas to maritime pilots at sea. The beacon of hope for a captain on a vessel as the fierce unforgiving seas threaten their safety, vessel, and existence.
I cannot think of a time in my life when the world around me has felt so full of darkness. A political landscape that is relentless and tumultuous like the scorching heat of a desert sun. Cancel culture that dismisses anything in disagreement with the newly accepted norm and next wave of social media movement. Civil unrest in the streets and neighborhoods that have shaken the foundation of lives across the nation. Hopelessness, devastation, grieving, and loneliness abounds. Fear is running rampant. Fear of death. Fear of violence. Fear of persecution. Fear of rejection. Fear. Paralyzing fear.
Matthew 5:14-15. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Difficult Days
We live in difficult days where the seas of life are tumultuous. Tossing to and fro the vessels of people’s lives. People are frantically searching for the shore where safety, hope, and rest can be found. In the dark of night as they are rocking from the force of the waves and taking on water they are searching. Desperately. Searching.
Jesus lives within us. We are the vessel of his light. The beacon of hope as a tower with a bright light serving the purpose of navigational aid and warning of dangerous areas for the people at sea searching for the way to the shore where rest, safety, and hope are. We are only the lighthouse of Jesus if we are filled with him, walking in his ways, and submitting our flesh to his Spirit. We may quote scripture or sympathize with the hurt of the world. Those are nice things to do. But they aren’t shining the light the lost need to bring them safely home.
Our job as the church is to light the way for people who are frantically searching to find their way home to Jesus. Where the mercy, grace, love, comfort, peace, strength, refuge, shelter, healing, and hope they so desperately need can be found.
Housekeeping
Before we get farther I need to clarify a couple quick points for those of you who may be wondering. First, quickly, I will say, please don’t confuse my message. I don’t need a church building to find the presence of Almighty God. I can and often do lay on my face in my kitchen at his feet where I find everything I need. But, this blog is about much more than a building or our bodies as a temple. This blog is about the church serving as the vessel for those who are lost and frantically searching. Which, let’s be honest, at times includes me. Second, I take the pandemic and all of its inherent risks of social gathering very serious. I make light of none of it. This blog isn’t about that either. I adhere to proper precautions and recommend each of you do as well. Not because of fear rather because it’s something we can do.
Essential
You see, the church is essential. Essential because the purpose of the church is to do the work of Jesus. His work wasn’t seeking after the righteous to save them. His work was seeking after the lost to guide them into a place of repentance, forgiveness, and healing. Healing of much more than physical ailments. Healing of their broken, lost, and sentenced to death souls.
Luke 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
I want to encourage you and I today, to be the light that shines brightly as a beacon of hope for the world. Paul tells us in Titus that we should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Even if others around us are scoffing at the gospel we boldly speak and live out. Even then.
Sometimes we are the only Bible people read.
Be the church.
We are called to do good works that glorify the father.
Bobbie
