Luke 14:23 Then
the master said to the servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and
compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Last
weekend, I was up north helping my father finishing up a project at his house,
so I was able to attend the Sunday Worship Church Service at his Little Church
in the Pines of Bass Lake, California. Pastor Herk explained that Jesus came to
save the lost from their sin and to build the church. And as church members
(members of the body of Christ), we have an obligation to live out the Lord
Jesus Christ’s standards in our life. Not be “church hoppers” that are
constantly looking for a Christian church that meets our standards, but looking
for a church that meets God’s standards. Look at what is expected of us. How do
we stack up? It is important to live up to His standard.
Philippians 1:27-28 “Only let
your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see
you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one
spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them
a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”
Pastor Herk gave four
covenant areas where church members strive to live up to Christ’s standards.
(1) In protecting the unity of His Church. (A) by acting in love towards other
members. Do Christians get along with each other. We need to focus on what we,
the people of faith, have in common rather than conflicts and the purposes of
God in the world. It is a matter of what we believe verses who we believe in. There
must be unity in the family, unity with brothers and sisters in Christ and
unity within the community to be effective in our ministry. There must be unity
under Christ that others in the world see as light in a dark world. Without
unity there is confusion. Romans 12:3-5 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought
to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of
faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members
do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one
body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
(B) by refusing to gossip. Gossip
is defined as: Idle talk or tales about other people and/or their private
affairs outside of their physical presence; Prating. Gossip is the devil’s
broadcasting system. Before speaking to someone else about someone, ask
yourself (a) Is it true? (b) Is it necessary? (c) Is it beneficial? (d) Is it
kind? (e) Do I have permission to share? (f) Is it gossip? (C) by following the
leaders. We, by faith, call Pastors and elect Board members, Deacons and Elders
to godly guide the church ministry and honestly conduct the business of the
church. Trust, support and be obedient to their leadership.
Romans 14:16-19 “Therefore
do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not
eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these
things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us
pursue the things which make for peace and the things by
which one may edify another.”
Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on the Christian Church in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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