Far too many churches, and, indeed church goers, are missing out on the time they have been given by God. We were born for THIS time, and THIS place, and yet we’re in maintenance mode. We want to keep people in the building, so we cater to the membership with the most money (a biblical problem if ever there was one). We strive to keep people happy, and so we avoid words like “sin,” “repentance” and focus on the word salvation, but leave searchers confused as to what, exactly, they need saving from. There is revival happening, and has been for the last several years, along college campuses, and we either try to search out, duplicate or discuss the events in question, instead of seeking to reach people in our areas for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Revival will happen, and is, indeed, happening, but the question is this: will it happen in spite of us, or will we be a part of it? The Church is not a house of worship to be maintained, but saints to be equipped and trained for the work of the Gospel. And the work of the Gospel is to confront sin and call sinners to repentance in Jesus Christ. It does not evolve with the times, or bend to societal whims, or cave in to the person or people who have the most money in the community. The Gospel is simple: Jesus, though God, masked His Godhood, becoming a man, and, though fully God, was tempted and tested in every single way and did not sin. He died on a cross for our sins, was buried and rose on the third day. When He did this He solved the same problems everyone in the world has: he solved our sin problem by nailing our sins to the cross, and solved our death problem when He rose again, because it proved that, because He lives, we will also rise again. And to get in on this, the sinner must repent, follow Jesus and be born again through Baptism. And make no mistake: we are all sinners. We’ve gone against our design and rebelled against our creator. He could have destroyed us, scrapped us and started again. He could have let us die out, but instead fulfilled His own covenant with us by living it out perfectly in our form. THIS is our message, and THIS is our plea, the same as Peter said on the day of Pentecost: “Save yourselves from this wicked generation!” We will either be a part of the revival, or it will happen in spite of us, for you cannot stop the work of God. Choose this day whom you will serve: yourself by doing nothing, and merely trying to be comfortable until your meeting with the Almighty (A dangerous proposition, at best), or serve the will of God, and share His love and message with all you can. Time is short. Choose wisely.
Philippians 2
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
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