Grow in your faith ~ a major emphasis in Colossians ~ you are either going forward or backward in the things of God, Go Forward in faith. A modern trends is for people to say they love Jesus but reject the church. That is not the message of the book of Colossians (or the N.T. or Jesus).
I found an article in Christianity today published a year ago, “Just give me Jesus: A Closer Look at Christians Who Don’t Go to Church.” ((http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/april/love-jesus-not-church-barna-spiritual-but-not-religious.html)
One Research Group says 10% of America is in the “I love Jesus but not the church” crowd./// Many see themselves as followers of Jesus but don’t want to identify as Christians, “Christ followers” is one term, or Christian with a disclaimer such as “but I’m not close-minded.” Or “I’m not homophobic.” “I love Jesus but not the church” speaks for many…
I found an article in Christianity today published a year ago, “Just give me Jesus: A Closer Look at Christians Who Don’t Go to Church.” ((http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/april/love-jesus-not-church-barna-spiritual-but-not-religious.html)
One Research Group says 10% of America is in the “I love Jesus but not the church” crowd./// Many see themselves as followers of Jesus but don’t want to identify as Christians, “Christ followers” is one term, or Christian with a disclaimer such as “but I’m not close-minded.” Or “I’m not homophobic.” “I love Jesus but not the church” speaks for many…
- 83% of Jesus but not the church crowd spends time in prayer compared to 98% of evangelicals.
- Bible reading? 26% to 82%.
- Meditation: 20% for the Jesus but not Church people and 5% for evangelicals.
- 67% of evangelicals say they often talk about spiritual matters with friends compared to 18% of Jesus but not the church people.
- 100% of evangelicals say there is only one God while 93% of Jesus but not the church people.
You can be a pretty good Christian without the church///// But who in their right mind is satisfied with “pretty good”? I would not be all that happy if Sally were to describe me as a “pretty good” husband ~ he’s all right, he doesn’t go out drinking or playing cards with the boys except on Saturday night He brings home a paycheck. He mows the lawn. He’s pretty good. I would much rather Sally sees me as a man devoted to her, striving to love her more, listen better, never stop considering her needs, growing in love and faithfulness to her.
I desire to be devoted to Christ with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, seeking to grow in understanding, serving with greater and greater intensity, learning, practicing my faith in Christ, sacrificing more and more… If being a pretty good Christian is good enough for you, then there is not much I can say to change your mind. If getting to heaven is your sole (soul) goal (pun, get it?), and you are confident God has said you’ve made it, then I’m happy for you.
We are in the middle of Colossians. Paul has commended the people of the church for their example of faith, their devotion to Christ, then he cautions them, don’t get side-tracked, but continue on as Christians of conviction, continue on in the fellowship of believers, growing in faith.
Who is Paul talking about in Col. 2:18-19? READ. Read between the lines it seems clear these people consider themselves Christians but have rejected the church. They think they are more spiritual; Paul says they are actually “unspiritual” (Col. 2:18). They are losing perspective of what is most important as they overemphasize angels in some cases, or more broadly idle thoughts that in reality aren’t nearly as important as they think they are… “They have lost connection with the head” no longer part of the body of Christ, i.e. the church…
Why I Love Jesus and the Church. The Jesus part is easy, captured by the last phrase of the song we just sang: “because he first loved me.” Jesus’ love for me through his life, his teaching, his acts of service, his listening ear, his patience, his death to forgive my sins, his resurrection, in summary, His “Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness” is all I need to be transformed by His Spirit. My prayer is that the Lord Jesus Christ is pleased with me, even though it’s so hard to figure out why he would love me so…
Why do I love the Church? Because the Bible says stay connected with God’s people. It is in the church that I keep a healthy perspective of what is important. Turn Col. 2:19 into a positive, and Paul thunders to the Colossians, “Stay Connected to the body of Christ” To lose connection is to lose perspective. It’s spiritual arrogance to reject other people’s insight and go with my understanding alone. Lone Ranger Christians easily think they have faith all figured out better than the church ~~ what does Paul say of them, “Puffed up with idle notions.” The Church is how you will grow in faith and learn to trust God even more.
6 years ago a youtube video was produced, “Why I love Jesus but Hate Religion.” Over 33 million people have watched it. a lot of truth. My problem is the over-all message is to reject the church. Jesus would agree with the problems of “man made religion.” After Jesus enters Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, he goes to the temple and overturns the tables and blasts the people for turning the House of Prayer into a money making scheme. Jesus Christ is against corrupt religion. But he never says abandon the church. Jesus says redeem the church. Transform from within.
Study the One Another’s of the Bible. They only make sense within the church: how to get along with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s no secret to Jesus that people are people and will get some things wrong as they come together to be the Church; he doesn’t say, “disconnect yourself from them.” STAY CONNECTED. Jesus never rejected the church; he fought to transform the church from within.
Why do I love the Church? Because I want to win the tug of war with the world… I embrace the community of faith so I can die to the values of the world. READ Col. 2:20-23. EXPLAIN…The values of the world are in constant tug of war with the values of Christ and the Church. I am, by nature, a weak person. My weakness is magnified when I am by myself. I need the Church because I need a community to gain traction…If you have a tug of war rope with adults against children, and matched pound for pound the two sides, not the number of people but the weight, everything else the same, who will win? The children. Why? More boots on the ground… I may look like a spiritual child to the world, naïve, but that’s ok… I need the church for spiritual strength to keep on dying to the values of the world…
More reasons I love the church that aren’t in this scripture but they are in the Bible:
Why do I love the church? Because I love people. I love having a church family, I love being known and accepted.
Why do I love the church? Because without the church I’d be flat. I would have no courage to go into the world. I need the blessing of the church people…. To say it in a positive way: I love the Church because I love serving. The church gives me the setting to serve people. I used to wonder what is my spiritual gift ~~~~ . I used to think maybe my personal gift is administration, reluctantly I hope others say preaching or teaching… but now that I’m older, when it is all said and done, if I am thought fondly for anything at all I hope it’s serving, loving people… What passion has God given you? He does. Use it in the church. Spiritual gifts are for the body of Christ…
Why do I love the church? because we can do more for Christ together than we can alone. Even missionaries out in the field with few Christians depend on the prayers and support of the people of God. They still need a connection with other Christians for practical, emotional and spiritual support. Alone you burn out quickly… become discouraged, question your purpose. With others you have a resource to find refreshment…
Why do I love the Church? Because I am a product of grace. I am saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ who loved me so much that he gave his life for me to die on the cross. It is in the church that I see the same reality to you as well, which helps me understand grace even more. You, too, are a product of grace. It is grace that binds us together, not rules. (that’s one of the criticisms of course when the church forgets about grace.) Our identity is found in the cross of Christ and his resurrection from the dead. How can I pass judgment on fellow Christians and reject them in effect saying they are not good enough? We must accept people wherever they are and encourage them to grow in their faith. Shelly S. sent me an encouraging note earlier this week listing ways she was thrilled with our church; every point was about a person that is excited for God, another person who was unexpectedly able to join us for worship, other people who are quietly making a difference…
Why do I love the Church? Because I love to be entertained! You folks make me smile. I also am thrilled to weep with you, rejoice with you, celebrate with you. I hope you laugh at me (um. With me, too)
God’s greatest gift is eternal life, but I think we need to enlarge what that means. “eternal” is not only quantity, but also quality of life. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, eternity begins now. Certainly an imperfect present because sin is part of our experience, but the journey towards God today is a journey of growing and trusting together with God’s people. I appreciate the Morgans. They come from an Orthodox Christian background. Dave can correct me later if I am wrong, but one of the wonderful practices of the Orthodox Church is that when they worship, they are in a tiny sense creating the heaven experience. That is what the icons are about, and the ornate décor….I love the idea that heaven begins right now…
Eternal is also about quality, becoming more and more like Christ, learning to love what he loves, do what he does, serve like he serves. Putting into practice the fruit of the spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. All this is done in community, in fellowship with God’s people. I love the church because God’s people are so fascinating and awesome.
Why do I love the Church? I am a product of Grace, but I also am ready to work hard. Being imperfect isn’t so bad. So there are critics of the church. Yep. How can any of us argue? This I know: I’d rather work hard serving God imperfectly rather than serve on occasion. I can only do that as part of a church family. It is because of you that I have any boldness at all, your words of encouragement, your helping me discover my gifts. That’s what we must do for each other. Bring out the best in others, challenge our friends…
Being imperfect isn’t so bad. I’d rather be with people doing it all wrong rather than sit at home with a raft of good ideas in how to do it better. A woman came to Dwight Moody after a revival service and complained that she did not like the way he presented the gospel telling him how he needed to improve. Moody asked her how she talked to people about Christ. “Well,” she stumbled, “I don’t.” “Ma’am. I think I like my way of doing it wrongly rather than your way of not doing it rightly.” That’s how I feel about the church ~ I’d rather do it wrong, than not do it right.
I love Jesus and I love the Church. Jesus loves me and his grace is far more than I deserve. I love his people with all of the warts and oddities. I love you and I love this community. We can do better as a Church. No doubt. But as we are learning and considering improvements in our methods, how to be challenged for greater things, let’s continue to love each other, serve the community, celebrate together, and remain focused on Jesus Christ as the head of his body binding us all together. Amen.
I desire to be devoted to Christ with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, seeking to grow in understanding, serving with greater and greater intensity, learning, practicing my faith in Christ, sacrificing more and more… If being a pretty good Christian is good enough for you, then there is not much I can say to change your mind. If getting to heaven is your sole (soul) goal (pun, get it?), and you are confident God has said you’ve made it, then I’m happy for you.
We are in the middle of Colossians. Paul has commended the people of the church for their example of faith, their devotion to Christ, then he cautions them, don’t get side-tracked, but continue on as Christians of conviction, continue on in the fellowship of believers, growing in faith.
Who is Paul talking about in Col. 2:18-19? READ. Read between the lines it seems clear these people consider themselves Christians but have rejected the church. They think they are more spiritual; Paul says they are actually “unspiritual” (Col. 2:18). They are losing perspective of what is most important as they overemphasize angels in some cases, or more broadly idle thoughts that in reality aren’t nearly as important as they think they are… “They have lost connection with the head” no longer part of the body of Christ, i.e. the church…
Why I Love Jesus and the Church. The Jesus part is easy, captured by the last phrase of the song we just sang: “because he first loved me.” Jesus’ love for me through his life, his teaching, his acts of service, his listening ear, his patience, his death to forgive my sins, his resurrection, in summary, His “Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness” is all I need to be transformed by His Spirit. My prayer is that the Lord Jesus Christ is pleased with me, even though it’s so hard to figure out why he would love me so…
Why do I love the Church? Because the Bible says stay connected with God’s people. It is in the church that I keep a healthy perspective of what is important. Turn Col. 2:19 into a positive, and Paul thunders to the Colossians, “Stay Connected to the body of Christ” To lose connection is to lose perspective. It’s spiritual arrogance to reject other people’s insight and go with my understanding alone. Lone Ranger Christians easily think they have faith all figured out better than the church ~~ what does Paul say of them, “Puffed up with idle notions.” The Church is how you will grow in faith and learn to trust God even more.
6 years ago a youtube video was produced, “Why I love Jesus but Hate Religion.” Over 33 million people have watched it. a lot of truth. My problem is the over-all message is to reject the church. Jesus would agree with the problems of “man made religion.” After Jesus enters Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, he goes to the temple and overturns the tables and blasts the people for turning the House of Prayer into a money making scheme. Jesus Christ is against corrupt religion. But he never says abandon the church. Jesus says redeem the church. Transform from within.
Study the One Another’s of the Bible. They only make sense within the church: how to get along with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s no secret to Jesus that people are people and will get some things wrong as they come together to be the Church; he doesn’t say, “disconnect yourself from them.” STAY CONNECTED. Jesus never rejected the church; he fought to transform the church from within.
Why do I love the Church? Because I want to win the tug of war with the world… I embrace the community of faith so I can die to the values of the world. READ Col. 2:20-23. EXPLAIN…The values of the world are in constant tug of war with the values of Christ and the Church. I am, by nature, a weak person. My weakness is magnified when I am by myself. I need the Church because I need a community to gain traction…If you have a tug of war rope with adults against children, and matched pound for pound the two sides, not the number of people but the weight, everything else the same, who will win? The children. Why? More boots on the ground… I may look like a spiritual child to the world, naïve, but that’s ok… I need the church for spiritual strength to keep on dying to the values of the world…
More reasons I love the church that aren’t in this scripture but they are in the Bible:
Why do I love the church? Because I love people. I love having a church family, I love being known and accepted.
Why do I love the church? Because without the church I’d be flat. I would have no courage to go into the world. I need the blessing of the church people…. To say it in a positive way: I love the Church because I love serving. The church gives me the setting to serve people. I used to wonder what is my spiritual gift ~~~~ . I used to think maybe my personal gift is administration, reluctantly I hope others say preaching or teaching… but now that I’m older, when it is all said and done, if I am thought fondly for anything at all I hope it’s serving, loving people… What passion has God given you? He does. Use it in the church. Spiritual gifts are for the body of Christ…
Why do I love the church? because we can do more for Christ together than we can alone. Even missionaries out in the field with few Christians depend on the prayers and support of the people of God. They still need a connection with other Christians for practical, emotional and spiritual support. Alone you burn out quickly… become discouraged, question your purpose. With others you have a resource to find refreshment…
Why do I love the Church? Because I am a product of grace. I am saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ who loved me so much that he gave his life for me to die on the cross. It is in the church that I see the same reality to you as well, which helps me understand grace even more. You, too, are a product of grace. It is grace that binds us together, not rules. (that’s one of the criticisms of course when the church forgets about grace.) Our identity is found in the cross of Christ and his resurrection from the dead. How can I pass judgment on fellow Christians and reject them in effect saying they are not good enough? We must accept people wherever they are and encourage them to grow in their faith. Shelly S. sent me an encouraging note earlier this week listing ways she was thrilled with our church; every point was about a person that is excited for God, another person who was unexpectedly able to join us for worship, other people who are quietly making a difference…
Why do I love the Church? Because I love to be entertained! You folks make me smile. I also am thrilled to weep with you, rejoice with you, celebrate with you. I hope you laugh at me (um. With me, too)
God’s greatest gift is eternal life, but I think we need to enlarge what that means. “eternal” is not only quantity, but also quality of life. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, eternity begins now. Certainly an imperfect present because sin is part of our experience, but the journey towards God today is a journey of growing and trusting together with God’s people. I appreciate the Morgans. They come from an Orthodox Christian background. Dave can correct me later if I am wrong, but one of the wonderful practices of the Orthodox Church is that when they worship, they are in a tiny sense creating the heaven experience. That is what the icons are about, and the ornate décor….I love the idea that heaven begins right now…
Eternal is also about quality, becoming more and more like Christ, learning to love what he loves, do what he does, serve like he serves. Putting into practice the fruit of the spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. All this is done in community, in fellowship with God’s people. I love the church because God’s people are so fascinating and awesome.
Why do I love the Church? I am a product of Grace, but I also am ready to work hard. Being imperfect isn’t so bad. So there are critics of the church. Yep. How can any of us argue? This I know: I’d rather work hard serving God imperfectly rather than serve on occasion. I can only do that as part of a church family. It is because of you that I have any boldness at all, your words of encouragement, your helping me discover my gifts. That’s what we must do for each other. Bring out the best in others, challenge our friends…
Being imperfect isn’t so bad. I’d rather be with people doing it all wrong rather than sit at home with a raft of good ideas in how to do it better. A woman came to Dwight Moody after a revival service and complained that she did not like the way he presented the gospel telling him how he needed to improve. Moody asked her how she talked to people about Christ. “Well,” she stumbled, “I don’t.” “Ma’am. I think I like my way of doing it wrongly rather than your way of not doing it rightly.” That’s how I feel about the church ~ I’d rather do it wrong, than not do it right.
I love Jesus and I love the Church. Jesus loves me and his grace is far more than I deserve. I love his people with all of the warts and oddities. I love you and I love this community. We can do better as a Church. No doubt. But as we are learning and considering improvements in our methods, how to be challenged for greater things, let’s continue to love each other, serve the community, celebrate together, and remain focused on Jesus Christ as the head of his body binding us all together. Amen.
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