A Few Thoughts About The Church

Yesterday I was thinking about the concept of 'support' (I am still thinking about it).

I find myself asking, 'How can I be supportive?'

Support needs a support system. Individual support is vital but even that can be an uphill battle if there is a culture that apposes that support. The Church is God's designated support system. I would like to see more Churches planted. I see great value in the Church. It is a unique irreplaceable provision for people. It is the platform for the message to go out beyond individual one on one witness.

There are many great passages in the scripture that involve the Church. Here are a couple that struck me this morning.

"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel." - Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV

Wow. This is a God's eye view of the Church in this age.

Then we move to the very practical hands on personal exhortations of a leader handling logistics.

"Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, 'See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.' I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you." - Colossians 4:14-18 ESV

A few things struck me in this passage... Paul's exhortation to Archippus was one... the other was that they were not to hold onto the letters sent to them and keep them exclusively... the letter to the Colossians could have been put in a case with a gold plaque somewhere like so many other historical documents. No. The letters were to be shared.

I am praying for Churches and people today. Praying that people get the support they need... support that was never meant to come from an impersonal government but from a loving local Church.

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