A couple of weeks ago I mentioned in a sermon that one of my fears would be to find the church pews empty on a Sunday morning. Not so much that we don’t have “church” in a building, but that Christians would forsake assembling and fall away from the faith. Covid-19 has shown that it doesn’t take much to change the landscape, of not only America, but the world. Yet, this past Sunday, Virus be darned, our pews were filled, but not like you think (see picture).
Our Administrator orchestrated the rebellion and surprised us pastors with a full sanctuary. It was not only funny it was encouraging that our body went to the trouble to support our staff in this way. The reality, however, is that our “pews”, not the ones in the church on road 4, but the ones sitting around the kitchen table, in the living room, snuggled in bed were overflowing.
Not only was our service full, but we had 9 of out of 11 Adult Bible Fellowships meeting via zoom. The connection and encouragement during this time has been more than special, it has been extraordinary. Evaluate and adapt. As a living organism the church is not limited to a physical space. That’s an Old Testament concept. Remember when Jesus was talking to the woman at the well, she said,
(ESV) 19 “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4
True worshippers are not dependent on a specific place. First what Jesus isn’t saying. He isn’t saying that church (or rather the body collected) is optional. We are called to corporate worship. What he is saying is that we can come together anywhere, whether a building, a home, or somewhere secret. The key is that we come together with a pure heart to worship in the Spirit The true and living God. That is what God is seeking, people who worship in Spirit and truth.
As much as I love to see the church pews full on a Sunday morning, I am more exceedingly overjoyed that you, my brothers and sisters, are joining together, with believers all over the world, to worship the Lord each Sunday morning in Spirit and Truth. We are learning a valuable lesson on what body life is in this new world. I am just glad I am doing it with you. I’m just saying…
From the bunker Day 18
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