Now for the loaded Question:

Why should the church not be attractional? (ok so thats a new word) –
Why should we not become the place that people want to go “because everyone knows your name…”
While I do not think we should compromise on the Gospel Message – I don’t think being an attraction is a bad thing… Your thoughts?

Hymnals -Just a worn out tire or what?

Today on the way home I saw someone throw something out of their car – it looked like a book.

Intrigued – I stopped and went to pick it up.   This is not really like me – but for some unknown reason I felt compelled to go and get that book.

After pulling over I got out and walked over to the book, picked it up and found it to be an Old hymnal.

This got me to thinking about the many messages hidden in the hymnal – Are they still relevant or just old like the tires in the picture above?

Could it be that the Gospel has changed?    Or is it something else.

Why don’t people continue to to sing these hymns?   It is as if the message is no longer relevant –   Have we, the church, lost something so important in our  misguided attempt to be contemporary, relevant, and progressive?

I then kicked over the radio – and heard David Crowder singing “All Creatures of Your God and King” –   I at once thought about how the Bible speaks and says “Even the Rocks will cry out…”     Here on this paper – in this book I can hear a Tree Extolling God’s Glory.

I really wish we had more like the David Crowder Band because the messages contained in this old book – thrown out into the corn field on Miami Trace Road in Fayette County has something more than just a Treble Clef and a few notes –   Contained within are the Joyous words of a Christian Heritage Glorifying the same God who was the same Yesteryear – as He is Today as He will Forever be.

Imagine if we actually were not so shallow!

Imagine being the guy tending to the flock of sheep only to see the sky brighten up and hear the Angels Glorifying the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – telling you a farmer – that GOD IS WITH YOU!

Imagine being the Son of Man – the Son of God walking into the temple at such a young age knowing that these are the same people that you came to die for – the same people who will crucify you because you threaten their CREED but saving them with your Final deed of your resurrection.

Imagine being the proud disciple of Christ knowing that one day the writings of the Old Testament – the same writings that many in your culture have grown up to memorize, would be carried out to end the life of your blessed friend.

Imagine hearing that friend tell those in the temple that he would raise it up again in just 3 days… and wondering what that really meant.

Imagine being the one who kissed Jesus,  what was once a sign of respect would be forever eternally changed to a sign of betrayal.

Imagine being the one who wanted to kill the guard for taking away your master – only to have that master heal the guard.

… now

Imagine only moments later you run away and deny the Christ you have spent so much time with.

Imagine watching your friend be beaten, bruised, scorned – FOR YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS -

Imagine being the one to help your friend carry the tree – the Cross – knowing that soon he would be killed – murdered – crucified – after being tried by a kangaroo court where the justice of the peace washed his hands of the situation…

Imagine hearing those words -   IT IS FINISHED -  and watching your friend – your master – the Son of Man – the Son of God Dead on the cross – as the guard cuts his side open to ensure death’s final blow has actually been completed…

… Can you – just for a moment

Imagine those things in your life that this Jesus has died to wash away so that you may be presented faultless to the Only Wise God…   Were you born to live a life of happiness, a life of getting and having all your desires – or to die to self so that others may Gain?

Don’t you realize that you Killed Jesus?

after all my friend -  It was Your Sin that He died for.   (and mine…)

Stop imagining and take Faith knowing that the Father who sent His Son sees you as faultless – because of this sacrifice.

Rejoice -HIS GLORY HAS JUST BEGUN.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARdwIWDnE90

Four monkeys were placed in a room that had a tall pole in the center. Suspended from the top of that

Are we not smarter than a monkey

pole was a bunch of bananas. One of the hungry monkeys started climbing the pole to get something to eat, but just as he reached out to grab a banana, he was doused with a torrent of cold water. Squealing, he scampered back down the pole and abandoned his attempt to feed himself. Each monkey made a similar attempt and each one was drenched with cold water. After making several attempts, they finally gave up.

Then researchers removed one of the monkeys from the room and replaced him with a new monkey. As the newcomer began to climb the pole, the other three grabbed him and pulled him down to the ground. After trying to climb the pole several times and being dragged down by the others, he finally gave up and never attempted to climb the pole again.

The researchers replaced the original monkeys, one by one, and each time a new monkey was brought in, he would be dragged down by the others before he could reach the bananas. In time, the room was filled with monkeys who had never received a cold shower. None of them would climb the pole, but not one of them knew why!

So – is the crowd pulling you down?

We are told in Ephesians that God’s vision is Bigger than ours.

Now unto HIM that is able to do more than we can ask or imagine! – Ephesians 3:20

What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?     is this not the same question as WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO?

The easiest way to think about this is as follows:

Of course it is important for us to realize that you cannot have one without the other –  James stated that Faith is dead without works…   The scriptures tell us that we are Saved by Grace – it is a GIFT of GOD, not of works, lest any man should boast.

Questions: —

When we go to Scripture, as we should in all things, we read: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8,

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.  (King James Version)

It would appear that we are not, according to this scripture, to sue a fellow brother or sister  in Christ in a civil court of law but rather have the matter be arbitrated by a wise elder in the church.

So what happens when this just does not work ?   Could there not be some instances where this is either impossible or just impractical based upon how society is today vs. how it was in Biblical times?   OR what if the fellow brother or sister refuses to submit to arbitration based in the church?   According to Matthew 18:17  a lawsuit in the secular law courts may be permitted but only as a last resort – but first ask yourself – should you be forgiving the matter – even as Christ has said 70 times 7 times ?

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.   18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.    21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.  (King James Version)