Daily Devotional For Friday, April 19, 2024

When you think of the church, not a specific church, but the church in general, what is the first thing that pops in your mind? The church is something Jesus died and rose from the grave to establish. There are no perfect churches. If you we looking for one and think we have found it, then guess what? It’s not perfect anymore because we are in it. When I think of the church, many thoughts flood my mind and here is a verse I recall. Look at Acts 16:5, “So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day” (NLT). Another verse that comes to my mind are Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18, “I will build My church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (NLT).

This is why when it comes to the church, all of us need to say to God these words about the church, “Lord, I am on board and I am available to help with the church You died and rose from the grave to establish.” Many people say, “I don’t have to come to church to be saved!” But it is one of the signs you are. And they are right. But you cannot be all God wants you to be and accomplish all He has for you on your own. You will need the fellowship, discipleship, and encouragement of other people who are following Jesus—and that usually happens within the walls of a church.

There are not perfect churches because there are no perfect people. NEVER. NEVER look for the perfect church. Look for a biblically based church that honors Jesus Christ through His Word, its worship, its missions and its discipleship without compromise. Today, even church has become a commodity that people see as to “shop for” in their church quest. The consumer-based attitude is causing many churches to compromise in order to reach more people and grow. I remind you whose responsibility it is to build the church — Jesus Christ. Just above in Matthew 16:18, Jesus said He will build His church. 

It is not the job of any of the pastors to build or grow the church. The pastors’ job is to keep God’s vision for the church constantly before God’s people. The pastors’ job is to keep teaching and preaching the Word biblically without compromise. The pastors’ job is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. Nowhere does the Bible or God ever say that the pastors are to do all the work or ministry. Look at Ephesians 4:11-16:

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (12) Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (13) This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (14) Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. (15) Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (16) He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (NLT).

Notice what the Apostle Paul says here: pastors are to equip God’s people to do His work so that the church is built up and the people mature in their relationship to Christ through discipleship and missions. Discipleship helps Christians and believers not be “tricked with lies that sound like the truth.” It is discipleship, missions and worship that helps hold the body of Christ together just like a skeleton holds our physical bodies together. A Christian who says, “I don’t need to be discipled” or “I am not going to be in a discipleship group” is telling Jesus, “I am perfect in my walk with You. There is no area of life that does not honor God.” They are also saying, “I am choosing to personally disobey Jesus’ command in the Great Commission to go out and make disciples.” A Christian or church that does not make disciples is not a church. It is a club.

This is why I love what N.T. Wright of the Christian group Inter-Varsity writes:

“The way to Christian growth is often to allow oneself to be puzzled and startled by new apparent complexity … Is it, after all, Jesus we want to discover and follow, or would we prefer an idol of our own making?” (Source: N. T. Wright, “The Challenge of Jesus,” InterVarsity Press).

Many people misunderstand what discipleship is. Discipleship is not a process we go through to complete a bunch of curriculum and Bible lessons in a temporary accountability structure. NO! Discipleship is a process we go through using curriculum (Bible lessons) that helps us become more accountable to Christ and each other as well for us to become more like Christ. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and refuses to do that, is denouncing Jesus and His Great Commission to us. 

Discipleship is not about covering up the outside. Today, I can’t believe people do this, but today, people will actually pay good money to buy jeans with ready-made holes that makes them look old. You can even buy spray-on mud that makes your 4x4 look as if ifs been off-road. I am not making this up. My point is this: when it comes to discipleship in the church, there are no short-cuts. Just like there are no short-cuts to growing children physically, there are no short-cuts to growing spiritually. You can’t speed it up discipleship and no amount of “spiritual cosmetics” will may make you look more spiritually mature than you really are.

Today we have people born as biological males claiming they are a woman. They believe this gives the right to participate in women’s sports, enter, change clothes, take showers and walk around naked in what have been traditionally women’s locker rooms. And what is amazing, some of the most intelligent people are arguing for this. If I say, “I identify as a U.S. Senator,” does that automatically make me one? NO! If I say, “I identify as the son a certain named billionaire,” does that automatically make me that? NO! Why? Claiming and being are not the same nor are they equal. 

To say or think, “Well, I have been a member of my church for 50 years” proves nothing other than your name has been on a church membership roll for 50 years. The real question is: have you been in a growing discipleship relationship with Christ of 50 years? Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “You can identify them (i.e., genuine Christians) by their fruit” (NLT).

Questions To Consider

1. What is the church to you and why?
2. What events have happened to you at church that has tarnished your view and acceptance of God’s view of the church? Are you willing to submit this to the lordship of Jesus Christ? Why or why not?
3. Are you currently in a discipleship process to grow in your relationship to Jesus Christ other than attending a worship service? If not, why?
4. Would Jesus say you really want to discover and follow Him OR an idol of your own making? Why did you answer this question the way you did?
5. Does the fruit in your life prove you are a growing and maturing disciple of Jesus Christ?

Scripture To Meditate On: 1 John 2:6, “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did” (NLT).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, strengthen the Church, and give us compassion and love for Your people and the lost. Forgive me for when I've selfishly created division or been apathetic. Help me renounce any perspective or agenda out of line with Your purposes to help Jesus build His Church through missions and discipleship. Jesus, help me to become a disciple maker for Your glory and Your kingdom. In His name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! — Pastor Kelly