To Build or Not To Build?
I've been reading the book of Ephesians lately. I've studied this book before but God keeps bringing me back to it because I still have lessons to learn from it. It's such an encouraging book. It's also a slap-in-da-face-get-it-together kind of book, in the best way. I want that in discipleship. I desire correction and wisdom. Shouldn't we all want to be disciplined so that we gain perseverance and spiritual maturity? Or do we just want our comfort? I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I serve a holy God. Not a person who is okay with mediocre sacrifice. A God who makes the mountains tremble and the earth quake. I want to dwell in His approval daily, every second.
Chapter 2 speaks of how Christ in death ( and resurrection) broke down the wall of hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles.
So, do we not include people in our lives because they look, speak, or act differently than we do? Are we trying to build up the wall that Christ already demolished? So many times I've seen myself build up walls against others and I ask forgiveness for that. I built up a wall that Christ already destroyed. I don't want to rewind what Christ has done for the body of believers. I want to move forward. I hope others desire this too. I pray that other believers want to tear down these walls that can destruct a church and growth in the body of Christ.
I believe that we as Christians have forgotten the meaning of unity and belonging. Or maybe we were not taught that when we were first discipled. I was not taught that in the beginning. God had to show me over and over until I finally realized "OHHHH! God loves every person because He created them all and knows them intimately and desires to be in a intimate relationship with them ALL." Yes even the person who makes you really angry. And the people who have hurt you. And the people you love. And the people you hate. And the people you see everyday in the coffee shop. And the people with tattoos or turbans. And the people who cuss and drink and smoke. The people that are filling themselves with things because they have a gaping hole that can only be filled with Christ. The people who already have a relationship with Christ but they may not fill your cookie cutter mold of what you think a person should look like.
I read an article about a preacher dressing up as a homeless man and he walked into his sanctuary on a Sunday morning and his congregation completely ignored him because they did not recognize he was their pastor. The preacher was saddened that his congregation would not reach out to a homeless man because he looked and smelled different than they did.
So should we build or not build?
I think we should not build walls. Not between fellow believers and not between people who have not begun a relationship with Christ.
I also think we should build. We should build up people with encouragement. We should build up the importance of unity and belonging. We should build up believers in love through discipleship.
I do apologize to the people that I have built walls up against in the past. I know that God is powerful enough to break down all the walls that we have built up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-R314tcUFw
Chapter 2 speaks of how Christ in death ( and resurrection) broke down the wall of hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles.
So, do we not include people in our lives because they look, speak, or act differently than we do? Are we trying to build up the wall that Christ already demolished? So many times I've seen myself build up walls against others and I ask forgiveness for that. I built up a wall that Christ already destroyed. I don't want to rewind what Christ has done for the body of believers. I want to move forward. I hope others desire this too. I pray that other believers want to tear down these walls that can destruct a church and growth in the body of Christ.
I believe that we as Christians have forgotten the meaning of unity and belonging. Or maybe we were not taught that when we were first discipled. I was not taught that in the beginning. God had to show me over and over until I finally realized "OHHHH! God loves every person because He created them all and knows them intimately and desires to be in a intimate relationship with them ALL." Yes even the person who makes you really angry. And the people who have hurt you. And the people you love. And the people you hate. And the people you see everyday in the coffee shop. And the people with tattoos or turbans. And the people who cuss and drink and smoke. The people that are filling themselves with things because they have a gaping hole that can only be filled with Christ. The people who already have a relationship with Christ but they may not fill your cookie cutter mold of what you think a person should look like.
I read an article about a preacher dressing up as a homeless man and he walked into his sanctuary on a Sunday morning and his congregation completely ignored him because they did not recognize he was their pastor. The preacher was saddened that his congregation would not reach out to a homeless man because he looked and smelled different than they did.
So should we build or not build?
I think we should not build walls. Not between fellow believers and not between people who have not begun a relationship with Christ.
I also think we should build. We should build up people with encouragement. We should build up the importance of unity and belonging. We should build up believers in love through discipleship.
I do apologize to the people that I have built walls up against in the past. I know that God is powerful enough to break down all the walls that we have built up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-R314tcUFw
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