Greetings all,
I wrote the following letter to the church last Tuesday, mulled over it and finally posted it on our FB page Thursday afternoon. I am posting it on our sermon page this morning. Ultimately the effort here is to provoke some thought amongst the church and its body of believers, some thought that is not aligned with ourselves or the world, but in the Spirit of the Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters Christ,
What is a “sensitive subject?” Something we don’t want to see or talk about? How do we define a “collective community?” Is it a group of individuals who are aligned in solidarity? Who now sets “community standards?” A body that establishes what is best for all? We live in an ever-changing world and it seems to be changing more and more every day. As I have watched the news, scrolled through social media it’s hard to find any train of thought that is against the collective grain, at least not one that is voiced or available for long. As we continue to be isolated and confined it has prompted me to think about the church. As I shop and stand in lines at Costco, Walmart, Sam’ Club and many other big retailers that have been deemed essential, I think about the church. As I hear of and read about beverage retailers, liquor stores, and marijuana dispensaries being allowed to stay open, I think about the church. As I sit in my front yard unable to go anywhere, I think about a scared masses who are fed a steady stream of negativity and worse case scenarios. Anything contrary to this social narrative is “vetted” out, and I think about the church.
We as a body of believers are unable to assemble as a unified community. We are unable to enjoy the immersing spirit of worship. We are unable to lay hands in prayer in the spirit of the Lord…..in person. The consensus is that this practice would be dangerous, self-serving and unessential. But what if we were socially distanced in church? What if we wore our mandated masks? What if we prayed for each other at a “safe distance? Would this sensitive subject be deemed by the collective community as a violation of community standards? I believe it would and the scary thing is that it already has been.
Here are some questions to consider:
Was Jesus’ message ever deemed a sensitive subject? Was Jesus ever displeased by community standards? Did Jesus ever move against the grain of the collective community? What did it cost Him?
In addition the letter, I would like to reference the following scripture this morning:
Jude 1: 17-25 NKJV
A call to remain faithful & a prayer of praise.
We are all being called to remain faithful in the face of these challenging times. I pray that we all do, I pray that we all turn a renewed focus on the gospel and its message.
All guidance, all confidence, all victory and all peace be in Jesus Christ!
Amen
