Don Sperling, Pastor – Volume 1.2 – 3-18-20
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Learning to be The Church
Since we have been facing the health crisis of the spreading Novel Coronavirus CORVID-19 it has been a trying time for everyone in our community / country / and world. I believe that it is also a time when God can teach us some things that we need to learn about truly being His Church. Here are a few possible areas that God may touch us as Christian believers during this time:
1. We might begin to understand, in this time when we cannot gather together for worship, just how important our church family is and how we are called to minister to each other;
2. We might also take this time to reflect on how vulnerable we truly are in all things in this world and how much we need God’s grace and love in His Son Jesus in our lives at all times;
3. We might take this time to turn to God in new and bold ways – asking Him to be the One we follow in our individual lives, the lives of our families, and the life of our church.
4. We might be led back to pray in real ways - throughout our day - letting Jesus into everything that we face.
in Revelation 3:20 Jesus speaks so clearly about the kind of relationship that he wants with you and me:
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (NIV)
So, during this time of the current health crisis, how can we continue to be His Church? Here are some suggestions that we can implement:
1. Turn to God's Word and spend time reading what He has given us - begin a new Bible study – that Christian study book that has been sitting on your shelf gathering dust that you have always intended to read;
2. If you normally take time to pray – spend a little longer at it; if you don't make prayer a regular part of your day, during this time of crisis in our nation and the world, begin to make is part of what you do and who you are – and be prepared to continue the practice after the crisis is ended;
3. Use the phone, email, Facebook, and other social media outlets to keep in touch with people in the church family. Get out your church directory and spend a few minutes of your time each day calling some of those that God leads you to make contact with;
4. Do the same with those that you know beyond the church – in your work associates if your work has closed, in your families, neighborhoods, and other friends that maybe you haven't connected with in a while;
5. Look around you - in your neighborhood – in your church family – in your own families – and anywhere else – and see if there is anyone in need of help and then volunteer to assist them. It might be picking up groceries, looking for a needed item that is currently hard to locate on the local store shelves, taking them to a necessary doctor appointment etc.
These are just a few ways that we can continue to be His Church even when we are not able to gather in the church building. In truth, these are some of the ways the church is always to be His Church, no matter what the circumstances are in our lives. Unfortunately, too often it takes a crisis for us to realize that we are called to be in the work of furthering God's Kingdom in bold ways always and at all times!
Finally, let me address the panic and fear that has taken over a great many people in our country at this time, both within and outside the church. We are told very clearly that we are not to live in fear, but rather in faith, trusting God to bring us through anything, including these present turbulent times.
One Scripture that says this in a powerful way is also great advice to each of us and to our nation in this time when there is great fear in so many people:
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Let's live without fear, trusting in our God for the strength and help that we need, and knowing that we are indeed being upheld, right now and through all that is happening, by His steady and righteous right hand. In this way you and I can serve as witnesses to those around us of the love and grace of our God in His Son Jesus Christ that is available to everyone who will believe in Him!
May God bless each and every one of you!