Well it has been a long time coming but I am finally ready to go on with this blogging thing. Today I would like to discuss reform. Not just reform in the way that the Church holds service but reform of every part of how the Church works in each of us.
The first question coming to my mind is…
1. What is Reform and why do we need it?
That is a very good question and one that I believe needs some explanation. Re-anything means that it must be done over or done again, “Replant” means to plant again,”Rebuild” to build again, therefore “Reform” is to again establish the previous form.
You may have heard that the word “Repent” means to change direction, actually the word means to “Resume”, or “Return” to the original direction. So then the need to Reform is only necessary if the original form has been lost or is in need of repair. Let us look to the Bible to determine what the original form for the Church looked like.
Acts 2 gives us the beginning of the New testament Church and it begins at the day of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit showed himself mighty. We have no way of knowing how long they were in the upper room, but what we do know is that the word of God says that “when they came down they were all with one accord and in one place.”
Then there was a physical demonstration of his power which was evident to all present. There was a miracle of language known as tongues; some thought it was babbling, others heard men testify about the mighty works of God in their own language. Everyone saw something. The first great expositional sermon followed as Peter stood up and spoke the Truth, under the power of the Holy Spirit, testifying about what had taken place and what it meant. He took his text from the Old testament book of Joel, which speaks of the pouring out of God’s spirit on all flesh, ushering us into the “Last Days” or the “Church Age”.
This moment in time where men may repent from their misdirection, confess the name of Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives and be saved,”Save yourselves from this untoward generation,” is the final statement made by Peter in this first great sermon. Great it must have been for scripture records that three thousand souls were added that day to the Church.
This is the “Go Tell” time in history. The charge of the Church is to go into all the earth and spread the news of the Gospel of Christ to this lost and dying world. This is job one for the Church.
Now let us look again at Acts and see how the Church looked. They that gladly received were baptised and they continued daily in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Thank God. I was afraid we might have to do away with all those great dinner on the ground meals and our fellowship but it seems that this part of what we do is OK with God. Let’s look at the rest.
All that believed were together and had all things common. Here is where we start to have some trouble. Our society has been building fences and measuring ownership for a long time, after all doesn’t it say some where in there that the “Good Lord helps those that helps themselves.” Is there no reward for hard work? Are we supposed to be Socialist? First of all there is no place that I read in the New Tstament that “God helps those who help themselves.” In fact, quite the opposite is true. The word says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That is to say while we couldn’t help our selves God came to our rescue. The truth is that we are in constant need of his Grace in our lives and we must intentionally grace others. This is the nature of a believer and characteristic of the Church.
Real concern for those who are suffering is measured by our actions. My question to Church folk is, “Are we holding back more than is meet?” Are we guilty of rationing our care based on what we think someone deserves? Have we been measuring our concern based on what we see as abuse?
Here is the final evaluation. These are the questions you and I should be asking ourselves.
1. Am I totally invested in the Kingdom of God?
2. Is there anything in this life that I am spending more of my time, money, or effort, on?
3. Is there any hope for the future of my family, this nation, or the World, other than the saving grace of Jesus Christ?
