The Church; A Carrier of Light to Humanity
The church isn't just a gathering of people, it is a force of light with a mission to eradicate darkness with the good news of Jesus.
I was in Africa, traveling with Pastor Kevin as he taught and ministered at Hillsong South Africa. Being in that nation reminded me again that the role of the Church is not just a nice idea but it is critically essential. As Jesus put it in Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the World."
The church is the great hope of the World
The church is the carrier of the most precious message; the gospel. And not just any gospel but the gospel of Jesus. And what is the gospel? It's good news. It's the good news that while sin had ripped us away from relationship with our Heavenly Father, through Jesus we are brought close and welcomed home. This coming home isn't based on our performance but on what Jesus did on that Cross; now that's some scandalous but good news!
“You are the light of the World." - Matthew 5:14,
The bible says that we are the light of the world. I love this visual because when the gospel is introduced into the darkness that comes from sin, that good news shatters the chains of darkness and injects the individual and their whole culture with an unquenchable hope!
As the Church we carry the greatest message of Hope and His name is Jesus!
Jesus is called the light of men and truly he is. But many are yet to know this grace and hope in Jesus. Many are yet to understand they are designed for greater and that a loving father wants to know them personally. Without Jesus there is no hope. Jesus is hope for the world and the Church is the carrier of this message and the literal hands and feet of Jesus.
The church is not designed to be a religious ritual but a carrier of Light.
Passive Christians create passive churches. Passive churches have abandoned the mission that Jesus gave us of reaching people and have settled for isolating the role of the church to a weekly religious feel-good gathering. Passive churches lack any real ability to effect their culture and they carry no light. But, without this light our cities are doomed to darkness. I pray that we get stirred again in a new way to reach our cities with the hope of the good news! All who were Far off from God can now comes close; come to Father.
The Church isn’t designed to HOLD the light, only to be admired but to CARRY the light to darkness, to be experienced by broken humanity.
The Church...
Is not designed to stay inside a church building
Is not just a place to gather but it's also a people who gather
Is a family
Is an active body
Is empowered by the Holy Spirit
Is a carrier of light
Is without walls
Is a place where growth happens
Is a place people encounter Jesus
Is not your relationship with Jesus but Its the out working of the mission of Jesus
Is essential
Is plan A, there is no plan B
Too many Christians receive salvation through Jesus but aren't fully following Jesus. Following Jesus is done through the active work of the Church. Let's update our view that Church is just a place I attend on Sunday for an hour or two. Rather lets embrace the powerful simplicity of the mandate that Jesus gave all of us as his Church in Matthew 28. The great commission by Jesus to His Church is designed to be fulfilled both inside and outside of the Church building. It is to be carried out in your everyday life whether you are the preacher or the plumber, the lawyer or the stay at home mom. We don't just go to church, WE ARE THE CHURCH; The great Hope for Humanity.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
