Taking the Word and Being the Church

Luke 9:6-- Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went.
x
Worked at Long John Silver's tonight! The store has been remodeled the last few days and tonight was clean up night. I guess this is the place where preachers are supposed to come up with some great parallel to the remodeled store and the new and remodeled life in Jesus Christ. Or maybe, "behold, I make all things new" should crop up there somewhere. You know, preachers are supposed to make those really profound theological illustrations and then we all go home happy that we had a sermon.
x
Truth is, I can't do that tonight. The evening proceeded much differently. For just a few minutes, I was standing beside the boss of the boss's boss, or something like that. She was busy working on cooking equipment and I confided that I really found that piece of equipment interesting. She kept intently working on the equipment, knowing that a marvelously theological person was standing next to her, intently staring over her shoulder. Whether it was just to strike up conversation or bring up the inevitable discussion I don't know, but she asked me where I was a preacher (everybody knows by now!). I told her where it was. She worked on for a moment and I asked her the question I am sure she was poised for from the beginning. "Do you have a church home somewhere," came the words. She worked on, but her honest reply came quickly, "I have a brother who is studying to become a preacher. But, I really haven't been to church in a long time." I commented that I was sure in her line of work, she probably had to work a lot of Sundays. In a moment the Holy Spirit had to lead, my mouth began to speak these words, "Well, I guess if we are just looking for something to do, we could go to church; but how many people are really looking for something to do in our busy world. I guess, however, that when we really appreciate what the Lord has done for us, it makes our whole motive for going to church much different." Thoughtfully she replied, "You know, that's really what it's all about isn't it?"
x
We are all old enough and mature enough to know that storks really don't bring babies. And our kids get old enough to realize about Easter bunnies and Santa Clause. The truth is that church, in and of itself, is just a social organization designed to take up time if we don't realize that the church is the body of Christ who loved it enough to lay down His life for it. And the motive of being together is the one motive that will put us in the pews every week, make us give from the overtaxed and overextended parts of our budget, and help us through the turmoil of life. And besides, if we don't go to church and do Christian things because we love the Lord, we are demeaning what God wanted the church to be.
x
Starting today, would you join me in getting a new vision for what we are to be, loving Jesus Christ with all of our hearts and realizing he is the one that makes everything unique, new, and special.
x
Father, please teach us to love Jesus and take Him out everywhere we go. Let us love the church because of the one who died to make it special. In Jesus' name, Amen!